SHANTI STUPA

Located at the end of the road which goes through Changspa village, about 2 km outside town is the Shanti Stupa. Built by the Japanese in 1985 to spread the message of Buddhism throughout the world. The Shanti stupa houses an intricately decorated temple at the base of the structure. The Stupa is not a columnar structure like the Sanchi Stupa, it is broad, circular monument with a dome showcasing a brilliant statue of lord Buddha in gold. In the mornings one can have a spectacular view of the golden glow of the sunlight highlighting the brilliance of the golden statue.

NAMGYAL TSEMO

In the hamlet of Changspa with typical Ladakhi houses built along a stream, the Namgyal Tsemo towers from a distance. This monastery has a three storey high gold idol of Maitriya Buddha. It also houses ancient manuscripts and frescoes.

HEMIS MONASTERY

Hemis Gompa is supposed to be the oldest and the most important and wealthiest of all the Gompas . It has the largest collection of Thangkas, Buddhist scroll paintings which are displayed to the public only once in 12 years. The main attraction is the Hemis festival .It also houses an impressive library of Tibetian stylebooks, numerous thangkas and frescoes including the famous “wheel of life”.

LEH PALACE

The Leh Palace is a very captivating building, built in tibetian architecture. It has nine floors. It is now a protected monument and houses the Ladakhi branch of government’s archaeological conservation organisation. Built in the 17th century, the palace offers a captivating view of the town.

THIKSEY MONASTERY

One of the most prominent monasteries of Ladakh, Thiksey is about 20 km from Leh. It is said to be one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture with a statue of Buddha which is as high as a three-storey building. The 12 storey complex has Stupas, statues, Thangkas, wall paintings, swords and a huge pillar inscribed with the teachings of the Buddha. Thiksey also houses a giant prayer “wheel”. With the sun going down the Thiksey presents an amazing view of the sunset.

KALI MANDIR

An intriguing place of worship atop a steep mountain right in the heart of Leh city is the Kali mandir. From a distance it looks like a residential building standing on a mountain. It is an 800 year old temple which has a fascinating collection of masks. From here one can also see a view of the Leh airstrip, the highest commercial airstrip in the world. It has elements of both Hinduism and Buddhism.

ZANSKAR

The best time for the Zanskar river trip is from mid August to mid September. It presents a experience of a lifetime – hanging glaciers, crossing the Pensi La pass at a height of 14,500 ft, green villages, Buddhist monasteries and amazing Himalayan peaks. The Zanskar Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Asia, has numerous grade 3 and 4 rapids.

MUST DO

*  HIKING

*  PARAGLIDING

*  MOUNTAINEERING

*  TREKKING

*  RIVER RAFTING