Kopan Monastery

Nestled on a hilltop north of Bodhnath, Kopan Monastery is popular among foreigners for its courses in Tibetan Buddhism. A visit to the monastery is an opportunity to meditate and travel away from the chaos of city life. One can enjoy the teaching of Tibetan monks and learn more about the Buddhist faith. Visitors are welcome to explore the monastery and join in the morning meditation sessions.

History
Kopan Monastery was founded by late Lama Thubten Yeshe. Its mission is to preserve and spread centuries of Buddhist traditions and teachings and there are more than 300 monks, lamas, teachers and workers here.

About Kopan Monastery
Once inside the monastery, you can visit the meditation halls, take ritual walks around stupas, relax amidst lush gardens, and enjoy magnificent views of the Kathmandu Valley. You can also attend Morning Prayer ritual, known as a puja, take part in courses and retreats, and see striking looking stupas and tour shrines and temples.
On the top floor of the monastery is a shrine containing the relics of an important teacher. After spinning the monastery's big prayer wheel, one can step inside the prayer wheel house to view its paintings.

You can also relax and meditate while sitting in the picturesque gardens and attend a daily Dharma talk where Buddhist topics are discussed. Gaze across the breathtaking Kathmandu Valley and try and spot the spectacular Boudhanath stupa in the distance. There are a number of courses including a 7-day Buddhism discovery course. Retreats are also available, although these are for Buddhist practitioners.

Best time to visit
Although the monastery can be visited anytime of the year, it remains closed between mid-November to mid-December.

How to reach
Kopan Monastery is about a 20-minute drive from Kathmandu’s city center. The most convenient way to get here is by taxi. Public buses travel between Ratna Square and the village of Kapan, from where it’s a 10-minute walk.