Tharpaland International Retreat Centre was founded by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in 1985, when he began a three-year retreat here together with ten of his students. During that time Geshe-la also wrote and edited several books on the essential practices of our tradition.

Set in a Scottish forest near Dumfries, amidst green hills, gentle streams, and with expansive views, Tharpaland provides retreat facilities and guidance, in an atmosphere of natural beauty, peace and silence.

Originally an isolated hill farm, the main house, cottage and farm buildings have been converted into retreat accommodation and, together with newly built retreat huts, provide living space for those who come on retreat at Tharpaland.

Tharpaland is the main international retreat centre of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), a mainstream Buddhist tradition with many Centres throughout the world.

Since it was founded thousands of people from all over the world have come to engage in the many retreat programmes offered at Tharpaland throughout the year.

People come to engage in long solitary retreat for many years, for shorter solitary retreat of a few days, weeks or months and for guided group retreats which vary from a weekend to three-months. A small community of residents provide the retreat facilities working on a voluntary basis.

"When I go to Tharpaland, it seems as if I am entering another world.

It is so quiet, pure and clean.

I like Tharpaland very much, the time I spent there was very special for me."

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso