7 Days - 6 Nights
Overview of "Journey to Spiritual Sanctuaries:LADAKH MONASTERY TOUR"
If you are looking for an adventure that combines stunning scenery, rich culture, and spiritual enlightenment, the Ladakh monastery tour is the perfect travel package for you. This unique destination in northern India offers a haven of peace and tranquillity amidst breathtaking mountain ranges. Whether you are a seasoned traveller or just starting your journey, this tour will take you on a journey through some of the most beautiful monasteries in the world.
If you're looking for an authentic cultural experience, a travel package to Ladakh's monasteries is your best bet. You'll have the opportunity to explore some of the most famous ones such as Hemis, Thiksey and Shey Gompa among others. Learn about their fascinating histories, marvel at their intricate architecture and witness daily rituals performed by devout monks.
Apart from being culturally enriching, visiting these monasteries will also give you an opportunity to soak in Ladakh's stunning natural beauty. Ladakh's monasteries are much more than just places of worship. These renowned monasteries are cleansing havens where one can discover inner serenity.
Plan a vacation to Leh Ladakh and include them in the itinerary to experience the magnificent and amazing topographical mix that includes snow-capped mountains, expansive chilly deserts, glittering lakes, bizarre glaciers, and serene mountain passes. Everyone is drawn to and fascinated by Ladakh's extraordinary splendour. Ladakh has a fascinating past and a dazzling heritage. The stunning and alluring monasteries in Ladakh, India are still actively preserving the Buddhist legacy.
All of the well-known and significant Buddhist monasteries will be introduced to you during the 6N/7D Monastery Tour of Leh and Ladakh. These monasteries, some of which date back more than five centuries, provide a link between the past and the present. Monastery Tour Ladakh is a voyage of self-discovery that includes the attractive Himalayan highlands and serene Buddhist monasteries.
You will be visiting the Hemis Monastery, one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist monasteries in India. Here you can witness traditional dances performed by masked lamas known as Cham Dance, which represent different religious stories. Next on our itinerary is Thiksey Monastery, perched atop a hill overlooking the Indus Valley. Here you can marvel at its impressive architecture and magnificent Buddha statue.
Ladakh's monasteries are a treasure trove of culture, history and religion. These ancient structures offer visitors an insight into the rich Tibetan Buddhist tradition that has thrived in this region for centuries. The sight of brightly painted prayer wheels, fluttering prayer flags and the sound of melodious chants will transport you to a world far removed from modern civilization.
Likir Monastery, a picturesque monastery amid Ladakh's mountains was found by Lama Duwang Chosje in the fourteenth century. This is the first building that the Tibetan monks built, in accordance with Buddhist lore.
Numerous Tibetan artefacts and relics are displayed in the monastery's museum.Likir Dosmoche Festival, which is held in the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, and the teaching of Pratimoksha disciplines are the monastery's main draws.
Siptuk Monastery was established by Od-Ide in the eleventh century. One hundred monks live there at the moment. With its three chapels, Stok, Sankar, and Saboo, Spituk is home to historical monuments, idols, frescoes, statues, and religious texts.Spituk Monastery's main draws are its Vajrabhairava Deity shrine, which is only open to visitors during Gustor Festival, and its revered Amitayus statue.
Alchi Monastery, a stunning monastery in Ladakh that is surrounded by mountains is a branch of Likir established by Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo is the Alchi Choskor Monastery. It is one of Ladakh's biggest and most well-known monasteries. Its complex is divided into three parts: Dukhang, Sum-tsek, and the Manjushri temple.Alchi, in contrast to neighbouring cities, is situated on a plain and is home to several antique statues, manuscripts, paintings, and figurines. The three-story Sum-tsek temple, the enormous four-armed Bodhisattva statue, the white Avalokiteshvara statue, the Maitreya Buddha idol, and the Jampa Lhakhang Temple are the Alchi Monastery's main draws.
