Bir-Billing : An Offbeat gem of Himachal Pradesh

Courtesy :- Google Images

You might not have heard about Bir Billing, a small town in Himachal Pradesh but this off beat gem nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas amidst lush forests and tea gardens has so much to offer. 

Here’s why you should add Bir Billing to your Bucket List.

• Things to do in Bir Billing :-

• Paragliding :-  Bir Billing’s biggest claim to fame is what brings most tourists here – Bir Billing is considered to be the best place in the Asia for paragliding. Bir Billing holds the paragliding world cup and other competitions and at about 2,000 - 2500 Rupees (with Action Camera) for a half an hour tandem flight paragliding in Bir Billing is much more affordable than other countries.

The paragliding launch point is at approximately 2400 meters on the top of a ridge at Billing (14 km north of Bir) and the landing area is in the fields on the outskirts of the Bir Tibetan Colony. Even if you haven’t had any experience or training in paragliding you can still enjoy the magical feeling of flying and the magnificent views with a tandem paraglide where an experienced pilot takes care of everything so that you can just relax and enjoy the experience.

The best time for paragliding in Bir Billing is from September to March.. paragliding stops in the monsoon.

• Meditation courses in Bir :-  Bir Billing is a noted centre of eco tourism, spiritual and meditation studies as it offers some great learning and volunteering opportunities that attract spiritual seekers to the town. Deer Park Institute and Dharmalaya Institute both offer meditation courses and retreats as well as courses on a variety of topics including Buddhism, philosophy, culture, languages, dance, art, writing and more and accommodation is available at both centres for people who are participating on one of their programmes. Dharmalaya also offer hands on programmes where you can learn about eco, organic and sustainable living practices.

• Tibetan Monasteries in Bir :-  The Tibetan Colony at Bir was established in the early 1960s following the exile of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans from Tibet and the settlement still thrives today. A highlight of my visit to Bir was exploring the many colourful and serene Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and seeing the monks at prayer and playing in the early evenings.
  All of the monasteries are different so you can enjoy exploring them all but some of the main monasteries that you should visit in Bir include the Chokling Monastery with it’s imposing line of 8 stupas in front of the monastery and a grand statue of Padmasambhava in the main hall.

Other Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Bir Tibetan Colony include the Dirru Monastery & Bir Sakya Lama Society, the Drikung Dozin Theckcho Ling Monastery and the Palyul Chökhorling Monastery all of which are worth a look to soak up the serene atmosphere and appreciate the colourful and beautiful architecture and art work.

• Where to Stay in Bir Billing :-

Bir Billing  is a small town so it does not have a huge variety of accommodation but you should be able to find something to suit you and if you're a backpacker then you'll definitely find Hostel,Hotel,AirBnB (Range - 400 to 900 including WiFi)

• Where to Eat in Bir Billing :-

There aren’t many restaurants in Bir but you can find Tibetan momos and Thukpa and some Indian fast food in the market and at the Tibetan colony. There are also couple of restaurants are the paragliding landing site that serve international food and cater for tourists and foreigners.

Be aware that there’s not really any night life in off beat Bir and most restaurants close at about 8pm. 

• How to Reach Bir Billing :-

Route:-  Delhi – Ambala – Banur (chandigarh bypass) – kiratpur – Anandpur Sahib – Nagal – Una – Amb – Kangra – Palampur – Baijnath – Bir road – Bir Colony : – 560 km.

Visit Make My Trip/Red Bus website to book private volvo bus from Delhi (Kashmiri Gate or Majnu Ka Till Bus Station) to Bir Billing (bus drop at Bir road 2 km before Bir)

Cost :- 1100 - 1400 Rupees.

Feel free to mail me to hazraniladri1997@gmail.com for more information and sample itinerary.