About Mcleod Ganj

Country: India | State: Himachal

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Mcleod Ganj: Shimla (240 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Mcleod Ganj: April to June & September to November

Peak Season: December to January & May to June

At a distance of 9 km from Dharamshala, 20 km from Kangra, 92 km from Pathankot, 122 km from Dalhousie, 198 km from Kullu, 238 km from Manali, 240 km from Shimla, and 490 km from Delhi, McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodGanj, is a town situated in the Upper Dharamshala region of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by the Dhauladhar ranges, McLeodGanj lies at an altitude of 2082 m. Considered as a twin city of Dharamshala, McLeodGanj is one of the popular places to visit in Himachal Pradesh.

Earlier, McLeodGanj was inhabited by the indigenous Gaddi tribes and dominated by one of the world's earliest royal clans; the Katoch Dynasty. Later, it came under the rule of the British after Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 AD and was named after Sir Donald Friell McLeod, a Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. Initially, it was a summer resort for the British during the 1840s and became a garrison town in the 1850s. It was transformed into a prominent commercial and political center, by the 1900s. McLeod Ganj can be visited along with Manali tour packages.

McLeodganj was destroyed by the devastating Kangra earthquake in 1905. The earthquake destroyed most buildings in Kangra, Dharamshala, and McLeod Ganj which were rebuilt in the following decades. After Independence, McLeodganj served as a flourishing health resort till the 1950s. In the early 1960s, it became the official residence of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. It also became the headquarters of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Today, it is known as Little Lhasa or Dhasa, because of its large Tibetan population.

Mcleodganj tour packages are a mix of Tibetan institutions, Buddhist monasteries, culture, art, and crafts. Dharamkot, Bhagsu, Triund, Dal Lake, Gaggal, Lower Dharamshala, Namgyal Monastery, Tsuglagkhang, and Tsechokling Gompa are the top places to visit in Mcleodganj. It is also a major shopping center famous for souvenirs like Tibetan handicrafts, carpets, garments, wooden masks, paper drawings, beads, baubles, etc. McLeodganj also serves as a base camp for various trekking expeditions that cover Kangra and Chamba Valleys and Dhauladhar ranges.

Gaggal Airport at Dharamshala is the nearest airport, which is about 20 km from McLeod Ganj. It is well connected by flights with Delhi. The nearest major railway station is at Pathankot, 90 km away. It has trains from Ahmedabad, Vaishno Devi Katra, Jammu Tawi, Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, Tata Nagar, Rourkela, Haridwar, Jalandhar, and Chandigarh. There is also a smaller railway station, Kangra Mandir, just 37 km from McLeod Ganj but none of the important trains halt here. This station has train connectivity with Pathankot, Baijnath, and Joginder Nagar. McLeod Ganj is well connected by bus with Delhi, Pathankot, Kangra, Dalhousie, Chamba, Manali, Kullu, and Shimla.

McLeod Ganj has many accommodation options in the form of private hotels and tourist lodges. McLeod Ganj can be visited throughout the year, though it is best to avoid winter between December and January.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Good
STD Code: 08192
Languages Spoken: Hindi, Tibetan, Pahari and English
Major Festivals: Details Not Available
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Mcleod Ganj

By Air

Nearest Airport: Dharamshala - Gaggal Airport (20 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Pathankot Railway Station (90 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Mcleod Ganj Bus Stand (0 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

Heritage | Pilgrimage

#1 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 2 km from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand and 4 km from Dharamshala, Tsuglagkhang Monastery is a Buddhist Monastery situated in McLeod Ganj suburb of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the must-include places in Mcleodganj holiday packages.

Tsuglag Khang, also known as Dalai Lama's Temple complex, is the home for His Holiness Dalai Lama. It is among the world-renowned religious centers and is thronged by Buddhist pilgrims throughout the year. Tsuglagkhang Monastery is a beautifully built structure. This is more like a temple along with being a residential complex for His Holiness and his followers.

