Lamayuru is a village in the Ladakh region in the northern most Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Lamayuru falls on the Srinagar-Leh highway and is predominantly a Buddhist village with around 242 houses. The houses here are generally made out of mud and have prayer flags around in the compound and terraces. The significance of the prayer flags is to show ones belief in Buddhism and its teachings. The village has a certain charm about being one of the oldest settlements in Ladakh.
The most famous attractiom in Lamayuru is the monastery which was founded in the 11th century by Naropa. Other than the monastery one can explore the village and the places around it on foot. The Lamayuru or Yuru monastery as it is often called is also one of the oldest and largest monasteries in the whole of Ladakh.
The word Lamayuru means eternal in the Tibetian language and hence the monastery is known as the eternal one. Every year during the second and fifth month of the lunar Buddhist calendar the monks perform a annual mask festival. The monks perform dances with colourful robes, masks and musical instrument that depict ancient Buddhist history and mythology.
Lamayuru is situated at an altitude of about 11,250 feet above sea level. It is situated at a distance of about 108 km from Leh and 308 km from Srinagar. To reach Lamayuru, one can either hire a private vehicle or take the state transport buses from Leh or one could also stop on the way from Srinagar to leh.
There are plenty of accommodation options in Lamayuru owing to the increase in the number of tourists visiting Ladakh, every year. Most of these accommodations are generally basic village houses which have been converted into either home stays or guest houses. There are no luxury accommodations in the village.