5. Family Drive to Dalhousie, Oct-2025 (16th-19th Oct, 2025).

#familydrive #dalhousie #dainkund #pohlanimata #khajjiar #jot Family Drive to Dalhousie, Oct-2025 (16th-19th Oct). With our daughter and son-in-law home together for Deepawali, a rare occurrence in today’s busy life, we decided to make the most of those precious days with a short family road trip. It was our first holiday together as a family of four, and Dalhousie was the natural choice—close to home, beautiful, and a place our son-in-law had never visited. We chose the Amritsar–Madhopur route instead of our usual Chakki Bank road. But recent floods had damaged the bridge across the Upper Bari Doab Canal at Madhopur, forcing a change of plan. Rather than turn back, we took the longer Madhopur–Lakhanpur–Thein Dam–Mahanpur–Basohli route, despite stretches of damaged road, before finally reaching Dalhousie. We stayed for two nights at a comfortable hotel within walking distance of Gandhi Chowk, enjoying leisurely walks and the unhurried rhythm of the hill town. On the third day, we drove to Khajjiar, with a delightful detour to Dainkund. From there came one of the most memorable moments of the trip—a beautiful walk along the trail to Pohlani Mata Temple and back. Walking together, talking, laughing and simply enjoying each other’s company made the journey truly special. Khajjiar added another beautiful memory. Our family room overlooked the vast Khajjiar meadow, and those quiet moments by the window, watching the landscape together, remain etched in our hearts. For the return journey, we took the scenic Jot route, completing a beautiful loop of 525 kilometres in three nights and four days. But the real highlight wasn’t the roads, the mountains or even Khajjiar. It was being together—the giggling, laughter, long walks, endless conversations and little moments that made this short drive an unforgettable family memory. For more travel stories and videos, google "sunil azaad"