Article Trip to Lamayuru

Monastery in the moonscape

Petr Liška

Wrote 2517 articles and follows him / her 248 travelers

Traveling Traveler Itineraries

Inserted: 02.09.2014

Suitable for:

Cestovatele

They been there:

Very interesting stop while traveling around Ladakh is the monastery and the ancient town of Lamayuru. Whether you come here for a trip from Leh or you only transit here on the road linking Ladakh with Kashmir, make sure to make here at least a half-day stop. In addition, the monastery is renowned for it’s for colorful festivals. Lamayuru is also a starting point for interesting treks both to Zanskar (Lamayuru – Padum trek) and to the valley of Suru (Lamayuru – Kanji la – Rangdum).

Program in Lamayuru

After accommodating first walk through the old town and gradually ascend to the monastery. From here set out for a walk above the monastery up to the oasis in the west of the town. Wait for the sunset at one of the outlook points. You will have the entire town with the monastery and the surrounding mountain ridges at your fingertips. If you are here during a festival, do not miss the opportunity to watch it.

2.
Visit of Lamayuru

Monastery famous for festivals

Rating:

| Altitude: 3 530 m / 11 581 ft

Lamayuru (3 500 m asl) is an important pilgrimage site at the boundary of Muslim and Buddhist Ladakh. It is surrounded by typical „moonscape“ with a green oasis in the valley. Over green fields are old houses of mud brick stuck in the slope, where is the live nearly the same as decades ago. At the very top is a nice monastery renowned by Buddhist festivals. The town lies just a short distance from Fotu la pass (4,094 m asl), the highest point of the road from Srinagar to Leh. It's basically the last place to the west of Leh, where people hike in mass. Both those interested in Buddhist culture and trekkers come here, who set off from here to a world-famous trek Lamayuru – Padum in Zanskar. continue reading

3.
Hike around Lamayuru gompa

Walk in the moonland

Rating:

| Altitude: 3 600 m / 11 811 ft

The ancient Lamayuru gompa surrounded by small town with Tibetan-looking houses is the center of Buddhism in western Ladakh. It gives the impression as a counterweight of a little hectic Leh. In addition to the famous festivals held here such as colorful Yuru Kabgyat and trekkers setting out from here for the hike to Padum, worth seeing is also the close „moon“ surroundings of the monastery. All the bustle and hustle disappears suddenly after only a few hundred meters away. continue reading

4.
Lamayuru festival

Festival of the year in Lamayuru

Rating:

| Altitude: 3 520 m / 11 549 ft

June is not very typical time to visit Ladakh, but it has several advantages – peaks of the surrounding mountains are still dusted with snow and thus do not look as dry as in the peak season in late summer. Additionally, you can visit two-day festival Yuru Kabgyat in Lamayuru full of dance and buddhist masks. continue reading