Manthal Buddha Rock
An 8th-century Buddhist rock carving on the southern outskirts of Skardu, with a meditating Buddha and bodhisattvas carved on a boulder, bearing witness to Baltistan's Buddhist history.
Manthal Buddha Rock is in Manthal village beside the Satpara road, about 3 km south of Skardu. On a granite boulder is carved a seated, meditating Buddha dating from about the 8th century, surrounded by more than twenty small bodhisattva and Buddha figures and Tibetan inscriptions. It is an important remnant of Buddhist culture in Baltistan from before the arrival of Islam. The site has a fence and a small garden, and a local villager can show you around. The entry fee is low. A taxi from Skardu takes about 10 minutes, and the site can be visited together with Satpara Lake.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset
Nearby sights
- Kharpocho Fort (Skardu Fort)
- Satpara Lake
- Katpana Cold Desert
- Sarfaranga Cold Desert
- Blind Lake (Zharba Tso)
- Amburik Mosque
- Shigar Fort
- Shangrila Resort (Lower Kachura Lake)