Sham Valley > the flying duo

Sham Valley is the area west to Leh city. It covers the regions upto Kargil and includes some of the most stunning and incredible landscapes of the world specially Lamayuru– “the moonland”. You also get to see the Indus river cutting its path through the Ladakh hills. Then there are some of the oldest monasteries like the Alchi and Likir monasteries, which, although not very picturesque, are very important to the locals both historically and religiously. Since, this is a low lying area in Ladakh, you may take this trip during the first two days of your stay. It will also help with your acclimatization.

Magnetic Hill

The signboard here reads- “The Phenomenon That Defies Gravity”. You must have heard of this place already. This is the famous road where the vehicles move uphill with their engines switched off! The speed can go up to 20km/hr. This piques the curiosity leading to many interesting clauses. The fact is, it is no gravity defying phenomenon but the magic of gravity acting upon the vehicles with wheels. The landscape of the area is such that the road appears to be uphill whereas it is, in fact, negative gradient meaning, downhill and hence, the movement. Sorry to burst the curiosity bubble! You can enjoy the views though. They are amazing. The magnetic hill comes just at the beginning of the Sham Valley area.

Gurudwara Patthar Sahib

Gurudwara Patthar Sahib is located on the way to the Zanskar Valley in the Leh – Kargil Highway. This place has religious significance to Sikhs and is dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev ji. The legend is that while returning to Punjab after visiting Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet, Guru Nanak Dev ji was meditating here when a demon attacked him with a huge boulder. He defeated the demon. The boulder inside the Gurudwara is the believed to be the same boulder.

Zanskar Valley( Sangam)

The confluence of river Indus with the river Zanskar in the backdrop of the Himalayan and Zanskar range creates a gorgeous view for the human kind to witness. You can clearly distinguish between the two river waters meeting the confluence point. The sight is such that you will keep looking however much you look at it. It is the most important point in the Sham Valley.

different colours of Indus and Shyok at Sangam point in Sham Valley — sangam point

Alchi Monastery

This is a small simple looking Tibetan Buddhist monastery unlike the other colourful and vibrant monasteries of this region. This monastery is more popularly known as the Chos-Khor, a monastic complex of temples. The complex has four parts- Dukhang (Assembly Hall), Sumtseg (the 3 storey Main Temple), Manjushri Temple and the Chortens. The monastery is built in Kashmiri style with huge Buddha statues, colourful detailed wall paintings(frescoes) and intricate wood carvings. These are some of the oldest surviving paintings in Ladakh. You will find a colourful sand mandala prepared by the monks It might look nothing at first glance but do visit it to witness the artistic treasures it holds.

Indus Valley viewpoint

The alley beside the Alchi monastery leads to a peaceful scenic viewpoint of the Indus valley. We would have not known about this place if we had not wandered inquisitively further. The place is serene with no one in sight for far along the road. You can spend some time here admiring the view or clicking some awesome pictures with a painting like backdrop.

view of Indus from Alchi monastery in Sham Valley Ladakh

Likir Monastery

Likir monastery can be identified by the large Maitreya Buddha statue in its campus. It is a tranquil place with two assembly halls or Dukhang. The carvings and paintings are similar to the Alchi monastery.

Lamayuru Monastery

Lamayuru is located about 127 km to the west of Leh. The places is popular among the tourists as the “Moonscape” due to its landscape with odd geological formations. This is one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Ladakh along with the Alchi monastery. The famous mask festival called Yuru Kabgyat is celebrated here.