Set on a hillside above the Kathmandu Valley, Kopan Monastery is a working Tibetan Buddhist monastery that also welcomes day visitors and short meditation courses. The walk up through the gates, past young monks studying in the courtyards, feels a world away from Thamel’s traffic.
Visitors are welcome to sit in on certain teachings or simply wander the grounds and take in the views back over the valley. It’s a quieter, more reflective alternative to the busier city-center temples.
A taxi from Tulsi Kathmandu Hotel takes around 30 minutes each way, making Kopan an easy half-day addition to a longer Kathmandu itinerary.
