LADAKH
- LADAKH is a union territory of INDIA which was formed in 2019 after separating it from the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Ladakh stands on the northern-most part of India with parallel to J&K to its western side. There are two districts in Ladakh (Kargil and Leh).
- There are many places to visit in Ladakh which are famous for its high mountains, breathtaking sceneries, ancient monasteries and unique culture. Travelers see Ladakh as a dream location to enjoy their holidays. Its popularly known as “THE LAND OF HIGH PASSES”.
- Ladakh is bordered by China(Tibet) from east side, Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan from the west and the state of Himachal Pradesh from south.
- Leh is the largest city of Ladakh after that Kargil follows, also each of them is the headquarter of the only two districts.
LEH( The Capital of LADAKH)
It is the capital of the UT of Ladakh and the headquarter of Leh district. Leh has been the capital of Ladakh since the medieval period and was historically the capital of the kingdom of Ladakh. Leh is the only region with a proper airport with commercial flights operating in the region throughout the year.
Places to vist in leh region:
1.Leh Palace
The seat of the kingdom, Leh Palace, the former residence of the royal family of Ladakh was built in the 17th century which is now open for tourists. Its visible from the Leh main market as the Palace is on a hill 700 meters from the market. it was built by King Senghe Namgyal during his reign in the region. It is also known as “Lachen Palkar Palace”.
2.Leh Market
Leh market consists of a wide range of products, from different restaurants providing Tibetan Momos and Thukpa to selling stalls of handwoven Pashmina wools. The market is located near major landmarks like the Jama Masjid, Leh Palace and Central Asian Museum. It is a pedestrian-friendly walking street with whitewashed buildings, traditional restaurants and modern cafes.
3.Shanti Stupa
A stupa on a hill which gives a scenic view of the main Leh region and surrounding mountains. It is a top tourist place for free with best visited at sunset and sunrise. It was built in 1991 by Japanese monks to promote peace.
4.Thiksey Monastery
The Thiksey monastery is a 15th century Tibetan Buddhist monastery which is also known as ‘Mini Potala’ because of its resemblance of the Lhasa’s Potala Palace, this 12-storey complex sits atop a hill, housing 10 temples, a 40-foot Maitreya Buddha statue, and offering stunning Indus Valley views.
5.PANGONG TSO
Pangong lake is located about 160km from leh and stretch up to 70km inside until it enters China and goes further into the Chinese region.It is salty in taste and changes color throughout the day. 40% of the lake is in Indian territory and its widely famous among the tourists as well as local.
6.HANLE
It is a remote village in Ladakh which is famous for its clear night sky for star gazing as the Indian Astronomical Observatory, one of the world’s highest is situated here.
Apart form that Hanle also houses a 17th century monastery which adds a panoramic view to the valley along with extreme adventure to the tourists. Located in the Changthang plateau, the area is rich in wildlife, including Kiangs (Tibetan wild ass) and various migratory birds.
7.LAMAYURU
Lamayuru is a village in Ladakh which is located about 130km from Leh on Leh-Srinagar highway. Lamayuru is famous for its unique landscape which resembles lunar landscape, like you are on the moon, and its believed to be formed from a holy lake that dried up.
It also houses one of the largest and oldest monastery in the region which was built in the 11th century founded by Mahasiddacarya Naropa.
KARGIL(The Second Largest City in Ladakh)
Kargil is the second largest place in the Ladakh region and is located more than 200km from Leh on the route to Srinagar. Kargil is one of the two district’s headquarter. It serves as a critical junction connecting Kashmir,Ladakh and Pakistan-administered Baltistan. The National Highway 1(NH001) pass from the region connecting Leh to Srinagar and also serves as a vital route for national security from Pakistan invasion as the Line Of Control (LOC) is just 11km from the town.
1.Drass Valley
DRASS is known as the “Gateway Of Ladakh” because the Ladakh starts from Drass where Kashmir valley ends and the Zojila pass separates the two region as one side there is big alpines of Sonamarg and on the other side there is only bare mountains with Glaciers. Drass is the second coldest inhibited place in the world where temperature falls below -40 degrees in winter. Drass also lies on the boarder of India and Pakistan, as the war of 1999 between India and Pakistan was fought there for which a war memorial is founded there to give tribute to the martyrs of the country. The famous Kargil War sites like Tiger hill and Tololing are in the Drass region. The valley starts just 10km from Kargil and stretches up to 60-70km until it reach the Zojila pass.
2. Suru Valley(The hidden Gem of Ladakh)
Suru valley is a lush green valley with snow covered mountain peaks of Zanskar Range mountains. The region spans along the Suru river towards the Zanskar region and it is a hub of adventure activities like trekking, camping and mountaineering. The famous mountain peaks like twin mount Nun and Kun lies in the region. Places like Rangdum Monastery and Drang Drung glacier also lies in the region.
2. Zanskar Valley