Introduction

Thiksey is most famous and beautiful monastery in Ladakh. It is located 22km away from Leh. It belongs to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism. There is a temple called Lakhang Nyerma dedicated to goddess Dorje Chenmo is within the Thiksey Monastery. It comprises several buildings of varying heights starting from the base to the hilltop arranged according to the importance of each buildings. Each building is painted red, white and ochre colours which resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet. Thiksey Monastery is often known as Mini Potala.

HOW TO REACH

Various forms of public transport is available from the nearest airport of Leh. Have a look at the following details.

Flight:- You can take a flight from Leh to reach Thiksey Monastery by taking Leh-Manali highway. You would take around 30 minutes to reach the spot.

Bus:- You can also board a bus from Choglamsar in Leh. Buses are very frequent from Leh and leave at an interval of every 15 minutes. It would take half an hour to reach and would cost you around 35 rupees.

Cabs:- You could also take a cab from Leh through Karu. It would take you around 40 minutes to reach the spot.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

One can visit Thisksey Monastery between May to November. But if you want to experience their festivities then the best time to visit is during October or November. Most of the trade fair and Gustor rituals are held during these months. Sand mandalas are constructed at the base of the hills for these festivals. The Monastery closes after November due to heavy rainfall and opens in the month of May

NEARBY PLACES TO VISIT

The are several places to visit around the monasteries. A few to mention would be

There are various sections which you can visit in the monastery, each of which is beautifully designed
The personal aesthetics with the snow clad beauty attracts the tourists from all over the world
Inside the monastery you can see the Maitreya Buddha, the Tara temple, an assembly hall and the Lamokhang temple
You can be the part of trade fair and Gustor rituals which are held during October or November