Stoke Palace

Location: Southeast Of Leh, Ladakh Region, J&K
Main Attractions: Stok Palace & Museum, Stok Gompa

Built nearly 1580 by great scholar saint chosje Jamyang Palkar during the reign of king Jamyang Namgyal. The Stakna monastery is 45 Km south of Leh, founded on a hill shaped Stakna (Tiger nose). Easily accessible from Leh town.

Stok gompa twenty minutes’ walk up the valley, boasts a collection of dance- drama masks, and some lurid modern murals painted by lamas from Lingshet gompa in Zanskar, the artists responsible for the Maitreya statue in Tiske.

Stok Palace

At the top of a huge moraine of pebbles swept down from the mountains, the elegant four-storey Stok Palace stands under the shadow of the intrusive tower, above barley terraces studded with threshing circles and white washed farmhouses. Built early in the 19th century by the last ruler of independent Ladakh , it has been the official residence of the Ladakhi royal family since they were ousted from Leh and Shey two hundred years ago.

On Display

The present Gyalmo or "queen", Deskit Angmo, a former member of parliament, still lives here during the summer, but has converted one wing of her 77-roomed palace into a small museum. The fascinating collection comprises some of the royal family's most precious heirlooms, including antique ritual objects, ceremonial tea paraphernalia, and exquisite 16th century 'Thangkas' illuminated with paint made from crushed rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

The pieces de resistance, however, are the Gyalmo's Peraks. Still worn on important occasions, the ancient headdresses, thought to have originated in Tibet, are encrusted with slabs of flawless turquoise, polished coral, lapis lazuli and nuggets of pure gold. Also of interest are a couple of swords whose blades were allegedly tied in knows as a demonstration of strength by king Tashi Namgyal, and several sacred Dzi Stones - "pearls of pure happiness", said to have fallen from heaven, and worn to ward off evil spirits.

Oracles Of Stok

Another attraction of Stok is the July Archery Contest. As in Matho one can see the small water mills in which the roasted grain is ground into meal. There are two lay oracles in Stok and they give their 'performance' at the Lchagrang festival on the 9th and 10th days of the third month of the Tibetan calendar.

How to get there

Road: Buses leave Leh for Stok at 7.30 am, 2.00 pm and 4.30pm. A day in Stok is more than enough to do the museum and the Gompa justice, and to explore the beautiful side valley bedding the village - trailhead for the Markha valley trek

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Zanskar

Walled in by the Great Himalayan Divide, Zanskar, literally " Land of White Copper" has for decades exrted the allure of Shangri La on visitours to Ladakh.

Zangla

Zangla is the nodal point on the popular Padum Strongdey Zangla Karsha Padum round trip, which covers most of the cultural sites of Zanskar.

Zongkhul

Zongkhul falls on the Padum-Kishtwar trekking trail, just before the ascent of Omasi-la Pass begins

The Suru Valley

Diving two of the world's most formidable mountain ranges, the Suru Valley winds south from Kargil to the desolate Pensi La the main entry point for Zanskar. 

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

Drass (3230 m), 60 km west of Kargil on the road to Srinagar, is a small township lying in the centre of the valley of the same name . 

Shyok Valley

The Shyok River receives the waters of the Nubra and Changchenmo rivers. It rises from the Khumdang glacier, which can be approached from Shyok. 

Salt Valley

The Salt Lake Valley is one of the widest open areas in Rupshu. It can be approached from Leh across the Tanglang La pass.