Visit Sera monastery on the northern edge of Lhasa, whose title means ‘Merciful Hail’. Its name denotes its rivalry with the Drepung, since hail destroys rice and Drepung Monastery is also known as"Rice Heap". Founded in 1419 by one of Tsongkhapa's eight disciples, Sera became famous for its Tantric teachings. The warrior monks of Sera, the ‘Dob-Dobs’, were admired as athletes but also feared.
A central lane and fairly simple layout make Sera easy to explore. A long driveway leads up to the monastery. Sera had three colleges but the chanting halls and chapels seem dark and more demonic.
Today it houses some three hundred monks and its buildings include farms and printing workshops. Watching the monks engaged in their stylised debating is a real experience.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Tibet specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Potala Palace Visit
The Potala Palace is an architectural wonder — a spectacular edifice whose gold roofs soar high above the town and rise more than 300 metres above the valley floor. The palace can be seen from all directions for miles around.
The Dalai Lama's former Summer Palace
The Norbulingka — the Jewel Park — contains the summer palaces of the 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas and is characterised by its spacious walled garden, the main throne hall, an audience hall, the Dalai Lama's private apartment and his mother's apartment.
Walking the Ganden Kora
Walking the Kora — one of the circuits around a monastery — is a traditional way for Tibetan Buddhists to worship, and you will see pilgrims making circuit after circuit of major monastery buildings wherever you are in Tibet.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tour below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
