At a glance Ladakh lies at altitudes ranging from about 9,000 ft (2,750 m) at Kargil to 25,170 ft (7,672m) at Saser Kangri, in the Karakoram Range.
About the city Religious Places Monasteries Ladakh is dotted with plenty of monasteries. Lamayuru is the oldest monastery, where the pre-Buddhist religion known as Bon was practiced. The Namgyal kings founded the monasteries of Phiyang, Hemis and Chemrey. The most interesting is Phiyang, built as an act of repentance by the 16th century King Tashi Namgyal for the bloodshed he caused in order to ascend the throne. Hemis and Hanle were commissioned by King Singge Namgyal, while his widow founded Chemrey in her husband's memory. An interesting visit is to Tak-thok, situated at the foot of the Chang-la Pass, where the Indian Buddhist apostle Padmasambhava is said to have rested and meditated on his journey to Tibet. The brightest star in this galaxy of monasteries is Alchi. It was once a busy and revered place of worship; today it is being carefully preserved by the monks of Likir, the nearest functioning monastery. When you visit Chos-kor, or the religious enclave, you will get to see five temples, with intricate and rich paintings dating back to the 11/12th centuries. Some of them bear strong resemblance to the paintings of the Ajanta Caves. Festivals The monasteries have their own annual festivals, celebrated together by the locals and the monks. The highlight of these festivals is the mask dance and mime, both accompanied by clanging of huge drums and cymbals. The most popular monastic festival is that of Hemis (June/ July), dedicated to Padmasambhava. Every 12 years, the monastery's greatest treasure, a huge thangka (painting) of Padmasambhava done in bright hues and encrusted with pearl is ritually exhibited. Other monasteries which have summer festivals are Lamayuru (early July), Phyang (July/August) and, Tak-thok (August). August/September sees the Festival of Ladakh when dance and archery competitions are held. The Sindhu Darshan Festival is organised by the State in June to honour the soldiers guarding our borders.
How to reach Road: There are two land routes to Ladakh: from Srinagar and from Manali. The J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) operates deluxe and regular buses between Srinagar and Leh, with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis are also available at Srinagar and Leh for the journey. Rail: There is no rail head in Ladakh. Passengers will have to get off at Kalka station (Shimla), proceed to Manali via bus and then reach Leh by taking a taxi/bus from Manali. Air: There are regular flights to Leh from Delhi and Srinagar, and less frequently from Chandigarh and Jammu. However, as the weather is unpredictable, a two-three hour hold-up is normal, especially on the early morning departures. Opt for a window seat as there is a visual fiesta awaiting you. Getting Around: Public buses are the cheapest mode of travel. They are operated on various routes and stick to their time schedules. The most comfortable way to get around, however, is by taxi. Though expensive, cabs take you around on the basis of fixed point-to-point tariff. The newly opened areas of Nubra, Changthang and Dah-Hanu can be visited only through registered /recognised travel agencies
Distances 18 km from Thiksay Monastery 47 km from Hemis Monastery 217 km from Tso Moriri 143 km from Pangong Tso
Best Seasons Ladakh has a cold and dry climate. The winters are long and bitter, the mercury plunging to even -20 C. Summer that lasts from June-November is the ideal time to visit Leh. The temperatures in these months are between 8 C C and 25 degrees Celsius.
Places in and around Visit Stok Palace where the deposed royal family now lives. Get acquainted with the Drok-pa community and their unusual style of living. Browse through the Tibetan refugee market. You are bound to come away with plenty of goodies to take home. Indulge in one luxury item: the famous Tibetan turquoise or the incredibly soft Pashmina. However, its illegal to buy Pashmina products. If you are visiting in summer, attend the archery festival and make merry Ladakhi style. Adventure The mountains and the rivers offer plenty of opportunities for river rafting, mountaineering and trekking. Be warned that all these sports are to be done under professional guidance. River Rafting Indus and its tributaries offer challenging rafting opportunities. The stretch between Spituk and Nimu or Saspol rates 2 to 3 in the international river grading scale and is good for first-timers. Upstream is the Karu, which is ideal for basic training. But the real challenge is negotiating the unruly Zanskar River. It is the most difficult and requires expedition-like arrangements. For details,contact Director TourismLeh-(Ladakh) 194101Tel: 01982-252297, 252095 Mountain Climbing The most popular and the easiest is the Nun-Kun in the Himalayas. Other options are the Stok-Khangri south of Leh or the Karakoram Range north of Leh, which requires subject permission from the Government of India. The climbing season extends from mid-May to mid-October. However, the ideal period is June to September when the monsoons do not dominate the Himalayas. Non-Indians need to get permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation for climbing all listed peaks. It takes a minimum of six months for processing and granting of permission.