The village of Bir is the base for our tours (see here for details of our accommodation at the Colonel's Resort). At a height of 1400m, it is spread out across a plateau set above the rest of the Kangra valley. Homesteads and traditional stone-built houses are dotted about a carpet of tea-gardens. The villagers are friendly and used to paragliders but there are still always a few kids in the landing field ready to raid your in-flight munchy stash.
To the west of the village is the more densely populated Tibetan colony. China first invaded Tibet in 1949 and soon afterwards India offered safe haven to those who chose to flee. Their most famous settlement is at Dharamsala, 45 km west of Bir as the glider flies, but a large number of Tibetans also made their home in Bir. Monasteries and seats of learning abound, making Bir a popular destination for students of Buddhism from all over the world. Otherwise it is off the tourist trail, so the only Westerners you will see are those seeking spiritual wisdom from Buddhist lamas or those seeking thermals.
