Start here · Essential guide
The Sacred Sites of the Himachal Pradesh Region
A careful overview of the Buddhist areas of Himachal Pradesh, from Dharamsala to Spiti and Kinnaur, with notes on altitude, roads and seasons.
Tibet, Himalaya and Silk Road
Himalayan Monasteries
Ladakh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and the high monastic seats.
A Pilgrimage to the Sacred Site of the Tawang Monastery in India
Practical, respectful notes for visiting Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh: permits to check, mountain roads, weather, altitude and monastery etiquette.
Discovering the Ancient Buddhist Art of the Thikse Monastery
Thikse Monastery in Ladakh: its hilltop setting, the large Maitreya image, murals and chapels, with cautions about altitude and respectful visiting.
Exploring the Mystical Landscapes of Ladakh: A Buddhist Pilgrimage
An overview of Ladakh for Buddhist pilgrims: main monastery areas, high altitude, permits to check, and seasons, with advice to follow current official guidance.
Exploring the Mystical Site of the Tawang Monastery in India
The history of Tawang Monastery in the Gelug tradition, its link to the sixth Dalai Lama as traditionally told, and the architecture of the hilltop complex.
The Significance of the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh
What Tawang Monastery is today: its Gelug affiliation, layout, library and role as a monastic centre, with hedged dates and notes on permits and altitude.
The Significance of the Tawang Monastery in India
How Tawang Monastery shapes Monpa Buddhism and local religious life in Arunachal Pradesh, described at a general, public level and with respect.
Uncovering the Mysteries of the Hemis Monastery in Ladakh
Hemis Monastery in Ladakh: its Drukpa lineage, the annual festival's masked dances at a public level, and the doubtful legends that cling to it.
Understanding the Sacred Sites of the Panchen Lama
The Panchen Lama lineage and its traditional seat at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, described neutrally given the disputed modern succession.
Unveiling the Mystical Landscapes of Sikkim: A Buddhist Pilgrimage
The monasteries of Sikkim, including Rumtek and Pemayangtse, with notes on lineages, mountain deities, seasons and permit rules to check.
Related topics
More in tibet, himalaya and silk road
Silk Road and Gandhara Taxila, Bamiyan and the routes that carried Buddhism across Asia. Himalayan Routes and Treks Monasteries and palaces of the Tibetan plateau together with the great walking routes of the Himalayas. Lhasa The Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and the sacred circuits of Lhasa. Great Monasteries of Tibet Sera, Tashilhunpo, Sakya, Kumbum and other major Tibetan monasteries. Tibetan Buddhist Lineages The Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug schools and their Himalayan heritage. Himalayan Pilgrimage Trails Kailash, Langtang, Manaslu and other routes walked by pilgrims. Sacred Sites of Tibet An orientation to pilgrimage across the Tibetan plateau. Sacred Himalayan Landscapes Lakes, valleys and highlands held sacred in Tibetan Buddhism. Himalayan Sacred Geography Mountains, rivers and foothills as Buddhists read them.