Travel Guide Phiyang

17 km from Leh. A pretty poplar-lined road leads to Phiyang, on the banks of the Topko River. Formerly known as Fiang, this vast village, 15 km long, is one of the largest inhabited centers in Ladakh. Yet its population does not exceed 2,000 souls and it has little infrastructure to welcome travellers. The imposing Phiyang Gompa, on the road to Alchi, is an attractive17th-century monastery belonging to the Drikung Kagyu tradition. At the end of the5th Tibetan lunar month, the Gang-Sngon Tsedup sacred dance festival takes place. A brief visit along the way is more than enough.