Photo Credit - Ayanjit Nandy
There are few destinations in India which are traveller friendly and yet so captivating and hassle-free as mountain-framed Leh Ladakh. Dotted with stupas, the Old Town is dominated by a dagger of a steep rocky hill covered by an imposing Tibetan-style palace and fort.
However, the active marketplace area is draped in a thick exterior of tour agencies, souvenir shops and tandoori-pizza restaurants.
Also, a web of lanes quickly fans out into a green district patchwork of irrigated barley fields.
Here, gushing streams and narrow footpaths link traditionally styled Ladakhi garden homes that double as adorable and economical guesthouses. Leh’s a place that’s all too easy to fall in love with – but take things very easy on arrival as the altitude requires a few days’ acclimatizations before any sort of adventure activities.
Places to visit in Leh Ladakh
Leh Ladakh is an easy place to get comfortable in. One can find a room with views of ripening fields of barley fringed by downy poplar trees. Also,sip beer in garden restaurants with food from around the world. Marvellous crystal-clear air and the dazzling light, the imposing palace and the hills crowned with several Buddhist shrines.Nubra Valley.Nubra Valley
1 . Nubra valley -The valley lies about 150 km north of Leh where the rivers, Shyok and Siachen, meet form a large valley.
This valley separates the Ladakh from the Karakoram Ranges and the famous Siachen Glacier lies to the north of the valley.
The Sasser Pass and the famous Karakoram Pass of the ‘Silk Route’ fame which connects Nubra with Xinjiang. Panamik village is the last settlement in the northern end of in Nubra valley is open to tourists. Above all, Nubra valley has a lot to offer and is as a must do for everyone who travels to Leh It has been identified as a tourist circuit by the local administration of Leh district. `
2. Chang La (La means Pass)- Leh Ladakh is famous for its high altitude mountain passes as some of the highest motorable roads are located in the Ladakh region. Chang La Pass is the second highest motorable mountain pass in the world, situated at a height of 17,585 feet above sea level, is named after the Sadhu Changla Baba. The Pass temple was built after him only. This place is famous for its picturesque and tranquil natural beauty which draws tourists from all around the world. The nearest village to this place is the little hamlet of Tangste. It is the main gateway for the Changthang plateau situated in the Himalayas.
3.Khardung La (La means Pass) -This is a mountain pass located in the Ladakh region of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. In other words, referred as the ‘Pass of Lower Castle’, Khardung La pass is a classic getaway for adventure buffs, peace seekers and mountain biking aficionados.
4. Zanskar Valley – Situated in a remote corner of Ladakh, the valley is one of the most enchanting places to visit in Leh Ladakh. Located in the eastern corner of Jammu and Kashmir and is separated from Ladakh by the Zanskar Mountain Range. However, The Valley known for its wide views and beautiful landscapes, and most travelled to for its adventure sports activities.
5. Pangong Lake -The sparkling blue high grassland lake, also referred to as Pangong Lake. In addition, It is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 14,270 ft. It is 134 km long and extends from India to China.
Approximately 60% of the length of the lake lies in China. Owing to its height, Pangong lake temperature ranges from -5°C to 10°C as a result of which it freezes completely during winters in spite of its salinity. The lake has been a tourist fascination for a very long time and has gained further popularity after being a ‘hot-spot’ for many film shoots, apart from being essential for anyone travelling to Leh Ladakh. A unique feature of the lake is that it does not remain blue throughout the year, it changes colours from azure to light blue to greenish and grey too! The serenity and tranquillity of Pangong Lake are the tourist’s paradise.
6. Leh Palace – The old town located in the shadow of a hill on which are located the Lehchen Pelkhar, or Leh Palace, and above the palace, the Namgyal Tsemo Gompa. The huge, nine-story gorgeous palace, an imitation of the great Potala in Lhasa and was built by Sengye Namgyal. We recommend everyone to get a guide, without whom this palace can be a labyrinthine (bhool-bhulaya) maze.
7. Main Bazaar – The main bazaar is a great place to soak in the culture of Leh Ladakh. Once thick with caravans from Central Asia, here women in headscarves and maroon gongchas sell massive tubers on the pavements outside the shops. One can see a couple of Buddhists crowd selling prayer spinning wheel, as well as bearded Muslims, sells exquisite, addictive dried apricots, blonde sultanas, tangy dried tomatoes, cashews and many more.
8. Alchi -A small village situated on low land, is about 70 km to the west of Leh district and is located on the banks of the River Indus. The village is very lush and it is all green with apricot trees on both side of the road. This village famous for the oldest monasteries in Ladakh known as Alchi Monastery, which is Ladakh’s most valuable heritage. This monastery built, by the great translator Guru Rinchen Zangpo between 958AD and 1055AD. Few local says it has been built during the 11th century and the architecture of the place is also excellent. In this monastery Buddhists worship and study which managed by the monks of Likir.
How to reach Leh Ladakh?
Air: The easiest way to travel to Ladakh is by air. Leh’s Kushok Bakula Airport is connected to Delhi, Srinagar and Jammu. The terminal is a military terminal and thus, the security is a bit strangling. It is important to have all your documents ready when you enter Ladakh via the airport. It is better to have a hard copy of your e-ticket. Above all, we advise everyone when you travel to Leh from the National Capital, request for a window seat (F side window) for one of the most awe-inspiring sights you will ever see from an aircraft window.
Road – There are government and private buses from Srinagar and Manali. If you are choosing Srinagar, you will pass through Zoji La Pass to reach Ladakh and you will scale Rohtang Pass to reach Ladakh from Manali. The Srinagar path is open from June to October for bus entries. The Manali route is open for bus routes from June to September. If you were planning to hire a bus from New Delhi, it would take a minimum of 4 days to reach Ladakh
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