Hemis Festival

Monks in elaborate costumes and masks perform cham dances — a form of ritual dance-drama depicting the triumph of good over evil — in the courtyard of Hemis Monastery, one of Ladakh's largest and most important Drukpa monasteries. It is Ladakh's best-known monastery festival for visitors, both for the spectacle and for the accessibility of Hemis itself, a manageable drive from Leh.

The festival follows the Tibetan lunar calendar, typically landing in June or July on the Gregorian calendar, shifting slightly year to year. Some traditions also mark a larger, less frequent unveiling of the monastery's giant thangka on a longer cycle — confirm with us for the specific year you're planning around. (confirmed on enquiry)

Hemis is roughly 45 minutes from Leh by road, and the festival falls within Ladakh's short travel season (roughly late May to October, when the high-altitude roads are open) — worth combining with an already-planned Ladakh trip rather than a dedicated visit.