McLeod Ganj

McLeod Ganj is a hill town above Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, at about 2,000 metres below the Dhauladhar range, and it has been the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile since 1960. Because of that, McLeod Ganj is often called Little Lhasa, and it is the centre of Tibetan life, religion and scholarship outside Tibet.

McLeod Ganj began as a British cantonment in the 1850s and was named after Sir Donald McLeod, a Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. It declined after the 1905 Kangra earthquake and was largely empty when Tibetan refugees arrived with the Dalai Lama. Since then monasteries, schools, craft centres and the Central Tibetan Administration have grown up across the hillside. The Tsuglagkhang Complex, opposite the Dalai Lama's residence, holds the main temple and Namgyal Monastery, and public teachings are given here several times a year. McLeod Ganj is also a base for treks such as the day walk to Triund, with close views of the Dhauladhar.

What to see

• The Tsuglagkhang Complex, Namgyal Monastery and the Tibet Museum
• The kora path that circles the Dalai Lama's residence, lined with prayer flags
• St John in the Wilderness, a stone church from 1852 in the deodar forest
• Bhagsu Nag Temple and the Bhagsu waterfall
• The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives lower down the hill
• The Triund ridge walk, about 9 km each way

What to wear

At the Tsuglagkhang Complex cover shoulders and knees, remove hats and shoes where asked, and walk clockwise around shrines and stupas. McLeod Ganj is cool most of the year and cold in winter, with heavy rain from July to September, so bring layers, a rain jacket and good walking shoes for the steep roads. The traditional Tibetan dress is the chuba, a wrap-around robe, worn by women with a striped apron called a pangden; Gaddi shepherds of the Kangra hills wear wool coats tied with black rope.

Local food to try

McLeod Ganj is the best place in India for Tibetan food. Try momos, thukpa and thenthuk noodle soups, tingmo steamed bread, laphing, a cold spicy mung bean noodle sold at street stalls, and salty butter tea. Kangra's own festive meal is the dham, and local cafes also sell Kangra tea. Temple Road and Jogiwara Road are lined with Tibetan cafes, many with vegetarian options.

Good to know

• Best time: March to June and late September to November; avoid the monsoon rains
• Hours: town open all day; the temple complex keeps daytime hours
• Entry: free; donations welcome at monasteries and the Tibet Museum charges a small fee
• Allow 2 days, more if trekking
• Getting there: about 20 km from Kangra airport at Gaggal, and 10 km above lower Dharamshala
• Security checks apply at the temple; phones may be restricted during teachings

Nearby places

From McLeod Ganj, the Golden Temple in Amritsar is about 200 km south-west. The Ridge in Shimla is about 240 km south-east and Rohtang Pass above Manali about 230 km east.