Ladakh contains some amazing monuments of Tibetan medieval culture, perhaps the most famous and most visited among them being the temple complex at Alchi. But with a little prior research there are some hidden gems to be discovered, far less visited or known about to the outside world, and […]
Thikse is 19km from Leh, and was my second stop on my tour of Gompas south of the town. My gompa hopping list for the day was : Shey Gompa Thikse Gompa Chemde Gompa Hemis Gompa Stakna Gompa …and then back to Leh Thikse belongs to the Gelugpa […]
Basgo is 40km from Leh and well worth paying a visit, particularly in the evening light when the orange-red tint of the rocks look their best during ‘golden hour’. My visit to Basgo was part of a one day excursion from Leh, exploring the gompas north of the town. […]
Likir lies 53km from Leh, and is a must visit gompa if you’re in the region in order to see its colossal open-air Maitreya (Future Buddha), a new addition to the monastery having been completed in 1999. My visit to Likir was part of a one day excursion from […]
Alchi, 69km from Leh, is in a class of it’s own when it comes to temples. Sited unusually on flat ground. The 12th century shrines, abandoned in the 15th century, boast the most magnificent murals in all of Ladakh. My visit to Alchi was part of a one […]
Lamayuru is 125km north from Leh, and formed the final destination of my second day excursion from the town, “gompa hopping”. The itinerary for the day was : Alchi Gompa Likir Gompa Basgo Lamayuru Gompa I would personally recommend this is done in the reverse order, head for […]
Despite it’s remote location, 43km from Leh, Hemis Gompa is Ladakh’s most famous and most frequently visited monastery. It’s famous for it’s mask dance festival held in the summer, which no doubt attracts even more crowds (although I would like to see it one day). This was the […]
Chemde lies 45km south of Leh. Nestled on a pyramidal hill, the approach to the monastery will get every photographer itching to get out and capture the scene. This was the third gompa I visited on my day-excursion from Leh, seeking out the monasteries that lie south of […]
Kevin Standage 
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