Alchi Monastery
ཨ་ལྕི་ཆོས་འཁོར
One of the oldest Buddhist temples in Ladakh. Its 11th-century Kashmiri-style murals and woodcarvings are celebrated as treasures of Himalayan art.
Alchi Monastery was built between the 11th and 12th centuries. Unlike most monasteries on hilltops, it sits on flat ground in a village beside the Indus River. Inside the three-storey Sumtsek, giant bodhisattva statues have robes painted with palaces, figures and patterns. The murals in the Great Sun Temple blend Kashmiri and Tibetan styles. Photography is forbidden inside, and the interior is dim, so bring a torch. It is about 65 km from Leh, and entry costs about INR 50. There are several guesthouses and apricot orchard restaurants in the village, so you can stay overnight.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–13:00, 14:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Likir Monastery
- Basgo Monastery
- Indus–Zanskar Confluence (Sangam)
- Magnetic Hill
- Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
- Phyang Monastery
- Hemis National Park
- Spituk Monastery