Sera Monastery

The basics

Travelers can visit the three colleges, walk the prayer circuit around the monastery grounds, and watch groups of monks debate religious concepts in the courtyard during most afternoons, usually from 3pm to 5pm. Additionally, an assembly hall called The Tsokchen has five chapels over two floors with Buddhist statues and wall hangings. Day-long tours of Lhasa usually visit Sera and a second monastery, while multi-day Tibet trips typically make time for a private tour of the monastery.

Things to know before you go

• Watch the courtyard debates at 3pm every afternoon except Sunday, but note that the schedule is subject to change.

• Visitors are charged a general entrance fee and additional fees for taking photos within each chapel. Video fees are much higher.

• Custom calls for walking around Tibetan monasteries in a clockwise direction.

• Most chapels close after 3pm.

How to get there

The monastery lies at the base of Pubuchok mountain in the northern reaches of Lhasa. Besides tours, taxis are the easiest option, as it’s less than a 30-minute drive from the city center. Buses #6, #16, #20, #23, and #24 stop at the Sela Si bus station. From there, it’s a few minutes on foot to reach the monastery.

When to get there

The monastery is open to the public from 9am to 4pm every day of the week. If you plan on watching the 3pm debates, aim to arrive late morning to give yourself time to explore the grounds and have lunch beforehand. During the Shoton—or yogurt—festival in August, the monastery is full of monks and pilgrims celebrating with blessings, traditional costumes, and jewelry.

Watching the Sera Monastery monk debates

Visitors flock to Sera Monastery to watch young monks debate religious doctrines as part of their training. It’s a physical display: senior monks stand, slap their hands, stomp, and shout questions about Buddhist religion and philosophy. Although it’s a loud and brash display, the gestures are not aggressive; they signal the seated monks to respond. The debates are in Tibetan but are a popular tourist draw and more than worth seeing.