Diskit Monastery

Diskit Monastery stands on a cliff above the Shyok River in the Nubra Valley, at more than 10,000 feet. Founded in the 15th century by Changsem Sherab Zangpo, it is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in the valley. Stone steps climb to a hilltop prayer hall, and a 100 ft statue of Maitreya Buddha in gold and red, unveiled by the Dalai Lama, overlooks the valley.

Inside are thangkas, frescoes and murals of Buddhist deities, guardian figures on the upper floor and a painting of Tibet's Tashilhunpo Monastery in the dome, along with shrines and a store of Tibetan and Mongolian texts. Monks hold prayers each morning. Legend says the hand and head of a defeated Mongol demon remain here, and the monastery helps run a school for Tibetan children.