Stakna Monastery

Stakna Monastery is a 16th-century Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drugpa Kagyu lineage located on a hillock shaped like a tiger's nose on the left bank of the Indus River at Stakna village, about 25 km from Leh in Ladakh. Founded by Bhutanese scholar Chosje Jamyang Palkar, it is notable for its hilltop setting, panoramic views of the Indus Valley, central assembly hall with statues and murals, and its role as an important monastic centre near Leh.

Visitors can expect a small hilltop monastery reached by a short climb, with a central Dukhang (assembly hall) housing statues of the Buddha, Padmasambhava and Arya Avalokitesvara, colourful murals, thangkas and a chorten. The complex offers open courtyards and terraces with panoramic views of the Indus River and surrounding valley, a quiet monastic atmosphere with resident monks, and opportunities for sightseeing and photography of the landscape and architecture.

Founded in the late 16th century, around 1580, by Chosje Jamyang Palkar, a Bhutanese scholar and saint, during the reign of King Jamyang Namgyal of Ladakh. The name Stakna means tiger's nose, referring to the shape of the hill on which it was built.

An important monastery of the Drugpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. It serves as a religious centre for the local Buddhist community, houses sacred images including Arya Avalokitesvara, and preserves murals, thangkas and scriptures reflecting Ladakhi Buddhist art and practice.