The complex houses the Photang (Dalai Lama's residence), Tibet Museum, Tsuglagkhang Temple, and Namgyal Gompa. The monastery deals with the training of monks for rituals associated with holy shrine, whereas the temple is a chief place of worship. A beautifully decorated statue of Lord Buddha along with beautiful .....

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Heritage | Pilgrimage

#2 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 200 m from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand and 9 km from Dharamshala, Tsechokling Gompa, also known as Tse Chok Ling Gompa is a religious monument constructed on a steep hillside in McLeod Ganj.

Tsechokling Gompa is amongst the popular monasteries in the region and is highly regarded for its cultural significance. This peaceful Gompa was built in 1987 to replicate the original Dip Tse Chok Ling Gompa in Tibet, destroyed in the Revolution. Home to a small order of Gelukpa monks, the prayer hall enshrines a statue of Sakyamuni in a magnificent jeweled headdress.

The monks who lived in the Gompa made two huge drums covered in goatskin and painted beautifully. The Gompa is famous for the fine Mandalas.

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Waterfall

#3 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 3 km from McLeod Ganj & 7 km from Dharamshala, Bhagsunag Falls, also known as Bhagsu Falls, is a beautiful waterfall situated at Bhagsu village behind Bhagsunath Temple near McLeod Ganj in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the popular
McLeodganj places to visit, and among the best waterfalls in Himachal.

Cascading down from a height of 20 m, this is a mid-size waterfall. During monsoon, this waterfall turns beautiful alongside a mountain that features slate graffiti. This area is covered with snowfall during winters. Tourists love to swim across the cold water which gives a pleasant and refreshing experience as part of McLeodganj sightseeing packages. Trekking is also a good and much enjoyable option here.

The Bhagsu village is a popular picnic spot and .....

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Pilgrimage

#4 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 2 km from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand & 6 km from Dharamshala, Bhagsu Nag Temple also known as Bhagsunath Temple is one of the popular ancient temples located in McLeod Ganj. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the local deity Bhagsu Nag.

Bhagsu Nag Mandir is an ancient temple believed to have been built by King Bhagsu from Rajasthan. The present Bhagsu Nag temple was constructed by 1st Gurkha Rifles in early 19th century and worshipped majorly by 14 Gurkha platoon villages in Dharamshala. Adjacent to the temple building are a series of pools where Buddhist monks and visitors enjoy baths. An annual fair is conducted in the month of September at this temple which attracts tourist from the entire region.

This temple is situated on the way to Bhagsunag Waterfall.

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Adventure

#5 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 8 km from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand and 13 km from Dharamshala, Triund is a beautiful hill situated in the Dhauladhar Mountains of Himachal Pradesh. Witth an altitude of about 2842 m, it is one of the popular trekking places near Delhi, and among the must-visit places during McLeodganj tour.

Triund is an 8 km trek from the McLeod Ganj Bus Stand. It is one of the best trails of short treks in Himachal state and among the top McLeodganj tourist places for adventure buffs. This is a small and easy trek, which can be done either from McLeodganj or Dharamkot, which is 2 km ahead of McLeodganj. The trail is 6 km from Dharamkot and passes through Galu Devi temple. From this temple, it takes around 3 hours to reach Triund. The initial half of the trek is a gradual incline .....

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Heritage

#6 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 3 km from Dharamshala and 6 km from McLeod Ganj, Namgyalma Stupa is an old Buddhist structure situated at Uparli Barol. It is one of the famous places to visit as part of Dharamshala Tour.

Namgyalma Stupa is a dome-shaped construction that contains the remains of Buddha, which the Tibetans consider to be a sacred place of worship. It holds a huge shrine of Sakyamuni Buddha. The Namgyalma Stupa was constructed in the remembrance of the Tibetan soldiers who fought for the freedom of Tibet. This structure is similar in design to the structure built during the 3rd century BC by King Ashoka.

Among the most prominent places of sightseeing in Dharamshala, the Namgyalma Stupa is carved from sandstone and is made with a vision of being long-lasting. It is a belief among Tibetans that anything that falls on the Namgyalma Stupa gets .....

