Places To See(LEH LADAKH)

There are few places left in the world like Leh(Ladakh). It lies in the Great Himalayan rain shadow, so receives no monsoon during the summer, but hefty snowfall throughout its long (November – Late May) winter. In summer it is a high, arid fortress surrounded by vast peaks and trisected by the swift, snow – laden Indus and Zanskar rivers.

The landscape resembles that of neighbouring Tibet (This area is sometimes called “ Little Libet”) , as does the appearance of the people, their religion – devoutly Buddhist – and the magnificent monasteries perched imperiously on granite crags and steep hillsides.

High and mighty though Ladakh is, it is easily approached either by flying directly to the capital Leh from Delhi (allow 3-4 days for acclimatization) or by road from Manali in Himachal Pradesh ( a 02 days trip).

Leh stands at 3,521m/ 11,552 ft. and the surrounding flat areas are on a par. It is warm in the sun but the temperature drops at night, even in midsummer.

Trekking in Ladakh is as unique as the land itself. Leh, the divisional headquarters, is accessible from Srinagar, Delhi and Chandigarh by air and bus. Ladakh is the land of insurmountable mountains and fascinating monasteries. It lies on the tri- junction of the historic ‘ Silk Route’ from Sinkiang to West Asia and to the plains of India. There are a number of interesting places and monasteries to visit in and around Leh. Some of the important places are: Leh Palace, the monasteries of Shey, Hemis, Alchi, Thikse and Lamayuru. Markha Valley trek over Gongmaru La and Gandha La is the most adventurous. Another trekking trail leads southwards from Alchi and after crossing Stapski La, turns around and reaches Nimu. Yet another trail towards north of Leh climbs over Khardung La and reaches the Nubra Valley.

Important Places in Ladakh