It's one of the most venerated monasteries in the prefecture; the reasoning behind the name 'Big Golden Temple' becomes apparent as soon as it appears on the horizon. There are two large halls surrounded by a small village that consists primarily of monks' brightly painted wooden houses. You may have to track down a monk to unlock (开门, kāimén) the temple halls. Keep an eye out for the fantastic sand mandalas the monks make from time to time.
Darjay Gompa is 30km west of Ganzi on the road to Manigange. It costs around ¥20 to get here from Ganzi in a shared minivan, at least ¥40 in a private taxi. A short walk from the Darjay Gompa is the basic but atmospheric Talam Khang guesthouse and temple, with snowcapped mountains to one side, and rolling grasslands and a river to the other. To get here from Darjay Gompa, exit from the monastery's back gate and walk about 15 minutes along the dirt road. Walk towards the white stupa furthest on the left, keeping the grassland villages on your right. You'll see the temple as you come over the hill.
