Umling La Pass
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sajalsheth
Still Learning ©
Date:- 23.5.2022, Day 6 :- Purne to Phuktal Monastery trek, Ride to Padum
After having breakfast, I started for Phuktal or Phukthar Monastery.
According to locals, it is just 1 hour trek from Purne. You can go to Monastery from Purne or from CHAR Village, which is opposite side of Purne.
But Purne side is short and good trek road.
But from Purne it is 2.6 kms vehicle road,
then park your vehicle
& tough trek of 4.06 kms or 2 hours or 7000 steps.
Ancient Phuktal Monastery, Zanskar is the only Monastery in Ladakh that can be reached only by foot. It is built around a natural cave & looks like a honey comb. It is also called Honey Comb Monastery.
It is said to be 2550 years old. It had a sacred spring of holy water, but after 2017 it became dry.
This Monastery has a school also with around 25 monks.
I reached to the parking area at 9AM, after riding 2.6 km ride.
These are luggage of Monastery, which will be taken to Monastery via mule.
Two monks were arranging this.
From here the 4.06 kms long trek starts.
The trek is up and down and goes side by side of Tsarap River.
View of this blue river makes you feel good.
Happy me to see such a clear river water.
I was tempted to take a dip here.
But just washed my face with this cold water.
Feeling was great to see such a blue water.
I don't know how such a blue water becomes muddy when it reaches Nimu, Confluence point of River Zanskar and Indus.
I was trekking slowly and enjoying water.
After one hour of walk, I could see a bridge on river.
This is a wooden base hanging bridge on Tsarap River
That road opposite side or river comes from CHAR Village.
I reached on bridge at 10.25 AM.
This is east side view.
One can see the Gate of Monastery and the old hanging bridge.
West side view.
I was excited to see the Monastery gate.
But it was again half kms up hill trek.
River view is the happy factor in this entire trek
Now the gate was very close.
at 10.45 AM, I reached the entrance gate of Phuktal Monastery.
It is written as Phukthar in this main gate.
There were newly constructed rooms near main gate and one eatery also. But it was close. A worker told me that you can order food
and after coming back from Monastery you can eat it.
And to my surprise main Monastery was again too far, must be another 500 meters from main gate.
I was coming more close to Monastery and it was looking awesome. Now I could imagine why it is called Honey Comb Monastery.
There was a big natural cave and monastery inside and below it.
Cont'd .......
After having breakfast, I started for Phuktal or Phukthar Monastery.
According to locals, it is just 1 hour trek from Purne. You can go to Monastery from Purne or from CHAR Village, which is opposite side of Purne.
But Purne side is short and good trek road.
But from Purne it is 2.6 kms vehicle road,
then park your vehicle
& tough trek of 4.06 kms or 2 hours or 7000 steps.
Ancient Phuktal Monastery, Zanskar is the only Monastery in Ladakh that can be reached only by foot. It is built around a natural cave & looks like a honey comb. It is also called Honey Comb Monastery.
It is said to be 2550 years old. It had a sacred spring of holy water, but after 2017 it became dry.
This Monastery has a school also with around 25 monks.
I reached to the parking area at 9AM, after riding 2.6 km ride.
These are luggage of Monastery, which will be taken to Monastery via mule.
Two monks were arranging this.
From here the 4.06 kms long trek starts.
The trek is up and down and goes side by side of Tsarap River.
View of this blue river makes you feel good.
Happy me to see such a clear river water.
I was tempted to take a dip here.
But just washed my face with this cold water.
Feeling was great to see such a blue water.
I don't know how such a blue water becomes muddy when it reaches Nimu, Confluence point of River Zanskar and Indus.
I was trekking slowly and enjoying water.
After one hour of walk, I could see a bridge on river.
This is a wooden base hanging bridge on Tsarap River
That road opposite side or river comes from CHAR Village.
I reached on bridge at 10.25 AM.
This is east side view.
One can see the Gate of Monastery and the old hanging bridge.
West side view.
I was excited to see the Monastery gate.
But it was again half kms up hill trek.
