# Chimphu Retreat (青朴修行地)

Shannan, Tibet Autonomous Region · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chimphu-retreat
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Time needed:** 1–2 hours
- **Getting there:** On public holidays, Dongfeng trucks leave Samye Monastery at 5:00–6:00 a.m. each morning carrying pilgrims to Chimphu, and the packed trucks are often described as “so crowded that not even water can get in”. On ordinary days, vehicles run to Chimphu only occasionally, depending on demand. Chartering a Dongfeng lorry costs ¥200–300. Although the distance is under 10 km, the trip usually takes more than an hour because of the very poor road conditions.
- **Good for:** Temples, Hiking & Outdoors, Nature

## About Chimphu Retreat

Chimphu is as famous as Samye Monastery; Tibetans say that visiting Samye without going to Chimphu is like not having been there at all. Eminent masters such as Śāntarakṣita and Padmasambhava practised here, leaving many sacred traces.
Chimphu sits on the slopes of the Nari Mountains, 15 km northeast of Samye Monastery, at an altitude of 4,300 metres. Today, many ascetic practitioners who have travelled from afar still meditate here, and many Tibetans and visitors regard it as a holy site.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 607. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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