Dharamashala 

Perched on the rugged spine of the Himalayas lies a city surrounded by towering cedar trees. Monks passby in their iconic burgundy robes. As the official home of the Dalai Lama, people flock here from all over the world. The area has vibrant Tibetan flags draped over every village wall, creating a beautiful contrast against the mountains. 

 

It’s the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. The gaslighting by the left have conveniently forgotten about China’s illegal occupation of Tibet.

How many protests do we see about that across the world? 

How we got to Dharamashala

Like most of our North India trip it was either a crowded bus, or to hire a driver for the drop.  We opted for a driver. This time at a cost of 5500 INR Blue Sheep Tours. Reasonably priced, professional driver, although a wee bit late, and we got there safely.

 

More of the same crazy traffic and tight hillside roads as we arrived but Job done. 

Accommodation

We choose Dharamkot outlook away up in the hills in Dharamkot itself.

It could be nice and peaceful, until the guests at the ajoining guesthouse would pump their music. 

Ignore the noise and you could find the serenity in Dharamkot, with a touch of local life on one’s doorstep.

The mountain views were pretty spectacular from our room.

The room itself was fine (bar some mouldy pillows and the balcony not finished, leading into a dangerous drop)! 

We had a kitchen (no fridge though)! Therefore, we enjoyed going to the grocery stores to get fresh produce for some home cooking. Eating out all the time can be draining, especially when touring all day. Then there’s the tedious question of having to find out whats in the food.

A bonus was the 2 big gorgeous mountain dogs, who lived close by. They loved sitting by our kitchen when the cooking commenced. Lol

However, I think they would have preferred meat rather than the healthy option of raw carrot. 

What to see?

As usual, we had our itinerary after researching the area. It was clear that another scooter would be required. 

Hire a scooter

The roads were the most scariest for driving on the moped. So much so we left the bike back earlier than intended. It was very steep roads, particularly narrow in some places, and crumbling down the hillside at points. 

Loose gravel can make the wheels slip and slide, while the drop makes your heart race. You don’t want to go to fast and end up over the of the mountain. Huge boulders can some crash down without any warning. On top of that, with road closures, there were points that even two wheelers became bogged down in the traffic. The driving was taxing on the mind and the traffic tedious to deal with. It was exhausting for both driver and passenger. 

 

Driving on the roads wasn’t pleasant, but was necessary for us, to see some sights.  A four wheeler does not work in Dharamkot. You just cant get two cars around a bend at one time, or down a narrow straight, so you just sit in traffic jams for hours.

The town below, even though a bigger road, was just as bad.

At one stage, we thought that we weren’t going to get a bike hire. We contacted 5 or 6 and got told that none available. Thankfully we managed to strike lucky. We hired from Triund Hikers at a cost of 800 INR. 

Walk the hilly mountains around Dharamkot

When you get rid of the wheels, take a walk/ hike and breath in the mountain air. 

Walking into the village you will have a lot of steps to decend and the have to climb back up. 

Its definitely better going down than up! In the rain it was especially difficult as slidey. Afterwards though you felt great, known you were getting the steps in lol

Check out Dharamkot mountain village 

There’s some educational workshops in the village, such as music classes, yoga, art etc which can keep one occupied in the relatively sleepy settlement.  As there is a big Israeli influence,  you will see a lot of language is in Hebrew. 

You’ll also find cafes, bakeries and general stores.

McLeod Ganj & Spiritual Site

The Tsuglagkhang Complex is the official residence of the 14th Dalai Lama, featuring the Namgyal Monastery and the Tibet Museum. It is located in the McLeod Ganj, a neighbourhood hill station.

Within the temple, Dharamshala.

The temple monastary is a  relatively simple building compared to places like the Vatican. Yes, there are some ornate murals, and other art work, along with some golden Buddha statues, however the place isn’t dripping with precious metals, jewels, and other worldly riches. 

There are open shows of young monks praying, reciting, chanting from some manuscript led by older monks and a female working with a laptop, presumably to arrange the monotone lead chant for the devotees. 

 

Thoughts after seeing

Personally, I (Knox) find the chanting ceremony very organised, soulless and ritualistic. Of course, this is the show for the tourists and there are bound to be more private spiritual experiences. However, I have a deep distrust of organised religions and the brain washing that can lead away from a profound spiritual connection with God. 

Hey, what do I know? I just prefer the beautiful nature that surrounds.

Mcleod Ganj market

From the main square, to the mini market you’ll find everything from Tibetan artwork,  clothing, jewellery and traditional food such as momos.  

Every store sold the same items, so not much individuality, which is typical in tourists markets.

Kalachakra Temple

Most visitors drive through the town to the Dalai Lama temple, but bypass the Tibetan Buddhist, Kalachakra Temple.

Even on a busy, in-between shop traders, we found it more, to give a sense of peace and calm, with less of a tourist horde.

St John Wilderness Church

A neo-gothic structure built in 1852. A massive earthquake hit the area in 1905 and destroyed many buildings, but this church survived.