A 17th-century Drukpa-lineage monastery 45 km from Leh, hidden in a gorge. Home to a 12m-high Padmasambhava thangka (unfurled every 12 years) and the colourful Hemis Festival in June/July.
Know before you go
Inner Line Permit (protected areas)
Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri & Hanle need an ILP for Indian visitors — get it online or at the Leh DC office (₹400-ish + daily eco fee).
What a day here looks like
The things most people actually do in Hemis Monastery, by time of day.
Morning
- Hemis Monastery prayer hall visit2h · easy
- Thiksey Monastery (Ladakh's largest, 15km)2h · easy
- Hemis National Park snow leopard trek5h · strenuous
Afternoon
- Stok Palace museum & Stok Kangri base2h · moderate
About 11h of activity in total — the planner spreads this across your days and fits travel time around it.
A plan from our planner, day by day
Generated by the same planner you'd use — not a sample someone wrote once.
- 1🙏 Spiritual Day4h out
- Hemis Monastery prayer hall visit · morning, 2h
- Thiksey Monastery (Ladakh's largest, 15km) · morning, 2h
First contact with the sacred energy here — check in, then head to the ghats or main temple at dusk.
- 2🏔️ Adventure Day7h out
- Hemis National Park snow leopard trek · morning, 5h
- Stok Palace museum & Stok Kangri base · afternoon, 2h
Final day in Hemis Monastery — adventure activities are clustered here to maximise energy and minimise repeated transit.
Swap places, change the pace, set your own dates.
Plan my Hemis Monastery tripMust-see highlights
Hemis Monastery prayer halls
Hemis Festival masked cham dance (Jun)
Sacred giant thangka (every 12 yrs)
Hemis National Park snow leopard
Thiksey Monastery combo (15km)
Stakna Monastery cliff
Matho Monastery oracle festival
Chemrey Monastery hilltop
Hemis High Altitude National Park trek
Stok Palace museum & trek
Sindhu Ghat riverside Indus festival
Loading 11 more places…
On the map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Jammu Tawi 740 km · Leh (IXL) 45 km
Nearest transport
Stay options
Best time to visit
May – September (Festival: Jun/Jul)
How to get here
Leh → Hemis
cab · 1.5h
₹2,200
approx.
Nearby attractions
Hemis Monastery questions, answered
What is the best time to visit Hemis Monastery?
The best months are September, August, July. May – September (Festival: Jun/Jul) February scores lowest on weather and conditions.
How many days do you need in Hemis Monastery?
Most people spend 1 day in Hemis Monastery. There are around 4 main things to do, totalling roughly 11 hours of activity.
How do you get to Hemis Monastery?
The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi (740 km) and the nearest airport is Leh (IXL) (45 km). The cheapest common route is Leh → Hemis by cab, about ₹2,200 per person one way.
How much does a trip to Hemis Monastery cost?
Stays start around ₹1,500 per night, with food about ₹500 per person per day and entry at ₹100.
If you like Hemis Monastery
Closest matches across all of India, by character rather than by map.
