Ladakh also known as the ‘Land of High Passes’ is an arid yet elegant region located in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh is one of the best destinations in India and has made its position on everyone’s bucket list. The indescribable beauty and tranquility of Ladakh is incomparable. The most interesting fact about this destination is that it attracts every kind of audience, starting from motorcycle riders to religious devotees. Leh-Ladakh emphasizes most of the world’s highest motorable passes with the dramatic beauty of snow-capped peaks and mind-blowing geography. It also offers you a serene view of a beautiful valley of mountains and a starlit sky at night.
It’s located at an altitude of 8,370 ft from sea level, giving the Himalayan range a beautiful blend of green and white. Since the altitude is so elevated, Ladakh experiences long winters. With vast extents of white sand, the ruggedness of the Himalayas can be witnessed in addition to the incomparable calm vibe of the lakes that you will find at Leh Ladakh. The best season to visit Leh Ladakh is in the month of April-May. Travellers also visit in the month of June-August to avoid the excess tourist crowd.
There are a lot of places you would love to visit in Leh Ladakh, let’s see what Leh Ladakh offers:
Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley is popularly known for its white-sand deserts and double-humped Bactrian camels. The village of Hundar is situated like an oasis amongst the cold desert of the Nubra Valley giving direction to a greener region of Ladakh because of its lower altitude. On the Shyok River, the main village, Diskit, is home to the quaint Diskit Monastery. Exploring Ladakh is unsatisfactory without a visit to this monastery.
A traditional festival known as Dosmoche or the “Festival of the Scapegoat” is held in the confines of the monastery in February. Which is largely attended by folk from villages of the Nubra Valley. Since the visitors from the other parts of the region find difficulties to get access in the heavy snowfall during that period. Not just the spectacular hills of the Karakoram range. But also the intersection of the Shyok and Siachen rivers is what makes Nubra valley a marvelous voyage.
Kargil
For the general public, Kargil is recognized as the battlefield of the Kargil War which was fought in 1999 when Pakistani soldiers, disguised as Kashmiri military insurgents, entered the area in and around Kargil. Presently Kargil is a peaceful and enormously beautiful city, which serves as a famous spot for tourists continually and yearly. Kargil has also been honored with great potential for Adventure Tourism and winter sports such as mountaineering, skiing, river rafting and much more as it is the seat of world-famous Nun-Kun peaks.
Zanskar Valley
The Zanskar Valley is one of the remotest places in India, but at the same time, it is the best place to visit in Ladakh as well. Zanskar is not only popular for its natural beauty. But also offers numerous activities including water rafting, trekking, and paragliding, which attract tourists extensively. Also, historical monasteries like the Sani Monastery, Lingshed Monastery, Stongdey Monastery, Phuktal Monastery and many more, make it one of the favoured places for monastery devotees. The best time to visit Zanskar is from June to September, as the valley remains heavily covered in snow.
Alchi
Alchi is a small and lovely village, located 65 km from Leh. It is linked to Leh with a clear road network, welcomes you with apple and apricot trees. It offers an abundance of spiritual bliss by inhabiting monasteries and temples. Du-Khang is the main assembly hall that forms a part of the Alchi Monastery’s spiritual premises. This is the oldest structure existing in the shrine. This is used as the venue for performing religious ceremonies and rituals, founded by Kal-dan Shes-rab around the 11th century AD. Also if you haven’t tried authentic Ladakhi food, then Alchi is your only destination. The best time to visit Alchi is between May to September.
Hemis
Hemis is a townlet in Leh Ladakh which is located in the Kharu tehsil, 40 km southeast of Leh town. It is famous for Hemis Monastery as it is the largest Tibetan monastery in the Ladakh region. This is one of the most visited monasteries by travelers. Also, the National Park is considered to be the capital of the Snow Leopard of India.
Aside from inhabiting the famed snow leopard, it is also the only national park. That’s what makes this national park exceptional. Another attraction of Hemis is Gotsang Gompa, which has two main temple buildings. It is reachable via a hiking trail from Hemis Gompa.
These are the main destinations you must visit when you think of planning the Leh Ladakh Tour.