Distance (From Mcleod Ganj): 6 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mcleod Ganj - Including Travel): 1 Hour
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Heritage | Pilgrimage

#7 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 8 km from Dharamshala and 13 km from McLeod Ganj, Gyuto Monastery is a Buddhist Monastery located at Sidbhari on the main road to Palampur. It is one of the famous Bhuddhist Monasteries in Himachal and among the best Dharamshala places to visit.

The Gyuto Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries and specializes in the study of Tantric meditation, Tantric ritual arts, and Buddhist philosophy. It was founded in Tibet in 1474 by the main disciple of the first Dalai Lama, Jetsun Kunga Dhondup. After the communist Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, the monastery was re-established in India.

It is the abode of Karmapa, the Head of Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism. Karmapa means the one who carries out Buddha activity or the embodiment of all the activities of the Buddha. Also called TCV School, the main chamber of the monastery has a majestic statue of the Buddha and with the backdrop .....

Distance (From Mcleod Ganj): 13 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mcleod Ganj - Including Travel): 1-2 Hours
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Pilgrimage

#8 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 17 km from Dharamshala, 10 km from Palampur, 24 km from McLeod Ganj and 24 km from Kangra, Chamunda Devi Temple is a renowned Hindu Temple located at Padar on the banks of Baner River in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

This ancient temple dates back to the 16th century. The temple is dedicated to Chamunda Devi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga. The word Chamunda has been derived from two words, Chanda and Munda. As per the mythological legends, goddess Kali killed two notorious demons Chanda and Munda in a fierce battle at this place in ancient time. Hence, the goddess is known and worshipped as Chamunda.

The temple houses sacred image of Chamunda Devi. In the corner of the temple, one can see small stone with footsteps of Goddess. Besides the main shrine, there is a marble staircase that takes down to the cave of Lord Shiva with a Shiva Linga. Chamunda Devi Mandir is believed to be the abode of Shiva and Shakti. Due to this reason, it is also known as .....

Distance (From Mcleod Ganj): 24 Kms
Trip Duration (From Gyuto Monastery (9 km) - Including Travel): 1-2 Hours
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Heritage | Pilgrimage

#9 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 7.5 km from Dharamshala Bus Station and 12 km from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand, Norbulingka Institute is an educational and training institute situated at Dharamshala in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

Norbulingka Institute was founded in 1988 for preserving Tibetan culture, literature and art. It was established by Dalai Lama and is named after Norbulingka, the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas in Lhasa, Tibet.

It has been built in traditional Tibetan style located amidst gardens and ponds. The main sections of the institute are the Academy of Tibetan Culture, Literary and Cultural Research Centre as well as the Centre of the Arts. The institute also has the Seat of Happiness Temple set amidst the Japanese inspired Norbulingka gardens. It is especially known for more than 1000 murals of Buddha, frescoes of all the Dalai Lamas and drawings from the life of the 14th Dalai Lama.

The institute primarily works towards preserving Tibetan traditions and .....

Distance (From Mcleod Ganj): 12 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mcleod Ganj - Including Travel): 1-2 Hours
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Backwaters

#10 of 17 Places to Visit in Mcleod Ganj

At a distance of 3 km from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand and 9 km from Dharamshala, Dal Lake is a small mid-altitude lake situated near the village of Tota Rani on Mcleodganj-Naddi road in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the prominent McLeodganj tourist attractions.

The beautiful Dal Lake stands at an altitude of 1,775 m and is one of the popular sightseeing attractions to visit as during McLeodganj trip. The greenish lake is home to various species of fish. It is the best base camp for trekkers in Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj. It is situated on the crest of a hill and affords a panoramic view of the Kangra Valley and the Dhauladhar Ranges. Boating facility is also available at this lake.

This oval-shaped lake is surrounded by deodar trees and is considered to be a sacred spot as there is a small Shiva Temple on its bank. According .....

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