Around Leh
We spent quite a bit of time in Leh, both at the start and end of our time in Ladakh, and neither time was exactly smooth.
Getting to Leh we’d endured overnight flights from Almaty that were too short to enable any sleep and then failed in our attempt to sleep on the cold floor and uncomfortable plastic chairs at Delhi airport amidst a load of construction (which seems to be a feature of our stay in Ladakh). Once we’d arrived we suffered an horrendous cold (me) and Simon’s bout of food poisoning, which he’s described so vividly in a previous post. Not a great way to start. After the solitude of our amazing Mangystau trip, the busyness, the neon lights and the noise also came as a real shock – somehow we just hadn’t quite expected it. On the positive side however, Leh did have a lot of cafes with some very good cake.
Leh & Leh Palace
Situated high in the Himalayas, Leh feels less like the India we’ve experienced on our previous trips and much more like our time in Nepal and, we imagine, Tibet. There’s a much greater Buddhist presence with brightly coloured prayer flags fluttering across the streets and a great many stupas and monasteries around the town and area.
With a mind to ensuring we acclimatised to the 3,500m altitude, we took it pretty easy for the first few days, resting in the lovely garden of our guesthouse with just the occasional amble around the town and plenty of rest for tea and cake. Though the largest town in Ladakh, Leh is still pretty small and very obviously geared to tourism with the main streets lined with cafes, tour companies and shops selling pashminas, wooly hats and costume jewellery. It does manage to remain quite picturesque surrounded by the soaring, snow capped Himalayas, cobbled streets and buildings with intricately carved wooden windows. Looming high above the town is the imposing Leh Palace which is now mainly a pretty empty museum but one that does provide wonderful views over the town, once you’ve managed to puff your way up the several hundred steps to get there.
Leh Old Town
In contrast to the commercialism of the main bazaar area, Leh Old Town is a warren of quiet dusty, narrow alleys lined with buildings constructed of mud and wood and little changed for hundreds of years. The smell of freshly made bread wafts from tiny wooden, shuttered bakeries, golden prayer wheels glint in the sun and faded, white gompas appear at every junction. Twisting above the houses, climbs a four century old tree named Gtsug Tor after a local deity, its aged, nobbly trunk hung with scarves.
There are hundreds of monasteries or gompas surrounding Leh, built in the traditional architectural Tibetan style during a time when the region was ruled by Tibet. We spent a day seeing just a few of the ones to the east of Leh. Unfortunately, unlike Zanskar, this was a far more commercialised experience, contemplation and tranquility being somewhat impossible with the hordes of visitors roaming around and monks generally conspicuous by their absence.
We started at Stok built high above the village in the shelter of the rocky hills and overlooked by a giant, gold seated Buddha. Happily we were the first visitors of the day and enjoyed the peacefulness. A large flagpole hung with prayer flags stands in the centre of the sheltered courtyard, reaching above the four storey off-white monastery, its balconied windows painted maroon matching the monk’s robes. Matching plant pots full of bright blooms lining the steps to the beautifully patterned double doors leading into the inner courtyard. Here the prayer hall remains private but a museum, scented with fragrant incense, displays a glorious collection of beautiful thangkas, some now faded with use, the pigments and silks on others still rich and vivid.
Stok monastery
Stok monastery
Hemis monastery was established before the 11th century though the current buildings are only a few hundred years old. Far bigger than Stok and very busy. We did see monks here, some at prayer but many more engrossed in their mobile phones or serving tourists in the monastery cafe or gift shop. Not entirely sure how these activities fit with a spiritual life…… The courtyard and prayer halls contained some beautiful paintings but here we felt that the commercialism had overwhelmed the purpose.
Hemis monastery
Hemis monastery
Hemis monastery
On the road to Thiksey we passed Stakna monastery perched high on an isolated hilltop in the middle of the valley. It may have been small but it had a very commanding position.
