Overview
Kopan sits on a hill north of Boudhanath, forty minutes from central Kathmandu and a long way from it in every other sense. Founded in 1969 by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, it ran its first course for Western students in 1971 and has been doing so ever since — the original of a form that has since spread worldwide.
The teaching is Gelugpa, in the lam-rim tradition: a staged path, taught in order, from the value of a human life through impermanence to compassion and the nature of mind.
The course
Ten days, residential, with a fixed daily structure. Two teaching sessions, two or three meditation sessions, a discussion group, three vegetarian meals, and noble silence from evening until after breakfast — extended to full silence for the last stretch.
Phones are handed in. That is the part most people mention afterwards.
Who it suits
People who want to sit with the material rather than sample it. No Buddhist background is assumed and the questions in discussion groups are frequently sceptical, which is welcomed.
It suits people less well if they want a flexible schedule, a private retreat, or a wellness experience — this is a monastery, the rooms are plain, and the day starts before six.
Practicalities
Fees are deliberately low and structured as cost recovery; teachers are offered dana at the end rather than paid, and the amount is entirely yours to decide.
Book early for the November course, the largest of the year, which fills months in advance.
Best season
February to April and September to December. The monastery is at 1,500 m and the winter mornings are cold in unheated rooms. The monsoon is workable but humid.
Highlights
- Boudhanath stupa below the hill
- Noble silence from evening until after breakfast
- Teaching in the Gelugpa lam-rim tradition
- No phone, no internet, for ten days
Map
Where this tour goes
Price
What $300–$550 covers
All-inclusive of room, three vegetarian meals a day and teaching; single rooms at the higher rate
Included
- Ten nights' accommodation
- Three vegetarian meals daily
- All teaching sessions and guided meditation
- Discussion groups
Not included
- Transport to and from Kathmandu
- Optional dana offering to the teachers
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to be Buddhist?
What does a day look like?
What is noble silence?
Is ten days too long for a beginner?
About the author
Maya Thapa
Senior trekking writer
Maya has walked more than 4,000 kilometres of Nepal's trail network, from the teahouse highways of the Khumbu to the restricted valleys along the Tibetan border. She writes the route guides and day-by-day itineraries, and returns to most trails every second season to re-check lodge availability, water points and trail reroutes after monsoon damage.
Writes about: Nepal trekking · High-altitude routes · Teahouse logistics
