About Lamayuru

Lamayuru Monastery, also known as Yuru Gompa, is one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Ladakh, dating back to the 10th century. It is perched dramatically on an eroded hilltop above the Indus Valley in a lunar landscape known as 'Moonland' — where centuries of erosion have sculpted the earth into an otherworldly terrain of pale cliffs and crumbling towers. The monastery belongs to the Drikung Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism and houses around 150 monks. It hosts the Yuru Kabgyat festival each summer, featuring dramatic masked Cham dances. The drive from Leh on the Srinagar highway passes through stunning gorges and is itself a highlight.

Highlights

Travel Tips

• 1Best visited as a stop on the Leh–Kargil road.
• 2Photography inside the monastery requires permission.
• 3The Moonland landscape is best photographed in the soft light of early morning or late afternoon.