Location : In the extreme northern state of
India, Jammu & Kashmir.
Tourist Attractions : Zanskar Valley, Hemis
Monastery, The Thikse Monastery, Alchi, Dah-Hanu, Hemis Wildlife
Sanctuary, Nubra valleys.
Best Buys : Tibetan handicraft items.
Best Activities : Trekking, Mountaineering,
river rafting, archery, polo.
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Leh, Manali,
Srinagar, Pahalgam.
When to Visit : May to October
About Ladakh
Ladakh is a land like no other. Popularly known as the Lama Land
or little Tibet, Ladakh Bounded by two of the world's mightiest
mountain ranges, the Great Himalayas and the Karakoram, Ladakh
lies sideways to Ladakh range and the Zanskar range. Ladakh lies
at altitudes ranging between about 9,000 feet (2,750m) at Kargil
& 25,170 feet (7,672m) at Saser Kangri in the Karakoram. Thus
summer temperatures rarely exceed about 270 C in the shade,
while in winter they may plummet to -200 C even in Leh.
Surprisingly, though, the thin air makes the heat of the sun
even more intense than at lower altitudes; it is said that only
in Ladakh can a man sitting in the sun with his feet in the
shade suffer from sunstroke and frostbite at the same time!
Major Tourist Attractions in Ladakh
The Hemis Monastery
The Hemis monastery is the largest monastery in Ladakh. At any
given time, there are at least a 150 lamas living in it. Hemis
is especially renowned for a huge painting of the Buddha, which
is displayed to the poublic once in 11 years.
The Thikse Monastery
The Thikse monastery, near Leh, is considered to be an
architectural wonder. The Shey monastery has a huge gold-plated
copper statue of the Buddha. Alchi, Likir and Lamayuru are
amongst the oldest gompas of Ladakh. Alchi was built 1,000 years
back and Likir dates as far back as the 11th century.
Sankar Gompa
Sankar Gompa, 3-km north of the town centre, is among the most
accessible monasteries in central Ladakh - hence its restricted
visiting hours for tourists
Alchi
Driving past on the nearby Srinagar-Leh highway, you'd never
guess that this is one of the most significant historical sites
in Asia.
Dah-Hanu
Dah and Hanu are places on the far side of the great Indus River
on the far side of Leh. Surrounded by the great Hindu - Kush
mountains and peopled by a hardy but gentle people who have a
bank of strange legends to relate for the weary traveller's
ears.
Hemis Wildlife Sanctuary
The Hemis High Altitude National Park includes the catchments of
two valleys, which drain into the River Indus. It is named after
the famous monastery -- Hemis, and sprawls over 600-sq-km in the
Markha And Rumbak valleys.
Nubra valleys
The
Nubra Valley, once on the trading route that connected eastern
Tibet with Turkistan via the famous Karakoram Pass, is the most
recently opened area of Ladakh. Nubra invites you to a trip back
in time into a nearly forgotten 'Shangri La'. With breathtaking
views and delightfully hospitable inhabitants, it is quite an
experience.
Lakes in Ladakh
The Tso Morari Lake is one of the largest lakes in Ladakh region
and is almost like an inland sea. At an altitude of almost 4,500
meters, the Pangong Tso is only 8-km wide at its broadest but is
an amazing 134-km long. Kyaghr lake is the halting place for
trekkers moving from the Kiangdum camping ground to the
Tsomorari Lake.
Getting There
Air : From June to September, 3 to 5 flights Delhi-Leh.
Reservation should be made well in advance. It is a most
beautiful flight above the Himalayas.
Road : The Manali-Leh road is open in summer. A long but
magnificent (2 days) one. Buses run on this road.
Accommodation
Ladakh offers a variety of accommodation to suit almost every
pocket or preference. Most hotels are family-run establishments.
Hotels are classified into A, B, C and Economy categories while
Guest Houses fall under Upper, Medium and Economy class.
The Guest House is a less formal facility offering rooms in a
part of a residential house or its annex, where the guests can
share the family kitchen for meals. As a part from the low
tariff offered for accommodation ranging from very good to
merely basic, the Guest House system also provides an
opportunity for the tourists to see and experience Ladakhi life
from the inside.
