Bomdila Monastery

Where

Upper Gompa, Bomdila, West Kameng district

Altitude

About 2,500–2,700 m (8,000+ ft)

Distance

About 3 km from Bomdila market; 160 km from Tezpur

Timings

Roughly 6am–6pm (morning prayers early)

Entry fee

Free

Permit

Arunachal Inner Line Permit for Indians, Protected Area Permit for foreigners

Best time

March–May and October–November

Time needed

45 minutes–1 hour

Bomdila Monastery, properly Gontse Gaden Rabgye Ling (GRL), is the main Buddhist monastery of Bomdila, on a hill above the town at around 8,000 ft. For anyone driving from Guwahati or Tezpur to Tawang, it is usually the first big monastery of the trip and the first taste of Monpa Buddhist culture.

History

• Founded in 1965 by the 12th Tsona Gontse Rinpoche, who was born at Morshing in West Kameng and died in 1966.
• A replica of the Tsona Gontse monastery in southern Tibet, which the Rinpoche had left.
• The main prayer hall was added later by his successor. The Dalai Lama consecrated it; sources give different years (1977 and 1997), so we won't pick one.

It belongs to the Gelug school, the same as Tawang Monastery.

Upper and lower gompa

• Upper Gompa is the main monastery on the hill, with the prayer hall, a Buddha temple and a school for young monks.
• Lower Gompa, in the centre of town, is smaller, with Tibetan-style architecture and its own prayer hall.

Most visitors only see the upper monastery. If you're staying in Bomdila, the lower one is a short walk from the market.

What to see

• The prayer hall, with large statues of the Buddha and murals.
• Morning prayers, usually early; the chanting of young monks is the highlight.
• The view over Bomdila and the Kameng hills; on a clear winter day you can see snow peaks to the north.

How to reach

The monastery is about 3 km above Bomdila market. Bomdila is 160 km from Tezpur and on the main road to Tawang, so most people stop here on day one or stay the night. See our Guwahati to Tawang cab, Tezpur to Tawang cab and Tawang tour packages.

Road distances from OpenStreetMap routing. Drive times are what we see on these mountain roads, not map estimates.

Weather and best time

Bomdila is cool all year and cold in winter, with occasional light snow from December to February.

Monthly averages for 2015–2024 from ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, at the site's elevation (about 2606 m). Rain and snow are rated relative to this location's own year.

• March–May: rhododendrons and orchids on the road up.
• October–November: clear skies and mountain views.
• December–February: cold, sometimes snowy; beautiful but dress warmly.

Things most guides don't tell you

• Bomdila or Dirang for the night? Bomdila is higher, colder and has more hotels; Dirang is lower, warmer and better placed for Sela Pass the next morning. Our things to do in Bomdila and things to do in Dirang help decide.
• The Bomdila viewpoint and craft centre are close by and fill an hour easily.
• Walk clockwise and ask before photographing monks, as at any monastery.

Nearby

• Sela Pass, about three hours north.
• Tawang Monastery, the end of the road.