What to Wear in Dharamshala and McLeodganj

Most people treat Dharamshala and McLeodganj as one destination. They are twenty minutes apart by road and 600 metres apart in altitude, and that difference is felt immediately - McLeodganj is colder, wetter and windier, and it is where most visitors actually stay.

The Dalai Lama’s temple complex has visitor conventions and occasional restricted days; details at the Central Tibetan Administration.

“This is a monastery town before it is a hill station. Shoulders covered and knees covered is not a suggestion at the Tsuglagkhang complex, and it is easier to dress that way all day than to carry a cover-up” says Ramola Bachchan, the fashion designer behind First Resort.

Two towns, two climates

Lower Dharamshala at 1,457m is warmer, drier and more sheltered. McLeodganj at 2,082m sits in cloud for much of the year, catches the wind off the Dhauladhar range, and is consistently five to seven degrees cooler.

Pack for McLeodganj and you are covered for both. Pack for Dharamshala and you will be cold where you are staying.

What should you wear to the monasteries?

The Tsuglagkhang complex, Namgyal Monastery and the smaller gompas all expect covered shoulders and knees. This is straightforward but people are caught out by it constantly, arriving in vests in June.

A long tunic over straight pants solves it permanently and is comfortable in the heat of the lower town. Shoes come off at the temples, so choose something you can slip off easily.

The wettest season in Himachal

Dharamshala receives among the highest rainfall in Himachal, and the July-September monsoon is relentless rather than intermittent. Landslides close the Dharamshala-McLeodganj road periodically.

Waterproofs over water-resistant. Quick-drying fabrics, and footwear with real grip - the steps around McLeodganj main square become genuinely dangerous when wet.

If you are trekking to Triund

The Triund trek climbs to 2,850m and takes four to five hours up. It is a day trek most visitors attempt, and the temperature at the top is far below the town, with strong wind on the ridge.

Layers you can shed on the climb and add at the top: a base layer, a fleece or cashmere mid-layer, and a windproof outer. Proper boots, not trainers.

Winter and snow

McLeodganj sees snow in January and February, and Dharamshala occasionally. Temperatures drop to around freezing at night and the town becomes very quiet.

It is the most atmospheric season and needs proper cold-weather kit: thermals, insulated outerwear, gloves and a hat. Buildings are poorly heated, so the indoor layer matters as much as the outdoor one.

The four-day packing list

Two pairs of pants, three tops of which two have sleeves, one mid-layer, one waterproof outer, and walking shoes. Add thermals from November to March.

The single most useful item is a long-sleeved tunic or kurta that covers the shoulders and knees - it satisfies the monastery convention, works in the warmer lower town, and layers under a fleece in McLeodganj.

Bhagsu, the waterfall and the walk

The walk from McLeodganj to Bhagsunag temple and the waterfall is the most-done short walk in the area - about two kilometres on a paved but steep path, ending on wet rock around the falls.

Grip matters more than anything else, and the rock near the falls is slick year-round. Clothing that copes with spray is sensible even in the dry months, and this is not the walk for anything you mind getting damp.

The cricket stadium and the town below

The HPCA stadium in lower Dharamshala is one of the most photographed grounds in the world and sits at 1,457m with the Dhauladhar range directly behind it. Match days are long, exposed and can run from warm afternoon to cold evening in a few hours.

Full sun cover for the day and a real layer for after five. The stadium is open and the temperature drop when the sun goes behind the ridge is abrupt.

Shopping, and the layer you will end up buying

McLeodganj’s market is full of Tibetan woollens, shawls and handmade knitwear, and a great many visitors buy a layer on the first afternoon because they under-packed. The quality is genuinely good and the prices are reasonable.

It is a sound plan for a mid-layer, not for an outer shell. Waterproofing is the thing worth bringing from home; warmth can be bought locally.

What reads well in the photographs here

The backdrop is pine forest, prayer flags, monastery red and ochre, and snow on the Dhauladhar behind. It is an unusually saturated setting, and busy prints compete with it.

Solid colours and clean silhouettes work best. Deep blues, cream, forest green and burgundy all sit well against the monastery palette without clashing with the prayer flags, which are already carrying five colours.

Altitude, and why you feel it here

McLeodganj at 2,082m is high enough that visitors from the plains notice it on the first day, particularly on the steep streets. The Triund trek to 2,850m is a significant further gain.

Practically this means layers you can open rather than remove while climbing, because you will be warm walking uphill and cold within two minutes of stopping. A front-opening jacket is far more useful than a pullover.

The Dharamshala packing list

Two towns, 600 metres apart in altitude, with monastery dress conventions and Himachal’s heaviest rainfall. Pack for the higher, wetter, colder one.

For four days: two pairs of pants, three tops with at least two sleeved, one mid-layer, one outer layer, closed walking shoes and a large scarf. The scarf does the most work of anything in the bag - sun cover, warmth, and temple or shrine coverage where it is needed.

Pack one outfit you are happy to be photographed in and treat the rest as functional. Nearly every trip produces two or three photographs that matter and a great deal of walking that does not.

When to go to Dharamshala

March to June is pleasant and busy, with clear Dhauladhar views in spring. September to November is the best window - post-monsoon clarity and comfortable temperatures. December to February brings snow to McLeodganj, and July to September is the heaviest monsoon in Himachal.

Shoulder seasons are consistently the best value and the least crowded, and they are also the hardest to pack for because the weather is least predictable. If you travel in a shoulder month, pack for both the season before and the season after - it is the only reliable approach.

Common questions

What should I wear in McLeodganj? Cover shoulders and knees for the monasteries, and layer for cold - McLeodganj is 600m higher than Dharamshala and five to seven degrees cooler. A long tunic over pants covers both requirements.

Is there a dress code at the Dalai Lama temple? The Tsuglagkhang complex expects covered shoulders and knees. Shoes are removed at the temples, so slip-on footwear is practical.

When does it snow in Dharamshala? McLeodganj usually sees snow in January and February; lower Dharamshala less often. Night temperatures fall to around freezing.

What do I need for the Triund trek? Layers you can shed while climbing and add at the top, a windproof outer for the ridge, and proper boots rather than trainers. The summit at 2,850m is significantly colder and windier than the town.

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