At Thiksey, central Ladakh's largest monastery, the 12-storey complex rises like a smaller Potala Palace, housing 120 monks among temples and assembly halls.
The 40-foot Maitreya Buddha presides over this Gelugpa stronghold. Continue with your guide to Hemis, Ladakh's wealthiest monastery, hidden in a side valley where prayer flags flutter against barren hills. Within its walls, centuries of Tibetan learning reside in libraries holding sacred texts, thangkas painted with ground precious stones, and stupas embedded with jewels.
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Roy Wood (February 2026)
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