Lakkir Gompa

Location : 6-km North Of Leh-Srinagar Highway, Ladakh Region, J&K
Also Known As : Lu-Khyil
Founded In : 1065 AD
Founded By : Lama Duwang Chosje

Five kilometers to the north of the main Leh-Srinagar highway, shortly before the village of Saspol, the large and wealthy gompa of Likkir, home to around one hundred monks, is renownedfor its new 75-foot –high yellow statue of the Buddha-to-come which towers serenely above the terraced fields. A pleasant break from the bustle of Leh, the village of Likkir now offers a small but adequate choice of accommodation which, along with the sheer tranquility of the surroundings, tempts many travelers to linger a few days.

About Likkir Gompa

Founded in 1065 by Lama Duwang Chosje who was given the land by Lachen Gyalpo, the fifth king of Ladakh , the Gompa originally belonged to the Khadampa sect. In 1470 the Gompa was converted by Lawang Lotos, a monk from central Tibet, into the Gelug-pa monastery that is still here today.

The Gompa was extensively renovated in the 18th century and there is little sign of the antiquity related to the site. The impressive Du-khang is devoted to the three Buddhas - "Marme Zat" (past), "Shakyamuni" (present) and "Maitreya" (Future), while the Gon-khang, decorated with lavish murals of "Yamantaka" and "Mahakala" contains the statue of the wrathful protector, "Tse-Ta-Pa".

The Trek

Most visitors to Likkir continue on an excellent two-day hike from here to Temisgang via Rhidzong, which provides a good and comparatively gentle introduction to trekking in Ladakh. For those with less time on their hands, a short acclimatizing three to four hour walk from the Gompa leads to the top of the ridge west of Likkur, providing great views of the Indus Valley.

How to get there

Road: A single bus links Likkir to Leh , leaving Leh in the afternoon and returning the next morning

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North of Leh : Nubra Valley

Until 1994, the lands north of Leh were off limits to tourists and had been unexplored by outsiders since the nineteenth century.

Drass Valley

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Shyok Valley

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