Bound by the Karako ram in the north and the Great Himalayas in the south, Kadkh is a mountainous desert located at altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft, to 25,000 ft. Situated at the western edge of the Tibetan Plateau, the Ladakh landscape has been modified and sculpted into its spectacular shape by wind and water erosion over the millennia. Despite the rugged terrain and difficult climatic conditions, the people of Ladakh exhibit a natural joie de vivre and warm disposition. Their customs and lifestyle are a continuum from the past and the cultural traditions are vibrantly alive and colourful.

Land of Festivals

Ladakh is famous for the festivals held in the major Buddhist monasteries annually. The main features of these festival are the dance-d ram as enacted by Lamas donning colourful robes and fearsome masks representing various Buddhist deities. They perform mimes symbolizing key aspects of the religion and its history. The Hemis Festival held in June is the most famous event. Every 12 th year, a huge Thangka of Padmasambhava, founder of Tibetan Buddhism, is ritually exhibited during this festival.

There are cultural festivals too. Summer archery festivals are held in many villages as per local traditions. The 15-day Ladkh Festival (1-15 Sept) is a major event sponsored by the J&K Government to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Ladkh. The 3-day Sindhu Darshan Festival is sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, during June to showcase the historical and cultural importance of the Indus.

Sightseenig

Leh Town (3,505 m) has many historic monument to visit, starting with the 9-storey Len Palace built by King Singe Namgyal in the 17 th century. Above the palace are the ruins of the earliest royal residence and the Tsemo Gompa dating from 15 th century. Below in the bazaar, the main sites are the newly built Jo-Khang, and the 17 th century JamiaMosque. Leh Bazaar, by itself is a sightseeing attraction. Strolling along its lanes and by-lanes, observing the crowd and looking into the curio shops is an engaging experience. There is bargain shopping for semi-precious stones, jewellery, antiques and dazzling arrays of souvenirs. Many handcraft show rooms stock local handmade carpets, woolen shawls, dragon paintings, thangkas , lacquered tea-tables, all ideal as souvenirs.

Forts & Places

Outside the town, many monuments connected with the former kingdom’s history dot the Indus valley. These include the royal palace of Shey (15 km) with its temple housing a 3-storey high Buddha statue. Down river are the remains of the fort and temple of Bazgo (37 km) and across the river from Len is Stok Palace (17 km), present residence of the royal family, which also houses a museum of artifacts associated with the ruling dynasty.

Monasteries

Then there are the Buddhist monasteries (Gompa), treasure troves of images and artifacts, of which about a dozen are situated on or neat the Indus. Upstream of Leh are the monasteries of Thicksey (17 km), Stakna (25 km), Hemis (40 km), Chemrey (47 km), Takthok (50 km) and Matho (26 km), Hemis, the largest monastery of Ladakh, was established by King Singe Namgyal in the 17 th century. Takthok incorporates a cave which is associated with the journey of Padmasambhava to Tibet . Matho monastery is famous for the two oracles which make public appearance during the annual festival. Sown river from Leh are the monasteries of Spituk (7 km), Phyang (17 km), Likir (53 km), Alchi (69 km), Ridzong (73 km) and Lamayuru (125 km), lamayuru is the oldest monastic foundation; it was originally believed to be a holy site of the pre-Buddhist Bon religion. Culturally, however, Alchi is Ladakh’s most valuable heritage. Known as Chhos-kor (religious conclave), its five temples have exquisite murals dating from the 1th-12 th centuries.

Nubra Valley

North of Leh is the Nubra Valley (alt.3,000 m) nestling along the foothills of the Great Karako ram range. The road to Nuvra runs across Khardung-la (5,578m), the highest motorable road in the world. Prominent places to visit here include the capital town of Deskit (118 km) with its hilltop monastery and, just across the rolling sand dunes, Hundar (125 km) which has a small population of double-humped Bactrian camels, a legacy from the Central Asian trade caravans. North of Deskit, in the valley of the Nubra River , is Sumur (115 km) where the hillside monastery of Samstaling is the main attraction. Further up the valley is Panamik (140 km), famous for its hot springs , which is used as a traditional spa by throngs of local people for curing various ailments.

High Altitude Lakes

Pangong Lake (150 km/4,267m), is about 130 km long and 5-6 km wide, straddling across the border between India and China . The ochre hills of the Chang-chenmo range surrounding it from the north provide a spectacular backdrop to the blue and green expanse of its brackish waters.

Tsomo-riri (220km/4,572m), set in the desolate landscape of Rupshu, is famous as the breeding ground of the rare bar-headed geese, and home to a number of other rare bird species. The small village of Korzok , with its hilltop monastery, is the only habitation in the area, which is otherwise inhabited by the nomadic Chang-pa tribe.

Dah-Hanu

A group of pretty village nesting along the steep banks of the Indus, 163 km west of Leh, is home to an exclusive tribal community called Brokpa, who are believed to be descendants of a lost Aryan tribe. The Brokpa have preserved their features and fair complexion, besides their colourful dresses and spectacular headgears.

ADVENTURE TOURISM

Ladakh offers many challenging options for adventure tourism. Trekking is the most popular activity and is done during June through September. The 10-day Markha Valley trek is from Lamayuru to Darcha is the longest and involves crossing of the Zanskar and to Great Himalayan range. The most challenging trek, however, is the week-long winter walk between Leh and Zanskar of the Chaddar route which is formed by the freezing of the Zanskar River.

River Rafting options are aplenty in Ladkh. The stretch of the Indus between Karu ans Spituk offers half-day scenic floating amidst beautiful Landscapes and rural scenery. For white water expeditions, River Zanskar provides the ultimate challenge, comparable to the course of the Colarado Through the Grand Canyon. Mountaineering is yet another activity for which Ladkh is very popular. The most popular site is the Nun-Kun (7,135m) massif situated in the Suru Valley . The base camps are easily accessible by road from Kargil. In Leh area, the nearest site is the Stok Khangri massif (6,150m), which has 5 known peaks. Mountaineering expeditions are required to obtain proper clearance from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), New Delhi.