Dharamsala, or Dharamshala, is a small town where the Central Tibetan Administration Headquarters is situated. It is situated in Himachal Pradesh state, India.
McLeod Ganj town, Central Tibetan Administration Headquarters, and Hill station in Dharamsala

Dharamsala is a beautiful hill station at an average altitude of 1,457 meters or 4780 feet above sea level, with the snow-capped Himalayas as the backdrop. It is at a distance of 18 kilometers from Kangra, the district headquarters.

History Of Central Tibetan Administration

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, established Dharamshala as his residence and the headquarters of the ‘Central Tibetan Administration’, the Tibetan Government in Exile, after his exile from Tibet following the 1959 Tibetan uprising. The headquarters was initially at Mussoorie and was shifted to Dharamsala in 1960. The 14th Dalai Lama and thousands and thousands of his Tibetan Buddhist followers in exile were allowed to establish their base in Dharamsala by India. To teach their children about the teachings of Buddha and to impart to them their Language, culture, religion, history, etc., his holiness, the Dalai Lama established schools in the region. HH Dalai Lama (HH denotes His Holiness) also helped those in exile in an agricultural settlement.

Dharamshala is the winter capital of the state. Lower Dharamshala and Upper Dharamshala are two different areas of Dharamshala. Lower Dharamshala is the city, and the upper Dharamshala is the Central Tibetan Administration HQ or McLeodGanj.

McLeodGanj or Upper Dharamshala

Central Tibetan Administration in McLeodGanj is situated just above Dharamsala town. McLeod Ganj is the most famous tourist destination in Dharamsala. It is also known as “Little Lhasa“. Lhasa is the administrative capital of Tibet.

Other than the schools on Buddhist teachings, they also undertake development projects for the welfare of Tibetans’ health, cultural and economic development. The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts was established in the year 1959, and the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies was established as the primary university for Tibetan higher education in India. Many of the monasteries and nunneries were re-founded by the Dalai Lama.

Dharamshala Skyway to McLeodganj

Dharamshala Skyway is the new Mountain cable car in Dharamsala that connects Dharamsala to McLeodGanj. It is also known as McLeodGanj Skyway. The phone number of the Dharamshala Skyway is +91-1892 223302. You can Book Dharamshala Skyway tickets. One-way fare is INR 267, and round trip costs INR 445 ( INR is Indian Rupees ).

Dharamshala cable car or McLeodGanj cable car is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Access to Dharamshala skyway station is from Kotwali Bazaar (Near Byepass Road). Mcleodganj Station is on the temple road at Mcleodganj. Car parking and two-wheeler parking is also available at both stations for a fee.

McLeodGanj Skyway is owned and operated by Dharamshala Ropeway Limited, a Tata group company, one of the leading business conglomerates in India. McLeodGanj Skyway was inaugurated on 19th January 2022.

Places to Visit In and Around McLeodGanj / Dharamshala

Some of the main tourist places at Dharamshala and McLeodGanj are given below.

Dalai Lama’s Residence inside Tsuglagkhang Complex at McLeod Ganj

Tsuglagkhang Complex contains the residence of the 14th Dalai Lama and a Tibetan Museum.

There is a massive statue of Lord Buddha inside the complex, along with other statues.

Kora is the act of walking around the Tsuglagkhang complex in a clockwise direction. It offers a splendid view of the temple.

The complex is open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Namgyal Gompa alias Dalai Lama’s Temple (Dalai Lama’s residence)

Namgyal Gompa alias Dalai Lama’s Temple is the official residence (Photang) of the His Holiness Dalai Lama.

Anybody can go inside Namgyal Gompa (Namgyal monastery), irrespective of religion. The only condition is you need to keep silent. This monastery is the personal monastery of the Dalai Lama. It is also known as Namgyal Tantric College.

If you are lucky, you may come across the Dalai Lama during public teachings. It’s free of cost. If you want to listen to the Dalai Lama’s teachings in person, you need to register months in advance. His teachings at Namgyal Gompa are in the Tibetan language.

In May 2011, the Dalai lama, his holiness, retired from political responsibilities. These responsibilities were transferred to the Central Tibetan Administration.

You can see some of the monks debating in groups, normally in the afternoons. There are around 200 monks at this gompa.

There are a lot of prayer bells (in the shape of barrels) all around this Buddhist temple or gompa. You need to turn it clockwise to get the effect of reciting that prayer. Don’t stop praying when the wheel is turning.

Tibetan Museum

There is also a Tibetan museum inside the Tsuglagkhang complex.

The Tibetan Museum shows photos and videos of the Chinese invasion of Tibet. At 3 p.m., there is a documentary. This Museum is closed on Mondays.

Dal Lake Near McLeod Ganj

Dal Lake near McLeod Ganj is considered a sacred lake by many. It is believed that bathing in this lake washes one of his or her sins. Hence, it is known as Poor Man’s Kailash. (Pilgrims of several religions in India believe that going to Mount Kailash on foot will bring good fortune.)

ViewPoint Near McLeod Ganj

The viewpoint is around two or three kilometers from the above-mentioned Dal Lake.

St. John in the Wilderness Church

St. John in the Wilderness Church, or St. John Church, is one of the oldest churches on the way to McLeod Ganj. It was built in 1852. It is a CNI (Church of North India) church.

The massive Kangra earthquake of 1905 destroyed the church bell tower. (This earthquake killed an estimated 19,800 people.) A new bell was cast in 1915, which was brought from England and was installed outside the church.

The graveyard of Lord Elgin, who served as the Governor-General and viceroy of India, can be seen here.

Dharamsala Cricket Stadium at Lower Dharamsala

Dharamsala Cricket Stadium is the world’s topmost high-altitude cricket stadium.

Kangra Fort

Kangra Fort is believed to be the oldest dated fort in India. It is the largest fort in the Himalayas, for sure. It is around 20 kilometers distance from Dharamsala, at Kangra. It is situated on the outskirts of Dharamsala.

Dharamsala Volunteering Work

Opportunities for volunteering work among Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala are available. Lha Charitable Trust is the pioneer in this field, working among the Tibetan refugees at Dharamsala from 1997 onward. Skilled and unskilled individuals can work here as a volunteer directly with Lha Charitable Trust.

How Do I Go To Central Tibetan Administration HQ at Dharamsala?

There are frequent night buses from New Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, etc, to Dharamsala.

Dharamsala-Kangra Airport at Gaggal (IOTA code is DHM) serves as the link between Dharamsala and the rest of the world for air travelers The airport is also called Gaggal Airport.

The nearest railhead on the broad gauge railway network (and nearest major rail-head) of Indian railways is Pathankot.  The nearest railhead is ‘Chamunda Marg’, on a narrow-gauge railway line, in the Mandi District of Himachal Pradesh state.

How Do I Go To Dharamsala from New Delhi?

Manju Ka Tila, a Tibetan colony in Delhi, is one of the starting points of buses to Dharamsala. There are many Air-conditioned Volvo buses from here.

Bedi Travels is one of the top-rated buses to Dharamsala from Delhi. They also operate buses to other places in Himachal Pradesh.

The Divine Hima, a Botique luxary Hotel

The Divine Hima is a luxury boutique hotel with a cafe and an art gallery at Dharamshala. They have some of the best wines, too. The room tariff for three nights and four days (package), on a twin-sharing basis, is INR 59000 (INR is Indian Rupees). The Divine Hima is situated a little away from the town but is worth the salt.