Lamayuru Moonland is a small village 100 km from Leh, right after Fotu la, the highest pass in the Leh – Srinagar Highway, which can easily be covered in a day trip from Leh, India. It is known for its ancient monasteries, statues, and prayer halls in Ladakh, as well as a stunning landscape like the moon, local traditions, and rich cultural heritage covered with mountainous regions. There is a self-belief that this place was once a lake that dried up in the 11th century. Most backpackers and tourists from across the world visit this place occasionally to enjoy a walk and hike on the hills of Lamayuru.
Places To Visit In Lamayuru
There are indeed many places to visit in and near Lamayuru. Here is a well-curated list of captivating places to visit near Lamayuru to make your Ladakh trip memorable.
1. Lamayuru Monastery
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Lamayuru Monastery is located in the village of Lamayuru. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the town. Many Buddhists visit this place once a year. There are famous paintings, statues, prayer halls, and Buddha scriptures. And deities which include Indian figures such as devas, asuras and yakshas. When coming to accommodation, the monastery can accommodate only 50 monks while the others live in the village of Lamayuru. This monastery was discovered by a scholar named Mahasiddha Acharya Naropa, who lived there for years. His prayers are also believed to have made the dried land into water. The monastery is covered in panoramic mountain scenery with a rocky formation created by Naropa.
Location: Lamayuru, Leh district, Ladakh, Northern India
Distance from Lamayuru Moonland: 3.1 km
Must Read: Offbeat places In Ladakh
2. Stok Palace Museum
Image Credit: Deepank Ranka for Wikimedia Commons
The palace where the royal family was sent into exile to Stock is now turned into a museum that houses the most extensive collection of jewellery, ornaments, Thangkas, and others. This includes ceremonial dresses, crowns, and other pieces of jewellery that are hundred years old, and these are indications of the royal lives in the region. Thus, the vivid and pleasing colours and intricate patterns depicted denote the glory of some architecture and arts that were present then.
Location: Stok Palace, Leh 194101, India
Distance from Lamayuru Moonland: 120 km
3. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
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Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is the most sacred place where Sikhism’s first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is believed to have killed a demon. It’s said that once, Guru Nanak Ji was in deep meditation at this place and to disorient him a devil tried to hit him with a big rock but the stone changed into wax and did not harm the saint at all. Observing this the demon requested punishment for his act and Guru Nanak Ji pardoned him. The boulder with the imprints of the body of Guru Nanak Dev and the demon’s footprint can be seen at Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. This place is under the preserve of the Indian Army.
Location: NH1, Kargil Leh Highway, 194101
Distance from Lamayuru Moonland: 88 km
Suggested Read: Festivals Of Ladakh
Things To Do In Lamayuru Moonland
There are many things to do in Lamayuru Moonland. We have listed a few things below.
1. Camping in Lamayuru
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If you like camping in the wild on Srinagar Leh Highway, there are many locations around Lamayuru where you can choose and set up your tents. There are also options where you can pitch your camp in the village. You can even camp by hiking around the moorland, like mountains.
2. Yoga and Meditation
The Lamayuru has also developed into a yoga retreat, established in the 1970s by Yogi Kyunga Rinpoche, where various monks practice meditation and spirituality under the tutelage of the foremost disciple of Rinpoche.
Suggested Read: Manali To Leh Road Trip
3. Lamayuru Trek
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For those who want to trek in the trans-Himalayas, they can start from Lamayuru and end at Darcha over Zanskar, which requires 18-20 days. There is also an option for the Lamayuru –Wanla–Chilling trek, which may take five days.
4. Bullet Ride
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You can always enjoy the beauty of the ride or drive to Lamayuru from Leh or Kargil/Srinagar. The scenic beauty of the road to Lamayuru is worth watching. The experience of this road trip to Lamayuru is simply fantastic because the butter-smooth roads are in the best state.
Suggested Read: Markha Valley
Best Time To Visit and Festivals Celebrated
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Lamayuru Moonland is best for a visit in summer because that is when the weather is favourable, especially from May to September. This is the best time of the year to visit the scenic beauty of Moonland and Lamayuru Monastery because, at this time, it is not too hot, and it does not rain until October.
There are two major festivals, Yuru KabGyat and Hemis Tse Chu, which are celebrated in the second and fifth months of the Tibetan lunar calendar, respectively, in a very big way. Hemis Tse Chu is the biggest monastic festival and lasts only two days in the eastern part of the Leh-Pangong route. Another festival of the same duration is called Yuru KabGyat, during which the monks stage exciting rituals and dances. The specific types of dance represented by masks symbolize the destruction of the self in everybody.
How To Reach Lamayuru Moonland
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By Road – Lamayuru is situated on the Leh-Srinagar highway. Still, if you are proceeding from Srinagar to Leh, you will encounter Lamayuru after crossing Kargil on the way to Fotu La pass. A bus ride could be a little bit longer, but it sure will not be boring and filled with intrigue. Other options for getting around Leh are owning vehicles (cars/bikes) or even taking a taxi.
By Air—The nearest and easily accessible airport is Leh Airport, also called Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport. This airport is well-connected with other airports in the country. After reaching the airport, many people hire taxis or opt for bicycles to reach Lamayuru Moorland. One can also go by air to Srinagar and then by road, passing through Kargil.
By Train—The nearest railway station to Lamayuru is Jammu Tawi, 685 km away. Hire taxis from the railway station to Lamayuru or Leh over the Srinagar Leh Highway, a three-day journey with overnight halts at Srinagar and Kargil.
Further Read: Hunder Village
The Lamayuru Moonland is probably one of the best places you might visit during your trip to Ladakh. So, organize your tour today so that the beauty hidden in this pair of gazes can be set free. Indeed, you can go to Leh-Ladakh on vacation with your family and friends. It will also be a splendid experience for your solo travel to the Ladakh region of the Indian continent.
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Cover Image Source: MandarUrankarM for Wikimedia Commons
Frequently Asked Questions About Lamayuru Moonland
What sets Lamayuru Moonland apart?
Famous for its lunar geography-feature of eroded hills and rocks that give the scenic spot a near-moon-like view, that is what Lamayuru Moonland is all about.
Are there any restaurants or food joints available to test and taste in Lamayuru?
Indeed, there are local restaurants and eateries in Lamayuru village that can serve traditional Ladakhi foods and some basic continental foods. Some of the foods that tourists should consider whilst in the country include momos, a type of dumpling, and thukpa, a noodle-based soup.
What animals can be found in Lamayuru?
Endemic flora and fauna are found in and around Lamayuru Moonland including the Tibetan wolf, the blue/sheep, the marmots and several species of birds. Those people who like to watch wild animals might like to watch such animals in the forest.
What other souvenirs should one purchase when in Lamayuru?
For the souvenirs, one can buy some Tibetan-made items, prayer flags, Buddhist trinkets and treasures, woollens and carpets and so on. The above items are easily accessible from local markets and artisans in the villages.
What is the altitude and elevation of Lamayuru Moonland?
Lamayuru village is at an approximate height of about 3,510 meters or 11,516 feet from sea level. The surrounding terrains and other higher peaks and passes can even rise up to a height of 4,000 meters (13,123) feet at the least.
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