Kharbandi Gompa sits on the edge of Rinchending hill, about three kilometres north of Phuntsholing on the road to Thimphu, at around 400 metres above sea level. The views from here are remarkable — on a clear day you look out over the broad floodplain of the Torsa river, the rooftops of Phuntsholing and Jaigaon below, and the flat Indian plains stretching south as far as the eye can see.
The monastery grounds contain replicas of important Buddhist stupas from India and Nepal, each representing a key event in the Buddha's life, and the main shrine holds statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, and Guru Rinpoche. Colourful prayer flags line the approach and a row of prayer wheels stands outside the entrance.
This is also the location of the immigration checkpoint where Indian nationals must show their permits before continuing north into Bhutan's interior. The checkpoint is a reminder that even after crossing the Bhutan Gate at the border, there are additional formalities for certain travellers on the road to Thimphu.