Tango Monastery, Thimphu Overview

Tango Monastery enriches one's travel experience with its serene aura and quaint environment keeping in with Bhutanese tradition of focusing on spirituality more than fancy facades. Located near the Cheri Mountains in Thimphu, the Tango Monastery is a prominent Buddhist learning centre in Bhutan. The one-hour long hike up to the top of the monastery is worthwhile.

The annual festival Yarney is a major attraction of this monastery. It is organised on the 15th day of the sixth month of Lunar Calendar and lasts for a month and a half. The festival is mainly for the monks, who come together in unison and take special vows. The aura of the place is tranquilising and one always leaves the place feeling more refreshed and enriched.

Hike to Tango Monastery

From the base point, the hike to Tango Monastery is about one-hour long. The trail is well-laid, but some difficulty might be faced due to the high altitude. But once the trek is completed, the beautiful views from the top vanquish all the tiredness and greets you with a mesmerizing atmosphere.

Along the trail, there are deers and mountain goats, which are quiet and do not cause any trouble. The thick forests alongside make the air fresh and pure. All along the trail, the surrounding view is enticing and serene.

Architecture of the Tango Monastery

Built like a traditional dzong, the Tango Monastery houses traditional caves and temples. One most significant feature of its architecture is that its outer wall is semicircular. It is a three-storeyed building, with plenty of statues, paintings and inscriptions stored inside it.

The walls of the caves are carved with religious inscriptions and figures. There are special prayer wheels in the monastery, which are spun to ask for a wish. There is a special gallery devoted to illustrating the leaders of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage. There are six significant temples in the monastery, on different floors. Overall, the whole place is very sacred and historical, making for one of the holiest places in Thimphu

History of the Tango Monastery

Found in 12th century by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, the Tango Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. On his visit, he saw a cliff shaped in the form of God Tandin engulfed in flames and also heard the neighing of a horse. This was considered as a sign that a monastery should be built on that site. Hence, the name Tango Monastery, Tango meaning “horse head”. The monastery, as we see it now, was constructed in 1688 by Tenzin Ramgye, a temporary ruler of the country.

How To Reach Tango Monastery

A car can be driven to the end of the Dechenchholing-Dodena road along the Thimphu Chhu. You must hike for about an hour from here to reach the Tango Monastery.