Beginner’s Travel Guide to LadakhBeginner’s Travel Guide to Ladakh
Ladakh has always been a very popular destination among travelers all over the world. Offering a breathtaking view, Ladakh is beautiful with its barren landscape, grey mountains, blue skies, sparkling waters, vibrant Tibetan traditions, festivals, and ancient monasteries.
Ladakh is beautiful throughout the year, and you can visit Ladakh in any season. Situated in the northernmost part of the Indian subcontinent, the former Tibetan kingdom now borders Pakistan and is home to a predominantly Buddhist population. The Buddhist culture and monasteries are also places of interest besides the natural wonders.
How to reach Ladakh?
Here you’ll find some ways that will help you travel to Ladakh and immerse yourself in nature’s beauty. Keep reading to book tickets at the earliest!
By Air
There are several ways to reach Ladakh, so commuting is not stressful. You can travel to Ladakh by air, as there is Kushak Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, the capital city of Ladakh. So, you can book tickets from your nearest available airport and fly to the snow-capped mountains!
By Road
If you are traveling by road, there are two highways that let you enter Ladakh—the Manali-Leh Highway and the Srinagar-Leh Highway.
If you are someone who is riding to Ladakh by bike, you should keep a proper note of these highways and keep downloaded or offline maps and points of petrol pumps handy. If you do not own a bike, you have the option of renting bikes from Manali and Srinagar.
There are several Ladakh tour packages offered by travel companies for the Leh-Ladakh tours. You can either avail yourself of them, or you can simply plan a trip by yourself according to your choices.
The ideal choice would be to travel to Manali or Srinagar via air and then take either of the highways to reach Ladakh and vice versa while returning, as both highways offer some mesmerizing views you wouldn’t want to miss.
Seasons of Ladakh
The rough mountainous terrain set different yet beautiful scenes all throughout the year. So, you have to choose which scene you like the best to fix a schedule for your trip to Ladakh.
Winter in Ladakh
Winters in Ladakh are extremely harsh. The entire zone remains covered with snow most of the time. The temperature falls rapidly. From November to February, the average temperature of Ladakh ranges between –25 and –10 degrees Celsius.
It is not advised to visit Ladakh in the winter season. Dras, a region near Leh, is considered the second coldest inhabited region in the world. Here, the temperature drops to 60 degrees at times. Though very picturesque, most routes to Ladakh remain blocked with snow. So, traveling to Ladakh in winter can be challenging.
Summer in Ladakh
Ladakh is very pleasant during the months of April to July. The temperature swings between 0 and 10 degrees at night. During the daytime, it ranges between 10 and 20 degrees, making the weather conditions of Ladakh pleasant and accessible.
Tourists flock to Ladakh in thousands during this time. Even the high-altitude regions are not harsh upon the human body. So, traveling in and around Ladakh during this time is rather rather feasible.
Monsoons in Ladakh
Owing to its coarse terrain, the region doesn’t receive abundant rainfall. This allows tourists to visit Ladakh from June to August. Often, it is the most preferred time to visit Ladakh. The sky looks bluer than the Pacific and it’s a delight to traverse the routes of Ladakh, during this time.
Autumn, however, remains the best time to visit Ladakh. While it only lasts for two months (September and October, it’s completely worth the money. People visit during September and October in hopes of snowfall, which often comes true!
Sightseeing in Ladakh: A Guide
The Ladakh region is filled with nooks and corners straight out of fairytales. However, there’s more to do in Ladakh than gaze at the clear skies, waters, and mountains. So, let’s find out what your Ladakh itinerary could look like.
1. Leh Palace
It’s the remaining evidence of the Royal family that ruled the area with Leh as its capital. Leh gained the status of the Royal capital in the 17th Century.
The family that ruled the entire Western Tibet resided there. You can visit the palace while going to the popular Leh market. It’s a beautiful nine-story building filled with royal artifacts.
2. Leh Market
The Leh Market is a place which is the life of the city. You would get restaurants with local foods, local goodies, and handicrafts, which you could get as a souvenir of the place. Feast on some local delicacies once you’re done shopping! The place is famous for its cafes and restaurants.
3. Nubra Valley
The very popular cold desert of Asia is a must-visit if you are visiting Ladakh. It stretches from the Karakoram range in Pakistan to the border of Tibet.
It is home to the two-humped Bactrian camel. On which you can enjoy a spectacular ride. You can reach the valley by crossing the Khardung La pass, a tri-shaped valley cut by the rivers Nubra and Shyok.
4. Khardungla Pass
The most famous of Ladakh’s passes, the Khardungla Pass, is an unforgettable experience. Don’t forget to add it to your list. Khardungla Pass in Ladakh is situated just 10 km away from Leh.
It was once the highest road to exist. So, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ladakh. The views are heavenly from the Khardungla Pass, don’t forget to carry your camera!
5. Central Asian Museum
Situated close to the Main Bazaar Road, the Central Asian Museum is a treasure that everyone must check out. It consists of archaic maps of the Silk Route and other historical reaches.
Once you reach the top of the building, you will get a view of the beautiful Leh Palace.
6. Turtuk Village
This small green hamlet among the barren mountains is India’s last village. It is also the border of Pakistan.
Spending a night there, you can hike amongst nature to the Mountain K2 viewpoint. Here you will get a magnificent view of the majestic K2, the second-highest peak on Earth.
7. Pangong Lake
The Pangong Tso of Ladakh is one of the highest-situated lakes in the world. It is located at a height of 4250m.
The sapphire blue waters and changing colors of the lake throughout the day, with the rays reflecting off it, are one of the greatest tourist attractions in the world. Situated around 150 km east of Leh town, this lake is considered sacred by Buddhists.
Spending a night in tents in Pangong is also an interesting part of the Ladakh trip. The next day you can travel to Tso Moriri or Nubra Valley from Pangong.
8. Shanti Stupa
Built in 1991, the Shanti stupa is one of the most popular destinations in the town of Leh. Though it is nowhere near the ancient monasteries of Ladakh, it is quite a popular destination in the city.
People flock every day. It can be reached by walking from the staircase situated at the end of the Changspa road or you can take a drive from the city.
Permits for Sightseeing
Ladakh is a politically sensitive region, as it serves as a border zone. Thus, you need to get permits to visit some of the sights in Ladakh, which remain under supervision.
Places that need permits are:
- Pangong Lake
- Nubra Valley
- Turtuk
- Tso Moriri.
This permit is called the Inner Line Permit for Indian nationals. All the formalities for the permit can be taken care of at the permit office in Leh. Also, you need to keep your ID handy in case there arises a need for it. The entire package costs around 400 INR.
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Before You Go
Because of its critical location, Ladakh receives tourists as well as threats. Tourists often encounter uncomfortable situations. The best way to get around this is to keep note of the local news around the time you’re traveling.
Once you’re there, Ladakh is safe for tourists and never a rough experience. The people are very hospitable and the crime rates here are scarce.
In this blog, we have listed an itinerary of places to visit in Ladakh and how to get there. However, if you want to join our group traveling to Ladakh, get a call with us now!
