At a distance of 18 km from Leh in the Indus Valley is located the popular and beautiful Thiksey Monastery. Considered the largest monastery in central Ladakh district in Jammu and Kashmir, this 12-storey monastery is well known all over for location and architecture. A home to 120 monks and nunnery, the buildings of this monastery are structured in a hierarchal manner and comprises of 10 temples and a big assembly hall.
Resembling the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the Thiksey Monastery has a big statue of Maitreya (future Buddha) and Tara temple. Apart from statues and stupas, visitors here will find some rare and treasurable collections of wall paintings, swords and thangkas. Morning prayers at this monastery are very popular among locals and attract huge crowds on a regular basis. Charming views of the Indus Valley are a further attraction for tourists to this monastery.
Further, a visit to the Thiksey Monastery means getting a clear view of some other monasteries around, including Shey, Stok and Matho. The monastery is also known for festivals celebrations which attract a huge number of people from all parts of the region. Here, visitors won’t face trouble in finding right accommodation as the monastery provides that at a reasonable rate.