A land of icy winds and blazing sunlight, a cold desert shaded by the rain of the mighty Great Himalayas – welcome to Ladakh. Little Tibet ‘or’ the land of the moon ‘or’ the last Shangri La ‘are all names that have been given to the cold, dry and hard land of Ladhak. Light rain and snow reach this dry area, where nature has created an unlikely landscape. Ladakh is bounded by two of the most impressive mountain ranges in the world, the Great Himalayas and the Karokaram. Surrounded by rugged mountains, this land is completely different from the green landscape of many parts of the Himalayas.

Ladakh, which is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India, is made up of two administrative districts: Leh and Kargil. Covering a total area of ​​approximately 59,000 square kilometers and ethologically and geologically allied with the Tibet region of China, the area has a predominantly Lamaist Buddhist population as it was nominally a dependency of Tibet. After 1531 it was periodically invaded by Muslims from Kashmir; it was annexed to Kashmir in the mid-19th century. With a population of 10,000, mainly Buddhists, some Argoos (Muslim descendants of Yarkandi merchants), and a small Christian community, Ladakh bears the hallmark of its mixed heritage.

The Tourist Destination

The Ladakh Festival is a regular tourist event on the tourist calendar. Along with the Ladakh festival, adventure tourism ranks highly in Ladakh. A whitewater river rafting expedition along the 26 kilometer stretch from Fhey to Nimo along the mighty Indus River is the highest point in the world where rafting is possible. The high altitude and mountains make it an ideal place for paragliding, mountaineering, trekking and even skiing. Ladakhis are polo enthusiasts and archery competitions are frequently organized at the village level, which attracts all aspiring shooters. Polo, played with great taste reminiscent of Mongolian horsemen, this robust game is a far cry from the watered down version seen on today’s polo circuits.

The valleys of Drass, Kargil, Zanskar, Padum, Sanku, Nubra, etc. They are beautiful places and must be visited when in Ladakh. The quiet pastoral countryside of Nubra, which has recently been opened to tourism, is located on the Indo-Pak border. In Nubra you can see the coexistence of water, mountains and desert, a rare and exciting sight.

Leh the roof

In the midst of majestic and beautiful mountains, lies Leh, the capital of Ladakh, the roof of the world. It is located in the valley of the Indus River, at a junction of the ancient trade routes of Kashgar, Tibet and Kashmir, situated on the banks of the Indus, at an elevation of 11,000 feet. It is an impressive and magnificent region, watered by the Zanskar River, which empties into the Indus River just below and surrounded by snow-capped peaks.

Leh is a truly beautiful environment with many attractions and beautiful surroundings. It is the center of Tibeto-Buddhist culture for centuries. Its colorful gompas have attracted Buddhist devotees from around the world. Plus, it’s also a favorite hiking spot, known for some of the best hiking in the country.

A miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa, the Leh Palace is one of Ladakh’s top attractions. The nine-story palace was built by the illustrious 17th-century Ladakh ruler, Sengge Namgyal. It is an imposing structure, now in ruins; It is located on a hill and overlooks a great view of the city of Leh. Inside the palace there are Buddhist wall paintings, centuries old tankas’ or painted scrolls and other artifacts. Above the palace, on top of Namgyal Hill, is the Victory Tower, built to commemorate Ladakh’s victory over the Balti Kashmir armies in the early 16th century. This palace built for King Singge Namgyal, now houses the Ladakhi branch of the archaeological conservation organization of the Indian government. Namgyal Tsemo, the peak that dominates the city, is the ruins of the fortress built by King Tashi Namgyal in the 16th century, as a royal residence.

The mosque, the city palace, the bazaar and the gompas are within walking distance. A memorable sight of the Leh bazaar is the group of traditionally dressed women selling fruits, vegetables and household items, spinning and weaving, and exchanging soft jokes with each other and with passersby.

The Shey, Spituk and Phyang monasteries are quite close, while the Stok, Matho, Thiksey, Stakna, Chernrey, Hemis, Likir, Basgo and Alchi monasteries are within a day’s drive. Rumbak and Markha offer exciting hikes, while Stok Kangri is the best for climbing. It is also possible to go boating and jogging on the river in the Indus.

Traveling to Ladakh

Air

Leh, the main city of Ladakh has now become the gateway to the world, you can fly to Leh from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Srinagar, as well as from abroad throughout the year.

Road

There are two land roads to Ladakh. The main land access to Ladakh is from the Kashmir Valley through the 434 km. Srinagar-Leh Highway, which remains open to traffic from the beginning of June to November. J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J & KSRTC) operates regular luxury and ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight stop at Kargil.Taxis. There are also cars and jeeps available in Srinagar for the trip. Groups can rent luxury and class A buses to Leh, Kargil or Padum (Zanskar) from the J&K SRTC in Srinagar.

The Manali-Leh roads are the second land access to Ladakh, open to traffic from mid-June to early October, this main road runs through the desert plateaus of Rupsho. Several high passes fall on the route, among which the highest, known as Taglang-la, is the second highest Himachal Pradesh for motorized vehicles in the world. HP SRTC and J&K SRTC operate luxury and ordinary bus services between Manali and Leh. The bus ride between Leh and Manali takes about 19 hours or two days with an overnight stop at Serchu and Pang camps. Gypsy and jeep taxis are also available, both in Manali and Leh.

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