If you are in Kathmandu and you have a spare day, it’s a good way of spending time visiting a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery around Kathmandu, especially if you are interested in Buddhist culture. These monasteries are also known as “Gompa”. Here we suggest you some beautiful monasteries lying on an exotic location around Kathmandu that are incorporated with incredible Tibetan art and architecture.  If you have time, you can explore more about the lifestyle of monks and Buddhism by choosing to stay at a Tibetan monastery with the fact that they provide accommodation facilities as well.  Each of the listed monasteries also has their own schools where they provide academic or philosophic or both educations to the students.

Rigon Tashi Gompa:

The monastery lies to the south of Kathmandu on Pharping. It is also known as “Ripa Siddhi Sangathan”. The monastery lies just around 20KMS from Kathmandu and can be accessed by a vehicle which is approximately a 1-hour drive. Nearby lays one of the biggest statues of Buddha of Asia that is on the process of renovation.

Kopan Monastery:

The monastery lies to the northeast of Kathmandu. It can be reached by a 30 minutes drive. The monastery provides a good view of Kathmandu. It also offers various courses about Buddhism and meditation.

Naiki Gompa:

Situated on a hilltop of Shivapuri Nagarjuna National Park, the monastery can be accessed both by transportation or walking. It can be reached by private vehicle, riding on bike or cycling is a good choice; hiking can be the better option as the trail through the national park is easy and peaceful. However, you need to obtain a permit as you have to pass through the national park. On the way to the monastery, you can see the panoramic view of Kathmandu valley which is probably the best viewpoint of the view of the valley.

Explore more on cultural tours of Nepal by clicking here.