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Destination Guide
Leh Ladakh
4.6
5-7 Days
JulyOctober
15 Attractions
About Leh Ladakh
Ladakh is a union territory formerly in Jammu & Kashmir, extending from the Siachen Glacier to the Great Himalayas — the world's coldest desert. Stunning Gompas (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries), fluttering prayer flags, whitewashed stupas, intricate murals and red-robed monks define its landscape. Only in Ladakh can a man sitting in the sun with his feet in the shade suffer from sunstroke and frostbite simultaneously. With culture similar to Tibetan, the friendly people welcome tourists warmly. Ladakh is an adventure playground for rafting and high-altitude trekking. It is inaccessible by road from around October to May — the only way in is by air. The Chadar Trek on frozen Zanskar river happens January to February. Leh town is a great tourist attraction with beautiful monasteries, Shanti Stupa
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A Perfect Day
Our editors' pick for the ideal day in Leh Ladakh.
06:00 AM
Shanti Stupa Sunrise
Climb to the white-domed stupa for dawn views over the Indus Valley and Stok Kangri range.
10:00 AM
Thiksey & Hemis Monasteries
Visit the 'mini Potala' at Thiksey and Hemis — Ladakh's largest and richest monastery.
02:00 PM
Leh Palace & Old Town
Explore the 17th-century palace overlooking Leh and wander the old town bazaar for pashmina and turquoise.
05:00 PM
Sunset at Spituk
Watch the Indus Valley turn gold from the Spituk Gompa hilltop as prayer flags flutter in the wind.
The Collection
15 placesTop Attractions
4.4
·156 km from city centerPangong Lake
The most popular tourist attraction in Ladakh, Pangong lake is an endorheic (landlocked) lake situated at 4350 meters. Also known as Pangong Tso it is 12 kilometres long and extends from India to Tibet. Almost 60% of Pangong Lake lies in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. A unique feature of the lake is that it does not remain blue throughout the year
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4.3
·20 km from city centerKhardung La Pass
Khardung La, also known as Khardzong La, is one of the highest motorable roads in India at an elevation of 5602 metres. It serves as the gateway to Shyok and Nubra Valley. An inner line permit is required to visit. It remains closed from October to May.
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3.6
·71 km from city centerNubra Valley
Nubra Valley lies in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, at a distance of around 140 Km from Leh. With arid mountains in the backdrop, it is famous for the Bactrian camel rides, orchards and monasteries. Surrounded by snow-dusted Himalayan mountains, it can be reached via Khardung La.
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4.4
·23 km from city centerSangam
Sangam is the confluence of Indus and Zanskar Rivers in Ladakh. The two rivers can be separately seen meeting at this point. While the Indus River appears as shiny blue, Zanskar River appears muddy green.
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4.3
·2 km from city centerShanti Stupa
The Shanti Stupa is a white-domed Buddhist monument. It is a religious place for Buddhists as it holds the relics of Buddha, consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama. It looks exceptionally beautiful during the full moon night.
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4.3
·155 km from city centerTso Moriri Lake
Tso Moriri is the largest high altitude lakes in India, at an altitude of 4,595m. It is a twin to Pangong Lake. It is accessible only during the summer months and an inner line permit is required for visiting.
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4.3
·21 km from city centerMagnetic Hill
The popular Magnetic Hill of Ladakh is a cyclops hill where vehicles seem to move upwards on the hill instead of rolling downwards. It is located 30km from Leh towards Kargil.
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3.3
·4 km from city centerHall Of Fame Museum
Located at approximately 4 km from the main city, this glorified museum was built in memory of the brave soldiers who lost their lives fighting for India at the Indo-Pakistan war.
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·13 km from city centerThiksey Monastery
Thiksey Monastery is a Tibetan-style monastery located 20km south of Leh. The main highlight is the Maitreya Temple which houses a 15-metre high Maitreya Buddha statue. It is the largest such statue in Ladakh.
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4
·100 km from city centerZanskar Valley
Located in the Kargil district to the east of Ladakh (around 105 km) lies the bewitching Zanskar Valley. The semi-desert region is flanked by snow-capped mountains and sparkling clean rivers along with distinct flora and fauna. The easiest way of reaching Zanskar is from Kargil through Suru Valley.
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·10 km from city centerShey Monastery and Palace
Shey Monastery or the Shey Palace is an ancient monastery. It once served as the summer capital of Ladakh but is mostly in ruins now. Located on top of a hillock, it offers stunning panoramic views. The highlight of the monastery is 39ft tall Shakyamuni Buddha statue. A special permission needs to be taken to visit the monastery.
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3.6
·9 km from city centerStok Palace
Located around 15km from Leh, the Stok Palace is the summer home to the royal family of Ladakh and descendants of King Sengge Namgyal. It was established in 1820 by King Tsepal Namgyal and was opened to the public in 1980 by the Dalai Lama. The Stok Palace has been converted into a heritage hotel and houses the Stok Palace Museum and Temple.
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3.5
·29 km from city centerHemis Monastery
Hemis is a Buddhist monastery ranked as one of the wealthiest monasteries in India. It is most visited during the annual Hemis Festival, held every year in early June. The monastery is well-connected with motorable roads.
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4.2
·23 km from city centerWhite water rafting
Rafting expedition is done on Zanskar River, called the Grand Canyon of India, with high cliff like gorges at certain places. The Zanskar Rafting expedition is one of The best river trips in The world.
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4.1
·22 km from city centerPathar Sahib Gurudwara
Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is a beautiful gurudwara, dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev. It is highly revered as it houses a rock which resembles Guru Nanak's back. It is built at the site where he is believed to have vanquished a demon.
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Rating
4.6/ 5.0
Best TimeJulyOctober
Duration5-7 Days
Attractions15
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