Cheri Monastery Shedra

The monastic school at Cheri (Chagri) Monastery, the first monastery established by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal after his arrival in Bhutan in 1616, making it the birthplace of the Central Monastic Body. Located in the upper Thimphu valley accessible by a one-hour hike, the monastery operates a traditional three-year meditation retreat programme and provides monastic education in Buddhist scripture and ritual practice. Cheri holds immense spiritual significance as the institution where the Zhabdrung first established the Drukpa Kagyu monastic order that would unite Bhutan as a nation.