A Week in McLeod Ganj: Momos, Monasteries, and Mountain Air
Day 1: Arrival and Fog
The bus from Delhi took 12 hours. Twelve hours of flat plains that gradually became foothills, then hairpin turns, then fog so thick the driver was navigating by memory. I arrived at the McLeod Ganj bus stand at 6 AM, altitude 2,082 meters, temperature 8°C, visibility roughly 15 meters.
I couldn't see the mountains. I couldn't see much of anything. A chai wallah had set up next to the bus stand — 10 INR for a cup that burned my fingers and warmed my core. He pointed up the hill: "Hotel that side." I dragged my bag up a steep lane, found a guesthouse called Kunga (800 INR/night, hot water sometimes, mountain views theoretically), and slept until noon.
When I woke up, the fog had cleared. And there were the Dhauladhar mountains, snow-capped and impossibly close, filling the window like a painting someone had hung while I slept.
Day 2: The Temple Circuit
The Tsuglagkhang Complex — the Dalai Lama's temple — is the center of everything. Free entry, open 6AM-6PM. I walked the kora path that circumnavigates the temple, spinning prayer wheels as I went. Tibetan monks in maroon robes walked the same path, some chanting, some on phones.
The Tibet Museum inside documents the exile story. It's small, free, and devastating. I spent an hour there and came out quiet.
Namgyal Monastery, the Dalai Lama's personal monastery, was next door. Morning prayers at 6-7 AM with chanting and horns. I sat in the back and listened. I don't speak Tibetan. I didn't need to. The vibration of the chanting horns hit somewhere below language.
Lunch: Tibet Kitchen on Jogiwara Road. Steamed momos (100 INR) and thukpa (120 INR). The momos were perfect — thin skin, pork filling, served with a fiery red chutney. I ate the entire plate in four minutes.
Day 3: Bhagsu and the Waterfall
Bhagsu Waterfall is a 2 km walk from the main square. The ancient Shiva temple at the base dates to the 8th century. The waterfall itself is 20 meters — not massive, but the pool at the base was cold enough to make me gasp (October — the water is snowmelt).
Above the waterfall, a trail continues to cafes perched on rocks with valley views. I spent the afternoon at one called Shiva Cafe (not original, but the view is). Masala chai, 30 INR. A paperback someone had left behind. Three hours disappeared.
In the evening, I stumbled into a meditation class at Tushita Meditation Centre. Drop-in sessions are free (donations appreciated). Guided sitting meditation for 45 minutes. I've never been good at meditation — my mind runs commentary on everything. But something about the altitude, the silence, the day's walking — it worked. For maybe five minutes, my brain went quiet.
I went back every morning for the rest of the week.
Day 4: Triund Trek
The big one. 9 km to the ridge at 2,875 meters. I started at 6:30 AM with a water bottle, energy bars, and a borrowed jacket. The trail starts gently through forest, then steepens through rocky switchbacks for the last 2 km.
Four and a half hours up. My legs were burning. My lungs were working harder than at sea level. But the payoff — a grassy ridge with the Dhauladhar range filling the sky in every direction — made every step worth it.
I ate dal rice at a makeshift dhaba on the ridge (150 INR, not gourmet, absolutely perfect in context). I sat on a rock and stared at mountains for an hour. Then I hiked back down, which took three hours and destroyed my knees.
The hot shower at the guesthouse that evening was the best shower of my life.
Day 5: Cooking Class
Lhamo's Kitchen, near the temple. Three hours, 1,000 INR. I learned to make momos from scratch — the dough, the filling, the pleating technique that looks simple and is absolutely not simple. My momos looked like they'd been in a fight. Lhamo's looked like origami.
She also taught thukpa and Tibetan butter tea (po cha). The butter tea is an acquired taste — salty, buttery, more soup than tea. I acquired the taste by cup three.
Evening: walked to Naddi village for sunset. The 30-minute uphill walk was worth every step. The Dhauladhar range at golden hour turns from white to pink to orange. I sat on a stone wall with two Indian college students and a German couple, all of us silent, watching the light change.
Day 6: Norbulingka and Dharamkot
Took a shared taxi (30 INR) down to Sidhpur for the Norbulingka Institute. Entry 50 INR. Watched artisans create thangka paintings — intricate Buddhist scroll paintings that take months to complete. The patience required is almost meditative in itself. The Japanese-Tibetan garden was empty and beautiful.
Afternoon: climbed to Dharamkot, the backpacker village above McLeod Ganj. Yoga studios, Israeli restaurants, and a laid-back vibe that felt like a Himalayan Goa. I ate shakshuka at a place called Trek and Dine. It was surprisingly good.
Day 7: Leaving
I woke up early for a final meditation session at Tushita. Then walked the kora path one last time, spinning the prayer wheels slowly. Bought a hand-hammered singing bowl from a shop on Jogiwara Road (1,200 INR) and a bag of Tibetan incense.
The bus back to Delhi left at 5 PM. As McLeod Ganj shrunk in the window and the mountains disappeared behind a bend, I understood why people come for a week and stay for months. The combination of altitude, spirituality, cheap food, and genuine kindness creates a gravity that's hard to escape.
I'm already planning the next trip.
For the local perspective, read our interview with a McLeod Ganj resident. If you're exploring Himachal Pradesh further, Manali is a few hours north with a completely different mountain personality.
