Before traveling to Ladakh, also known as “Little Tibet,” you might wonder: “Why go here if there’s the real Tibet in China?” While “big” Tibet is indeed in China and its Tibetan Buddhist culture has been sinicized, “Little Tibet” with its impassable passes has preserved the culture of its neighboring region: here, ancient Buddhist temples, monasteries, and iconographic images of Buddha are well-preserved. Therefore, if you plan to embark on an exotic intellectual journey to the Himalayas, go here.
When to Go
It’s ideal to travel to northern India in the summer. While the rest of the country experiences the monsoon season, here you will find glacier caps that melt for only a few months, allowing access to the “land of passes,” opening roads to the most interesting treasures of Buddhist heritage.
Instead of spending three days by car, save time on acclimatization by choosing a flight from Delhi to the regional capital, Leh. Acclimatization, necessary to prevent mountain sickness, will pass quickly as the altitude of “Little Tibet’s” capital, where the plane lands, is not yet high enough to cause it.
The return journey on the high-altitude serpentine road is less likely to cause mountain sickness, allowing you to enjoy passes and valleys at altitudes of 4,000–5,000 meters. You need to reach Manali, from where you can take a bus to Delhi.
Start: Buddhism in Leh
Spend two to three days in the capital of Ladakh, Leh, to acclimatize. In the city, pay attention to the decor of Buddhist temples, adorned with images of the thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara, considered the embodiment of compassion, manifesting in the Dalai Lama. The cult of compassion is the foundation of any of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Its origin is linked to the region in northern India. Somewhere around here, in the early first millennium AD, Buddhism transformed from a critical philosophy into a religion that spread along the Silk Road.
Begin your journey through the region’s Buddhism by visiting the monasteries (gompas) of Ladakh. These are large structures with inner courtyards and numerous temples, where your gaze will be drawn to religious services and unusual iconographic images. Most of them belong to two of the most famous schools of Tibetan Buddhism — Gelugpa and Kagyu.
Start with the monastery where the second Buddha, Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism from India to Tibet in the 8th century, meditated in a cave. Here, you can also witness the sacred dance mystery in the summer.
Tsam Mystery
In summer, you can often see the dance show “Tsam” in the courtyards of ancient Buddhist monasteries, lasting several days. During such festivals, monks wear large masks, costumes, and jewelry that help embody the heroes of the story of Buddhism’s arrival in Tibet. It’s particularly interesting to attend such a ceremony at the Thiksey Monastery, where Padmasambhava meditated.
Such events can also be seen in the monasteries of Ladakh in 2023. They take place at the beginning of the sixth month of the Buddhist Tibetan lunisolar calendar. You can follow the calendar and festival schedule for 2023, for example, here.
The costumes from such festivals can be seen in museum displays, where the masks appear as curious exhibits. Here, however, they are part of contemporary religious life.
Phyang Monastery
If you are interested in museum spaces, you will be impressed by the Phyang Monastery. Located 17 km from Leh, it houses a collection of 16th-century bronze statues and 14th-century cosmological frescoes for meditation. Phyang is one of the main Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh. Pay attention to the location and architecture of the monastery: it looks like a museum itself, perched on a rock in the middle of the desert. The temple of the protector of Buddhist teachings, Mahakala, the patron of the gompa, is also noteworthy.
How to get there: Buses run from Leh bus station to the monastery, taking about half an hour. If you don’t want to deal with crowded buses or rooftop rides, you can take a cheap taxi or hitchhike. Check the bus schedule the day before. The first bus usually departs at around 9:00 AM.
Where to Stay: Zanskar
If you have enough budget and time, don’t linger in Leh, the tourist hub of the region, but head to the sacred Buddhist valley of Zanskar. Here you will see many ancient caves and monasteries in the snow-capped mountains.
The 12-hour drive in your own car will be worth it for the number of little-explored monasteries with caves in the snow-capped mountains surrounding the Zanskar River. Going for just one day is pointless — you’ll only get tired from the road. Therefore, we recommend heading to Padum, the district capital, where you can stay overnight. Plan at least three days to explore the snow-capped Himalayas complemented by the ancient Buddhist monasteries.
Here you will be in the highlands on the edge of civilization. In winter, the Zanskar River and its tributaries freeze, and the riverbed becomes a true lifeline connecting remote cave monasteries and the capital of Ladakh. It’s no wonder tourists rarely reach here. You can camp by the river or stay in hostels if you are not ready for camping conditions. No special permit is required to visit this region.
How to get there: If you can’t travel by rented car or motorcycle, there’s an option — a weekly bus from Leh to the valley. It’s best to buy the ticket in advance. Online booking sites exist, but reliability is questionable — it’s better to go to the bus station and buy the ticket. The route to Padum is 240 km, but it takes a day to cover by bus through Kargil. So the trip is for the patient and those ready to spend a lot of time on the bus.
Useful Tips
- Allow extra time between transfers to avoid missing the bus. For example, a taxi from Leh to Manali might get caught in a cloud, reducing road visibility and affecting mobile communication. Landslides and glacier-fed stream breaches are common on the road.
- If you plan to camp, rent gear from small shops in central Leh. Look for rentals, not purchases: these trekking items are usually not new but include pots, tents, sleeping bags, and trekking poles. These shops can also arrange permits for visiting areas close to Pakistan or China.
- Sometimes a taxi ride is cheaper than a bus. To save money, share the cost with other travelers.
- Bring a hat or cap to protect your head and neck from the scorching sun.
- Stay in good hotels in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, from where all roads lead. Another option is to find accommodation with locals, enhancing your travel experience. Walk along the city’s central streets and embrace new acquaintances. I was lucky to live in a school teacher’s house.
- Visit monasteries around 10:00 AM to avoid the scorching sun and attend temple services held daily by Buddhist monks. These are usually open events, and no one will prevent you from attending the ceremony.
Conclusion
As a Himalayan yogi once said, in such places you don’t understand the boundary between tourism and pilgrimage. You don’t need to draw it: you find yourself in the most beautiful open-air museum in the world, eager to learn more about the history of Tibetan Buddhism.