India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (345 page)

Temple Rd. The temple closes at 8pm.

Tibetan Institute for Performing Arts (TIPA)
One hour from McLeod Ganj is TIPA, one of the first institutes set up by the Dalai Lama when he settled in McLeod Ganj, for the study and preservation of traditional Tibetan opera, dance, and music. Tibetan opera
(Lhamo)
performances can be long (some last 6 hr.) and are best experienced during the annual 9-day-long Shoton Opera Festival held in February and March (usually held in Dharamsala, but sometimes in other Tibetan settlement areas). Many other performances are held throughout the year as well, and interested visitors are welcome to watch classes. Ask at your hotel, check bulletin boards in local cafes for announcements, or go to the website for details.

Dharamkot Rd.
01892/22-1478.
www.tibetanarts.org
.

The Tibet Museum
If you’d like to learn more about the plight of the Tibetan people, then step into this sophisticated but rather depressing installation that provides a historical overview of the situation in Tibet.
A Long Look Homeward,
the main exhibition, consists of two parts. The downstairs display highlights the atrocities that have been carried out against millions of Tibetans during the Chinese occupation. Although events are detailed primarily through textual displays, the collection of data is emotionally challenging. Upstairs, the exhibition focuses more on Tibetan history. Particularly moving is the “testimony corner,” where visitors can record the names of loved ones whose deaths are a result of the occupation. Lectures, presentations, and video screenings are presented in the small lecture hall; visit
www.thetibetmuseum.org
if you’re interested in upcoming events.

Near the main temple and Namgyal Monastery Gate. Admission Rs 5.Tues–Sun 10am–6pm.

WHERE TO STAY

In McLeod Ganj, the best place to stay is the Norbulingka Institute–run
Chonor House,
not least for its dining. If you have a yearning to live in a forest surrounded by nature’s bounty, another good option is
Glenmoor Cottages.
(Both options are reviewed below.) For those who prefer a more secluded stay, head out to
Dharamkot,
a small borough just above McLeod Ganj with stupendous views of the Dhauladhar mountains and Kangra Valley.
Hotel Dev Cottage
(
01892/22-1558;
www.devcottage.com
) has pleasant rooms with large windows, balconies, and lovely views, for Rs 2,200 double including tax. However, if you’re here to get a sense of just how dreamy and miraculous this part of Himachal really is—enjoying in equal measure the finest views of snow-tipped mountains, a valley spread far beneath your feet, and a warm, homey environment you won’t easily find anywhere else in the state—look no further than
Eagles’ Nest.
It’s also reviewed below, but be warned that it’s strictly for those of us who relish getting away from it all, so mall rats can skip it.

If the recommended places in McLeod Ganj and Dharamkot are full, the two best options in Dharamsala are White Haven Estate and
Grace Hotel,
a 200-year-old haveli converted into a heritage hotel. Although its approach isn’t too inspiring (through the congested clutter of the main street into a narrow over-concretized lane), the views of the valley from the other side are splendid. The house is built in the traditional hill style, with narrow galleries, 200-year-old deodar tree pillars, alcoves, balconies and terraces, wooden latticed screens and doors, antique brass locks, and some beautiful pieces of furniture—it may not be very polished or sophisticated but it certainly is atmospheric (558 Old Chari Rd., Kotwali Bazaar, Dharamsala;
01892/22-3265;
www.welcomheritagegracehotel.com
; Rs 3,800 double).

Another option far from town but worth considering is
Norling Guesthouse
(at the Norbulingka Institute;
01892/26-4606;
[email protected]), which has eight charming, artist-decorated rooms (Rs 1,400 double, excluding tax) and a couple of very impressive suites (Rs 2,300 double), all with attached modern bathrooms. Vegetarian meals can be served in your room, or in the Institute’s very pleasant
Norling Café,
and the manager organizes reliable Tibetan drivers and luxury vehicles.

Cheryton Cottage
For a clean, well-maintained good-value budget stay, consider this small family run guesthouse near enough the center of McLeod Ganj, but far from the hustle and bustle and inevitable noise. The rooms are spartan 1970s throwbacks dressed in bold colors (of the four units, the aptly named “Blue” and “Pink” have views). Above the guesthouse is an entire apartment (one double bedroom with attached bathroom, living room with TV, equipped kitchenette including a gas cooker, and balcony) which can be rented on a daily basis or taken for a month at a time (at a very generous rate; gas and electricity is charged extra, but the apartment is serviced 6 days a week). Oenophiles take note: Owner Cheryl Templeton was the first woman in India to produce wine, and she started the first winery in the Kangra district a few years ago; ask if you can sample her vintages, made from grapes, ginger, and blackcurrants, using old Italian family recipes.

Jogibara Rd., McLead Ganj, Dharamsala 176 219.
01892/22-1993
or 94-1802-2858.
[email protected]. 5 units, including 1 apt., all with shower only. Rs 700 double; Rs 1,500 apt. (or Rs 21,000 per month). Rates include tax. MC, V. Minimum 2-night stay.
Amenities:
Cafe; winery. In room: TV, kitchenette (in apt.), no phone.

Chonor House
A stone’s throw away from the main
gompa,
and filled with genuine character and beautiful decor, this is the best option in McLeod Ganj
.
Each room was designed and decorated by artists from the Norbulingka Institute, based around Tibetan cultural themes. There are three categories of rooms, each offering different amenities: Some have balconies, some have tubs, and some (like the magnificent “Voyage at Sea” room) are simply enormous. “Nomad” features strikingly painted yaks, goats, and traveling tribespeople and also has a lovely balcony from which you have a direct view of the
gompa.
Indeed, you need hardly step outside the front door to get a good feel for Tibetan art and culture—this is a treasure chest of style and meticulous attention to details most Westerners probably don’t think about.
Note:
Tibetan hospitality at its very best can, of course, do nothing to stop the chorus of barking hounds that seems to be the typical prelude—or interruption—to a good night’s sleep.