Overview

Traveler-friendly, enchanting & hassle-free mountain-framed destination – Leh, is dotted with stupas and mud-brick houses. The old city of Leh is overpowered by steep rocky ridges that have the impressive Tibetan styled palace. The local bazaar in town beneath is a hub of travel agents, restaurants and souvenir shops. Though visitors can suffer mild breathlessness and headaches, due to high altitude but it’s a matter of a day. Remember to drink plenty of ginger tea and avoid strenuous activity on initial days of the tour to prevent Acute Mountain Sickness. Visit places like Palace Ridge, Shanti Stupa; trekking or taking jeep excursions etc., only when you are altitude-acclimatized. The destination experiences good inflow o tourists during the Thiksay Gustor festivals. Places not to miss in Leh are Palace of the King of Ladakh, Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Soma Gompa, Karma Dupgyud Choeling, Shanti Stupa etc. Pangong Tso, a 4350 meters high altitude lake with deep blue water is worth the drive. Adventure lovers enjoy trekking, white water rafting, camping, the moon-land drive and drives from Leh to Nubra Valley.

How to visit:

By road: Leh can be reached from Srinagar or Manali by road which is 434 – 473 kms. J & K State Road Transport Corporation, J&K SRTC, runs regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh. There is night stay at Kargil. You can also hire cars, jeeps or taxis in Srinagar

Himachal Pradesh Tourism (HRTC) and J & K SRTC run daily Deluxe and Ordinary buses between Manali and Leh, that takes around hours (or two days) with night halt in camps at Serchu or Pang. You can also hire a Gypsy or jeep taxis too.

The best and pocket-friendly way of traveling within the region is by public buses, which have a fixed route and a fixed time schedule. They are comfortable and convenient. You can also hire a taxi by fixing a tariff. For visiting areas such as Nubra, Dah-Hanu, Tsomoriri, Tsokar and Pangong Lakes, it is necessary that you take the services of a registered travel agency who will make transport arrangements for you.

By air: Leh airport Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee (IXL) is well connected to Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar.

Fast Facts

Location - Ladakh, North India

Places of Interest - Hall of Fame, Nubra Valley, Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, Thiksey Monastery, Alchi Choskor Monastery, Confluence of the Indus and Zanskar Rivers, Monastero Likir, Sankar Gompa & Village, Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Shey Palace and Gompa, Hemis Gompa, Stok Palace & Museum.

Best time to visit - April to October

Language - Hindi, English, Kashmiri

Festivals - Hemis Festival, Thiksey Festival, Matho Nagrang, Losar, Ladakh Festival, Sindhu Darshan, Singhe Khabaab

Leh Location Map