Ladakh's Takthok Monastery is hidden amidst the mountains.The only monastery in the Nyingma lineage is Takthok, which is situated in Sakti Village in Ladakh. One of Ladakh's most well-known monasteries, it is home to about 55 lamas. With rocky walls and roofs, a central courtyard, an assembly hall, stunning frescoes and murals, and the hallowed throne of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it has an extraordinary architectural style. Here are the 108 volumes of Buddha's Kandshur teachings.
Padmasambhava's meditation cave and the statues of the Future Buddha, Dorje, and Takposal are Takthok Monastery's main draws.
Lamayuru is one of the oldest and biggest Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh which was established in the 11th century. The first temple of Singhe Ghang and the scenic Lamayuru Village are the monastery's main draws.
Shey monastery currently holds the tallest gold Buddha statue—three storeys tall. Additionally, there is a wax bowl in front of the statue that is lit for a year before being changed out for a new one.
The monastery's walls are covered in stunning murals and paintings. And do you still recall the Rancho School, which shot to fame after the movie 3 Idiots? Well, the monastery is nearby.The enormous golden Buddha statue, Rancho School, and the Buddhas cut out of rock are some of Shey Monastery's main draws.
Guru Padmasambhava and his followers are said to have meditated alone in a cave close to Rizong, where they subsisted on just one meal per day. This location, which has a spectacular view of the Indus Valley, is renowned as a haven for meditation.
The monks maintain a rigid way of life while abstaining from all food and drink.The nunnery, or Chomoling, where females worship and perform duties like gathering oil for worship and weaving wool is one of Rizong Monastery's main draws.
ITINERARY For "Journey to Spiritual Sanctuaries:LADAKH MONASTERY TOUR"
Day 1 Leh
Upon arrival in Leh, you will meet our representative, who will then drive you to the hotel in Leh.
The afternoon is at leisure and acclimatising to Leh's high altitude.
Visit the Leh Palace, the former residence of the Leh king, in the evening. In the sixteenth century, King Sengge Namgyal constructed the palace.
Visit the Shanti Stupa and Leh Market, two of Leh's most well-known tourist destinations, after Leh Palace.
Remain overnight at the hotel after returning for dinner.
Day 2 : Leh Monasteries Tour
Enjoy the hotel's sumptuous breakfast before the caravan leaves for Spituk Monastery.
The 15th century saw the construction of Spituk Monastery by Gragspa Bum-lde. The monastery, which is 8 kilometres from Leh, reportedly has Arhat Nyimagung's blessing. Leh's Spituk monastery is of utmost religious significance.
Travel from the Monastery to the Hall of Fame,
which the Indian Army constructed. The museum honours the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Indo-Pak Kargil War and is situated along the Leh-Kargil highway.
Leave Leh for Sankar Gompa, which is only 2 km away, after lunch. The monastery, which belongs to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism, is thought to be a branch of Spituk Monastery and share the same Lama.
Remain overnight at the hotel after returning for dinner.
DAY 3 SHAM VALLEY
After a fantastic breakfast at the Leh hotel, travel over the Leh-Kargil Highway to Sham Valley.
Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, which has a highly intriguing history, is the first stop for the day. It is alleged that the authorities discovered a boulder that was positioned between the projected motorway and the road. The boulder was repeatedly moved, yet it never moved even an inch. The Gurudwara was built around the boulder since it is thought to have Guru Nanak's footprints.
We travel just 4 kilometres from the Gurudwara to the renowned Magnetic Hill. The road appears to be heading uphill due to an optical illusion, but once you get out of your car, the road will naturally begin to move downhill.
We go on to Likir, which is well-known for its monastery, from there. The monastery is located in the Likir valley on a hill. Stunning Likir Monastery is a significant religious and cultural centre. You will be met by the enormous golden statue of the future Bodhisattva as you approach the monastery by car.
Visit the Rizong Monastery on the way to Tingmosgang. Climbing up the hill will get you to the monastery's entrance gate if you want to visit.
