Spituk monastery, also called Pethup Gompa, stands on a hilltop 8 kilometres from Leh at about 3,307 metres and dates to the eleventh century. Its name means exemplary, a description the translator Rinchen Zangpo is said to have given the community here. About a hundred monks live at the gompa today.
Duke Kashmir Travels has arranged Ladakh trips since 2011 under Department of Tourism registration JKTA00003978. Ladakh and Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, two to a room.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Eight kilometres from Leh, on a hill above the Indus near the airport.
- About 3,307 metres above sea level.
- Founded in the eleventh century by Od-de, brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od.
- Home to roughly a hundred monks.
- The Gustor festival draws crowds for the unveiling of a great image.
- The hilltop gives one of the best views over Leh and the valley.
What is the Gustor festival?
The monastery's annual festival, when a large image kept veiled through the year is unveiled and masked dances are performed.
It falls by the Tibetan calendar, usually in winter, and fills the courtyard. If your dates are flexible we check the year's festival calendar before fixing an itinerary, because it changes what a Ladakh trip feels like.
What will you see on an ordinary day?
Assembly halls, chapels of the older foundation, and the view: Leh, the Indus and the Stok range from the hill above the airport.
The climb from the road takes a few minutes, and altitude makes it feel longer if you have just flown in. Remove shoes at the chapels and keep back during prayers.
How do you get there?
Eight kilometres from Leh on the Srinagar road, close to the airport, roughly fifteen minutes by car.
It works well on the first or last morning of a Ladakh trip when longer drives are not sensible. Alchi lies further west on the same road.
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.