Ladakh is a place located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. It extends from the mountain range of Kunlun to the Great mountain of Himalayas. People of Tibetan and Indo-Aryan descent reside there. Its culture resembles that of Tibet. It is a very sparsely populated region. This place is famous for its culture and mountain beauty. Ladakhis are mostly Shia Muslims and Tibetans Buddhists. Due to cultural differences with Kashmir and being treated unfairly by Kashmir, some activists in Ladakh have protested to make Ladakh a union territory. Leh is the largest town of Ladakh. The official language of Leh is Urdu. Some of the other spoken languages are Ladakhi, Hindi, and English. It is situated at an altitude of 3,524 meters. A flood came in Leh in 2010 due to cloudburst.
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How to reach:
Nearest Railway Station: Jammu Tawi Railway Station
The distance from Jammu Tawi Railway Station to Ladakh is 712 km for which it will take 36 hours approx by road.
Nearest Airport: Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh
The distance from Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport to Leh is 2.4 km which will take about 10 minutes by car.
Nearest Bus Stand: Kargil Bus Stand
The distance from Kargil to Leh is 217 km for which it will take 4 hours 53 minutes approx by car.
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Significance:
1. Shanti Stupa: Shanti Stupa is located in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh. It is a Buddhist white-domed stupa. It was built by a Japanese Bhikshu, Gyomyo Nakamura and Peace Pogada mission in 1991. Nichidatsu Fujji stated the original idea of Shanti Stupa in 1914. Enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, this place holds the antiquity of the Buddha at its base. Shanti Stupa provides a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding atmosphere. It is a famous tourist attraction and holds religious significance. This place has been built as a two-level structure. It symbolizes the tie between the people of Ladakh and Japan. It was built to celebrate 2500 years of Buddhism and to promote prosperity and world peace.
2. Lamayuru Monastery: Also known as Yuru Monastery, Lamayuru Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. It is located on the Srinagar-Leh Highway at a height of 3,510 meters. The name of this monastery means sauwastika and symbolizes ‘Bon’ for eternity. The most popular school of Bon is Yungdrung. It is one of the largest gompas of Ladakh. This place has around 150 permanent monk residents. The most popular festival of Lamayuru is the annual masked dance festival which is celebrated according to the Tibetan Lunar Calendar in its second and fifth months.
Must See Places:
1. Pangong Lake: Who doesn’t remember the breathtakingly beautiful lake from the last scene of the movie 3 idiots? Certainly, all of us do. It is the most famous tourist attraction in Leh known as the Pangong Lake. It is located on the Changtang Plateau at a height of 4,350 meters. The temperature of this place fluctuates from -5 to +10 degree Celsius. It is located at a distance of 160 km from Ladakh. This place provides an amazing scenic view with a pleasant weather all over the year. This beautiful lake has crystal blue water.
2. Leh Palace: Also known as ‘Lhachen Palkhar’, Leh Palace was built in 1553 by the Buddhist kings. This palace resembles the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. It was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century. In this majestic mansion, the King and his family were the first residents. It was also renowned as the tallest building of the world in its time. It provides a marvelous view of the entire town of Leh. Inside the Leh Palace, there are many beautiful paintings and old pictures including Tibetan thangka. It also contains extremely beautiful collection of jewelry, ceremonial dresses, and crowns.
3. Nubra Valley: Nubra Valley is located about 150 km away from Leh in the North. It is a very interesting place to visit. This valley offers camel safari in Hunder Sand Dunes with two humps and is a home to monasteries like Samstanling and Diskit, colored with gorgeous shades of golden, red etc. It lies in the Silk Route. It has a breathtaking and surreal landscape. It has a very captivating scenic view. People belonging to Drokpa community reside in the villages of Dah and Hanu that are situated on the junction of the Indus and Shyok rivers. These people have an Indo-Aryan look and thus look apart from the rest of the people of Ladakh.
4. Zanskar Valley: Zanskar Valley is one of the most beautiful places of Leh. It is also one of the most desolate places located in the Himalayan range. Snow completely covers the steep terrains and reflects the heavenly skies. The beauty of this place is timeless. White river rafting is also done seasonally in the tributaries of Zanskar River. From June to September, the roads are clear of snow and hence these months are the best time to visit Zanskar Valley. During the months when heavy rainfall occurs, this place remains closed.
5. Khardung La Pass: Khardung La Pass is also known as the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys. It is pronounced as Khardzong La. It is situated at an elevation of 5,602 meters and is famous for being the world’s highest motorable pass. This place provides some of the best scenic views you will experience in your entire lifetime. It is one of the must-visit places in Leh. Khardung La Pass is managed by the Border Roads Organization.
6. Magnetic Hill: You can defy gravity by visiting the Magnetic Hill. It is situated around 27 km from Leh on the Leh-Srinagar national highway. In this place, the vehicles are known for defying gravity and are seen to move upwards when parked on the marked location on the hill. The mystery of this place remains unsolved even after so many years. It is at a height of 14,000 feet above ocean level. Mountain climbing, trekking, yak safari etc. are done in Magnetic Hill.
Nearby Places:
1. Drass Ladakh: It is a small town in the Kargil district. It is also known as the “Gateway to Ladakh”. It is at a distance of 60 km from Kargil in the West. It is a small township located in the center of the Drass valley.
2. Kargil: It is situated in the Kargil district of Ladakh region. After Leh, it is the largest town in Ladakh. It is located at 60 km from Drass and 204 km from Srinagar.
Important things a traveler should be aware of:
1. Accommodation: There are many hotels and resorts in Leh Ladakh. If you want to avail a luxury stay, then Hotel City Palace is available on a budget of Rs. 3,855. If you have an average budget, then hotels like Hotel the Ladakh and Hotel the Silk Route Ladakh are available as well under the budget of Rs. 2,200 and 2,800 respectively.
2. Best time to visit: This place has a cool and pleasant weather throughout the year but the best time to visit Leh Ladakh is from May to September.
3. Food options: The most popular cuisines of Leh Ladakh are Thukpa, Khambir, Tigmo, Momos, Mokthuk, Skyu, Yak Cheese etc. There are many types of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food available.
