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Strip down and hop into this medicinal natural hot spring said to cure everything from rheumatism to paralysis, separated by sexes into two partially…
Must-see attractions in Ü
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It is possible to head up the valley directly behind Samye to the Yamalung (also called Emalung) Hermitage, visible on the cliff face high above the…
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The 13-storey chörten, built in 1472, was one of the largest in Tibet, with an attendant monastery of 200 monks, before it was dynamited by the Chinese in…
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Gangpo Ri (4130m) is of special significance for Tibetans as the legendary birthplace of the Tibetan people, where Chenresig in the form of a monkey mated…
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A minor site thought to date back to 1017, Tangboche Monastery is about 15km southwest of Tsetang on the way to Chongye. Atisha, the renowned Bengali…
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Legend has it that this combined Nyingmapa- and Kagyupa-order monastery was founded by the 7th-century King Songtsen Gampo, who was led here by the Buddha…
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One of the only buildings of its type still standing in Tibet, Namseling Manor is a seven-storey family mansion that dates from the 17th century and was…
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This 14th-century monastery was originally a Kagyu institution, but by the 18th century the Gelugpas had overtaken it with the blessing of the seventh…
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This white chörten just outside and below Mindroling Monastery was constructed in 2000 with Taiwanese funds. It replaces an original 13-storey chörten…
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This nunnery compound is home to the huge Kadam-style funeral chörten of Sangye On (1251–96), a master of the Taklung School and founder of the Riwoche…
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The small nunnery of 70 nuns has strong connections to Yeshe Tsogyal, the wife of King Trisong Detsen and consort of Guru Rinpoche (who himself is said to…
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A pleasant hour-long (2.5km) walk or a quick drive northeast of Reting leads to the village-like Samtenling Nunnery, home to more than 140 nuns. The main…
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This 18th-century monastery, a branch of Drigung Til, is home to 38 monks of the Drigung Kagyu school. On the main altar of the assembly hall look for a…
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Inside the main assembly hall the principal image to the left is of a 1000-armed Chenresig dating back to the time of King Songtsen Gampo. According to…
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This two-floor chapel is dedicated to Songtsen Gampo and his two wives. The original building dates from the 7th century and resembles a smaller…
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Built in the 14th century as a Sakya monastery with five colleges and 80 monks at its peak, this post–Cultural Revolution rebuild is now home to just 20…
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Rebuilt only in 2016, this hilltop Kagyu school monastery is now home to 30 monks including the 11th Powa Rinpoche, an important Karma Kagyud…
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If you have time to spare, this small but pleasant Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) monastery with a bucolic location is worth a quick stop en route to Nalendra…
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This Tibetan-style building is recognisable by its red tower. Just behind it are three Dumburi chörtens and the shrine and natural springs that mark the…
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The county town of Gongkar Xian is of note for hosting Tibet’s only public Chairman Mao statue, located next to a school west of the town centre. The 12m…
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The main chapel of Keru (or Drakmar Keru) is one of Tibet's oldest temples, dating from the mid-8th century, before Samye Monastery was even a glimmer in…
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To visit the separate Dzong Kumbum cave complex you really need to spend the night in the valley. Make your way back to Ngadrak village and drive 6km to a…
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A rewarding 90-minute hike, gaining 400m, leads from Chode Ön village just north of Keru Lhakhang to the impressive, sprawling ruins of 12th-century…
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This small pond marks the birthplace and spirit lake of Guru Rinpoche’s consort Yeshe Tsogyal. The golden-roofed chapel at the north end of the lake has a…
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Tashi Dhoka is famed as a meditation retreat of Tsongkhapa. You can visit the meditation caves of Tsongkhapa and his student Genden Drup (who later became…
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Hidden in a cleft in the rock a couple of kilometres south of Rechung-puk is the Bhairo-puk. The tiny cave is home to a nun who spends her days and nights…
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Ngadrak is the main Karma Kagyu monastery in the valley. Look for the stone footprint of Yeshe Tsogyal beside one of the assembly hall pillars. Pilgrims…
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The large Gongtang Bumpa chörten was allegedly commissioned by Vairocana as a way to resolve a border dispute between rival kings. It's just off the main…
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A small chapel commemorates the birthplace of Nubchen Sangye Yeshe, a 9th-century Tantric master who was one of the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche.
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This 17th-century nunnery was largely left in ruins after the Cultural Revolution but has since been rebuilt and is now home to about 14 nuns.
