Within the Drukpa Kagyu, certain monasteries function as living symbols of the lineage’s historical unfolding and spiritual continuity. At the heart of these stands Ralung Monastery in Tibet, regarded as the original seat of the tradition and associated with Tsangpa Gyare. From this early center, the Drukpa current flowed into the Himalayan world, giving rise to a network of monasteries and retreat places that together sustain both scholarship and contemplative practice. These institutions are not merely architectural complexes; they serve as vessels for transmission, ritual, and disciplined training in meditation.

Bhutan, where the Drukpa Kagyu holds a central religious role, is home to several particularly significant sites. Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu functions as a major monastic fortress and administrative center, while Punakha Dzong serves as the winter residence of the Je Khenpo, the chief abbot. Trongsa Dzong likewise stands out as a historically important fortress-monastery. Paro Taktsang, the famed “Tiger’s Nest,” serves not only as an iconic cliff-side temple but also as a place of intensive meditation retreat, embodying the union of dramatic landscape and inner practice that characterizes much of Himalayan Buddhism.

In Ladakh, the Drukpa presence is especially visible through a constellation of monasteries that anchor the lineage in the western Himalayas. Hemis Monastery is often described as the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh and is widely recognized as a principal Drukpa center. Alongside Hemis, monasteries such as Thiksey, Chemrey, Stakna, Diskit, Shey, and Namgyal Tsemo form a regional network that supports ritual life, philosophical study, and the training of monastics. These Ladakhi institutions collectively demonstrate how the Drukpa tradition adapts to local cultures while preserving its core contemplative disciplines.

Beyond Tibet, Bhutan, and Ladakh, the lineage has also established important centers in Nepal and further afield. Druk Amitabha Mountain near Kathmandu functions as a major contemporary hub, combining monastic, retreat, and training activities for the wider Drukpa community. Dechen Choekhor Ling in Nepal is likewise recognized as an important monastery connected with the lineage. In addition, Drukpa Plouray in France and various centers associated with the Gyalwang Drukpa and the Live to Love network extend the reach of the tradition into new cultural contexts, while remaining rooted in the same core teachings.

Underlying all these institutions is a strong emphasis on retreat and intensive practice. Traditional three-year retreat centers (drupkhang) attached to monasteries, together with cave retreats and other secluded sites in the Himalayas, continue the hermit tradition that has long been a hallmark of the Kagyu schools. Naro Photang is one such retreat center associated with the lineage, exemplifying the commitment to long-term, structured meditation training. Through these monasteries and retreat places, the Drukpa Kagyu maintains a dynamic balance between public religious life and the inward, transformative disciplines of contemplative practice.