Namobuddha

Namobuddha is one of the three most important Buddhist sites in Nepal alongside Boudhanath and Swayambhu, and it commemorates a jataka story: a prince, coming upon a tigress too weak from starvation to feed her cubs, offered his own body, and the stupa is said to hold his remains. A shrine on the hill above marks the spot. Around the stupa has grown the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery, a large modern complex in Tibetan style with a shedra where monks study, prayer wheels, and a hall open to visitors; the monks' chanting at set hours is what many people come for. The setting is terraced hills with the Himalaya beyond, and the walk in from Dhulikhel through villages takes three to four hours.

What you actually see

• The stupa - the shrine marking the jataka story of the tigress.
• Thrangu monastery - the large Tibetan complex around the site.
• Monastic chanting - the services open to visitors at set hours.
• The hill walk - the trail in from Dhulikhel through terraced villages.

When to go

October to April for clear weather and the walk. Monastic services run morning and afternoon and are worth timing for. Losar and other Tibetan festivals bring the monastery to life.

Honest expectations

The monastery is modern, built and expanded in recent decades, not a historic building. It is an active religious community, so quiet, modest dress and photography restraint are expected. The road in is winding, and the walk from Dhulikhel needs directions or a guide.

Nearby

Dhulikhel lies north; Panauti is west.