HImachal is not only rich in natural beauty and Hindu art, culture and temples, but abounds in Buddhist monasteries. In fact, a visitor to the state can make a complete itinerary covering only the monasteries. There are those monasteries which are barely a few decades old, of around the time when the Dalai Lama left Tibet and came to India with his followers. And, some gompas go back to the time around the 7th century AD when Buddhism was just a

Kinnaur
has about 32 Buddhist monasteries and temples, while the spiti region has thirty of them spread over its rugged terrain. Lahaul too has a good number of them, about twenty nine, almost all affiliated to the Drug-pa sect.

Manali
is an important tourist centre and has four recently-built monasteries in and around it. The main one is located close to the bazaar.

Rewalsar
is the place from where Padmasmbhava left for Tibet to spread Buddhism in the 8th century AD. The lake here has three monasteries around it.

Mcleodganj in the Kangra region is now known for the residence of the Dalai Lama. The impressive Namgyal monastery here is surrounded by a row of prayer wheels and houses huge images of the Buddha, Padmasamshava and Avlokteshwara.