Zanskar

Few inhabited regions are as remote as Zanskar. A valley in the shadow of the great Himalaya , isolated from the outside world by snowbound passes most of the year, Zanskar seems quite the ultimate destination for the adventure tourist , the Zanskar river flowing through the gorge , ultimately drains into the Indus at Nimu. In winter when the river get freezes, people have for centuries walked over the to make it to Leh and Zanskar, sheltering in caves at night. Now popularised as the ‘Chadar Trek’. Most visitors make it here by trekking, walking across amazing terrains and high passes for almost a week, the road journey takes 2-3 days from Leh via Kargil. The road trip from Kargil takes you through a beautiful Suru valley with the view of Nun Kun peak and by passing Pentse la (4400m/14,435ft) .  A trip to Zanskar requires a minimum six days .

Zanskar is entirely a Buddhist region (with a small community of Muslim in Padum ) thus you could see many beautiful and century old monastery among the oldest is the Sani Chorten called Kanikha Chorten dates back to the great central Asian king Kanishka (2nd century AD).

Padum
The adminstrative headquarter of Zankar, the town’s main streat is lined with shops and Hotels. Padum unfortunately has few sightseeing points. Its old fort has long been destroyed but can visit the Tagrimo Monastery perched on the hill side above the hill side above the old town.

Karsha Gonpa 9 km from Padum
The Karsha Gonpa is one of the most spectacular monasteries anywhere, its complex of the building cascade down a steep hillside, breathtaking view from the top. 9 km from Padum . the gonpa is reached by a road that cuts through the dusty plain before crossing a bridge across . Karsha is the largest monastery in Zanskar belongs to the Geluk pa order . it dates back to 11th century , phagspa shesrab , revered as the Zanskar Lotsawa is tought to be have founded the monastery , it was only in the 15th century however that the monastery began taking shape in the present shape. and today over 100 monks live in the monastery.

Stonde Monastery 18 km from Padum
it is built on an abrupt hill overlooking the valley Located 18 km to the northeast of Padum, it is accessedby the Zangla road. A Gelukpa monastery with about 60 resident Lama.Stonde’s first stracture date back to the 11th century . it is a lovely drive to the monastery with the superb view of the great Zanskar plain with its green and Yellow barley fields and the snow capped mountains away in the distance .

Phugtal Monastery 50 Km from Padum
It is one of the remotest Tibetan monasteries in Ladakh as it is located on a hilltop at the mouth of a cave. The drive alone to Phugtal Monastery is mesmerizing. You will drive till to Purney and will be a day trek. The rugged and eerie structures of mountains will make you feel like you are driving through honeycomb. Along with having a library and prayer rooms, you will also find a natural cave here where many sages and scholars have meditated. The divine aura of this place will leave you speechless.

Sani Monastery 8 km from Padum
Sani Monastery is situated towards the west of Padum, on the road that leads to Kargil. This monastery is a significant shrine of the Drukpa Kagyupa School of Tibetan Buddhism and belongs to its southern branch. A unique thing about this monastery is that it has been constructed in different parts over a course of several centuries. While the chorten inside this monastery belongs to the 2nd century, its assembly hall is believed to be constructed during the early years of the 17th century. The Sani Gompa is situated on the level ground which makes it rather unique To Zanskar.it is probably the oldest places of Buddhist worship in the region indeed, an Odd shaped Chorten called Kanikha Chorten. associated with the great central Asian King Kanishka (2nd century Ad) .

Zangla 35 km from Padum
A small picturesque place in Zanskar region of Ladakh, Zangla is known for being the base or an important point of major treks in Zanskar region. As attractions, the place has an old castle, which is almost in ruins, there is a nunnery and an ancient monastery in a nearby village of Tsa Zar which are worth seeing. The view from the castle is simply spectacular, and thus one must not miss to visit this tourist attraction. On the other hand, the ancient monastery in Tsa Zar should be visited for its beautiful frescoes. Zangla is important point in important treks in Zanskar like Chadar trek and Padum-Strongdey-Zangla-Karsha-Padum trek, Padum-Markha valley and Padum-Lamayuru trek.