Spituk Gompa

A scenic 8 km drive from Leh will take you to this awe-inspiring monastery filled with large idols and a sweeping view of the stark mountains. Founded in the late 14th century as See-Thub (Exemplary) Monastery, Spituk Gompa surveys the Sengye Tsangpo (Indus) Valley, with surreal views of planes landing at Leh airport. It's worth climbing the exterior stairway to the three-tiered latho (spirit shrine) and gonkhang (protector chapel), which holds the monastery's guardian deities. However, note that women are not allowed inside. The main upper Jokhang has an ornate golden-crowned statue of Jowo Sakyamuni that was said to have been brought from Lhasa after the Chinese invasion.