Tsang
The traditional village of Tsechen is located about 5km northwest of Gyantse en route to Shigatse. The small Sakyapa-school Tsechen Ge Tubden Rabgye Ling…
Must-see attractions in Tibet
Tsang
This charming nunnery (ani gompa in Tibetan) hidden behind the hill that runs between Palcho Monastery and the Gyantse Dzong, is home to 44 nuns. It is a…
Lhasa
The main image at this temple is the fabulously ornate Jowo Mikyöba (Akshobhya) statue, which represents Sakyamuni at the age of eight. The statue is in…
Ngari
The charming, white-painted traditional village of old Rutok huddles at the base of a splinter of rock, atop which is Rutok Monastery, flanked at both…
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This small Sakyapa monastery of 20 monks is of interest mainly to art specialists for its rare murals, which combine Indian (Pala) and inner Asian …
Lhasa
Gyüme was founded in the mid-15th century as one of Tibet’s foremost Tantric training colleges, second only in Lhasa to the monasteries of Sera and…
Tsang
This small but significant monastery and ruined dzong (fort) is just north of Lhatse in the village of Lhatse Chöde. Home to 75 monks, the monastery was…
Ngari
Once the main building in the Thöling complex, Yeshe Ö’s Mandala Chapel was also known as the Golden Chapel. All the images have been destroyed but the…
Ngari
The Sakayapa-school Tradun Gompa just to the north of town is of importance as one of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo’s demoness-subduing temples, in this…
Ngari
The entry to this side chapel is marked by a finely carved deodar (cedar) door frame that originated in India. Inside are vibrant 15th- and 16th-century…
Ngari
The dimly lit chamber of the dukhang has especially fine wall murals, showing strong Kashmiri and Nepali influences; bring a powerful torch (flashlight)…
Ngari
In 1985 prehistoric rock carvings, or petroglyphs, were found at several sites in Rutok County, the first such carvings found in Tibet. The most…
Ngari
This ruined monastery towers over Purang town from its dramatic hilltop position. In 1949 the Swami Pranavananda described this Kagyud monastery, which…
Tsang
This private folk museum opposite Palha Manor offers an excellent introduction into Tibetan farm life. Alongside mock-ups of a traditional kitchen,…
Eastern Tibet
The monastery dates back 360 years, but was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt in 1981. It is now home to 53 monks. The main hall has…
Lhasa
From Sera the steep, relentless climb to the yellow-walled Sera Ütse retreat takes at least an hour (look up and see it high on the cliff above Sera; if…
Lhasa
A Tantric college, Ngagpa is also the oldest structure at Sera. The main hall is dominated by a statue of Sakya Yeshe (wearing a black hat), behind the…
Ngari
The murals in this small chapel are painted red and gold, and are almost solely devoted to wrathful deities in ecstatic yab-yum pose, such as Demchok …
Ü
A popular pilgrimage site associated with the illustrious Milarepa (1040–1123), the scenic ruins of Rechung-puk Monastery are set high on a dramatic…
Ngari
Accessed by a steep and easily missed eroded staircase (now with an iron railing in place), the palace is an amazing ant nest of rooms tunnelled into the…
Ü
Originally founded as a hospital of Tibetan medicine, this site transitioned first to a Kagyupa monastery. In the 14th century the highest lamas here set…
Eastern Tibet
Ringed by mountains all around, the two largest of the three connected Rawok lakes are joined by a stream that on the map resembles an infinity symbol…
Tsang
This small Gelugpa institution, built in 1269, clings like a limpet to the side of Shegar Mountain. A mural by the entrance depicts the monastery at the…
Eastern Tibet
This small Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect monastery with a stunning hilltop location was founded in the 17th century as a branch of Drepung Monastery. It was…
Tsang
This tiny place, home to just nine nuns, is built around two ancient meditation caves of Guru Rinpoche, one of which has a stone footprint of the guru…
Ngari
From the four chapels at the base of Tsaparang, the path to the top climbs up through the monastic quarters and then ascends to the palace complex atop…
Lhasa
At the foot of the hill Parma Ri, close to Beijing Zhonglu, is one of Lhasa’s four former royal temples. The ling (royal) temples were established by the…
Ngari
About 8km north of Rutok Xian, the road hits the east end of lovely turquoise Pangong-tso (4241m). It’s worth the detour for views of the lake and camping…
Ngari
At the east end of the 2km-long town, walk through the Tibetan quarter along Guangxi Lu to this small friendly gompa with 18 monks. The atmospheric inner…
Ngari
Located 33km south of Darchen, Chiu (Sparrow) Monastery enjoys a fabulous location atop a craggy hill overlooking Lake Manasarovar. The monastery name…
Ü
This dzong can be seen clearly from Chongye town and from the burial mounds, its crumbling ramparts straddling a ridge of Mt Chingwa. Once one of the most…
Lhasa
Shartse Tratsang is one of several renovated kangtsang (residences) that offer the opportunity to meet the local monks away from the tourist trail. In the…
Eastern Tibet
This small, golden-roofed Bön monastery was rebuilt in 2008 after being gutted in a fire. It’s home to eight monks and is famous for a 2000-year-old…
Ngari
A few steps east of the Thöling Monastery compound in Zanda is the recently restored Serkhang chörten. A similar chörten stands in total isolation just to…
Ü
The Kordzo Pehar Ling was the home of the oracle Pehar until he moved to Nechung Monastery outside Lhasa. Before the ongoing renovation, pilgrims would…
Lhasa
Phurbu Chok Monastery and its hilltop Rigsum Gonpo Lhakhang, dedicated to the popular trinity of deities, are best visited on a hike from Sera Monastery…
Ü
The impressive 600-year-old Shedruling Monastery rises from the main road like a miniature Potala, and is home to 31 monks. The monastery is less…
Lhasa
The small but interesting Tsome Ling is one of the four ling temples of Lhasa (along with Kunde Ling and Tengye Ling). To the east of the residential…
Lhasa
A path branches off the kora (pilgrim circuit) up side steps beside the thangka wall to the Chöding hermitage. The hermitage was a retreat of Tsongkhapa's…
Tsang
The road from Nangartse to Gyantse crosses the 5020m Karo-la, where a picture-perfect glacier topping out at 7190m spills off side peaks right along the…