Vajrayana Institute Dalai Lama Birthday Celebrations Dharamsala, India

Welcome to India! Upon your arrival at the airport in Delhi, our representative will greet you and escort you to the hotel. After checking into your hotel, spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the local area and relaxing in the hotel. Our friendly guide and hotel staff will be on hand should you need restaurant recommendations or general provisions.

Overnight: Hotel, Delhi 

After breakfast we will fly to Dharamsala. On arrival we will check into our hotel before exploring McLeod Ganj, with Tibetan shops and culture running through the town. This fascinating and multicultural hill station is universally known as the home of the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile.

In the afternoon we’ll visit the temple of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Namgyal Monastery, where you can turn the giant prayer wheels and observe the monks going about their daily activities. Spend the evening in one of the many international restaurants that dot the town as you admire the beauty of the spectacular Dhauladhar mountain range in the background.

Overnight: Hotel, McLeod Ganj

This morning you might like to enjoy one of the many cafes in the town and have that long awaited espresso coffee, you have earned it! After breakfast we’ll visit the picturesque village of Naddi. This peaceful village offers spectacular views of both the Dhauladhar mountain range and the lush Kangra valley.

On our way back to McLeod Ganj, we will visit the Tushita Meditation Centre, an important FPMT centre set in amongst the trees in Dharamkot.  This was an important centre for Lama Zopa Rinpoche and it was a place where he often visited. Later we’ll visit the Tibetan Parliment and the Tibetan Museum, absorbing Tibetan culture as we explore. We’ll return to McLeod Ganj to spend some more time at the temple of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Or

Possible audience with HH Dalai Lama

Overnight: Hotel, McLeod Ganj

After breakfast, we’ll visit the Gyuto Monastery, a secluded and peaceful haven specialising in the study of Tantric meditation, Tantric ritual arts and Buddhist philosophy. After that, we’ll visit the Norbulingka Institute, which works to preserve traditional Tibetan culture and art forms. The visit will include a guided tour of the workshops, where you can meet the artisans as they work. In the afternoon we will meet with a Rinpoche and a Buddhist guru followed by a visit to Dolmaling Nunnery.

Or

Possible Audience with HH Dalai Lama

Overnight: Hotel, McLeod Ganj

We’ll leave our hotel early morning and drive along the Kangra valley with its beautiful tea plantations on our way to Tso Pema (approx. 4 hours). Tso Pema (the Tibetan name for Rewalsar Lake) is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs. For Buddhists, it is especially holy as this is where Guru Rinpoche performed the miracle of transforming his own funeral pyre into a lake.

Later, we’ll visit Guru Rinpoche’s cave in the hills above the lake, as well as a large statue dedicated to him closer to the town. We’ll also have the opportunity to circumambulate the lake. Afternoon, we will drive back to McLeod Ganj.

Overnight: Hotel, McLeod Ganj 

Early morning attend the 90^th birthday celebrations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his temple in McLeod Ganj.

The afternoon is at your leisure for any last-minute shopping in the Tibetan market or your last visit to the Dalai Lama’s temple.

Overnight: Hotel, McLeod Ganj 

Today we will fly back to Delhi. Enjoy your last day sightseeing or shopping in Delhi. As an optional extra you can visit the National Museum, which houses the Sacred Relics of the Buddha (5th-4th century BC) which were discovered in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The relics are outstanding specimens of Buddhist art and are illustrated through exhibits in a variety of materials and forms from the three principal Buddhist forms, Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana.

Overnight: Hotel, Delhi

We will transfer you to the airport in time for your flight to Paro. Thank you for travelling with us.