If you were to go on a monastery retreat in Tibet, you would find very quickly that there are several difficulties with making these kinds of pilgrimages. Buddhists from around the world and observers of the principles of Buddhism make it their life’s goal to make it to a Tibet monastery retreat at some point in their lives.
The first hurdle is getting there. There are several different types of Tibet monastery retreats. Some take place in ancient caves. Others are hosted in temples, out in nature, even at the base of Mt. Everest. Before you can even book a flight to the region, you’ll need certain permits.
Specifically, depending on where in Tibet you are traveling you will need at least three of the following permits:
Tibet Travel Permit
Alien’s Travel Permit
Tibet Entry Permit
Military Permit
Tibet Trekking Permit (For EBC Travel around Mt. Everest)
Mountaineering License (For EBC Travel around Mt. Everest)
We didn’t include any monastery retreats near Mt. Everest in this list. In fact, we went searching for the best Tibet monastery retreats around the world where you don’t have to worry about so many hurdles! These Tibet monastery retreats go to great lengths to adopt Buddhist principles for true spiritual immersion like you would get if you actually went to Tibet.
Buddhism has traveled the world over and that’s why you can find great Tibet monastery retreats on practically every continent. It’s time to dust off the old passport and take a life-changing spiritual journey to one of the best Tibet monastery retreats around the world!
15+ Best Tibet Monastery Retreats around the World
The best way to choose where to go on a Tibet monastery retreat is to look for a place that actually has Buddhist monks, lamas, and teachers. There are many people these days that call themselves meditation gurus but true spiritual elevation takes a real spiritual leader.
At its core, Buddhism is about peace, love, and oneness. Whichever retreat that you choose, make sure that the vibe is first and foremost one of love, peace, and oneness. We found 15+ to choose from!
Canada
Nova Scotia up in Canada hosts a monastery retreat that can last a year for the really dedicated at Gampo Abbey. This Buddhist monastery was founded back in 1983 and follows the Shambhala tradition. Observing this tradition means a very monastic retreat that leans heavily on teaching the principles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche by the current Abbot the Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinoche while instruction at Gampo Abbey is lead by teacher Bhikshuni Pema Chὂdrὄn.
At this retreat you can participate in 33 days of instructional meditation as well as ceremonies for the dead. Those seeking relief from physical pain and grief may find that spiritual healing is what is most needed and this guided retreat is just the cure.
France
Right now at Plum Village in France, the 200 nuns and monks who make up the village community are honoring the passing of their long-time leader and teacher, monk Thich Nhat Hanh. This guru of mindfulness was once nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His passing is a huge loss but will not stop this long established community from providing a traditional Tibet monastery retreat to its many visitors from around the world.
Greece
In Crete, Greece, Book Retreats offers an 8-Day Yoga retreat that isn’t as grueling as a traditional Tibet monastery retreat but includes elements of Tibet Buddhism. Over the course of a week and a day, visitors to this retreat take part in meditative work that combines yoga with mantra chanting and Tibetan sound healing meditation using Tibetan singing bowls. This weeklong retreat is designed to help open your heart and connect with yourself while improving your overall health through yoga and diet.
India
If you can make your way to India, in Dharamsala you can take part in a meditation retreat crafted by the Dalai Lama and his teachings. Free to the public, you can hear the Dalai Lama still in exile from Tibet speak while taking part in a week long guided retreat surrounded by the Himalayan Mountains. You can stay at the Dalai Lama’s brother’s guesthouse while learning directly from a Zen priest.
Indonesia
Bali, Indonesia is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the world. Here you will find a 3-Day sound healing retreat from Book Retreats that features meditation using Tibetan singing bowls. This 3-day retreat combines principles of yoga and meditation with deep focus achieved through Tibetan and crystal bowl singing. Enhancing the peace and calm you seek is the incredible landscape which includes vibrant tropical flowers decorated by the trees of the jungle wrapping around rivers slicing through the mountains.
Ireland
Perhaps one of the last places you would expect to find a Tibet monastery retreat is as far away from Tibet as Ireland. While this mindfulness retreat is not guided by a Buddhist monk, the principles of mindfulness offered at the 5-Day Mindfulness Tools for Living the Full Catastrophe retreat offered by the Centre for Mindfulness Ireland have been created based on the scientific truths underlying the practice of meditation and mindfulness. This retreat is held at the gorgeous Glenview Hotel and Leisure Club in Ireland.
Italy
Featured on CNN, National Geographic, Travel & Leisure, and the Wall Street Journal, the world class Tibet monastery retreat hosted by Assisi Retreats takes visitors on a tour of the sacred sites of Assisi. There is a lot of walking on this tour mixed with guided meditation in the mornings and evenings. Despite being largely a tour of holy Catholic sites, people of all different backgrounds take part in this meditation retreat. This retreat focuses specifically on meditation and finding peace.
Nepal
Going to Nepal on a monastery retreat gets you closest to what you would expect if you were to actually go to Tibet. Case in point, you will need to get a TIMS (Trekking Information Management System) Card if you are a foreigner visiting Nepal. It’s only about $20 if you are traveling solo but you will need your passport and two passport pics in order to get your card.
