Dharamshala Holidays

Experience Buddhist culture in Dharamshala on this full-day tour, with visits to Tibetan temples, nunneries and the Dalai Lama’s monastery complex. Start with a Kora around the residence of his holiness, this is a Tibetan Buddhist ritual of walking in a clockwise direction around a sacred site. You’ll see prayer flags and old ladies spinning prayer wheels and chanting – the views of the mountains are also spectacular and, if the weather is clear, you can see the Kangra Valley below. You will get to visit the main temple where the Dalai Lama conducts his teachings as well as the Kalachakra temple with its murals of tantric deities.

If you’re lucky, you might even get to watch a debate taking place. From there you will be driven to the Gyuto Tantric Monastery where around 700 monks live, it was founded by Tibetans who fled to India. A highlight is watching the monks in yellow hats chanting in the so-called Tantric Choir.

The Buddhist circuit continues at the famous Norbulingka Institute where you’ll learn about their work preserving Tibetan art and culture. They hold workshops in painting, appliqué and wood carving. Lunch will be at the Humming Bird Café, (guest to pay directly) which serves Tibetan cuisine like momos, mutton dishes and vegetable noodle soup. The tour ends with a trip to the Dolma Ling Nunnery, which is the first institute for the higher education of Tibetan Buddhist nuns.