Misty mountain stop

Dharamsala is perhaps best known as the home of the Dalai Lama, but this is a town that occupies several different dimensions. There is the functional Dharamsala, the grubby, gritty place where noisy buses draw up and where government offices, hospitals and markets cluster. The administrative Dharamsala is the seat of the Tibetan govering body in Gangchen Kyishong, where the devout gather to hear the Dalai Lama teach twice a year. Then there is travellers' Dharamsala, up in McLeod Ganj, still blissfully hippy, where backpackers curl up in coffee shops with books on Tibetan culture and adventure-sports enthusiasts plan forays into the nearby hills.

The latest dimension is cricket's Dharamsala, downtown, where the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, easily one of the most picturesque in the world, stands propped up against the snow-dusted peaks of the Dhauladhars. The venue will stage its first Test when Australia visit in March 2017, but it has already hosted a number of IPL and World T20 matches.

During the India-Australia Test, the weather should be very pleasant, with temperatures from 15°C to 28°C. You'll probably need to take a thick jacket for late nights and early mornings.

Though Gaggal, the closest airport to Dharamsala, is only 15km away, it has poor connectivity to the rest of the country. Travellers prefer flying into Chandigarh, then taking a cab to Dharamsala, a distance of 275km.

The other popular route involves taking a train to Pathankot in Punjab and then a taxi or a bus that covers the 90km in about three hours. Pathankot railway station is a pit stop for trains to and from Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Delhi, Jammu, Rourkela, Chennai, Mangalore, Kolkata and more.

Dharamsala is largely divided into two areas - Lower Dharamsala and Upper Dharamsala - the latter is better known as McLeod Ganj, 3km north of Dharamsala town. Sputtering rickshaws will drive you from Dharamsala to McLeod Ganj for about Rs 130-150. For a little more comfort, take a cab from the unionised taxi stands that have fixed prices. Public and private buses are also popular with the backpacker crowd, and they cover the same distance for Rs 10.

The cricket stadium is located in Lower Dharamsala, at 1457 metres above sea level. Though it's within city limits, the access road to the stadium is narrow, so budget for traffic on match days.

High-end
Though a good 5km from the stadium, The Pavilion by HPCA (from Rs 6000) is the city's only bona-fide five-star hotel; this is also where international cricketers stay when they come to play matches. Rooms go quickly in cricket season, so booking early is advised. The Divine Hima (From Rs 6000), a luxury boutique hotel 3.5kms from the stadium, has just six rooms, lovingly named after Himalayan passes by the geologist owner. These tend to get booked quickly, so reserve way in advance. The Best Western Indraprastha (From Rs 6690), though farther away (5.5kms from the stadium) offers best-in-class facilities and lovely mountain views.

Mid-range
A basic hotel a short stroll away from the stadium, Centre Point (from Rs 3800) has good food and great views. The staff and service at The Exotica (from Rs 3500) get rave reviews, as do the comfortable rooms. Early birds will catch some spectacular sunrises here. The Sanctuary (from Rs 3750) offers five-star facilities at three-star prices.

Budget
The Dhauladhar (from Rs 2499), run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, is on the expensive side for a budget hotel, but it more than makes up for it with its central location and large rooms. New Varuni House (from Rs 1300) is about 4km from the stadium and up in McLeod Ganj but it's far enough from the marketplace for a peaceful stay, and has cheerful staff who take great pride in their tidy rooms.

To eat in Dharamsala is to take a tiny culinary trip around the world. You'll find everything from Japanese, Korean, Bhutanese, Nepali, Italian to, of course, Tibetan food here, and a lot of it vegetarian. And you absolutely cannot leave town without slurping down a steaming bowl of thukpa. This bracing noodle soup is ubiquitous here, as are silken momos.

Don't expect fine dining - restaurants prize food over frippery, and consequently most of the eating joints are value for money. Some of the city's best eateries are in McLeod Ganj; it may be a bit of a trek if you're staying in lower Dharamsala, but the trip is well worth it.

Mid-range
No two people will every agree on where the best meal in Dharamsala is, but when it comes to pizza, everyone will point you to Namgyal Café in McLeod Ganj. Made in a wood-fired oven, these pizzas are served with a side of spectacular mountain views. If you're staying in the Norbulingka Institute, their al fresco vegetarian Hummingbird Café serves up a mean buffet breakfast. Sundowners are the speciality at KhaanaNirvana, with some great happy-hours offers and music to match. Consistently great Italian food is to be had at Nick's Italian Kitchen and Jimmy's Italian Kitchen.

Budget
For authentic no-frills Tibetan food, look no further than Peace Café, where warming bowls of thukpa can be had for less than the price of a rickshaw ride. The potato and cheese momos and pancakes also come highly recommended. If you have a hankering for Japanese, head to Lung-ta, where the set menus for Rs 200 include gigantic portions of food with sushi and miso soup. Home-style Korean food that's easy on your wallet is Korean Café Ri's USP; people line up for the bibimbap, katsu burgers and bulgogi here. Great breakfast and super-fast Wi-Fi are the order of the day at Black Tent Cafe. Across the road from Namgyal Café is the Woeser Bakery, where patrons have been known to fight for the last few crumbs of carrot and chocolate cake, washed down with some of the best coffee in town.

Few come to Dharamsala to party, and what passes for nightlife here are restaurants that stay open beyond 7pm, but there are a handful of bars for those looking to slake their thirst. Xcite in the main square is the only place in town with a dance floor (open twice a week), but beware of the boorishly loud music and the fug of hookah smoke. Expect to run into a couple of cricketers at the rooftop bar at McLlo, one of the best places in McLeod Ganj to kick back with a cold brew. Rythm at the GK Conifer Hotel is a garishly lit bar that does wine, beer, and somewhat suspect cocktails to the background of pounding music.

Trek to Triund. A meandering jungle trail up from Dharamkot takes you to Triund, a grassy meadow at the foot of the Dhauladhars, at a height of 2828 metres. This 6km trek is moderately difficult and the payoff is some of the best views of the Dhauladhars in all of Himachal Pradesh. There are plenty of tea-and-Maggi stalls on the way, and you have the option to rent tents and camp overnight at the top.

Learn about Tibetan culture at the Norbulingka Institute, which is helping conserve the region's arts and crafts. Over 300 people live and learn here, and visitors can take lessons in wood-carving and painting and thangka sketching, and take home souvenirs made by artists trained and employed at the Institute. The Tibet Museum tells the story of the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the subsequent exodus of the Tibetan diaspora, via video clips, photographs, and it's a poignant glimpse into the tempestuous history of the region.

Visit the Namgyal Monastery to see the monks at work and study. Around noon every day, the monks file out into the courtyard to debate Buddhist philosophy and it's fascinating to watch, as they make their points with much flourishing and clapping.

Drop in for a yoga class at the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre or Universal Yoga Center. Serious practitioners can also sign up for certificate courses in teaching yoga and pranic healing.

Volunteer at the Tibetan Children's Village, about 4km from McLeod Ganj, dedicated to the education and development of Tibetan refugee children. Volunteering opportunities include everything from teaching to health checks, though teaching requires a commitment of several months.