Lamayuru At A Glance Attractions - Valley, Mountain, Trekking, Buddhism State - Jammu & Kashmir Region - North India Nearest Railway Station - Srinagar (SINA) - 307 KM Nearest Airport - Leh Airport (IXL) - 104 KM Lamayuru is a remote village located off the Srinagar-Leh National Highway. It is an ideal stop-over between Srinagar and Leh for the tourists who would like to break the tedious journey over 2 days. Nestled amidst the barren mountain landscapes, this little village has a rich cultural legacy. It is home to one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the region, which was constructed in the 11th century. Moreover, the place is also famous for the peculiar Lunar Hills. Also known as the 'Moon Land', the territory looks quite similar to the surface of the moon. The Lunar Hills has turned out to be a preferred photo-shooting spot for the tourists. Layamuru is also a trekkers' paradise. It serves as the base for a number of challenging treks in the Western parts of Ladakh. If you are fond of adventurous treks, then Layamuru is one destination that you should not miss out. Tourist Attractions in Lamayuru You must have come across some stunning landscapes during your trips to different parts of the world, but when you are in Lamayuru, scrap the landscape and fall in love with the moonscape. Lunar Hills at Lamayuru is a favorite with the offbeat tourists because of its uncanny similarity with the moon's surface. Lamayuru is home to one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Leh-Ladakh region. The revered Lamayuru Gompa (Yung-Drung), which was constructed back in the 11th century, attracts lots of spiritual tourists. Lamayuru Monastery was founded by Buddhist spiritual leader Mahasiddhacharya Naropa and it belongs to the Red-Hat sect of Buddhism. It serves as the home to over 150 Buddhist monks. You can see a rich collection of Buddhist artefacts, including wall paintings, thangas and statues in the monastery complex. The Wanla Gompa is another important place to visit in Lamayuru. Constructed in the second half of 12th century, it is the earliest known Buddhist monastery in India belonging to the Drigung Kagyu sect. Trekking in Lamayuru Lamayuru has made its presence felt in the Indian tourism map mainly due to its trekking prospects. It serves as the origin point for several exciting treks towards the Prikiti-La pass and Zanskar valley region. Lamayuru-Padum is one of the most popular trekking route in Ladakh. Lots of hikers take the 10 days trek from Lamayuru through the beautiful surroundings of Singay-La pass to reach Padum in the Zanskar Valley. Interested trekkers can continue through the same trail to Darcha village in Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. Lamayuru-Darcha is regarded as the longest trekking route in Ladakh. Lamayuru-Tso Moriri trek via Rumste is another notable trekking trail. It passes through the high altitude mountain pass of Yalang Yugula (5440 meters). It's a very challenging trek route. So rest assured that you would never feel any shortage of adrenaline juices while trekking along this less-traversed territory. How to Reach Lamayuru? Lamayuru sits along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway (NH-1D) - around 307 KM away from Srinagar and 108 KM from the Leh town. Buses operated by J&KSRTC from Srinagar to Leh is the cheapest mode of transport to reach Lamayuru. You may also opt for shared taxi service from Srinagar - which is another cheap option to arrive at Lamayuru. The bus fare is around INR 600, while a seat in shared taxi would cost you almost double the amount. For a more comfortable ride, you can hire a private taxi to drop you at Lamayuru from Srinagar. It would be a costly affair though, with one-way fare being in excess of INR 7000. Alternatively, you can fly down to Leh airport from Delhi and then hire a taxi to Lamayuru. Distance between Leh Airport and Lamayuru is 105 KM. One way taxi fare would be around INR 2500-3000. Where to Stay in Lamayuru? Lamayuru is mainly visited by trekkers and backpackers. As such, you won't find any luxury hotels around. There are several budget hotels and guest houses which offer basic accommodation facility. Listed below are a few of the popular staying options at Lamayuru - 1. Hotel Niranjana - Contact No: (+91) 1982 224 555 2. Hotel Moonland - Contact No: (+91) 94198 88508 3. Dragon Hotel & Guest House - Contact No: (+91) 94692 94037.
