Rongbuk Monastery

It is divided into two parts: the old monastery and the new monastery. The old monastery (aka Upper Rongbuk Monastery) is located about 3 kilometers south of the Everest Base Camp, at a higher altitude and closer to Mount Everest. Locals traditionally refer to the old Rongbuk Monastery as "Cha-Rongbuk," where "Cha" means rock and "Rongbuk" refers to a very tall mountain. The old monastery was built near a cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated. To this day, his handprints, footprints, and stone-carved stupas can still be found there. Currently, Upper Rongbuk Monastery is not available for international tourists.

The new monastery (aka Lower Rongbuk Monastery) is located at the drop-off point for tourist vehicles heading to Mount Everest, next to Everest Base Camp (900 meters away). It was rebuilt in 1902 under the leadership of the Red Sect Lama Ngawang Tenzin Norbu. The new structure is much larger in scale, with more than 20 halls and once housed over 300 monks and nuns for religious practice. Usually, when one mentions Rongbuk, it refers to Lower Rongbuk Monastery.

The entire Rongbuk Monastery was built on the mountain, being a five-tier building, but only two floors are in use now. The main entrance of the Main Hall enshrines the statues of Sakyamuni and Padmasambhava. In particular, the 6-meter-tall gold-plated statue of Guru Rinpoche is the most precious treasure there. Also the mural paintings inside are worth admiring. In front of the main hall is a theater with carved beams and paintings. During important festivals, local people come here to watch lamas perform. The Mani stone pile outside is often used by photographers as a foreground to take photos of Mount Everest. Moreover, the Mani piles under the white pagoda are where local Buddhist believers pray for good luck. There is a prayer path around Rongbuk Monastery.

It lies at an altitude of 5,154 meters, so gradual altitude acclimatization at a slow pace is extremely important. Thus, a journey from Lhasa to Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp will take seven to ten days to complete, depending on your exact travel itinerary. From Everest Base Camp Tours, you might find a tour that suits you well.

Best Time to Visit Rongbuk Monastery

Rongbuk Monastery is open for visitors from April to November. The best time for viewing the true majesty of Mt. Everest is from late April to early June, and from early September to October, with little rain, and the air is bright and clear. The weather is ideal for enjoying Mt. Everest and the oxygen content is competitively sufficient to acclimate to the high altitude.