Ganden Monastery Tourism

Type of destination: Monastery, Religious Site

Ideal visit duration: 2-3 hours

Ganden Monastery, located about 50 km northeast of Lhasa on Wangbur Mountain at an altitude of about 4300 meters, is one of the 'Great Three' Gelug university monasteries of Tibet. Established by Je Tsongkhapa in 1409, it plays a significant role in the history of Buddhism in Tibet. Ganden is the Tibetan name for Tushita, the celestial realm where it's believed the bodhisattva Maitreya resides. The monastery complex includes several chapels, shrines, chörtens, and monk's dormitories, and is famous for its unique architectural style and stunning mural paintings. A kora, which is a circular pilgrimage route, goes around the monastery offering breathtaking views and spots for meditation. Ganden Monastery is also home to the Ganden Tripa, the head of the Gelugpa school. The site has faced destruction and reconstruction over time, particularly during the Cultural Revolution but was largely restored by the Tibetan population since. It remains an important cultural and religious site, with monks residing, studying, and practicing there.

Top 5 Reviews on Ganden Monastery

BhasinRohit

Wrote on 2nd Jan, 2020

A sight to Behold - Massive and Elegant Monastery

One has to take a fairly long car trip through the mountain roads to visit and witness the grandeur of this beautiful monatery. Most of the monastery has been renovated and still undergoing renovation..

Canary289

Wrote on 9th Oct, 2019

Stunning architecture

The monastery looks amazing from afar. I was so lucky that the rain stopped and the sun revealed when I was there. It is just a short walk to the monastery. The view and atmosphere here are great, b..

axelsL1196YB

Wrote on 1st Aug, 2019

Make the trip to Ganden Monastery by a guided tour!

Ganden Monastery is one of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet. It is he oldest monastery in Tibet - about 45 km outside of Lhasa. Today there are maybe 500 monks at Ganden - in 19..

Yokeko

Wrote on 23rd Jun, 2019

Good Visit and Food- Few Tourists

Highly recommend a trip to Ganden Monastery. It can be done as a day trip from Lhasa and the monastery kitchen puts out some good, yet basic, food. My husband and I were the only foreigners eating the..

KPC7

Wrote on 29th May, 2019

Good lunch!

Others have commented on the beauty and the views of this large working monastery. We ate in the refectory. The vegetarian food was excellent.

Ganden Monastery Tourism

Ganden Monastery Tourism

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