Hanle Monastery

Hanle Monastery sits on a hilltop in Hanle Valley and features traditional Tibetan architecture with multiple prayer halls built within its compound walls. The structure combines religious spaces with residential quarters for the community of monks who live there.

King Sengge Namgyal founded this monastery between 1616 and 1642, establishing the first Drukpa Kagyu tradition monastery in Ladakh. This founding marked a pivotal moment for spreading this Buddhist school throughout the region.

The monastery preserves Tibetan Buddhist practices through daily rituals performed by resident monks who maintain ancient religious manuscripts and spiritual traditions.

Visiting requires special permission from Indian authorities due to its remote location near the Tibet border, and the journey takes several hours from Leh. Plan ahead to obtain necessary permits and allow enough time for the travel.

This monastery shares its location with the Indian Astronomical Observatory, home to one of the world's highest optical telescopes. The scientific facility operates alongside the religious center on the same grounds.