My 2019 McLeod: what’s good for you?

Have a great day out at Peepal Farm: stray animal
rescue and vegan organic farm

In case you visit magical McLeod Ganj without first attending the planned 60-hour slide night at my place – here are my recommendations and tips for visiting McLeod culled from my time here in 2019.

Some old favourites have retained their rankings this year:

• RK Barbers’ Amid is still the best hair cutter in town in my opinion, with the added value of providing one the best chair massages ever. How did he know I had a sore back and strained lower arms that day?
• Mukti, still an eyebrow artist with his careful re-dying to threading. But he carries a grudge that I get my haircut somewhere else.
• Surinder and the team at Kailwood Guest House dispense the best fruit porridge and support for their guests with taxi bookings, travel advice (thanks for warning me off trying to get to Dalhousie in the snow) and IT repairs. Plus the valley view from the deck is still the best view in town.

Great day out

Visit Peepal Farm on one of their cow cuddling open days, or just drop in to visit this combined animal rescue shelter and organic farm. The owners and volunteers have developed a beautiful spot on used-to-be derelict land where they are nurse and either re-home or adopt dogs, cats and farm animals. Eat vegan snacks and buy some of their great produce. Watch out for posters around town or find them on Facebook. The farm is 13 km from Dharamsala, in Dhanotu Village.