Tibet Tour to Sakya Monastery - 2026 Travel Destination

Tibet Tour to Sakya Monastery - Travel Destination

Sakya is a Tibet travel destination for travelers traveling to Mount Everest Base Camp. Tibet tour Shigatse to Pelber passes by Sakya Monastery. Some of the masters, including Je Drakpa Gyaltsen, are from the Sakyapa. Travelers experience a profound sense of spirituality and notice the beautiful colors of the walls—white, red, and dark gray—adding to its unique charm.

There are two ways to reach Sakya town.

1. Travel from Lhasa to Shigatse.
2. Travel from the Kyirong border near Nepal.

Tour to Sakya - Popular Tibet Travel Destination

1. Sakya

Sa means " land," and Kya means " gray. " It is located 130 km from Shigatse at an elevation of 400 meters (435 ft ). Sakya is famous for the Sakya Monastery, founded in 1073 by Je Konchok Gyalpo of the Khon clan. Sakya is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Tibet.  The chapel inside houses the large 84000 Buddha teachings. The statues in the monastery are also unique.

The Tibet travel journey between Sakya and Shigatse covers approximately 150 to 160 kilometers (around 93 to 99 miles). Typically, traveling by private vehicle takes about 2.5 to 3 hours, making it a manageable and scenic trip.

The Tibet tour from Sakya to Lhatse is about 55 kilometers and is usually a pleasant drive that takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.

A photo of a family traveling from Malaysia to Tibet, taken during their journey from Lhatse to Pelber.

The distance from Lhatse town to Pelbar town, also known as Baibacun, Baiba Village, or New Tingri, is roughly 90 kilometers, depending on the route taken. Driving along the China-Nepal Highway (National Highway 318) over the Gyatsola Pass typically takes about 3 hours.

Our Solo Traveler from Europe visited the Sakya Monastery during the 2025 Tibet tour to the Mount Everest Base Camp.

2. Sakyapa

The Sakyapa have an interesting origin story. It all started in Nalanda during the 7th and 8th centuries with a Maha Siddha named Virupa. Legend has it that Virupa once held the sun with his bare finger for a few days until a king paid his bill at a restaurant!

Royalty as a prince, but he chose to abandon his life of luxury and become a wandering yogi in the mountains. Throughout his life, he consistently showed genuine devotion by never turning his back on his teacher. Born in 1147, Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen was the fifth great throne holder of Sakyapa. At the age of eight, he became a monk and greatly admired monastic life.

He would often encourage other monks to take their vows seriously and would serve them with tea. His father, the great Yogi Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, as well as his brother and master Nyen Phulwa, gave him many precious teachings. When he was ten, Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen took the Bodhisattva Vow and diligently studied the Tantric.

He became a master at the age of eleven and taught the Dharma to many monks. Throughout his life, Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen diligently practiced the Buddha Dharma and was later recognized as an emanation of Jamphelyang wisdom Buddha. Kache Pandita Shakya Shiri praised him as the holder of the significant Tantra and Yidam, Guhyasamaja. Buddhism flourished in Mongolia during the reign of King Genghis Khan due to the kindness of the great Yogi Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen.

To put it briefly, he possessed a very generous nature and did not hold onto anything. His primary focus was on providing spiritual resources for the betterment of all living beings. Even in death, he possessed only one piece of cloth and no other possessions.

The Sakya Monastery boasts enormous walls with our Chinese travelers from Singapore.

3. 1st Pandit

One of my preferred masters from the Sakyapa sect is Je Drakpa Gyaltsen. He was the root Lama of the first Pandit in Tibet, Sakya Pandita. When Sakya Pandita inquired why his spiritual development was not progressing despite practicing everything as advised, Drakpa Gyaltsen replied that since he had taken him as his uncle, the blessings were limited. Later, Sakya Pandita became one of the most knowledgeable Buddhist masters in Tibet.

He practices Samadhi meditation and writes Dharma teachings daily. He ensures he completes tasks assigned by his Lamas to gain their approval. He always shows respect for his Lama by never turning his back and avoiding actions that would displease them. When he has doubts about the teachings, he offers Mandalas to the Lama to seek clarity. In 1216, Drakpa Gyaltsen died in Sakya at the age of 70.

