Ladakh
Photos: John Hill (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0) · Newspinal (CC BY-SA 4.0)
High-altitude cold desert union territory between the Karakoram and Himalaya: Buddhist monasteries, Leh's old town, Nubra's dunes, and the lakes Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri.
Fly or drive to Leh, rest at least 48 hours, then go out in loops: Nubra Valley over Khardung La, Pangong Tso over Chang La, Tso Moriri and Hanle in Changthang, and the monasteries of the Indus and Sham valleys west to Lamayuru. Kargil, Dras and Zanskar are reached on the Srinagar road or the Zanskar road from Kargil. Road access sets the season: roughly May to October.
Highlights: Leh old town, Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa · Thiksey and Hemis monasteries in the Indus valley · Khardung La and the Nubra Valley dunes with Bactrian camels at Hunder · Pangong Tso lake · Tso Moriri wetland and Korzok · Balti village of Turtuk · Hanle Dark Sky Reserve and observatory · Lamayuru 'moonland' and Alchi's old murals · Kargil War Memorial at Dras · Zanskar valley and Phugtal monastery · Hemis festival masked dances
When to go
Green best · blue good · red avoid · this month outlinedDestinations
Towns, valleys and cities worth the trip, with how they rate this month.
Leh
Ladakh's main town and base at about 3,500 m: Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, the old town and Main Bazaar, and the starting point for every circuit.
Hanle
Changthang village at about 4,500 m with the Indian Astronomical Observatory and India's first Dark Sky Reserve, about 270 km south-east of Leh.
Alchi
Indus village about 65 km west of Leh with the Alchi temple complex, whose 12th-13th-century murals are among the oldest in Ladakh.
Lamayuru
Village on the Srinagar-Leh highway at 3,510 m with one of Ladakh's oldest monasteries and the eroded 'moonland' landscape.
Kargil
Ladakh's second town (2,676 m) on the Srinagar-Leh highway, junction for Dras, the Suru valley and Zanskar.
Dras
Town at 3,300 m between Zoji La and Kargil, one of India's coldest inhabited places and home of the Kargil War Memorial facing Tololing and Tiger Hill.
Turtuk
Balti village on the Shyok river near the Line of Control, under Pakistan until 1971 and open to tourists since 2010; apricot orchards and a heritage house museum.
Pangong Tso
134 km long brackish lake at about 4,350 m on the India-China line, reached from Leh over Chang La; lakeside camps at Spangmik, Lukung and Man.
Tso Moriri
High lake at about 4,522 m in Rupshu-Changthang, a Ramsar wetland with Korzok village and monastery on its shore, about 220 km from Leh.
Top sights
Chang La
High pass on the Leh-Pangong road via Karu and Tangtse.
Phuktal Monastery
Cave monastery in southern Zanskar, a day's trek from the road end at Dorzang.
Shey Monastery
Ruined summer palace and monastery 15 km from Leh, the old royal seat, with a large seated Buddha.
Leh Palace
Nine-storey 17th-century royal palace of the Namgyal kings above Leh's old town, with rooftop views over the town.
Magnetic Hill
Stretch of the Leh-Kargil road where an optical illusion makes vehicles seem to roll uphill.
Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum of Central Asian and Kargil Trade Artifacts
Family museum in Kargil town of Central Asian trade goods, photographs and artefacts.
Khardung La
Road pass (about 5,359-5,602 m by different sources) on the Leh-Nubra road, 35 km from Leh.
Hanle Dark Sky Reserve
India's first dark sky reserve, a 22 km radius around Hanle, with village astronomy ambassadors.
Nature and outdoors
Hunder Sand Dunes
About 7 km of high-altitude dunes between Diskit and Hunder where Bactrian camels graze.
Hemis National Park
About 4,400 sq km high-altitude park south of Leh, famous for snow leopards; Markha valley treks.
Tso Kar
Salt lake on the alternate Leh-Tso Moriri road via Tanglang La, in Changthang.
Pangong Tso
134 km brackish lake at about 4,350 m on the India-China line; camps at Spangmik, Lukung and Man.
Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary
High plateau sanctuary in eastern Ladakh that includes the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve.
Tso Moriri
Ramsar wetland lake at about 4,522 m with Korzok village; breeding ground of bar-headed geese.
Chadar Trek
Winter trek on the frozen Zanskar river, passing through Padum.
Kiagar Tso
lake in Ladakh, India
Things to do
Chhamkang Ri
A 2-hr hike (3 km) with a great view of Leh and the valley. The trail starts in the very north of Leh.
Unnamed Peak
Another 2-hr hike, which give you a view of the airport of Leh, the valley, and the Stok mountain and its range around. The trail starts east of Leh center, slightly north.
Phyang-Leh
If you take an early morning bus (8AM?) to Phyang village (3,600 m) in the parallel valley west of Leh, this trail leads you by the Gyamche La Pass and back into Leh from the north. This is a proper full day hike of 20 km, and considering its 1,200 m altitude gain, it will requir
Stok Gompa Hike
This is an easy full day hike of 12 km (loop) going from 3,500–3,950 m just west of Stok.
Stok La (pass)
12.5 km (one-way), 1,200 m altitude gain—it's the pass that leads to Markha Valley. You might be able to do it in one day from Stok if you are fit, otherwise you might have to camp along the way. Note, people say that this is proper mountaineering and you will need some experienc
Stok Kangri
A proper mountain for a 2-3 days hike from Stok. You should have some mountaineering experience if you do this peak. Since the peak is officially closed (for commercial tours), there are no camps along the way and you will have to bring your own tent and food. In case anyone asks
Where to eat
Parsa's
Kargil restaurant for kebabs, kathi rolls, biryani and shakes.
Gesmo Restaurant
Long-running Fort Road cafe-restaurant known for sandwiches, momos, yak cheese pizza and Ladakhi thali.
Chopsticks Noodle Bar
Pan-Asian noodle bar on Fort Road for stir-fries, noodles and Thai curries.
The Tibetan Kitchen
Tibetan restaurant on Fort Road for thukpa, momos, tingmo and the gyakok hot pot.
Alchi Kitchen (Leh)
Ladakhi restaurant serving skyu, chhutagi and khambir in a modern style; branch of the Alchi original.
Alchi Kitchen (Alchi)
Original Alchi Kitchen near the Alchi temples, serving Ladakhi dishes.
Summer Harvest
Fort Road restaurant for Tibetan, Kashmiri and Indian comfort food.
Bon Appetit
Garden restaurant off Changspa Road with continental, Mediterranean and tandoori dishes.
Shopping
Food to try
- Thukpa: Noodle soup with vegetables or meat
- Skyu: Stew of thumb-pressed dough with root vegetables, often mutton
- Chhutagi: Bow-tie dough pieces cooked in vegetable broth
- Momos: Steamed dumplings with chutney
- Khambir: Round, slightly sour wheat bread, eaten at breakfast with butter or apricot jam
- Butter tea (gur gur cha): Salty tea churned with butter
- Tsampa: Roasted barley flour
- Chhang: Mild home-brewed barley beer
- Apricots: Fresh, dried and as jam, from Sham valley, Kargil and Turtuk
Festivals
- Losar: Months: 2 · 3; Description: New Year celebrations; Voice of Ladakh lists February-March, though Ladakhi Losar often falls in December - check the lunar calendar
- Dosmoche: Months: 2; Description: 'Festival of the scapegoat' in Leh and other monasteries, with masked dances
- Sindhu Darshan: Months: 6; Description: Celebration on the banks of the Indus near Leh (Shey); Incredible India lists 11-13 June
- Hemis Tsechu: Months: 6 · 7; Description: Two-day masked Cham dances at Hemis Monastery for Guru Padmasambhava; held 24-25 June in 2026
- Yuru Kabgyat: Months: 7; Description: Two-day masked dance festival at Lamayuru
- Ladakh Festival: Months: 9; Description: Dance, music, archery and polo; Incredible India lists 20-26 September
- Kargil Vijay Diwas: Months: 7; Description: 26 July remembrance at the Kargil War Memorial, Dras