Most afternoons at about 3 pm a conch or drum calls the monks to the main hall, called the dukhang. Young novices in maroon robes hurry across the courtyard, older monks follow, and they take their places on long cushioned benches facing the main statue of the Buddha. The chanting is deep and rhythmic, broken by cymbals, drums and the low note of the dungchen, the long Tibetan horn. Novices pour butter tea from large kettles between sections of the prayers.
Visitors are welcome to watch if they behave as guests. Leave your boots on the rack outside, remove your hat, enter quietly and sit on the benches or floor near the door. Do not walk in front of the monks or between them and the altar, and do not point your feet at the statues. Photography is usually not allowed during prayers; you can photograph the courtyard and exterior. A donation of a few hundred rupees in the box is customary and supports the monastery school.
The puja lasts about an hour, but you can leave quietly after 20 or 30 minutes. Times vary with the season and festival days, and in the coldest weeks prayers may be held in a smaller room, so ask at your lodge on arrival. Afterwards, walk clockwise around the monastery, spin the prayer wheels and look up the valley to Everest, which often clears again in the late-afternoon light.
Good for
- Pilgrims
- Families
- Seniors
- Couples
- Solo
Questions travellers ask
What time is the puja at Tengboche Monastery?
Afternoon prayers usually start around 3 pm, and morning prayers are held at dawn. Times change with the season and on festival days, so ask at your lodge or the monastery office when you arrive. Arriving from Namche by 2 pm gives you time to attend.
Can tourists enter Tengboche Monastery?
Yes. Visitors can enter the prayer hall and courtyard, take shoes and hats off inside, keep quiet and avoid photographs during prayers. Walk clockwise around the building and leave a donation if you can. The monastery is an active religious community, not a museum.
Is there an entry fee for Tengboche Monastery?
There is usually no fixed entry fee for the prayer hall, but donations are expected and support the monks and school. A few hundred rupees per person is common. The small museum building nearby may charge a modest fee when it is open.
