Tirthapuri Monastery & Hot Springs
芝达布日寺与温泉
A pilgrimage site and hot springs on the Sutlej River, traditionally visited after the kora, where you can soak in hot springs and see Padmasambhava’s meditation cave.
Tirthapuri lies in the Sutlej River valley about 55 km west of Mount Kailash, in Menshi Township, Gar County. It is a sacred site shared by Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism. Tradition holds that after worshipping Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, pilgrims should also come to Tirthapuri to complete the journey. The monastery is built into the mountainside and has meditation caves of Padmasambhava and his consort Yeshe Tsogyal, as well as a statue of Milarepa. By the Sutlej River in front of the monastery, hot springs well up and have formed white travertine terraces, where you can soak to relieve fatigue. There is also a short 1 to 2 hour pilgrimage circuit with a narrow cave along the way, which is believed to test whether a person is good or evil. From Darchen, follow G219 toward Zanda, about 1 hour’s drive, and you can stop at the Guge ruins along the way.
Opening hours
Daytime
Nearby sights
- Gurugyam Monastery
- Khyunglung Ngulkhar
- Chuku Gompa (Nyenri Monastery)
- Tarboche Flagpole
- Darchen
- Gyangdrak Monastery
- Mount Kailash & Kora
- Dirapuk Monastery