Once we had found our homestay we went to the nearby Gompa. It is called Stansanling Gompa and is a large teaching gompa with many young monks living there. It is near Sumoor village and was the main reason for our being in Nubra valley.

View down the valley toward Panamic and eventually Pakisthan.

This view is of the Nubra and Shyok valleys to the left and to the right of the large brown coloured mauntain.

There is an ongoing painting of the many stupas that line the roads and the landscape in the valleys.

Another reminder of the pervasive and beautiful Tibetan Buddhist culture.

Entrance to the “Old” prayer hall at Stamsanling. There are at least three such halls here.

The Gompa is extensive, constructed on the side of the mountain and very well kept with many fruit trees as well as shrubs and flowers.

Another of the prayer halls at Stansanling.

We were able to meditate in this prayer hall whenever we visited. It became a daily morning and evening occurrence for us and was the most fulfilling experience for us on the whole tour.

Murals and Thankas hang inside the prayer halls.

During our six day unplanned visit we watched fascinated as the monks made a sand painting in the prayer hall where about 25 other monks chanted sutras.

I have noticed that there are more clarifying notices in english language since the time I last visited. There is a clearly a lot more effort in making the culture of Nubra valley more accessible to all visitors.