A vast endless land under a clean blue sky, Padum is the capital of Zanskar offer nothing but few people around, only few dusty streets and a lone bus stand. Around Padum, the Zanskar valley shimmers int eh wan desert light. The landscape is dotted with desolate farms and villages where one can witness Yaks and dzo graze calmly in the fields. Unlike other area of ladakh, Padum has a considerable amount of Sunni Muslim and a mosque is built in the center of town, catering to the minority. It has also two ancient gompas, which are now in ruined state. A short walk across the valley is the medieval monastery at Pibiting, topped by a massive chorten with views over the plains.

Around Padum

Karsha Gompa
Karsha Gompa is Zanskar’s largest and oldest Buddhist monastery, dating back to at least the 10th century. Around 150 monks maintain the gompa, helped by the French charity Solidarijeune. The two large chambers inside the monastery preserve some rare and exquisite murals and old treasures. If you are there in the month of July, you will lucky to see three day Gu Stor festival where annual chaanm dances are held as part of the festival.

Stay At Thieur Guesthouse
Thieur guesthouse is the best place to spend your day at Padum. Set in a pretty garden just uphill from the Rural Development office, you can reach the place by taxi(expensive mode) or two hour walk across the exposed plain to the new birdge over the Zanskar river.

Walk To The Villages
Small villages of Pishu, Stongde and Zangla houses some of the oldest gompas. These places are accessible by taxi or on foot from Padum. A more challenging destination is the isolted gompa of Phuktal, squeezed into a cave clinging to the side of the near vertical Shadi gorge. Inside you can see a sacred spring and some 700 year old murals in the Alchi style. The gompa can only be reached by walking.