Matho Monastery lies 26 kilometres southeast of Leh across the Indus, founded in 1410 by Lama Dugpa Dorje. It sits where a deep ravine runs out of the Zanskar range, opposite Thiksey, and stays off the main circuit. That keeps it quiet, and it holds a museum-grade collection of thangkas some six hundred years old.
Duke Kashmir Travels, a Srinagar agency registered as JKTA00003978 with the Department of Tourism since 2011, adds the quieter gompas for guests who want more than the standard Leh loop. Packages start near ₹6,350 per person, twin sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Twenty-six kilometres southeast of Leh, across the Indus from Thiksey.
- Founded in 1410 by Lama Dugpa Dorje.
- Holds thangkas dating to the fourteenth century.
- The Matho Nagrang festival, with its oracles, is held each year.
- Less visited than the monasteries on the main road, so usually calm.
- Set at the mouth of a ravine running down from the Zanskar range.
What is the Matho Nagrang festival?
The monastery's annual festival, at which two oracles, monks who have undergone a long retreat, appear and answer questions put by the community.
It is one of the more distinctive religious events in Ladakh and is held by the Tibetan calendar, usually late winter or early spring. Photography rules are strict during the oracle appearances.
What is in the collection?
Thangkas going back to the fourteenth century, along with ritual objects, kept in a conservation-standard museum within the complex.
The museum project has been notable for training local women as conservators. It is worth the extra half hour if painting interests you at all.
How do you visit?
Twenty-six kilometres from Leh, crossing the Indus and turning up towards the ravine; about forty minutes by car.
Because it is off the main road, most tour vehicles skip it, which is precisely the reason to go. Combine with Stakna and Shey on the same day.
Booking this with us
Behind the itineraries: Duke Kashmir Travels, a Srinagar agency carrying tourism registration JKTA00003978 from March 2011, IATO membership ALD150928 and a seat in the JK Tourism Council. Details on About Us.
Give us the dates and the number of travellers; the itinerary and the quote come back the same day. +91 9018 44 0000, info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or the contact page.
About the founder
Duke Kashmir Travels is owned and run by its founder, Rayies Ahmad Zargar, who set it up in Srinagar in 2011 and checks these destination pages himself. LinkedIn.