Holidays Travel Guide

Places of interest & Stay

Places worth visiting near Pathankot include Shahpur Kandi with a hanging resthouse, Ranjit Sagar Dam which is the highest gravity dam in Asia, Madhopur headworks which date back to the Mughal era. Church, Head works of Upper Bari Doab, Shahpur Kandi are the attractions of this area.

There are some caves on the way to Shahpur Kandi which date to the time of the Mahabharata. According to a legend, the Pandavas stayed in those caves for a night during their "Agayatwas". A carnival or mela, called Mukesran da mela is held there each year in the month of April to mark Baisakhi.

The ancient Shiva temple- 'Kathgarh'. is approximately 25 km from PTK, During "Naag panchami" gap between two shiva parvati holy stones reduces and during "shivrathri" the gap increases. There is no clue as to how that happens. But truly it's a magic of its own. To reach there one has to go to Indora (HP), which is 20 km away from ptk. Don't miss this temple if you visit Pathankot.

India's foremost hydraulic research stations is situated at Malikpur which is 7 km from Pathankot, where various models of dams and irrigation canal are made before actual work upon them starts.

There is a fort, called the Nurpur Fort built by the Pathania Rajputs, more than 900 years ago. It was damaged due to the great earthquake which struck this region early in 1905 A.D. 25 km from Pathankot. It is quite famous in North India, and the temple inside attracts tourists from all across. It is 25 KM away from Pathankot.

Shahpurkandi fort is also one of the main attractions of Pathankot city. It was built in 1505 A.D. by a Rajput chief Jaspal Singh Pathania. It was strategically located to have control over the Kangra and Nurpur region. The fort is in ruins, and is famous for its temples and the view it commands over the Ravi river.

The famous road/colony that forms the heart of city are 'mission road ', Jodhamal colony, 'green heaven colony' and 'Patel chownk' road. Famous temples are Ashapurni mandir, Kali mata ka mandir, Shani Dev mandir, Hanuman Mandir near railway station, Ramlila ground. Also devotees visit CNI church, Peer baba on Patel chownk. Now new localities are coming up like 'Victoria Estate' and place near 'Doji Raam ki Nursery'. The residential land is decreasing day by day in its vicinity apart from famous 'Victoria Estate', land near 'Doji Raam ki Nursery' that are close to Shahpur Chownk and 'Green Heaven Colony'.

There are many good hotels in the city but no 5 star facility hotels. You can get excellent North Indian delicacies round the clock. few of the renowned restaurants of the city are Hotel Venice, Hotel Woodland, Moti Mahal, Unite Hotel.

One can stop over in Pathankot en-route to Dharamshala (100 km), Dalhousie (70 km), Amritsar (108), Palampur (100 km), Chamba (100 km) & Jammu (100 km), Hoshiarpur (100 km), Kangra (100 km), Jalandhar (108 km) all in different directions from Pathankot.

Make sure you visit Dalhousie in winter(after 25th December) you can catch some real snow. More over when you visit Dalhousie, don't forget to make ur trip to Kahgiar. No wonder they call it an Indian Switzerland (try balloon riding, paragliding for kids, horse riding, take a picture in their traditional dress, and restaurants.) To have your adrenalin flow, drive from Khagiar to chamba, narrow roads with breath taking views will make your adrenaline flow for sure.

For religious trips like Jwalaji (130 km), Chintpurni (130 km) Pathankot becoms an ideal place to rest before heading to the hill route the next morning. A Grand Ranjit Sagar Dam (earthen Dam made of mud and not concrete) is a 100 km water reservoir. This is the latest tourist spot of Pathankot and is in "Must Visit". Chinmayya Temple (Swami Chinmayya Nand) is also un way to Yol Camp (100 km). This is the place where the German Soldiers (POW) were kept in confinement after the Second World War by the British.

Kath Garh Temple: The last destination of the Greek emperor Sikandar. While returning back to Greece, The emperor Sikandar's Army refused to cross this area. hence only Sikandar with his Greek team went ahead leaving the most of army here. A big festible happens in the Kathgarh during the Shivratri as thousands of people come to view visit this place.

The economy of the city is dependent upon the Army, 3-Multipurpose Dams being constructed on river Ravi, as trading & distribution hub for Chamba & Kangra valley and adjoining parts of Jammu & Kashmir. There are lots of crushers in the area whose sand, stones and other concrete material are ISI marked, which is unique in the whole of India.[5]