At a bracing 13,000 feet, the Phajoding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery that is a 3-hour hike from the nearest road overlooking the capital city of Thimphu. Founded by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, it was once one of the wealthiest and most-beautifully decorated monasteries in the country. The years of neglect and growing development have caught up with it, though, and in 2010, it joined the World Monuments’ Fund’s list of the five cultural monuments that are endangered and require financial attention and restoration at the earliest.

It houses a variety of Buddhist artefacts and most importantly, some of the most delightful monks of all ages. Stop by for some tea and help the young monks practise English and you’ll be showered with some great conversation from the older ones as well! The monastery takes in orphaned and disadvantaged boys under its wing and trains them in Buddhist theology and beliefs in what is considered to be one of the most sacred meditational sites in Bhutan.

The open complex comprises many holy buildings, relics and a State monastic school that currently houses 40 monks. There is a plethora of Buddhist institutions and monasteries across the country, all financed by the Bhutanese government and as you can imagine resources are limited, and the monks live in a very simple manner and their happiness and kindness is immensely humbling.

• Tips & Warnings: The monastery is very progressive as it has adopted the use of social media to meet the establishment’s financial needs and to improve the living conditions of the resident monks. Anything that you can contribute would be of great help to them.

• The Zone
• The Bhutanese
• Ambient Café

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