Things to do in Namobuddha

Namobuddha is a major Buddhist pilgrimage site in Kavrepalanchok, about 40km southeast of Kathmandu on a forested ridge above 1,750m. It is held to be one of the three holiest stupas in Nepal, alongside Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, and draws monks, pilgrims and travellers to its hilltop shrine, its prayer-flag circuit and the great monastery that crowns the hill.

The heart of the site is the Namobuddha Stupa, which marks the place where, in a past life, the Buddha-to-be is said to have offered his own body to a starving tigress and her cubs — the supreme act of compassion the name "Namo Buddha" honours. Just above it, the tigress cave shrine preserves the spot of the legend with carved reliefs and butter lamps. Crowning the ridge is the magnificent Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, a living centre of study and ritual whose golden roofs you can see from miles away.

Most visitors walk the kora, then climb to the hilltop viewpoint for a sweep of the Himalaya — Langtang, Dorje Lakpa and the Rolwaling peaks on a clear day. The monastery also hosts meditation and retreat programmes, and many travellers reach it on foot via the classic Dhulikhel–Namobuddha–Panauti loop.

Start with our roundup of the top things to do in Namobuddha, or follow our ready-made Namobuddha day trip from Kathmandu. Then sort the practicalities: where to stay, how to get there and the best time to visit. For the wider region, see our national guides to Buddhism in Nepal, sacred sites and pilgrimages and the monasteries and gompas of Nepal.