Bir-Billing

“Paragliding in the land of Tibetan monasteries”

Bir is a small town located in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Bir Billing is a popular destination located in Joginder Nagar valley known for adventures sports such as paragliding, treks and also as the town for meditation. There is an influence of Tibetan culture due to Tibetan community settlement in this town.

Bir is considered as one of the best spots in the world for paragliding. The take-off site is called Billing and the landing site is Bir and the overall altitude change is around 800m.  There are some pretty cafe dotting the town serving some delicious food. People can also go for short hikes, visit the monasteries, take a ride in the nearby Jogindernagar-Pathankot Narrow Gauge train or just spend a day at the tea gardens. The town of Bir is also an important centre of spiritual studies and meditation.

Paragliding in Bir

This is a major reason why scores of tourists visit Bir. Being an ideal ground of paragliding, the months from March to November are replete with thousands of tourists, especially bold adventurers visiting Bir and the adjacent town of Billing, 14 km. north from Bir, for the paragliding. The takeoff spot is at Billing, whereas the landing spot is at Bir, the altitude change being that of 800 m. Not only do you get a slice of adventure, but it is also quite safe, with the requisite safety standards clearly met. No wonder why Bir and Billing’s co-hosted the first official Paragliding World Championship on October 2015, where 150 trained paragliders competed for the ultimate glory, along with 500+ free-flying paragliders enjoying their day. Bir is also called unofficially the ‘Paragliding Capital of India’.

History of Bir

The town of Bir was ruled by the Pal dynasty, belonging to the Chandravanshi lineage. They were cheated out of their kingdom with the murder of their king Raizada Prithi Pal, the last of the descendants of the Rajas of Bangahal, by his father in law Raja Sidhi Sen from the Mandi kingdom. Despite repeated efforts over the generations by different Pal rulers, who even received aid from the Mughals, they were unable to annexe the town of Bir back from the Rajas of Mandi. The establishment of the Tibetan monastery marks a new chapter in Bir’s history in the 1960s, with the arrival of Neten Chokling, an incarnate lama of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. His later incarnations, along with Chokling Rinpoche, contributed to the building of the beautiful and famous Tibetan Monastery, which to this day continues to house many refugees.

How to Reach Bir Billing

There is no direct flight or rail connectivity to Bir. The best way to reach Bir is by taking an overnight bus private from Delhi to Bir. Ahju railway station is the nearest railway station, which is only 3 km. away from Bir, although the nearest broad gauge railway station is in Pathankot, which is 142.2 km. away from Bir. Kangra airport in Gaggal, Dharamshala, is the nearest airport, which is 67.6 km. away from Bir but has limited flight connectivity. The Pathankot railway station is connected to the major cities of the country and the Dharamshala airport is connected to Delhi and Kullu. One can take a taxi or a bus from Pathankot to Bir. Other airports close to Bir are in Chandigarh (290 km), Amritsar airport (260 km) and New Delhi (520 km).

How to reach Bir Billing by road

Regular bus services ply to and fro the city of Bir. They operate on a daily basis, whether day or night, from places like Shimla, Dharamshala, etc. You can also take shared taxis or cabs for the same route.

How to reach Bir Billing by train

There is no direct rail connectivity to Bir. The nearest broad gauge station is in Pathankot, which is 112.4 km. away from Bir, while the nearest narrow gauge station is in Ahju, barely 3 km. from Bir. A toy train runs from Pathankot to Ahju.

Local transport in Bir Billing

You can take buses or taxis to get around Bir.

What is the best time to visit Bir Billing?

The summers during the months of April to June are pleasant. This is the best time to visit Bir. The monsoons receive light to heavy rainfall and might be prone to landslides and winters are harsh with temperatures falling to sub-zero levels. October & November are the ideal months for flying in autumn and March to May i.e. spring is also flyable but conditions are very strong in spring with thermals of 6-12 meters/sec and a cloud base of 4000 to 6000 meters. At an altitude of 5000 feet, Bir Billing almost touches the clouds and is genuinely one of the most stunning places in the north. There are two seasonal times to visit Bir – from March to May and from late September to November.

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