Shey Monastery stands on a hillock 15 kilometres south of Leh, built in 1665 by Deldan Namgyal in memory of his father, Sengge Namgyal. Shey was the old capital of Ladakh, and the palace beside the gompa is now largely ruined. The tenth-century foundation of Lhachen Palgyigon survives only as remains; what visitors see is the seventeenth-century complex.
Duke Kashmir Travels has arranged Ladakh trips since 2011 under J&K Department of Tourism registration JKTA00003978. Kashmir and Ladakh packages start near ₹6,350 per person, twin sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Fifteen kilometres south of Leh on the Manali road, at about 11,200 feet.
- Built in 1665 by Deldan Namgyal for his father, Sengge Namgyal.
- The original tenth-century foundation is attributed to Lhachen Palgyigon and stands in ruins.
- Shey served as the capital of Ladakh before Leh.
- The palace complex adjoins the monastery on the same hillock.
- Thiksey is a few minutes further along the valley.
What is at Shey?
A seventeenth-century monastery with a large gilded Buddha, the ruined royal palace beside it, and a field of chortens below the hill.
The chorten field is one of the largest in Ladakh and is best seen in the late afternoon. From the top of the hill the Indus valley opens both ways, with Thiksey visible downstream.
Why was Shey important?
It was the capital of Ladakh before the seat moved to Leh, and the Namgyal kings kept it as a summer residence afterwards.
That history is why palace and monastery sit together here. The older tenth-century structure has largely collapsed, but the outline is still readable on the ridge.
How do you visit?
Fifteen kilometres from Leh on the Manali road, about twenty minutes, with a short climb to the complex.
Give it half an hour, or longer with the chortens. It is normally combined with Thiksey, Stakna and Matho on one Indus valley 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.