The walk to Namobuddha monastery

Namobuddha is linked to a story told across the Buddhist world. In a former life, the Buddha was a prince named Mahasattva who came upon a tigress too weak to feed her cubs and offered her his own body. A small stupa marks the place, and on the hill above stands the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery, founded by the Tibetan teacher Thrangu Rinpoche, with a large community of monks in residence and prayer flags strung across the ridge in every direction.

The walk from Dhulikhel takes about three to four hours one way, mostly on village tracks and dirt roads, with some steady climbs. The route passes through terraced fields of rice, millet and mustard, past Tamang farmhouses and small shrines, with Himalayan views behind you on clear days. It suits anyone used to a few hours of country walking. For those who prefer not to walk, Namobuddha is about 40 minutes by car, and many guests walk one way and drive the other.

At the monastery, visitors may walk the courtyards, look into the main assembly hall and, at the right hour, sit at the back during chanting. Remove shoes before entering the halls, dress modestly and walk clockwise around stupas and prayer wheels. We eat lunch at a simple restaurant near the monastery or carry a picnic from the hotel. The site is busy with pilgrims on Buddhist festival days, so we check the calendar before setting the date; check current status before you travel.