Top 5 Meditation Sites for Bhutan Monastery Retreat

Bhutan is well known for being a good place to head for those that want to spend time in meditation. With a multitude of retreat centers and monastic retreats spread all across the kingdom, some associated with the first King of Bhutan, there are plenty of places to choose from for your meditation retreat trip to the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

And spending time in these monastic retreats gives you a better opportunity to study Tibetan Buddhism in Bhutan, and meditate on the things you learn. The top 5 monasteries for spiritual retreat in this kingdom will be introduced here in detail.

Top 1: Tiger’s Nest Monastery

History of Taktsang Monastery

Located more than 900 meters above the Paro Valley, set into the cliff face, and precariously perched on a narrow ledge, the Taktshang Monastery is one of the most important sites for Bhutan meditation tour. Renowned and famed for being built on the site where Padmasambhava landed in Bhutan from Tibet, the monastery has an ancient history that dates back to the beginnings of Buddhism in Bhutan. The monastery on the site was built in the 17th century on the site of the meditation caves of Padmasambhava, known here as Guru Rinpoche. It is said that he meditated here for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century, before subduing the demons that held the country in their thrall.

Hike to Taktsang Monastery

The monastery is only accessible by hiking for around 5-6 hours from the northern end of the Paro valley, and is one of the most popular hikes in the area. Following a defined trail that leads up the hillside from the edge of Paro, the hike takes you up to above the monastery, and then crosses a chain bridge to the actual cliff where the monastery perches, with a short climb up from below.

Meditation in Taktsang Monastery

Tourists can visit the inside of the monastery, as well as being permitted to enter some of the caves underneath. And while you may not find the peace you are looking for to meditate inside the caves, there are plenty of locations around the site where you can find peace and tranquility to meditate. And with one of the best views in the world, even the location is good for meditating in tranquility, in one of the most relaxing locations on the planet. And your Bhutan tour is not complete if you never pay a visit to the Tiger's Nest Monastery.

Top 2: Tango Monastery

History of Tango Monastery

Located near the Cheri Mountains to the north of the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu, the Tango Monastery was founded in the early part of the 13th century by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, the founder of the Kagyu lineage in Bhutan. In the 17th century, the monastery was expanded by Tenzin Rangye, the 4th Temporal Ruler of the region, after the site was used by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal for meditation in 1616. Legend tells of how Avalokiteshvara revealed himself to Phajo Drugom Zhigpo in the form of the Wrathful Hayagriva, engulfed in flames, who is deified inside the monastery. Hayagriva prophesied that a temple would be built on the site, a claim that had previously been made by Guru Rinpoche, and that he would marry a Dakini, an evocative female spirit in human form. The name Tango means “horse head” in Bhutanese, and is a variant of the local name of Hayagriva, Tandin.

Hike to Tango Monastery

The Tango Monastery is also one of the destinations of the many hikes that can be found throughout the Thimphu Valley, and is considered to be a delightful short hike that is suitable for hikers of all ages and levels of experience. The start of the hiking trail begins after a 30-minute drive out of Thimphu, from where the trek to the monastery takes around an hour. Passing through woodlands of juniper and rhododendron, the landscape along the trail is stunning, though parts of the climb can be quite steep in places.

Meditation in Tango Monastery

The Tango Monastery is an important monastery of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, and serves today as a university monastery, with more than 300 monks and scholars resident at any time. With six smaller Lhakhangs making up the main monastery, namely Trulku, Choeku, Guru, Longku, Gonkhang, and Namsey, there are several good environments within the grounds of the monastery for meditation. And as a university monastery, you can get some light instruction from the Buddhist teachers.

Top 3: Cheri Monastery

History of Cheri Monastery

Also known as the Changri Dorjen Monastery, Cheri Monastery lies at the northern end of the Thimphu Valley, around 15 kilometers from the capital. Now a major teaching and retreat center in the capital region, the monastery lies on the site of one of the 13 meditation sites of Padmasambhava, who spent more than eight years in the country teaching Buddhist scriptures. The site was later visited by the founder of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, and was one of the sites where he performed meditations at the command of his vision of Padmasambhava. In 1620, the monastery was commanded to be built on the site by the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

Hike to Cheri Monastery

The trek to Cheri Goemba in Thimphu is a delightful hike that is popular with local pilgrims at the weekends. Most pilgrims and hikers start their trek from Dodena, where the road from Thimphu ends, at around 2,600 meters. After crossing a small cantilever bridge, the trail climbs up the moss-coated hillside, wooded with pine and rhododendron trees, to the monastery at the top of the hill. The climb to the monastery, at around 2,850 meters, takes around an hour, and the views once you reach the top are spectacular. Alternatively, you can start the hike at Pangri Zampa, a couple of hours walk before Dodena, and take the trail through the Wang Chhu River valley, through paddy fields and small local villages first.