River view is the happy factor in this entire trek
Now the gate was very close.
at 10.45 AM, I reached the entrance gate of Phuktal Monastery.
It is written as Phukthar in this main gate.
There were newly constructed rooms near main gate and one eatery also. But it was close. A worker told me that you can order food
and after coming back from Monastery you can eat it.
And to my surprise main Monastery was again too far, must be another 500 meters from main gate.
I was coming more close to Monastery and it was looking awesome. Now I could imagine why it is called Honey Comb Monastery.
There was a big natural cave and monastery inside and below it.
Cont'd .......
Last edited:
sajalsheth
Still Learning ©
....... cont'd.
The school of Monastery is near this point. Around 25 monks were inside school.
I reached the Main Monastery at 11:10 AM. This is how it looks behind me.
There is a main prayer room, but no photography allowed inside that. This is inside that big Cave. That holy water stream was behind this stupa/ Chorten.
But it has became dry now.
It was not a good view inside that big main cave. It is just like a big store room for wood for winter season.
A short compilation of video shot on GoPro of this trek.
The end part is very good.
The main room of Phuktal or Phukthar Monastery.
There is kitchen room and other rooms for monks.
There is a village opposite side or River. As per google maps it is Darcha Village.
View from Main Cave. This view is so mesmerizing that you can sit hear for hours.
The Cave View
The steps inside Monastery are too steep.
It was 11.55 AM, Time to say good bye to this ancient Monastery.
Compilation of short videos shot on my mobile:-
I reached back to Purne after 2 hours of trek. After lunch started my ride to Padum Village.
Road was very bad. And in many place Jio cables were being layed. I hope next year there will be good mobile network in these areas.
Entire Road is near to Tsarap River with two three big villages on the way.
At one place I was stranded for 45 minutes due to road widening. There are two famous Monastery, Bardan and Muney on the way.
Last 20 kms is very good tar road before Padum.
I reached Padum at around 7 PM.
I stayed at Alpine Guest House at Padum, where I had stayed last time in 2014 during my Ladakh and Zanskar ride also.
Julley
Coming up.... NEXT ... New route to Leh via Murugam Pass, Singe La Pass, Sirsir La Pass
Click HERE for next update.
The school of Monastery is near this point. Around 25 monks were inside school.
I reached the Main Monastery at 11:10 AM. This is how it looks behind me.
There is a main prayer room, but no photography allowed inside that. This is inside that big Cave. That holy water stream was behind this stupa/ Chorten.
But it has became dry now.
It was not a good view inside that big main cave. It is just like a big store room for wood for winter season.
A short compilation of video shot on GoPro of this trek.
The end part is very good.
The main room of Phuktal or Phukthar Monastery.
There is kitchen room and other rooms for monks.
There is a village opposite side or River. As per google maps it is Darcha Village.
View from Main Cave. This view is so mesmerizing that you can sit hear for hours.
The Cave View
The steps inside Monastery are too steep.
It was 11.55 AM, Time to say good bye to this ancient Monastery.
Compilation of short videos shot on my mobile:-
I reached back to Purne after 2 hours of trek. After lunch started my ride to Padum Village.
Road was very bad. And in many place Jio cables were being layed. I hope next year there will be good mobile network in these areas.
Entire Road is near to Tsarap River with two three big villages on the way.
At one place I was stranded for 45 minutes due to road widening. There are two famous Monastery, Bardan and Muney on the way.
Last 20 kms is very good tar road before Padum.
I reached Padum at around 7 PM.
I stayed at Alpine Guest House at Padum, where I had stayed last time in 2014 during my Ladakh and Zanskar ride also.
Julley
Coming up.... NEXT ... New route to Leh via Murugam Pass, Singe La Pass, Sirsir La Pass
Click HERE for next update.
Last edited:
skysat2005
Super User
The clear blue river is simply superb and is making the pics mesmerising.
Too good....
Too good....
vinay_sinha
Active Member
Truly incredible.
Tilak Francis
Well-Known Member
Julley
Julley !
sajalsheth
Still Learning ©
Thank you @skysat2005 ji
sajalsheth
Still Learning ©
Thank you @sayshh ji