All activities / Meditation / Vipassana / Kathmandu
Meditation / Vipassana in KathmanduNP
Nepal's capital and the gateway to the Himalayas. Ancient temples, dense bazaars, and the logistical hub for every major Himalayan expedition from Everest to Annapurna.
Why here
Kathmandu offers two of the world's defining entry points to serious meditation practice within twelve kilometers of each other. Kopan Monastery's month-long November Lam Rim course has run since 1971 and is arguably the best-known gateway to Tibetan Buddhist study for Westerners, founded by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche on a hill above Boudhanath, with shorter courses through the year. Across the valley at Budhanilkantha, Dhamma Shringa has anchored Goenka-tradition ten-day Vipassana retreats since 1981, donation-based with around 250 places, silent, and unbending in format. One tradition studies the mind through texts and debate, the other through breath and sensation; the valley holds both at the source.
Best months
Courses run most of the year; November is Kopan's flagship month and books out early (2026 dates publish on the monastery site). February-March and October-November have the pleasantest valley weather. Ten-day Vipassana courses are donation-based and phone-free; the commitment is binding once you sit.
Getting there & around
Both centers sit within an hour of the airport. Apply online well ahead for Kopan's November course and Dhamma Shringa's ten-day sits; walk-ins do not happen.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Dhamma Shringa
Retreat centerThe Nepal Vipassana Centre at Budhanilkantha, running donation-based ten-day Goenka-tradition silent retreats since 1981.
Kopan Monastery
Retreat centerThe FPMT-affiliated monastery above Boudhanath whose month-long November Lam Rim course has introduced Westerners to Tibetan Buddhist study since 1971.