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.