Notably, he passed away at the exact location where he was born, setting him apart from his predecessors. Thank you for taking the time to read this brief account of the esteemed Maha Siddha Drakpa Gyaltsen. Writing about a figure of such mastery is intimidating for someone with limited knowledge. However, I have written this article to gain merit by mentioning this great master's name. If there are any mistakes in my writing, I humbly request forgiveness from the Dakinis.

The Monastery and houses in Sakya are unique for their use of gray, white, and red on their walls, which represent the three families of Lord Buddha. White signifies the compassion of Buddha Chenresig, while red signifies the wisdom of Buddha Jamphelyang. Gray represents the power of Buddha Chakna Dorje.

Photo: Tibet Travel to Sakya Monastery during the April Western Tibet Tour Article for 2 Travelers.

4. Buddhism

1. The Nyingma School was established in the 8th century by King Trisong Deutsen, Maha Siddha Padmasambhava, and Maha Siddha Santaraksita. Several renowned Tibetan Maha Siddha Yogis belonged to this school, such as Je Kandro Yeshe Tsogyal, Je Longchenpa, Je Jigme Lingpa, and Je Za Patrul.

2. The Sakya School was founded in the 11th century by Je Khon Konchok Gyalpo. The walls of Sakya are white, red, and gray, representing the lord of the three families. The first Pandit in Tibet was from Sakya (Sakya Pandita), an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri. Many Mahasiddhas were from the Sakya School, including Je Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, Je Sonam Tsemo, Je Drakpa Gyaltsen, and Je Sakya Pandita. 

3. The Kagyu school was established in the 11th century by Je Marpa Lotsawa, known as the Translator Guru. Many Maha Siddhas belonged to the Kagyu tradition, including Je Marpa Lotsawa, Je Milarepa, Je Rechungpa, Je Gampopa, Je Pakmo Drubpa, Je Ling Repa, Je Tsangpa Gyare, Je Tsang Nyon, Je U Nyon, Je Drukpa Kunley, Je Machik Lapdron, and Je Dampa Sangay.

The Gelugpa is the most recent school of Buddhism in Tibet. It also represents a newer branch of the Kadampa tradition. Je Atisha established the Kadampa School in the 11th century, while the Gelugpa School was founded later, in the 15th century, by Je Tsongkhapa.

Photo: The Gyantse Kumbum Stupa is a highlight of the Tibet tour in Gyantse. The distance from Gyantse to Sakya is approximately 250 km: about 90 km from Gyantse to Shigatse and an additional 150 km from Shigatse to Sakya. If you plan to visit a spiritual site on the Tibet tour, we also recommend our Shambhala-style Tibet tour. Well designed 10 days Tibet tour adventure.

Phuntsokling Monastery is a significant Buddhist school in Tibet, belonging to the Jonang tradition. The Jonang school dates back to the 12th-century Tibetan master Je Jonang Taranata. Meanwhile, the Shiji school can be traced to the 11th-century Indian master Je Dampa Sangay and Je Machik Lapdron.

5. Hotels Sakya

The top hotel in Sakya is the 3-star Sakya Hotel, offering private rooms with hot showers. Besides, there are a few other local guest houses in town. Sakya also has numerous Tibetan restaurants serving local cuisine.

6. Everest base camp

Mount Everest stands as the tallest peak on Earth. The journey from Sakya to Mount Everest base camp covers 240 kilometers. When planning your trip to Mount Everest base camp, consider adding Sakya to your Tibet itinerary.

The popular 10-day Tibet tour to Mount Everest base camp also features Namtso Lake and Sakya Monastery. Our Traveler visited Mount Everest Base Camp in 2025, and we wrote an extensive Tibet tour article featuring stunning photos from the trip.

Conclusion

Sakya Town and Monastery are popular Tibet travel destinations. The most convenient Tibet travel routes are from Shigatse to Pelber or from Mount Everest Base Camp when returning to Shigatse. On our Tibet Trip itinerary to Mount Everest Base Camp or the Nepal border, we typically include a stop at Sakya town. These Tibet tours are around 7 to 10 days in total.

How can travelers reach the Sakya on the Tibet Tour?  Answer: Travelers can contact us via WhatsApp at +86 19938168184, WeChat at travelers2025, or our Instagram and Facebook, or by email at info@tibettraveler.com, and we will assist from there.