Districts of Himachal Pradesh

HQ: Shimla

Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh and was the summer capital of British India. The city is known for its colonial architecture along the Mall Road and the Ridge, the Jakhoo hill temple, and toy-train access on the UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla railway. The wider district includes hill stations such as Kufri, Narkanda, Chail and Mashobra.

HQ: Dharamshala

Kangra is Himachal's most populous district and home to Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the residence of the Dalai Lama. The Dhauladhar range rises sharply above the valley, drawing trekkers to Triund and paragliders to Bir Billing. The district also holds the ancient Kangra Fort and the rock-cut Masroor temples.

HQ: Mandi

Mandi town sits on the banks of the Beas and is often called 'Chhoti Kashi' for its large number of old stone temples. The district is a road hub connecting Shimla, Kullu and Kangra, and contains high-altitude lakes such as Prashar and Rewalsar as well as the quiet Barot valley.

HQ: Kullu

The Kullu valley runs along the Beas and is known for its Dussehra festival, apple orchards and handloom shawls. The district includes Manali, the Parvati valley (Kasol and Manikaran), the Tirthan valley, and the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

HQ: Chamba

Chamba is one of the oldest hill states in the region, with temples and the Bhuri Singh Museum preserving Pahari miniature art. The district contains the meadow of Khajjiar, the hill station of Dalhousie, Chamera reservoir, and the remote tribal valleys of Pangi and Bharmour.

HQ: Solan

Solan lies on the Shimla highway and is known for mushroom cultivation and for hosting a large private university sector. The district includes the quiet cantonment town of Kasauli, the railway stop of Barog on the Kalka–Shimla line, and the Shoolini Mata temple.

HQ: Nahan

Sirmaur is a largely rural district in the south of the state, ranging from the Shivalik foothills near Nahan and Paonta Sahib to the high Churdhar peak. Renuka Lake, the largest natural lake in Himachal, hosts an annual fair, and the district is a major producer of ginger and stone fruit.

HQ: Bilaspur

Modern Bilaspur town was built after the old town was submerged by the Gobind Sagar reservoir, created by the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej. The lake supports fisheries and water sports, and the hilltop Naina Devi temple in the district is a major pilgrimage site.

HQ: Hamirpur

Hamirpur is a small, densely populated district with one of the highest literacy rates in the state. It is known for the hilltop cave shrine of Baba Balak Nath at Deotsidh and for Sujanpur Tira, a former capital of the Katoch rulers with painted temples and a large maidan.

HQ: Una

Una is the state's gateway from Punjab and its lowest-lying district, with a rail head that connects Himachal to the plains. It is best known for the Chintpurni temple, one of the Shakti Peethas, which draws large numbers of pilgrims through the year.

HQ: Reckong Peo

Kinnaur is a tribal district on the old Hindustan–Tibet road, bordering Tibet. It is known for the Kinnaur Kailash peak sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, the apple and chilgoza pine orchards of Kalpa, and the green Sangla (Baspa) valley ending at the border village of Chitkul.

HQ: Kaza (Spiti) and Keylong (Lahaul)

Lahaul & Spiti is a cold desert district of high passes and Buddhist monasteries, the least populated in Himachal. Spiti holds the monasteries of Key, Tabo and Dhankar and the fossil village of Langza; Lahaul is crossed by the Atal Tunnel and the routes over Baralacha La toward Ladakh. Chandratal lake sits near the Kunzum pass.