HimLocal
Sign in
HimLocal
The white temples of Basgo Monastery on a ridge of eroded rock above a green valley under a blue sky with small clouds
1 / 3
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Day plancultureTemples & heritagebalanced

West of Leh in a day — Phyang, Basgo and Likir along the Indus

A day trip west of Leh along the Indus: Phyang Monastery (1515), Basgo's Maitreya temples above the old royal town (1680), and Likir Monastery (1065). Copy it.
Planning to go?Add your dates — we’ll count down, and tell you when stays or batches open for them.

A day on the road west of Leh, down the Indus towards Kargil, to three monasteries that most first visits miss: Phyang, founded in 1515, Basgo, above the ruins of an old royal town, and Likir, founded in 1065. All are within 65 minutes of Leh on our routing. Alchi is further along the same road; see the Alchi and confluence day.

Photos: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Visitors who have had a day or two in Leh and want quieter monasteries and the history of the Ladakhi kings.

Day by day

Day 1

Three monasteries on the Kargil road

3 stops · 1 h 2 min on the road

Out west in the morning, the farthest at midday, back to Leh by evening.

  1. 09:00
    Phyang Gompa
    temple · 25 min from Leh · about 45 min there
    About 25 minutes from Leh: the Drikung monastery on its blue hill, founded in 1515 by Wikipedia's account.
  2. ↓ 39 min by road · 35 km
    11:00
    Basgo Gompa
    temple · 49 min from Leh · about 45 min there
    Temples built for the Namgyal kings in 1680 on a ridge above the ruins of the old royal town, given to the Maitreya Buddha.
  3. ↓ 23 min by road · 16 km
    13:30
    Likir Gompa
    temple · 1 h 5 min from Leh · about 45 min there
    The monastery founded in 1065 under King Lhachen Gyalpo, at about 3,700 m above a valley of poplars, now of the Gelugpa order. About 65 minutes from Leh on our routing.

Getting there

By car or taxi from Leh on the Kargil road. See how to reach Leh.

Where to stay

Leh; this is a day out. We have no verified lodging in the villages.

Know before you go

  • Do this after at least a day of rest in Leh; Likir is at about 3,700 m.
  • We have no verified opening hours for the three monasteries; leave early to be sure of the first.
  • Dress modestly, walk clockwise and ask before photographing inside the temples.

Places on this route

Phyang Monastery, Ladakh — the Drikung gompa on the blue hill west of Leh
Phyang Monastery, Ladakh — the Drikung gompa on the blue hill west of Leh
temple · 25 min from Leh
Basgo Monastery, Ladakh — the Maitreya temples above the ruined royal town
Basgo Monastery, Ladakh — the Maitreya temples above the ruined royal town
temple · 49 min from Leh
Likir Monastery, Ladakh — the eleventh-century gompa on its hill above the poplars
Likir Monastery, Ladakh — the eleventh-century gompa on its hill above the poplars
temple · 1 h 5 min from Leh

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Leh itineraries →
Leh in three days — a slow first day in town, the Indus monasteries, then west to Phyang
Leh in three days — a slow first day in town, the Indus monasteries, then west to Phyang
2 nights · 3 days · First visit · Classic
A three-day Leh plan for the height: an easy first day at Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa, the Indus monasteries Shey, Thiksey and Stakna, then Spituk and Phyang.
Best May–Sep
See the plan →
One day from Leh — Magnetic Hill, the confluence and Alchi
One day from Leh — Magnetic Hill, the confluence and Alchi
Day plan · road-trip lovers · nature
A one-day road trip west of Leh: Magnetic Hill, the Zanskar–Indus confluence near Nimmu and the old temples of Alchi, with measured drive times.
Best Jun–Oct
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Leh →
Spituk Monastery — the hilltop gompa near Leh's airport
Spituk Monastery — the hilltop gompa near Leh's airport
temple · 7.6 km away
Shanti Stupa — the white stupa on the ridge above Leh
Shanti Stupa — the white stupa on the ridge above Leh
temple · 8.0 km away
Zanskar–Indus confluence — where two rivers meet near Nimmu
Zanskar–Indus confluence — where two rivers meet near Nimmu
viewpoint · 8.3 km away
Alchi Monastery — the old temple complex of wall paintings
Alchi Monastery — the old temple complex of wall paintings
temple · 8.6 km away
Magnetic Hill — the roadside illusion on the Leh–Srinagar highway
Magnetic Hill — the roadside illusion on the Leh–Srinagar highway
viewpoint · 9.2 km away
Leh Palace — the nine-storey royal palace above the old town
Leh Palace — the nine-storey royal palace above the old town
fort · 9.2 km away
Stok Palace — the royal summer home across the Indus
Stok Palace — the royal summer home across the Indus
fort · 14 km away
Shey Palace — the old royal hill complex and its great Buddha
Shey Palace — the old royal hill complex and its great Buddha
fort · 18 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Shashur Monastery above Keylong
Keylong
184 km away · 3 itineraries · 7 places
A green forested valley with a stream winding through meadows below snow-capped peaks and white clouds near Pahalgam
Pahalgam
209 km away · 3 itineraries · 4 places
A rocky mountain stream running through a green valley beneath snow-covered peaks at Sonamarg
Sonamarg
212 km away · 2 itineraries · 2 places
The stone tower of the Narasimha temple at Bharmour with a green mountain behind it under a blue sky
Bharmour
215 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.

Questions people ask

Which monasteries are west of Leh?

On the road towards Kargil: Spituk by the airport, Phyang about 25 minutes out, Basgo about 49 minutes and Likir about 65 minutes on our routing, with Alchi further on. This plan takes Phyang, Basgo and Likir, the three that first visits most often leave out.

Can Alchi be added to this day?

It makes a long day. Alchi Chhoskhor is further along the same road, about 88 minutes from Leh on our routing. Either swap it for Phyang, or take our separate day that combines Alchi with the confluence of the Zanskar and the Indus and Magnetic Hill.

Which is the oldest of these monasteries?

Likir, which Wikipedia says was founded in 1065 under King Lhachen Gyalpo. Phyang dates from 1515 by one tradition, and the Basgo temples were built for the Namgyal rulers in 1680, though Basgo itself was a seat of power far earlier, with a palace from the fifteenth century.