There are some 136 nuns resident at Chupsang and it’s a very friendly place. Visit it as part of a walk from Pabonka Monastery.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.81 MILES
The magnificent Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, is Lhasa's cardinal landmark. Your…
4.19 MILES
The 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet: the continuous waves of awestruck pilgrims prostrating themselves outside are a…
5.18 MILES
The main assembly hall, or Tsogchen, is the principal structure in the Drepung complex and is the one chapel you must not miss. The hall is reached…
1.18 MILES
This is the largest of Sera’s colleges, generally accessed from a western side entrance. It has a breathtaking main hall, hung with thangkas and lit by…
21.46 MILES
The red, fortress-like structure of Tsongkhapa’s mausoleum is probably the most impressive of the reconstructed buildings at Ganden. It’s above a…
1.24 MILES
The main assembly hall (Tsogchen) is the largest of Sera’s buildings and dates to 1710. The central hall is particularly impressive and is noted for its…
21.5 MILES
The recently renovated tsogchen (assembly hall) has statues of the 16 arhats (literally ‘worthy ones’) and two huge statues of Tsongkhapa (only visible…
5.04 MILES
If you’re here in the afternoon, save some time to watch the monk debating (lots of shouting, hand slapping and gesticulation) between 2.30pm and 4pm in…
Nearby Lhasa attractions
0.46 MILES
An easy 20-minute walk from Pabonka leads up to this hermitage. There’s not a lot left to see but it offers good views. Pilgrims drink holy spring water…
0.51 MILES
Built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century, Pabonka Monastery is one of the most ancient Buddhist sites in the Lhasa region. Though one of the lesser…
0.88 MILES
A 30-minute hike from Tashi Chöling Hermitage climbs northeast up the ravine to the cliffside drubpuk (meditation caves) of Dadren Ritrö. You can see the…
1 MILES
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…
1.17 MILES
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…
1.17 MILES
Hardong served as a residence for monks studying at Sera Je College. In the first inner chapel, look for a photo of Ekai Kawaguchi, the Japanese monk who…
1.18 MILES
This is the largest of Sera’s colleges, generally accessed from a western side entrance. It has a breathtaking main hall, hung with thangkas and lit by…
1.19 MILES
There is usually monk debating here on weekday afternoons from around 3pm to 5pm, which provides a welcome relief from peering at Buddhist iconography…