Famous Monasteries in Ladakh

The rugged terrain of Leh Ladakh comprises many beautiful monasteries which constitute as major tourist attractions. The Leh Ladakh tour package will cover some of these famous monasteries, rich in flavor and architecture showcasing Buddhist culture and lifestyle.

Thiksey Monastery

Among the places to visit in Ladakh, Thiksey Gompa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of all the monasteries in Ladakh. This Monastery was initially built by Sherab ZangpoIt in Stakmo and later rebuilt by his nephew Paldan Sherab. This monastery houses ten temples in its twelve storey building with the main prayer hall housing a 40-foot statue of Maitreya Buddha seated on a lotus.

Thiksey is usually featured as a highlight in any Leh Ladakh tour package.

Attractions:

The main reason why numerous monks and tourists are attracted to this place is the Maitreya Temple, which houses a 49 ft statue of Maitreya Buddha. The Thiksey Gustor Festival is celebrated every 10th month of the Tibetian calendar during the months of October / November. Tourists enjoy the sacred mask or Cham dances prepared by the nuns and in-house monks as a part of the ritual in this festival. Apart from this, there are several other temples like Lamokhang Temple and Tara Temple dedicated to Goddess Tara. These attractions make it one of the best places to visit in Ladakh.

How to reach:

A perfect example to showcase the architecture of Ladakh, this Monastery is located 17 kilometres south of Leh and can be reached through a private cab.

Elevated at the height of around 11800 feet, this Monastery is home to several stupas, precious and rare statues, swords and painting, etc. You can also catch a bus which plies once a day in the morning.

Alchi Monastery 

Alchi Monastery is the oldest Buddhist learning centre in Northern India. This monastery is on the banks of the mighty Indus River in Alchi village at Ladakh, Alchi is one of the oldest hamlets administered by the Likir monastery. It is a group of old and ancient Buddhist shrines who come together to form one of the most important religious centres in Ladakh.

The Monastery consists of several chortens and temples which resemble different time periods. It also houses some of the oldest existing wall paintings preserved in them. The highlight of the ancient artwork displayed here is the murals of thousands of Buddhas.

Attractions:

The imposing statues of Lord Buddha and other deities have beautiful wooden carvings in artistic style and are ascribed to the 11th century Tibetian noble named Kal-dan Shes-rab. The main part of this Monastery is the Dukhang (assembly hall), Sum-tsek- three-story temple, the statue of Avalokiteshvara in white color, Lord Maitreya Buddha idol and Jampe Lhakhang Temple.

These temples are decorated with beautifully carved paintings and constructed following the Kashmiri culture. This Gompa is one of the prime places to visit in Ladakh for the tourists visiting Ladakh in today’s time and is promoted for its culture and artwork.

How to reach:

At a distance of 70kms from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, this Monastery is nestled in the lower region of Ladakh in the Khalsi Tehsil on the Leh – Srinagar Highway.

The best options to reach this Monastery is by private cabs or taxis.

Shey Monastery

Shey Monastery is known as one of the most popular places to visit in Ladakh and your Leh Ladakh tour package will surely cover this especially after its appearance in the super-hit movie 3 Idiots as the school of Rancho. This Monastery was built by the King Deledan Namgyal in the 16th century AD.

The palace is known to light several butter-lit lamps which signifies the purity and divinity of the sanctorum.

Attractions:

The statue of Lord Buddha is touted as the second-largest idol in Ladakh. Shey Gompa offers breathtaking views of the surroundings of Thiksey, Matho, Stok, Stakna, and Leh as it is located in a perfect geographical position.

There are two major festivals celebrated every year, Shey Doo Lhoo and Shey Suey Rupla. Shey Doo Lhoo marks the beginning of the sowing season during which monks perform special rituals along with other religious rites in the Monastery. You can opt for a Leh Ladakh tour package during the festival season to witness the unique celebration in the lap of the mountains.

How to reach:

Located 15kms from Leh down the Leh-Manali road between the popular Hemis & Thiksey Monastery. You can reach this place through taxi or cabs.

Spituk Monastery

Spituk was founded by Od-Ide in the 11th century and is also popularly known as the Spituk Gompa. Home to 100 Buddhist monks who currently reside in this beautiful Monastery, these monks perform masked dance through stories depicting the life of Buddha and his teachings. This event is conducted during the two-day annual festival at Spituk held in the 11th month of the Tibetan calendar.

The beautiful reflection of the Monastery in the river as you trek along is exceptionally enchanting and spectacular, offering some of the best pictures during the golden hour.

Attractions:

On the upper section of the Monastery is the Mahakal Temple comprising the statue of Goddess Vajrabhairava, which remains covered most of the time and is unveiled only during the Gustor Festival

Few of the most iconic features of this Monastery are the statues of Buddha and the five thangkas sharing space with miniature stupas and sculptures. You cannot fail to notice a part of the Monastery with a collection of antique arms, ancient masks, and beautiful thangkas. All in all, this entire Monastery offers some significant collections of sacred clothing, age-old ancient masks, and spectacular images of Mahakal.

How to reach:

Built near the corner of a hill overlooking the immensely beautiful and pristine Indus, this majestic monastery is located just 3.4 km from Leh Airport. Don’t worry if this monastery does not feature in your Leh Ladakh tour package itinerary. You can easily hire a private cab from Leh for half a day to visit this monastery. Located only 8kms from Leh, it is extremely easy to reach this place, and climbing the monastery calls for great fun and adventure.

Phyang Monastery

Phyang monastery is a popular tourist attraction for travellers who love historical places. Founded in the 16th century, this place belongs to the red hat section of Buddhism. The large temple houses 100 monks, including accommodation of holy shrines inside the complex. These shrines display stunningly beautiful wall paintings and artwork dating back to the royal centuries.

