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Monasteries in Ladakh | Leh Ladakh Monasteries

Location – Hemis Gompa, Tikse, Leh, India

Timings – 8 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 6 PM on all days of the week. The monastery opens every day, including public holidays.

Entry Fee – INR 50 per person

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Location – Thiksey, Ladakh, India

Timings – 7 AM to 7 PM on all days of the week. The monastery is open every day, including public holidays.

Entry Fee – INR 30 per person

Location – Diskit, Nubra Valley, Ladakh, India

Timings – 7 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 7 PM on all days of the week. The monastery is open every day, including public holidays.

Entry Fee – INR 30 per person

Location – Alchi, Ladakh, India

Timings – 8 AM to 6 PM on all days of the week. The monastery is open every day, including public holidays.

Entry Fee – INR 25 per person

Location: Located 70 kilometres west of Leh on the banks of the Indus River.

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Location – Khaltse, Leh Ladakh, India.

Timings – 8 AM to 5 PM on all days of the week. The monastery is open every day, including public holidays.

Entry Fee – INR 30 per person

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A trip to the Phugtal Monastery is a surreal experience, portraying an image as if stuck in the mountains in the form of a honeycomb. Situated at the mouth of a cave, atop a cliff, it is close to a major tributary of the river Lungnak and was founded by Gangsem Sherap Sampo during the early 12th century. From here, the view is magnificent as it makes a picture perfect setting of the mountains, lush greens and the pristine Lungnak River. 

This is the remotest monasteries in Ladakh and is a popular destination for tourists visiting Ladakh in winters. This Buddhist monastery is not only built on a cliff but it also has a natural cave. It is believed that around 2,550 years ago important sages, scholars, and translators visited this place. The Phugtal monastery was and it still is a preferred place by the scholars and teachers to meditate. This monastery which has a library as well as prayer rooms houses around 70 monks. 

This one of the most isolated Ladakh monasteries of the region is made up of wood and mud. Trekking being the only means of reaching this monastery, it creates a calming and tranquil experience to reach to the top and absorb in the aura of this divine place  and is one of the best Leh Ladakh Monasteries.

Location: Phugtal monastery is located in Lungnak Valley, south of Zanskar and is accessible only by foot. You can choose to get dropped from Padum to the charming little village of Ichar, from where you have to trek up to the monastery

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Shey being originally the capital of Ladakh was built in 1655 by Deldon Namgyal, the king of Ladakh. Located in the premises of the Shey Palace, it is believed to be the summer retreat of the royal family of Ladakh. Situated 16 km from the city of Leh, it is en route Thiksey and Hemis Monastery in Ladakh. 

Currently, the palace now a monastery houses the largest Buddha statue made of gilded copper known as Shakyamuni Buddha, covering three floors of the building. In front of the statue is a large wax bowl with a flame that is continuously lit for a year after which it is replaced. The objective of burning the flame is to highlight the importance of integrity and spirituality to the tourists visiting the monastery

With beautiful murals and paintings adorning the walls, it’s lower chapel has a library which is believed to have the largest collection of thangkas in Ladakh. As you walk up to the monastery, you’ll also come across five Buddhas carved out of rock along the roadside. Close to the monastery is also the Druk Padma Karpo Institute, now renamed Rancho School after its feature in the Hindi movie 3 Idiots.

There are two festivals held at this monastery in Ladakh every year; Shey Stubla on the 30th day of the 1st months and Shey Ru-lo on the 10th day of the 7th month.

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Location: The Shey Palace has situated 16 km from the City of Leh and is en route the Thiksey and Hemis monastery.

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Enshrined by Bhutanese saint and scholar Chose Jamyang in the late 16th century, Stakna means Tiger’s nose which is also the shape of the hill on which the monastery is located.  Belonging to the Drugpa sect of Buddhism, this monastery in Ladakh portrays an image of the religious and cultural heritage of India and Buddhism. There’s a big assembly hall known as Dukhang, which is adorned with beautiful paintings of Sakyamuni, Tsepha Kmad and Amchi. 

Out of the several idols of the Ladakh monastery, the most significant one is that of Arya Avalokiteshvara from Assam's Kamrup region. To the extreme right of the courtyard, there’s seven feet tall silver chorten which features the statue of Lord Buddha with some prayer notes. The wall opposite to the entrance of the Assembly Hall is painted with three images, of a Bodhisattva, Padmasambhava and Tshong-san-Gompo. Statues of Sakyamuni (Past Buddha), the Present Buddha and Maitreya (Future Buddha) are also found in the hall. Like other gompas, Stakna also has a throne for the head lama of the monastery.

Home to about 30 monks currently, it has a number of sister monasteries, 3 of which are in Zanskar-Bardan, Stakrimo and Sani. The best part of this monastery is the striking view of the Indus River Valley from its rooftop.

Location: The Stakna Monastery is located 45 km from the city of Leh.

