Kloster Hemis in Ladakh

As soon as we visit the beautiful city of Ladakh we get attracted to the snow capped mountains. Another interesting thing that attracts us is the presence of the Buddhist monasteries. When we travel in Ladakh monasteries are a common sight. It is said that there are nearly hundred monasteries in Ladakh and you can spend your entire life travelling these monasteries.



Kloster Hemis is one such monastery located in the city of Ladakh. The location of this monastery gives the perfect shape to this place and makes it one of the most famous tourist spot. Let us traverse through our article to find out more about Kloster Hemis.

Interior of Kloster Hemis

The main attraction of this monastery is the golden idol of “Maitreya Budhha”. The specialty of this idol is that you will find the statue of Lord Buddha resting on a lotus. The statue is beautifully designed. Small dragon like structures is engraved below this statue. There is a money collection box that is kept in front of the statue where travelers can drop money and this money is used by the monks residing inside the monastery. The monastery is beautifully designed which shows the amazing Tibetan architecture. A beautiful temple is also attached to this monastery.



The design of this temple is so colourful that you will really enjoy this. There is a museum attached to this monastery which preserves Tibetan items. There is a shop attached to the monastery that sells books related to Buddhist culture. This monastery shop is the ideal place for you to shop in this region. You will get interesting items related to Buddhist religion. 

Festival of Kloster Hemis

The annual festival of this monastery is known as the Hemis festival. By this special naming convention you can easily understand that this festival is celebrated by the monks residing in this monastery. The best time to visit this monastery is during the Hemis festival. During this festive season the monks allow tourist to stay back and enjoy the dance performances by the local inhabitants of this region.



The local people involve them in the famous Lama Dance or the Mask Dance.  This is also the time when the monks interact with the tourists. The entry fee to this monastery is Rs 50 per person and the fee do not increase in the festive time.

Location of Kloster Hemis

The most interesting part of this monastery is its location. This monastery is known as the “Hidden Gem” of Ladakh city. The reason for this name is the location of this monastery. This monastery is located in such a place that you cannot see this when travelling from the highway. A hill shelters this monastery from the rest of the world and when you cross this hill you get to see the beautiful Kloster Hemis. This monastery is one of the famous monasteries of this region which is large and quiet and maintains a pleasant atmosphere.

How to Reach Kloster Hemis

Kloster Hemis is approximately 35 km from Leh and hence there are multiple modes of transport.

By Air: Leh Airport is nearly 40 km from this monastery and hence if you are travelling via flight then it will be convenient for you to reach this monastery.

By Train: Jammu Railway Station is the nearby railway station of Leh and is nearly 700 km away from Leh. Bus and car services are available from this rail station.
From Leh you can travel in a car or bike to this monastery. This monastery has a parking place available.

You can visit this monastery any time of the year to get the amazing view of this place. But the best time to visit this place is the time of the annual festival. You can just enjoy the gorgeous dance performances during this time of the year.