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Photo: Bernard Gagnon Canon EOS REBEL T4i, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Supposedly, the largest monastery of Ladakh with at least 150 lamas, but it doesn't look that way. Also notable for a huge painting of the Buddha, which is displayed to the public only once every 12 years - next time will be 2028. The entrance is probably mostly for the museum, but the monastery itself is not special and does not allow for any spectacular pictures. It feels more like a tourist trap, considering the amount of taxis with tourists that ply here—probably their way of paying tribute (and cash) to this monastery.
If you are already here anyway and still don't want to go empty-handed, take the service road around the Hemis monastery (avoiding the ticket stand), and head up to Gotsang Monastery in the hills behind—it is a steep 2 km walk.
Hemis Monastery is a Himalayan Buddhist monastery (gompa) of the Drukpa Lineage, in Hemis on the bank of the Indus River, Ladakh, India. Situated 45 km from Leh, it was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal. The annual Hemis festival honouring Padmasambhava is held there in early June.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Monastery in the Karma Kagyu tradition. Not much to see here, unless you are interested in Buddhism, but it is opposite the street of one of the Dalai Lama residencies.
This is an easy full day hike of 12 km (loop) going from 3,500–3,950 m just west of Stok.
4,846 m
12.5 km (one-way), 1,200 m altitude gain—it's the pass that leads to Markha Valley. You might be able to do it in one day from Stok if you are fit, otherwise you might have to camp along the way. Note, people say that this is proper mountaineering and you will need some experience.
4,050 m
Another 2-hr hike, which give you a view of the airport of Leh, the valley, and the Stok mountain and its range around. The trail starts east of Leh center, slightly north.
Soma Gompa
Just around the corner from Main Bazaar, it's a large modern gompa. It's also the location of the Ladakhi Buddhist Association, a conservative political organisation with ties to Hindutva groups.