Places to visit in Kaza

The Key Monastery or the Key Gompa (Gompa is Tibetan for Buddhist temple or monastery) is the biggest monastery in the Spiti valley and is home to 350 monks who receive their religious education here. This renowned monastery is near the magnificent Spiti River and is situated atop a hill at an altitude of 4,166 meters above the sea level.  

Enjoy being surrounded by total serenity as you explore the hallowed hallways of Key Monastery. There’s something truly moving about being in such a spiritual place, and you’ll find yourself wanting to spend more time here, with every visit!

Highlights of Key Monastery

• There is a corridor in the monastery where one can find a lot of prayer wheels lined up. These wheels are always spun clockwise so the mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ written on them is viewed in the right order to chant. 
• The monastery has a library on the top floor. It is filled with books on spirituality and has ancient murals and manuscripts too. 
• One can try the famous butter tea, also called Po Cha in Tibetan. This delicious beverage is made by churning salt, tea and yak butter. 
• The Cham festival, which happens in July end, is something not to be missed. A lot of engaging activities take place, like the spectacular Cham dance where monks play music using traditional Tibetan instruments. The dancers wear colorful robes and masks that add to the viewing experience. Communal kitchens serve free food and there are a lot of stalls around for you to sample the local cuisine.

About the key monastery:

The monastery is said to be founded by Dromtom (Brom-ston 1008-1064 C.E) in the 11th century. He was a pupil of the great teacher Atisha Dipankar. The monastery was initially established in Rangrik (known as the Kadampa Monastery) and was later shifted to the present site as it was destroyed in the 14th century.  It is believed to be more than a thousand years old and celebrated it’s millennium in the year 2000 in the presence of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. 

The monastery is a demonstration of the Psada style of architecture and rises in terraces. Facing destruction many times, the architecture of this monastery saw a somewhat haphazard growth. New parts keep getting added and yet, in spite of their seeming randomness, the monastery looks captivatingly beautiful. There are a number of prayer rooms that are connected by passages and difficult staircases, and you’ll have a great time exploring them.

There are many beautiful paintings that adorn the walls along with precious manuscripts, stucco images and wind instruments. A few rooms also showcase the weapons that might have been used to defend the monastery against ancient attackers. 

Best time to visit the Key Monastery:

The best time to visit is during the months of June to October since the Rohtang Pass closes after the month of October due to snowfall. The weather during these months is cold, while still being pleasant and is enjoyable. One can witness the Cham Festival also if the visit is planned around July.

Tourists who love extremely cold weather can visit the monastery via the Shimla-Kalpa –Tabo-Kaza route as it is absolutely stunning, and covered in a blanket of snow during the winter.

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This monastery is located 40 kms away from Kaza and is on the way to Peo. Taxis are available to visit these monasteries that go all the way up to the mountain. The HP road transport corporation also provides buses till the junction between Dhankar and Shichling. It leaves at 7 am and returns from Shichling at 3 pm in the afternoon. One needs to trek up till the monasteries from the Shichling fork for 10 KMs via motorable roads. The monks here at the two Gompas are very friendly. One of these Gompas is an extremely popular thousand year old Monastery. It is one of the hidden treasures of Sipitian Mountains. There are little Dhankar boys here, studying to be future Lamas, who love to show the tourists around and are very friendly. It is strongly recommended that you include a visit to the Dhankar monasteries in your itinerary when visiting Kaza. It will surely be a memorable experience and to make it more special, try to meet the head Lama of the monastery, if possible.

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, had recently inaugurated this newly constructed monastery, on the 9th of July, 2009.

This village is believed to be the highest point of this place by the locals.

This charming little village near Kaza is located at a height of 4275 meters. There is a small monastery in this village, but women are not allowed inside during prayer hours. Many fossils are found in this place which is an interesting feature of this village.

This beautiful lake is at a dreamlike location that is about an hour’s trek away from Kaza and is a beautiful tourist spot. Its clear waters are transcendental in their beauty.

This river flows along the route to Kaza from Manali via Losar and is an exquisite example of the scenic beauty of nature.

This is a popular trade fair which attracts numerous tourists to Kaza during the month of July. A variety of goods are bartered or sold at reasonable prices.

This vibrant festival is marked with ritualistic and energetic dancing by the local tribes, wearing colourful masks and costumes. It is celebrated in the month of February and commemorates the beginning of the New Year. It is also celebrated as the auspicious day of the assassination of cruel Tibetan Ruler Lang Darma in the previous century.

Treks and visits to the Chandrataal River and Dhankar Lake are great for soaking in the pristine natural beauty of Kaza. An alumnus of the TISS, Ishita Khanna, has also turned this place into an ecotourism destination and heritage spot.