No need to stay near Thicksey, It is a short distance from central Leh.

Not more than 500 and that too with frequent landings between. Take your time in climbing the stairs and rest between taking a look around. The place is a must to see, dont be afraid of height.

You can directly bring your vehicle to the entrance gate of the monastery and buy ticket from there. It's a 12 storied monastery so you have to climb up,but take rest and lift the stairs.

I think you would need to check with the monastery direct

Thiksay Gompa, Thiksey Monastery or Thiksay monastery is a gompa of Tibetan Buddhism religion. It is located on the top of the hill. It is very famous for its similarity with Potala Palace of Lhasa. This monastery is famous for pilgrim activities, architectural elements, sightseeing and exploration. The monastery has an interesting anecdote of how it was built in this exact location. It is said that when two Buddhist monks offered prayers and rituals at the Yellow Temple and were about to through a cake (offering to God) into the valley, a crow took away the cake and place it on a hilltop. They assumed this a divine order and built a monastery here. How to Reach Thiksey Monastery- The Thiksey Monastery is located on top of hill of 3,600 m altitude in Thiksey village. This village is located on the Leh-Manali highway in Jammu and Kashmir. The village lies 18 km to the south of Leh. Leh has a domestic airport, which is the highest airport in the country. The frequency of flights to Leh from other parts of the country is very less. Tourists usually reach India via Delhi or Srinagar airport and choose any land transportation to reach Leh. You can either hire cab to reach Thikse monastery or choose bus. The bus to the monastery starts at 9 in the morning. The bus tour includes many attractions including the monastery and thus, the time limited for exploring the monastery will be less. If you are planning to enjoy the monastery completely, it is better to visit in a car. Best Time to Visit Thiksey Monastery- The monastery is open to tourists from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening throughout the week. October and November is the best months to visit the monastery. After November, the place will be closed due to snowfall and it opens by May. After November, the routes to the monastery will be blocked by snow and it becomes dangerous to visit. If you visit during early morning, you can enjoy many unique rituals. Numerous people visit the monastery by 6:00 in the morning to take part in the morning prayers with delicious hot local tea served by the monk. . Entry Fee of Thiksey Monastery- The entry cost is 20 INR for both locals and foreigners. There is no fee for camera. It would take around 2-3 hours to scale the whole place. Places to Visit in Thiksey- The monastery holds ten temples, home for monks, assembly hall, nunnery and others. The monastery has 12 levels. It is one of the largest structures in Ladakh. As you enter the monastery, you can find the statue of the protector deity in the entrance. From the monastery, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the flood plains of Indus valley. Maitreya Buddha- This is one of the important attractions inside the monastery. It is a large statue, which is two storey tall. This is the largest statue in Ladakh. Assembly Hall- The Assembly hall entrance has a wall that has murals of Tibetan calendar. The prayer room next to this wall has many books and manuscripts. Beyond the prayer room, there is a small sanctum. Apart from these, the assembly hall has many pictures, statues and murals. Tara Temple- This is a small temple dedicated to the Goddess. There are 21 images of the deity in this shrine. You can find many murals here. Lamokhang Temple- This temple holds many scriptures including Stangyur and Kangyur. Women are not allowed inside this temple. There is a small school on top of the temple where young boys are taught to become Lamas. You can find a large pillar with Buddha’s teachings engraved on it. Beyond the temple, you can find numerous white huts, the residence of Lamas. Nunnery- This is the school for nuns. Festival of Thiksey Monastery- Festivals takes place either in November or in October. The festival spans for two days. During this festival, after the morning prayers, the celebrations begin. A sacrificial cake is distributed during this festival. Top attraction of this festival is the mask dance, which is performed by the monks. It is said that the masked dance wade off the evil. The Black Hat dance is performed to re-enact the assignation of Lang Dar Ma by a monk. The exact date of the festival changes every year with respect to the Tibetan calendar. During this festival, a fair takes place at the monastery’s base. This fair is the best place to buy souvenirs and socialize with people. What to Eat in Thiksey- The monastery offers dinner at 6:30 pm. You can join the monks to enjoy the simple dinner. You have to pick a bowl and stand in a queue to receive thukpa, a noodle soup with many vegetables. You can also get butter tea here. If you are dining in the monastery, you are requested to clean your dishes. From, Team Himalayan Destination (Your's Travel Guide Just Door Step Away) Call us - 7980464525 / 8697471273

I would recommend you to visit Ladakh during summer months (Jun/Jul being ideal).. in fact right now I'm on Ladakh trip.. it's already pretty chilly out here and with a kid you would require to be more cautious.. best route is from Manali side as it offers amazing views enroute and it's a beautiful drive no doubt.. although I'll suggest you to check the weather forecast and road conditions before planning as it is frequently marred by landslides..

Best to fly to Srinagar and go by a beautiful road to Leh via Kargil and Alchi. Return direct flight from Leh to delhi.

I think you mean to boarding is "Entry". It was INR 30 that we paid! It was the fee for a single day. If you want to stay there for a night or multiple nights then you have to contact thikshey monastery directly.

You can actually stay inside the Thiksay Monastery. I don't know about the process which needs to follow but Thiksay monastery is amongst those monasteries which allow visitors to stay for a limited time.