Diskit Monastery

Diskit Monastery is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, built on a rocky hillside above the village of Diskit. Diskit Monastery belongs to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism and was founded in the 14th century by Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a follower of Tsongkhapa.

Diskit Monastery climbs the hill in a series of prayer halls, courtyards and monks' quarters, with murals, old statues and masks used in festival dances. Below it stands a 32-metre statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha, consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama in 2010. The statue faces down the Shyok river and was built to protect the village and promote peace. Diskit is the main town of Nubra, with the valley's shops, fuel and guesthouses. Each winter the monastery holds the Dosmoche festival, with masked cham dances, though few outsiders are in Nubra at that time of year.

What to see

• The 32-metre seated Maitreya Buddha, painted in bright colours
• The upper prayer halls, with murals and old statues
• The rooftop view over the Shyok river and dunes
• Monks' morning prayers in the assembly hall
• Diskit village and its small market below

What to wear

Diskit Monastery is active, so cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes before the prayer halls and walk clockwise. The climb from the car park is steep, so wear good shoes. Nubra is warm by day but cold at night, so carry a layer, plus sunglasses and sunscreen. Older villagers in Nubra still wear the goncha, the long woollen Ladakhi robe tied with a sash.

Local food to try

Diskit has the best choice of places to eat in Nubra. Guesthouses and cafes serve thukpa noodle soup, skyu (a hearty stew of thumb-pressed wheat pasta and vegetables), momos, khambir flatbread with apricot jam, and salty butter tea. In summer, look for fresh Nubra apricots and apricot juice. Vegetarian food is easy to find.

Good to know

• Best from June to September; late afternoon light is best for the statue
• Open daily, morning to evening
• Small entry fee payable at the gate
• Allow about an hour
• About 120 km from Leh over Khardung La, 4 to 5 hours
• Foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit for Nubra

Nearby places

Diskit is the heart of the Nubra Valley, and the Hunder Sand Dunes are about 7 km west. The road from Leh crosses Khardung La.