Leh City, Ladakh

Located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the northern part of India, Leh is a very popular tourist destination, lying at an altitude of 3524M from the sea level. Most of Leh’s landscape is dominated by huge and open barren mountains. It is a high desert city in the Himalayas that is reckoned for abundant natural beauty, mystic Buddhism and trekking areas.

Best time to visit Leh:

Leh has the climate of a cold desert. The best time to visit is around May-August when the days and mildly warm and the evenings are cool. Tourists are also known to travel there during September due to the famous Ladakh Festival.

Places to see in Leh:

Leh Palace

In the 17th century, King Sengge Namgyal constructed the Leh Palace. This magnificent palace, which dates back centuries, stands nine stories tall. The upper levels are reserved for members of the royal family, while the lower floors are used for stables and storage. The palace rooftops provide breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The palace looks over the town like a guard. Inside the palace, there are old wall murals depicting Buddha’s life.

Hemis Monastery

Hemis is located 45 kilometres south of Leh on the western bank of the Indus River. The Hemis Monastery is the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh. It was built in 1630. Hemis, in contrast to the other important monasteries in Ladakh, is stunning and intriguing. On all four corners of the monastery, colourful prayer flags flutter in the air, offering prayers to Lord Buddha.

Thiksey Monastery

Thiksey Gompa, also known as Thiksey Monastery, is a Tibetan monastery in the Thiksey Gompa style. It is situated on a hill in Thiksey, Ladakh, India, approximately 19 kilometres east of Leh. It is the largest gompa in central Ladakh and is modelled after Tibet’s Potala Palace in Lhasa.The monastery is home to the Maitreya statue, towering 49 feet tall and spanning across two stories of the edifice. The Thiksey monastery is a twelve-story structure filled with stupas, sculptures, thangkas, wall murals, and swords, among other Buddhist artefacts. The monastery is in the Himalayas at an elevation of 11,800 feet, and from the Gompa, one can enjoy a spectacular view of the Indus Valley.

Shey Monastery and Palace

15 kilometres from Leh town, lies the Shey monastery and palace. The monastery and Shey palace were constructed in the 16th century AD. The monastery has a nearly 10-meter-high copper statue of Lord Buddha in the Du-Khang. King Deledan Nagmyal built the Shey Palace, which has the biggest victory stupa in Leh, the top of which is made of pure gold. The royal family lived at the Shey Palace until 1834 AD, when they moved to the Stok Palace.

Shanti Stupa

Shanti Stupa is a Buddhist stupa with a white dome located on a mountaintop near Chanspa, Ladakh. It was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhists. The Shanti Stupa, which contains the Buddha’s relics at its base, is well-known not just for its religious importance, but also for its location, which provides breathtaking and outstanding views of the surrounding countryside.

Things to do:

Visit Pangong Lake

The Pangong Tso Lake lies at an altitude of 4350M and is a five-hour drive from central Leh. This lake is the most popular tourist spot in the whole region. The blue waters, the sheer mountainous backdrop, and the peaceful environment make the lake pristinely gorgeous.

Visit Tso Moriri

The Tso Moriri is another beautifulemerald lake that lies between Ladakh and Tibet. It is the largest high-altitude lake in India with an elevation of 4595M from sea level.  It is a 5-hour drive from Leh city and would require overnight camping there.

Visit Magnetic Hill

With an anti-gravitational effect, Magnetic Hill is a tourist as well as scientific attraction. Filled with signboards and warnings, this hill leaves people awestruck when their cars automatically defy gravity and start rolling uphill!

View Chham Dance

One of the best things to do in Leh is to see the Llamas performing a colourful local dance called the Chham. This is a part of the Ladakh Festival and takes place around the month of September.

Hunder Camel Safari

Another breathtaking event to experience is a thrilling ride on the Bactrian Camels at the dunes of Hunder. Leh, known as the mountain desert, has its perks and one can camel rides along the Shyok and Nubra rivers.

How to reach Leh?

Leh is convenient to be reached via road, or flights. It is around 418.7Km from Srinagar and 473.3Km from Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Closest Railway Station to Leh:

The closest railway station to Leh is the Jammu Tawi railway station around 712Km from Ladakh.

Closest Airport to Leh:

Leh’s Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to all the major cities of India and is very close to the central point of the town. There are daily flights available from here.