I have recently been to Mcleodganj and have had a delightful experience. Mcleodganj is a suburb area of Dharamshala in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Since the time I have come back from the trip I wanted to write this post but time couldn’t permit. I am going to mention 10 reasons why you should definitely visit Mcleodganj this winters.
1. Breathtaking scenic beauty of Mcleodganj: Hill stations are famous for their scenic beauty and Mcleodganj is no behind when it comes to visual treat. The best part being, you will be able to witness fog, greenery, ice and sunlight all in one frame. Below are few pictures that would support my statement.
The yellow tree
Prayer flags
On the edge
Sunbathing monk
To the peaks
Local graffiti
2. Dalai Lama temple: Dalai Lama temple is the first thing that comes up in the list of places to see in Mcleodganj. It’s grandeur clearly suffices its popularity. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful temples I have ever been. It is situated at a walking distance from the Mcleodganj main market. It is a perfect place to meditate and de-stress yourself. The prayer chants of the monks inside the temple will make you glued to the temple for a long time. The temple is very colorful and clean and I would suggest to do some meditation there.
Unveiling the statue
Another huge statue
Prayer wheels in the temple
Colorful flags
Buddha Statue
3. Shopping delight: Mcleodganj is inundated with colorful shops selling their local creations and antiques. You would not want to miss a walk down their lanes and enjoy shopping their cultural and aesthetic items. You can find very unique woolen wears like leg warmers, ankle length woolen socks, calf length woolen socks at very cheap prices. The authenticity and creativity is worth buying. There are many antique shops which sells unique souvenir gifts that you can buy for your friends and family. One of the must buy is their player flag which is very colorful and is considered to be their lucky charm as well.
Colorful shops down the lane of the main market.
Love for junk jewelery
Local woolen wears
Leather Store
Antique shop
4. The trek to Triund will bring the best out in you: One thing that you cannot miss for the world is the trek to Triund. It is a trek of 9 kilometers. You can cover the first 3 kilometers by a taxi but after that you will have to be on foot. It is a rough trek of 6 kilometers. It is tiring and will definitely cause every inch of your muscle ache very hard in the end. But every bit of it is worth because of scenic beauty that you will get to see. One moment you will be under sun feeling hot and the other moment you will have chilling gush of air right in your face. One moment you might stumble on a rock and the other moment you will see the snow sparkling with the sunlight reflecting at the top of the mountains. After trekking around 3 kilometers you will reach a point that everybody called to be the “Maggie Point”. Take some rest, rejuvenate your body with some tea and then pull up your socks for the rest of the trek. Just when you reach the top your pain will vanish seeing the soothing sight of snow all around yourself. You can also stay there for the night, there are people who organize camps for the night stay.
While trekking
View of Mcleodganj
The fog making its way.
Making our way to the top
The Maggie point
5. Cannot miss the local food: Mcleodganj isn’t just rich in the scenic beauty it has more to offer in its kitty. One among many to look forward to is the food. You should definitely try the hot and steaming momos in the lanes of local markets. You can easily locate one as there are many at every nook and corner. You should also pay a visit to the Tibet Kitchen and try their amazing dishes. They are many stalls in and around the market selling tea, coffee, pakaude and egg dishes that you can easily enjoy on the go. I would suggest eating on the roads rather than visiting a proper restaurant. There is no better way to enjoy the delicacies of place unless you do it like the locals do.
Chai garam
Breakfast
Steaming hot momos
What’s cooking?
Something’s fishy
Marinated chicken, ready to be fried.
6. Breathtaking view from Naddi point: Naddi point is located quite far away from the main market of Mcleodganj. You will have to hire a taxi to reach there. What you can enjoy from Naddi point is the spectacular view of Dhauladhar mountain range to the north and the vast expanse of lush Kangra valley to the south. It is a great place to unwind yourself and treat your eyes with such a picturesque sight. You will find people with telescope who would offer to show you the mountains closely for throwaway prices.
Ice caped mountains at the back.
Welcome to Naddi Point
View from Naddi point
7. Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium: Dharamshala is 15-20 minutes drive away from Mcelodganj and I would suggest you take that ride just to see the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. You might wonder we have many cricket stadiums in India what is so special about this one? What makes this stadium unique is the fact that it is situated at an altitude of 1,457 m (4,780 ft 2 in) above sea level and offers a never seen before view of capped Himalayan mountains in the background. This stadium has hosted many IPL, Ranji and International cricket matches. You have to see this stadium for its unique location and amazing backdrop.
8. A quick visit to Dal lake and Bhagsu Fall: You will wonder when did the Dal lake shift to Mcleodganj from Kashmir. I was amazed too but yes there is a Dal lake in Mcleodganj as well. You will see this lake while going to Naddi point. It is a peaceful lake wherein you can spend some leisure time, click some photos and enjoy the view of green colored water surrounded by tall Deodar trees. This lake is considered to be sacred because of a Shiva temple located at the bank of the river. After Dal lake another point that you should cover is the Bhagsu fall. Bhagsu fall is situated close to Bhagsu temple. You will have to trek for half an hour to reach Bhagsu fall. It isn’t very huge but has a lot of historical significance because of which you have to visit it at least once.
Bhagsu Falls
Flags at Bhagsu Falls
Dal lake
Warning at Dal lake.
9.To know who is Panchen Lama: While visiting the Dalilama Temple you will come across hoardings which will introduce you to Panchen Lama. There is a deep history to this name and one of the many reasons to visit Mcleodganj is to know more about him. I will be writing a separate post on Panchen Lama meanwhile you can Google him and cater your curiosity. I am now linking the promised post, you can read more about Panchen Lama here.
10. Quick escape from the mundane routine: This reason is good enough to visit any place. We do enough of work daily to deserve such a break from our routine life. So take out some time in your daily nine to five job and plan a trip, be it anywhere. Trust me when you will come back you will be more agile, alert and efficient. Vacation do wonders.
This entry has been shortlisted for Holidify’s Travelogue Writing Contest in association with Linger. The content and pictures may not be used without prior permission of the author.
Submitted by: Ruby Singh
The original post can be found here.