"McLeod Ganj.... So this is the Indian Himalaya!" Top 5 Page for this destination McLeod Ganj by lachydragon

McLeod Ganj Travel Guide: 113 reviews and 315 photos

Just a typical valley view.....!! - McLeod Ganj

A Little Bit about the Town

The town of McLeod Ganj sits along a couple of ridgelines at 1770 metres in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. It is better know by the name of Dharamshala - however D'shala is actually the township about 9kms lower down the road.

This town is the headquaters of the Tibetan Government in Exile and of course is home to its leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. It is very popular with western tourists but still remains a beautiful place. Cool crisp night in winter but beatuful clear days. The people are wonderful, a fantastic mix of Nepalese and Tibetans alongwith Punjabis, Kashmiris and Plains Indians!

If you are interested in exploring the Buddhist religion there is ample opportunity here as the monks in their bright red robes bring a splash of colour to the town's streets.

The main street is actually two roads that split at the main bus stand in town and travel roughly parallel until they reconnect a few hundres metres later near the road off to the main Temple. Some shops back onto both roads and half way along there is a small chorten and prayer wheels where you can cross between the streets and turn hunders of prayers of 'Om mani padme hum' spinning-off to the gods as you pass!

Where this fits in my Trip

Looking forward, looking back...the railway.

I have not started making ym VT pages at the begining of my trip and methodically moved through. Instead I have jumped into places where there aren't many VT pages and where I have wonderful memories!!

I reached McLeod Ganj from Shimla (also in Himachal Pradesh) and from here continued back onto the Plains of India and Delhi via a train from neighbouring Punjab state.

Please check out my general India VT page for an overview of this wonderful country and my 2004 Adventure through Northern India!

Also, if you have enjoyed these pages please leave a comment and rate my tips.

Take Care, Travel Well!!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Snowy mountains, fluttering prayer flags and welcoming smiles
Cons:A little bit out-of-the-way
In a nutshell:A sneak peek at Tibet perhaps?! - Find some peace in the Indian Himalayas

Last visit to McLeod Ganj: Feb 2004
Intro Written Apr 3, 2004
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Reviews (10)

Edwina with her colection of cards! - McLeod Ganj

I have a very very cheap hotel...25 hour... Tourist Traps (1)

When you first arrive in McLeod Ganj you will either be coming in by public bus or shared taxi from Dharamshala (9kms... more travel advice

St Johns in the Wilderness - McLeod Ganj

Church of St Johns in the Wilderness Things to Do (2)

A pleasant walk fron the Bus Stand along the main road downhill towards Dharamshala for about 1km will take you to the... more travel advice

View looking up Jogibara Rd - McLeod Ganj

Walk the Main Street and Turn Some... Things to Do (2)

McLeod Ganj really is a lovely town to just wander around. This is the view looking along on eof the main streets with... more travel advice

Drinking Kashmiri Chai in the restaurant courtyard - McLeod Ganj

Spotlessly Clean and Snow Views Hotels (3)

My friend and I checked out so many hotels in McLeod Ganj before we decided on the HimQueen Annexe but this one was the... more travel advice

Transportation (1)
Shared Buses Dharamshala - McLeod Ganj

Restaurants (3)
See All McLeod Ganj's BEST Restaurant....by far!

Comments (3)

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willy_wonka Nov 8, 2007 at 10:44 PM

great page mate!
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ukirsari Jul 2, 2004 at 6:18 AM

coooooooooool place!!!
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radz Apr 19, 2004 at 8:23 PM

Nice tips Lachy,Hope i will go oneday soon :).