Tushita starts its Introduction to Buddhism courses around mid February. We also host the annual Pre-Ordination Course (POC) in February. The POC is for those who will be ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama this year, providing them with systematic advice to prepare for monastic life. Tushita began this course some years ago and it is now an official pre-requisite for Westerners who have applied to be ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

At this time of year it is usually still very cold here, temperatures through the day can be as low as -5 degrees, but is usually above zero (sometimes it still snows). There is no heating system at Tushita (like most other places in the area), so please come prepared with a lot of warm clothes and a good sleeping bag!

The positive side of taking an introductory course so early in the season is that the February course often has far fewer participants than later courses, so it is much more personal and people usually get a lot out of it (not despite the suffering of cold but because of the suffering of cold!). The February course is traditionally 8 days long, since we have many nuns and monks staying on at Tushita for His Holiness' teachings after the Pre-Ordination Course.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama used to give 2 weeks of teachings at this time (around the Tibetan festival of Losar) and the February course was designed to give newcomers to Buddhism a real head-start in the potentially difficult topics that His Holiness would teach on. In recent years, His Holiness has not been giving such long teachings, but still often teaches for at least one morning in February or March, see His website for more details.

Losar, the Tibetan New Year, falls in February/March (for exact dates see our Calendar of Events). Losar is a very family orientated holiday (lasting usually 3 days or longer), so there is not much for visitors to see unless you get invited by a hospitable Tibetan family to join their celebrations.

March is one of the best months to come to this area. It gets sunnier and slowly warmer (0 - 15 degreesC), though usually it is still very cold at night (there may still be occasional snow storms).

His Holiness the Dalai Lama used to give his annual public teachings at his temple in McLeod Ganj, but in recent years has cut this to only one day, to mark the start of Losar. For more information about HH the Dalai Lama's teachings, the topic being taught, what to bring etc. please visit: www.dalailama.com If he teaches for longer, there will probably be review sessions at His Holiness' temple (led by His Holiness' English translator), but if not then we will hold some here at Tushita. The location and times will be confirmed only on the first day of the teachings.

We do not hold any courses during His Holiness' teachings (neither do any other centres and institutions in town), but schedule courses to coincide with the start and finish of any teachings His Holiness may give. March is the start of the tourist season in McLeod Ganj, so we have as many courses as we can during this time.

Most accommodation in McLeod Ganj will be taken during His Holiness teachings, so it is advisable to arrive in the area at least a few days before the teachings start. Please note that many places do not take advance reservation, unless they are in a higher price bracket (see our McLeod Ganj accommodation page).

Peak Season!

These (pre-monsoon) months are main season in this area, since the temperatures in the plains of India often get unbearably hot, causing many people (Westerners and Indians alike) to seek refuge in the cooler hill stations. This means that the tourist season in McLeod Ganj and the surrounding villages is in full swing!

The weather at Tushita (which is located on an even higher altitude than McLeod Ganj) is especially pleasant at this time of year. The temperature can range between 15 - 38 degreesC here during these months, peaking in early June (though it can still get cold at night) and consequently this is one the busiest periods at Tushita; our introductory courses tend to have waiting lists at this time.

We also try to offer intermediate-level courses around this time (e.g. on Emptiness and Death & Dying) and the Nyung Nay retreat (1 Nyung Nay takes 2 days, and there are 8 sets conducted) takes place during Saka Dawa (May/June).

These are the monsoon months and it rains A LOT here! This area (and especially Tushita, due to its higher altitude) has one of the heaviest monsoons in India. It is not unusual for it to rain ALL day and at other times Tushita is blanketed in heavy mist, so please come prepared. We advise you to bring sealable plastic bags to protect your clothes and other belongings from mould, Zip-Loc types are ideal for this. Oh, and don't forget your umbrella and poncho!!!

People tend to have mixed feelings about the monsoon. On the one hand, many things go mouldy, it is impossible to dry laundry (other than by using our excellent laundry service!), and some people find the rain and lack of sunshine a bit disheartening. On the other hand, there are preparations you can make to protect your belongings against the mould, there are fewer people around and the misty forests have a certain atmospheric beauty which many people find most conducive to contemplation and spiritual practice. One Tushita friend described it as being like "walking through a Chinese poem"...

Unsurprisingly then, the monsoon months are traditionally used for doing retreat and Tushita offers experienced students the opportunity to do a 3-month group Vajrasattva retreat starting from between mid June/early July.

For most of Tushita's history we kept Tushita relatively quiet, for these retreatants' benefit, and did not run any residential courses during this time. However in recent years even the monsoon has not diminished demand for courses, and Tushita usually still offers our residential Introduction to Buddhism courses, guided morning meditations and Dharma video screenings.

So monsoon is by no means a total wash-out here! Especially as His Holiness the Dalai Lama sometimes gives public teachings at his temple in McLeod Ganj once or twice in late June, July or August – a very special experience, so don't miss it! For more information please visit: www.dalailama.com

Tushita doesn't offer any courses during His Holiness' teachings (neither do any other centres and institutions in town).

After the rain, before the snow...

These months after the monsoon are an excellent time for a visit to this area, since the weather is very pleasant and McLeod Ganj is less busy than in the pre-monsoon months. Daytime temperatures after monsoon are generally around 10 - 30 degreesC. The air is fresh, the weather is often sunny with clear views of the mountains and there are beautiful sunsets.

Through November the temperatures get slowly colder, anywhere from 20 degrees to zero (or perhaps lower!) and it can be quite chilly especially at night time, so warm clothes and a good sleeping bag are essential! Our introductory courses in November are therefore ideal for those who like smaller and more personal groups.

Tushita also offers Medicine Buddha and Green Tara retreats for experienced Buddhist practitioners in October/November.

Winter break - Tushita is closed in these months!

In general, December and especially January are not such good months to come to McLeod Ganj. It can get very cold here, most guest houses do not have heating and with the snow come the power cuts! Many centers have their winter break (the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives still holds classes in December, but not in January) and most of the guest houses and restaurants will be closed.

Most Westerners (and many Tibetans) escape the winter here and go to warmer places, where there are also more Dharma activities (especially in Bodhgaya!). This is the main season for Root Institute, our sister center in Bodhgaya www.rootinstitute.com