If you book your retreat through VIN (Volunteers Initiative Nepal), they can arrange your Tibet monastery retreat for you! You’ll stay at a genuine Buddhist monastery just outside of Kathmandu, inhabited by legitimate Tibetan Buddhist monks. Over the course of your stay, you’ll live just like Tibetan monks, learning Buddhist doctrine and taking part in traditional meditation learning sessions led by student monks.
South Africa
Before his death, former South African President Nelson Mandela declared the Buddhist Retreat Center (BRC) a National Heritage site. It is located in Ixopo; an hour and a half away from the nearest city. Full of endangered birds and plant life, this traditional Tibet monastery retreat was founded by a native of South Africa whose travels in the East led him to adopt Buddhism and establish the center.
Due to covid-19 restrictions, there are limited day visits and strict covid restrictions are currently in place. Still, listed as one of the best meditation centers around the world by CNN, the BRC is a terrific option for those seeking Tibet monastery retreats outside of Tibet.
Spain
Booking Retreats offers a 5-Day Private Healing Retreat in Spain that includes sound healing using Tibetan singing bowls as well as meditation as a means to heal oneself physically, mentally, and spiritually. This retreat is not your traditional Tibet monastery retreat but it does use several Buddhism inspired practices to bring peace, relaxation, and healing.
Thailand
For those more interested in the stricter versions of a traditional Tibet monastery retreat, the Wat Suan Mokkh in Thailand is the retreat for you. Although visitors from beginners to advance are invited, this 10-Day retreat is not for the faint of heart. Held once a month all year long, at the beginning of the retreat, you must relinquish all outside distractions, including your phones, computers, watches, etc.
Once you arrive, you will not speak again for 10 days. You will sleep on wooden pillows and beds made of straw. As the founder of this heritage site always said, you will “live plainly, aim high” while you reside at The Garden of Liberation.
USA
Located on an ancient Native American holy site, Spirit Rock Meditation Center is located in the middle of hundreds of acres of woods in California. Its meditation programs are based on the Buddhist teachings of Dharma and Vipassana with Metta (loving-kindness) anchoring the heart and soul of the entire program. All year long, visitors can come to the center for day classes, events, or partake in silent retreats as residents for a couple of days to a couple of months.
4 Best Tibet Monastery Retreats in Tibet
If you have the coin to get to Tibet and the physical stamina to endure the depravations of a true Tibet monastery retreat in Tibet, there are certain places you must see. These 4 Tibet monastery retreats are universally considered the top sites to see. Keep in mind, there will be plenty of restrictions, fees, and permits required to visit some of these historic places so start planning at least a year in advance.
Things You’ll Need to Plan For:
Before you book your airfare you’ll need to find a travel agency that arranges travel to Tibet. It is not something that most travel agencies do. If you’re a foreigner, you’ll need to secure specific travel documents before you are able to book a flight to Tibet.
Foreigners also are generally not allowed to travel to Tibet solo. You’ll need to be part of a tour so booking a retreat like the ones below is your best bet. They’ll know what documents you need and make sure that you are prepared before you leave.
Lastly, some of the monasteries you’ll tour in Tibet will have monks and nuns who have taken vows of silence and are living monastically. Therefore, you will be expected to know and observe certain rules; rules like no drugs or alcohol, no lying, no killing (that includes insects), and general silence.
Lhasa, Tibet
To get to Lhasa you have to land in Kathmandu or China first. Once you make it there and you get the requisite permits, you’re ready to explore dozens of ancient, beautifully preserved monasteries, caves, and palaces in the “Sunlight City.” Check out all of Lhasa as well as the Pabonka Hermitage on this 5-Day Monastery tour in Lhasa, Tibet.
Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Tibet. You will need a Military permit if you are a non-Indian and a foreigner. In fact, you’ll need about four permits total to get to Mt. Kailash. Because the monasteries at Kailash are at such a high elevation, you’ll need about two weeks to complete a monastery retreat here. This 15-Day tour to Mt. Kailash and Mt. Everest will take you to all of the holy sites.
Namtso Lake
One of the “Three Holy Lakes,” Namtso Lake is a thing of legend in the minds of people who have seen its unique beauty. Its vaunted place as a necessary stop on a Tibet monastery pilgrimage is largely due to the beauty of its surroundings. In Tibetan, Namtso means heavenly and it is the perfect word to describe this sacred lake surrounded by mythic mountains. Check out this 5-Day meditation tour of Lhasa and Namtso Lake.
Drak Yerpa Retreat
You can spend time in Buddhist monasteries and caves if you take the Drak Yerpa Retreat. This tour takes you through monasteries that go back nearly two millennia in their history. The temple at the heart of this monastery is built at the base of a mountain that is peppered with trickling waterfalls and breathtaking greenery. You can tour these impressive caves and temples on this 5-Day Lhasa and Ganden Monastery Tour.
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