Stakna monastery
Thiksey monastery can be seen for miles around. Its 12 levels of white buildings ascend a hillside and are likened in style to the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Fresh coats of maroon and saffron paint had just been completed on the main buildings and monks were busily fixing the bright yellow fabric dressings to the windows, hanging precariously off ladders in robes matching the walls. Whilst Thiksey was busy, it somehow managed to retain a sense of calm and reverence. Incense wafted from the prayer halls and a drum resounded around the dark, atmospheric inner sanctum. Most impressive was the 15m high gold Maitreya Buddha, created to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama (more of him later) in 1970. Very beautiful and serene surrounded by neatly arranged donations of fruit juice, cans of coke and packets of pasta.
Thiksey monastery
Thiksey monastery
Maitreya Buddha
Our last stop was at Shey Palace and Gompa on a steep hill above the Indus river and with a fabulous view across the flat landscape to Thiksey perched high on its isolated hilltop. Hundreds of stupas, big and small, white or bright blue stand below the palace. We could hear the sound of drumming and chanting as we walked past the rows of prayer wheels gleaming in the sun. Inside the sound filled the dark chamber where a two-storey high gold Buddha resided with, interestingly, bright blue hair gazing serenely out of the window ignoring the skulls painted on the walls all around him.
Stupas around Shey Palace
Thiksey monastery from Shey
Many of the monasteries around Leh have a link to the Dalai Lama and there are a huge number of Tibetan refugees in the town, but we were very excited to find out that the Dalai Lama would actually be in Leh at the same time as us to receive a Long Life Prayer from the Ladakh Buddhist Association. This was not an event to be missed. There was a huge military presence around the town as we set off early on a Sunday morning on the local bus that had to make multiple detours as so many roads were closed. We followed the long stream of people all heading in the same direction, feeling woefully underprepared not having brought the blankets, sunshades and vast quantities of food that most folk were laden down with. The Shewatsel Teaching Ground was already heaving with thousands (50,000 according to later news reports) but luckily there was a special ‘foreigners’ area, near the front and with canvas matting to shield us from the muddy ground. We were very happy but did feel that it was just a little bit wrong for us to have such a good vantage point when the devout were so much further back.
Monks at the Long Life Prayer puja
There was a definite holiday atmosphere with ice-cream and candyfloss and stalls selling bright plastic animals on sticks but as the Dalai Lama made his entrance in a golf cart under a saffron fringed umbrella, a hush descended and everyone sat down cross-legged on the ground in anticipation. The Dalai Lama took his seat in the pavilion surrounded by black-suited security completely at odds with the sea of maroon and saffron clad monks seated directly in front of the stage. The prayers began, a deep and gentle hum floating out across the masses. A beautiful sound. Somewhat ruined by the English translation – as with opera, it sounds better when you don’t know what’s being said.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Tea and sweet rice were served. To everyone. Handed to each person in the crowd from huge metal buckets and giant teapots – assuming you’d brought your own cup. Quite a feat of catering.
A long procession of local people bearing offerings then passed in front of the Dalai Lama, rolled carpets, scrolls, wooden boxes as he gave a lengthy speech about his life and the troubles of Tibet. An elderly man came to receive a blessing and the Dalai Lama suddenly burst out laughing mid-speech (a very cheeky laugh). For some reason the man was wearing two hats, one on top of the other which the Dalai Lama found hilarious.
The prayers continued, the sun continued to beat down and our legs grew numb. We left whilst it was still in full flow and cadged a lift back to Leh with a friendly Spanish tour group, having no clue where to find the local bus.
We may not have fully understood or appreciated all the ceremony but nonetheless it was very special and the highlight of our stay in Leh.
Prayer wheels
In the end, I fear Leh suffered as a consequence of us being exhausted from our constant battles to achieve anything in the Zanskar Valley and also from being on the road for 5 months. As a result we’ve decided we need a holiday. I know, it’s such a hard life. Anyway, we’ve decided to take ourselves off to the Seychelles for a week of rest and relaxation with the intention of doing nothing more than lazing on a beach and drinking a few cocktails.
Helen (22nd August 2025)