Attractions:

The Monastery also houses a 900-year-old museum which displayed different idols, weapons, paintings and thangkas. Every 2nd and 3rd day of the 6th month of the Tibetan calendar attracts a large number of tourists for the Phyang Tseruk Festival. The highlight of the festival is the Cham dance conducted by the locals.

How to reach:

This Monastery is located at a distance of 40kms to the west of Leh. The cab will take approximately an hour and a half to reach from Leh crossing the famous war memorial, Spituk and reaching Phyang village.

Hemis Monastery

Built at the height of 12,000 feet, this Monastery is one of the splendid places to visit in Ladakh. Hemis Monastery is the largest and most visited monasteries by tourists enriched with great history and architecture. This monastery was founded in 1630 by Stagsang Raspa Nawang Gyatso upon being invited by the then King of Ladakh, it was later named Changchub Samling which resulted in the formation of a small Buddhist community.

Attractions:

This Monastery comprises a fantastic collection of sacred thangkas, age-old relics, gold and silver stupas, and idol of Lord Buddha made of copper gilt. The walls of the Monastery adorn beautiful statues and mural paintings along with other artefacts that are found in this 900-year-old museum. This place attracts the most visitors during the annual festival known as the Hemis Festival celebrated in the months of June – July. It marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava witnessed on the 9th and 10th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan calendar.

How to reach:

Sitting on a mountain on the west bank of the beautiful Indus river, located 45Kms from the Leh on the Leh-Manali highway, this is the most popular place to visit in Ladakh. You can hire a taxi via Srinagar Leh highway and extend it up to Leh.

Likir Monastery 

Likir monastery is a well known tourist spot in Leh Ladakh. Founded by LhachenGyalpo, the fifth king of Ladakh in the 14th century, this monastery is also called Likir Gompa. The word Likir literally means “The Naga-Encircled” and is guarded by two sacred serpents – Nanda and Taksako. Constructed by the Tibetan monks, this monastery has a vast collection of old paintings, manuscripts, customers and earthen pots.

Attractions:

This monastery hosts the annual Dosmochey festival on the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar along with several religious processions. You can also visit the Gonkhang temple where you can find monks doing rituals on the drum beats. Do include Likir among one of the places to visit in Ladakh as it offers scenic beauty to travelers across the globe

How to reach:

Likir is located at a distance of 53 km from the west of Leh along the Indus Valley. You can hire a cab or travel by local buses as well. It takes approximately two hours from Leh to reach this monastery.

Lamayuru Monastery

Founded in the 11th century, this oldest Gompa is also the largest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. Built at an altitude of 11520 ft, this monastery is famous as ‘Tharpa Ling’ which means ‘place of freedom’ after translation. The monastery lures tourists who wish to visit this beautiful location and acquire sanity. Also known for its meditation practices, the monastery invites spiritual seekers in its tranquil ambience

Attractions:

The lamas gather for the prayers twice a year for performing three days of masked dancing during the 2nd and 5th months of the Tibetan Calendar. Yuru Kabgyat Festival is celebrated in the month of July and is celebrated with great zeal and grandeur.

How to reach :

There are different ways to reach Lamayuru Monastery. You can hire a private cab or take local buses from Leh. You can also halt at Lamayuru while travelling to Leh from Srinagar.

Stakna Monastery

Stakna Monastery is also known as ‘Tiger’s Nose Monastery’. Built on the rock which resembles a tiger leaping at the sky, this monastery displays the heritage and culture of Buddhism. This small and serene monastery was founded by a Buddhist saint Jamyang Namgyal in 1580 and offers some jaw-dropping sceneries to the visitors

Attractions:

The assembly hall of the monastery adorns several scriptures, monuments, and idols. And it is also decorated with artistic paintings Sakyamuni, Tsephakmad and Amchi. Parallel to the main hallway, the monastery is decorated with beautiful paintings of Buddhist Guru like Bodhisattva and PadmaSambhava. There is a 7ft tall silver gilded chorten on the right-hand side of the courtyard which consists of Lord Buddha figure with some notes

How to reach:

Located in the middle of the road to Thiksey monastery from Leh, this monastery is at a distance of 25 km from Leh by the banks of the Indus River. You can reach here by boarding a local bus or hiring a private cab.

Takthok Monastery

This is the one and only monastery which belongs to the Nying-ma-pa lineage. It was founded in the 16th century under the reign of King Tshewang Namgyal. The walls and roof of the monastery are made up of rocks, and hence it is called Takthok, which means rock roof. The Gompa is built up around a cave where Padmasambhava meditated during his travels in the 18th century.

Located in Ladakh’s Sakti Village- Takthok monastery is of the Nyingmapa tradition. Housing around 55 lamas, It is one of the most famous monasteries in Ladakh. The monastery is built in a unique architecture style with rocky walls and roofs. It also consists of the assembly hall, courtyard, and murals along with the holy throne of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Kandshur teachings of Lord Buddha are preserved here too.

Attractions:

There is a secret water oozing from the greasy black ceiling of the monastery constantly, even during winters. Devotees come here and offer money and coins all over. The lama’s recite prayers and text for health and well being and also to ward off the evil spirits and curses. You can also find statues of Lord Buddha, Dorje and Takposal here.

How to reach:

Located in Shakti village at a distance of 50 km from Leh in the district of Jammu and Kashmir, you can reach this monastery by bus or a cab. The road is rough and prone to roadblocks in poor weather conditions. Hence, this monastery may not be listed in your Leh Ladakh tour package.