Celebrates the first flush of Kangra tea with tastings at local gardens, cultural programmes, and exhibitions on tea heritage.
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Naksh.iq
ISSUE Nº 47 · MAY 2026
Festival · HIMACHAL PRADESH
Tea Festival (Kangra Tea).
April · Palampur
Going for this? Palampur in April
NakshIQ score
5/10
Go
April is Palampur at its spring peak. Tea gardens are in full pluck—women in colourful clothes picking tender leaves across green terraces with snow mountains behind. Temperatures: 14-26°C. Every tourist activity operates. Bir Billing paragliding is in full swing. The Kangra Valley is lush and flower-carpeted.
Getting there
Elevation
1472 m
Nearest airport
Gaggal (Dharamsala) — 40km
Nearest railway
Pathankot — 112km
Live in Palampur
Where to stay in Palampur
The Tea Estate Stay
₹1,500-3,000/nighthomestay · Palampur tea gardensHomestay inside a working tea estate. Wake up to tea bushes outside your window. The host family gives morning tea-plucking walks. Fresh Kangra tea at breakfast — you'll never go back to Lipton.
Where to eat
Coy's Cafe
Lohna · ₹₹Signaturecinnamon iced latte
Order coffee à la carte, not from the breakfast set — the set drinks default to instant. Ask for the single-origin pour at the counter.
Araiya Palampur — The Dining Room
Bundla Road · ₹₹₹SignatureKangri tasting plate
Walk-ins for non-residents are allowed but call first — the kitchen blocks for in-house weddings on weekends. Sunday brunch is the value pick.
The Tea Bud Restaurant (HPTDC)
Main Bazaar · ₹₹SignatureHPTDC thali
Government tariff means alcohol is licensed and ID-checked; the bar is the only one in town with a published menu. Dial +91 1894 231298 to confirm dinner hours off-season.
Cliffy's Cafe
Lohna · ₹₹Signaturewood-fired farmhouse pizza
It's set 2nd-floor at KBL Plaza, easy to miss from the road. The terrace seats with the Dhauladhar view are unmarked — ask the staff.
What else to see in Palampur
Kangra Tea Gardens
Lush tea plantations producing the world-famous Kangra tea. Walking trails through manicured gardens.
viewpoint1-2 hoursNeugal Khad
Scenic gorge with a river and an iron bridge offering views of Dhauladhar mountains.
viewpoint1 hourTashi Jong Monastery
Tibetan Buddhist monastery and arts center. Home to traditional thangka painting and mask-making schools.
monastery1-2 hours
Other festivals in Palampur
Other festivals in April, elsewhere
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