Drive to Tingmosgang campsite from Rizong Monastery for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4 Lamayuru
Drive to Lamayuru Monastery after a scrumptious breakfast at the campsite.
Lamayuru Monastery can be visited while travelling through Moon Landscapes, which received its name because it resembles a lunar landscape.
Take a drive to Lamayuru Monastery from Moon Landscapes. Lamayuru Monastery, an 11th-century monastery, formerly housed five enormous buildings. Lamayuru Monastery is still one of the largest monasteries in the area even if just one structure has remained.
To go to Alchi Gompa, drive from Lamayuru Monastery. The Alchi Gompa complex is made up of 4 towns, each from a distinct time period. The Likir Monastery is in charge of overseeing Alchi Gompa, one of the oldest and most well-known monasteries in the area.
The caravan travels from Alchi to Bagso, where the ruins of the Ladakh capital from the fifteenth century can be seen.
Drive back to Leh so you can have dinner and spend the night there.
DAY 5 LEH
After a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel, leave for a tour of the monastery.
Chemdey, the location of Chemdey/Chemrey, is the first stop on the list. The monastery is a part of the Drugpa monastic order and is more older than 400 years.
The monastery, which sits in the foothills, is magnificent to behold.
We will travel to Sakti village from Chemdey to see Tak-Thok Monastery. The magnificent monastery, which is 46 km from Leh, gets its name from the rocky roof, which roughly translates to "rock roof." The monastery, which dates back to the 16th century, is a significant cultural hub for the community.
The following stop on the itinerary is Hemis Gompa, one of Leh's largest and oldest monasteries. The monastery, which had been around before the 11th century, was reestablished in 1672 by King Sengge Namgyal.
Later travel to Thiksey Monastery from Hemis. The monastery, which is 19 km from Leh, is similar to Tibet's Potala Palace in Lhasa. Associated with the Buddhist Gulag sect,The biggest monastery in the area is Thiksey.
Travel by car to Shey Palace from Thiksey. Ladakh's former summer capital was Shey, and the palace functioned as the monarch's retreat. Even though the palace is now only a collection of ruins, its grandeur can still be seen.
Drive back to Leh so you can have dinner and spend the night there.
Day 6 Leh
Enjoy a mouthwatering breakfast at the hotel before the caravan departs for a tour of a monastery.
The Matho Monastery is the day's first stop. Built in the sixteenth century by Lama Tugpa Dorja, the monastery is tucked away on the banks of the Indus River. The sole monastery belonging to the Thiksey Order is situated across fromTibet's Sakyapa sect of Buddhism.
Drive to Staknam, a small monastery with a few private apartments, from Matho.
Drive to Mahabodhi from Staknam. The sole centre in Ladakh that offers meditation classes and Dharma Talks is Mahabodhi.
Drive to the Stok Monastery and Palace, which are on the other side of the Tsangpo River. The monastery is well-known for its yearly ritual dance-mask event, which draws a lot of visitors.
Drive back to Leh so you can have dinner and spend the night there.
Day 7: DEPARTURE
The Monastery Tour comes to a close after a fantastic breakfast is served at the hotel.
FAQS REGARDING "Journey to Spiritual Sanctuaries:LADAKH MONASTERY TOUR"
1.Is Ladakh safe to visit?
Ladakh is completely safe provided acclimatise to the area properly and abide by the guidelines.
2.At what elevation is Ladakh located?
Ladakh is located at a height of 3,500 m. The River Indus serves it, making it the highest village in all of India.
3.Which Ladakh monastery is the oldest?
The oldest monastery in Ladakh is Lamayuru. One of the finest specimens of Eastern Tibetan architecture is found here.
4.Which city serves as Ladakh's capital?
Ladakh's two capital cities are Leh and Kargil. Additionally, they are among the most populous metropolises that tourists frequently visit in order to take in the charm of city life in these areas.
5.Is Ladakh a union territory?
In 1947, Ladakh was incorporated into India. Ladakh became a union territory on October 31, 2019, thanks to an act that was passed by the Indian Parliament in August 2019.