Meditation in Cheri Monastery

While the monks studying at the monastery traditionally spend three years, three months, and three days in learning, the monastery is also a popular meditation retreat. The monastery also has a prayer room you can use for meditation and contemplation, decorated with beautiful Buddhist paintings.

Top 4: Gangtey Goemba

History of Gangtey Gompa

Located in Phobjikha, in Wangdue Phodrang, the Gangtey Goemba is one of the most auspicious monasteries in Bhutan. An important monastery of the Nyingmapa School of Tibetan Buddhism, the monastery is the main seat of the Pema Lingpa tradition. The monastery was established in 1613 by the first Gangteng Tulku, who was the grandson of the great Terton Pema Lingpa, who first prophesied the building of the monastery during a visit to Phobjikha in the 15th century.

School for Ngingmapa Buddhists

The Gangtey Monastery is a major college and meditation center for the Nyingmapa School of Tibetan Buddhism, which was established in 1985 by the fourth Druk Gyalpo. The Gangtey Goemba is now the center of a network or around 35 subsidiary meditation and learning centers across Bhutan, some of which are new while others reside in ancient monasteries.

Study Buddhism in Gangtey Gompa

As the central school and a Buddhist college in its own right, the monastery is open for teachings in Tibetan Buddhism, and visitors to Bhutan can opt to join in on some of the classes for a day, to understand better the teachings of Lord Buddha and Pema Lingpa.

Top 5: Lhuentse Dzong

History of Lhuentse Dzong

Lying in the far east of Bhutan, in the town of Lhuntse, lies the famous Lhuentse Dzong, built on the spur of rock at the end of the narrow Kuri Chhu Valley, the monastery sits overlooking the valley in this remote part of Bhutan. One of the ancestral homes of the House of Wangchuck, the monastery was established in 1543 by the son of Pema Lingpa, Kuenga Wanpo, though the formal Dzong was not constructed until 1654, after an historic battle.

How to Reach Lhuentse Dzong

The Dzong is hard to get to for people traveling in Bhutan, lying as it does in the farthest eastern areas of the kingdom. Located in the Kuri Chhu valley, in the center of Lhuentse Dzongkhag, the valley is formed from high peaks and steep hills. The Dzong is reached with a three-hour drive from Mongar, until you reach Gangola Village, after which you must walk along the clifftop path of paved flagstones.

Meditation in Lhuentse Dzong

The Dzong has only around 100 resident monks, and few tourists come this far into Bhutan, so the entire area around the Dzong is perfect for meditation. The view out over the valley is stunningly serene, and the tranquility of the Dzong, which is as silent as a tomb, is ideal for some relaxed contemplation.

Special Attentions for Bhutan Monastery Retreat Tour

Dress Code for Visiting Monastery in Bhutan

There are some things to consider when taking a Bhutan meditation tour. Firstly, you must be prepared to adhere to a dress code for visiting Bhutan in the monasteries and Dzongs, as the rules can be quite strict for most western travelers. It is only appropriate to wear clothes that cover the whole body, such as long pants and long-sleeved tops and shirts with collars. It is considered inappropriate for people, especially women to wear shorts and short skirts when visiting monasteries, and the limbs and shoulders should always be covered.

Photography Rules for Visiting Monastery in Bhutan

There are also rules on photography in Bhutan’s monasteries and Dzongs. While it is generally understood that you are not permitted to take photos inside the buildings, which includes inside any inner courtyards, there are some instances where the monks will allow photos of certain things inside. However, this is not immediately obvious, and you should have your guide ask is any photography is permitted, and stick to their rules if it is.

Conclusion of Bhutan Monastery Retreat

Bhutan is the perfect place to spend time in meditation and relaxed contemplation. And whether you decide to spend your time meditating in a Dzong or a retreat, or prefer to sit on the side of a remote mountain and contemplate the sky and the birds, you will not find a more serene and tranquil place to meditate than the Land of the Thunder Dragon.