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Takthok Monastery widely referred to as Thak Thak and Thag Thog by the local Buddhist people is the only monastery belonging to the Nyingmapa school of order or Red Hat sect of Buddhism. The monastery came into existence under the rule of ‘Tshewang Namgyal’. It is built around a cave on a mountainside and hence derives its name Takthok which in English means ‘rock roof’. According to the legend, the great Padmasambhava did his meditation in this cave in the early 8th century. This cave is termed as Duphug (Tu-Phuk) Lhakhang and is a famous pilgrimage site for all the Tibetan Buddhists around the world and is one of the best Leh Ladakh Monastery.

The monastery has a temple, a Dukhang or assembly hall which has statues of Maitreya, Padmasambhava and Dorje Takposal.

Buddhists set out here on a pilgrimage to be blessed by ‘dubchu’ or Holy Water and to pay homage to the sacred book of Buddha’s teachings, the ‘Kandshur’, which has 108 volumes, along with other sets of Buddhists teachings to protect the people against evil spirits, curses and epidemics. These texts were written in pure gold and silver letters. Lamas use the text at the time of birth of baby, death of a person or for other rituals,  and they also claim to predict the future of a person by reading the scriptures. 

The monastery’s new temple is also a major attraction and is known for its murals, paintings and statues of Buddha. Consecrated by 14th Dalai Lama in 1980, the monastery is a major tourist attraction mostly travellers who are on their Manali to Leh Bike trip.

The Takthok Monastery hosts an annual event every year on the 9th as well as 10th of every sixth month according to Tibetan calendar, along with a sacred dance by the 55 monks residing here, to commemorate this event.

Location: The Takthok monastery is located at a distance of 46 km from the city of Leh.

According to popular belief, Guru Padmasambhava along with other lamas used to meditate in the caves around Rizong in isolation, surviving on one meal a day and avoiding any contact with the outside world. Before building the monastery in 1831, Lama Tsultim Nima started a hermitage at the site to teach monks about Buddhism, who even today abide by very strict rules and regulations like apart from sacrificing all comforts and material possessions, they are even forbidden to light fires in their cells or even handle anything touched by women.

Known as a ‘Paradise for meditation’, this monastery in Ladakh belongs to the Gelugpa Order or Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism and overlooks the picturesque Indus Valley. Home to about 40 monks today, the Rizong Monastery educates and teaches these monks the great scriptures and the chosen path to God with a very strict and simple way of life. 

Located 2 km away, a nunnery, known as Chulichan (Chomoling), is under the cover of the monastery, where 20 nuns or the Chomos reside and worship at the temples of the monastery, perform chores like milking, spinning wool and getting oil for the temple lamps.

Location: The Rizong Monastery is located 73 km from the city of Leh.

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Founded by Lama Dugpa Dorje in the year 1410, Matho is the only Ladakh monastery that follows the Sakya sect of Buddhism. In order to introduce the Monastic community, the king offered religious estate in neighbouring villages and the Nagrang festival was started, which is held on the 14th and 15th day of the Tibetan calendar. The monastery is home to more than 60 lamas, they are chosen as oracles every three years where they have to undergo rigorous fasting and meditation over the duration of few months to purify themselves and one of the best monasteries in Ladakh.

Apart from the Nagrang festival, the other festivals also organised have performances of the Cham dance and acts of oracles which are done under the influence of supernatural powers. The oracles run barefoot on the parapets of the monastery roof leaving everyone in awe and fear of them and is one of the best Leh Monastery.

Constructed around 500 years ago, the monastery has a marvellous collection of ancient Thangas, walls adorned with sacred paintings, statues of Maitreya, Sakyamuni, the blessing Buddha and a thousand-armed statue of Avalokitesvara.

Location: The Matho Monastery is situated on the banks of the Indus River about 20 km south of Leh.

Perched atop a mountain, the Rangdum Monastery looks like a citadel, overlooking and guarding the serene valley, with rolling hills, mountains and pristine glaciers which only enhances the beauty of this place. Located in Kargil Suru Valley, this monastery was built by Gelek Yashi Takpa about 200 years ago and some even believe it to be from the 8th century. Home to about 40 monks, the monastery has a rich assortment of Tibetan antiques and other precious artefacts and you’ll find the monks in deep meditation in the tranquil ambience of the premises.

You will also find a prayer hall located in the central part of the monastery, which will give visitors a clear view of the ancient and rustic beauty of this place. And while you’re here, you will get the feeling of remoteness, since this monastery is located far off the mainland, Leh Ladakh Monasteries.

Although the roads to the monastery are bumpy and require a good amount of time to reach, it still receives a lot of visitors every here, due to its surrounding gorgeous vistas and peaceful aura for meditation.

Location: The Rangdum Monastery is located in the Kargil Suru Valley about 130 km from Kargil and 343 km from the city of Leh.

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