One paradise and a hundred different ways to explore it! Ladakh is a destination for everyone. A land of colossal mountains, highest passes, ever-changing landscapes, and pristine lakes, yes! you guessed it right, I am talking about Ladakh. A dream destination that tops the bucket list of any adventure enthusiast.
Being the Union Territory of India, this place is most liked by adventure enthusiasts. Leh has a history related to Kargil that brings curiosity among people to visit it. This is one of the best tourist places because of the scenic beauty. The best road trips are done with a bike here. All year round, you will find many bikers and road trippers headed to Leh Ladakh form Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh. You can visit the tourist attractions while capturing memories and taking pictures.
Here is a list of Leh-Ladakh places you can visit
Here are 31 Leh-Ladakh places you can add to your itinerary.
1. Pangong Tso Lake
The lake gives you a surprising view of nature when you reach this destination. It is located at a height of 4,350m approximately. We are sure that we would want to visit this world’s highest saltwater lake. But we would like to tell you that you will get tired of adoring nature here or clicking a lot of pictures. Another lake to visit is Tso Moriri lake which is also known as a mountain lake. It magnetizes tourists to view migratory birds and wildlife. Local people extract salt from this lake.
Check out all the information you need to get to Pangong Tso from Leh here.
2. Thiksey Monastery
It is located on the hill top and is the largest monastery in Central Ladakh. The architecture is designed on the hill slope that appears symmetric from the distinguished way. Visit the monastery during the day time and you will feel on the top of the world. You should also visit Diskit Monastery which is 350 year old and is situated in the Diskit village distance is 114 km from Leh Ladakh that you can cross by car also. This is the biggest and the oldest monastery.
3. Markha Valley
The valley is famous for its panoramic views. It has small villages. Good place for trekking. Zanskar and Leh region of Ladakh. The best season to visit here is mid-June to september. It is the most popular track region. This can be your best road trip from Leh. You can also visit Nubra Valley which is also known as Dumra and is the historical region of Ladakh. The meaning of Dumra is “valley of flowers”. Tourists travel here for Scenic vistas and orchards.
4. Hemis National Park
The park is situated east of Ladakh district and is known as the largest national park. 16 species of mammals and 73 species of birds are seen here. Camping and trekking are the activities that you can perform here.
5. Khardung-la Pass
This is the world’s highest pass where you can view the snow-covered mountains. The distance from Leh to this is about 40 kms at which you experience an elevation climb of 6500 feet. This pass can be your best road trip experience. However, only experienced riders should take this route as the route is full of deep twists and turns and is considered a high-risk route.
6. Royal Leh Palace
One of the best road trips in India from Leh is to this place. You can take a great view of the Indian Himalayas from the Leh Palace. It was built in 1600 by Sengge Namgyal. The palace is now the administrative office of the Archaeological Conservation Organisation. This is maintained by the Indian Government.
7. Shanti Stupa
It was made by the orders of the Dalai Lama. It is located on Changspa road. Situated at a distance of 5 km from Leh near to the Leh Palace. The Stupa was constructed in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu, Gyomyo Nakamura. This is also a part of the Peace Pagoda mission. You can go to Namgyal Tsemo Gompa which is also a Buddhist monastery.
8. Magnetic Hill
According to this, the hill does not really have a magnetic force but it just creates an optical illusion of sorts so that the road, which actually goes downhill, seems as if it goes uphill. Therefore, when you see the vehicle going upslope, it is actually the opposite and does not defy the laws of nature.
9. Alchi Monastery
The prime road trip in India from Leh is to Alchi which is a low land village, situated on the banks of the Indus river. Peaceful, if you want to experience mindfulness by visiting this place. Alchi, situated at a distance of 76 km from Stok on Leh - Srinagar Highway is the next stop. A bumpy road till Spituk merging with the Leh - Srinagar Highway can be a bit tiring but not with the views! Leh-Srinagar Highway is as dramatic and charismatic as the Manali - Leh one.
10. Zanskar Valley & Sangam Point
Zanskar or Zanskar Valley as it is popularly known is located in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Initially considered as a part of the the Guge kingdom in Tibet, Zanskar now is a sub-district of Kargil. The Zanskar Valley is separated from Ladakh region by the mighty Zanskar mountain ranges. It is located at an height ranging from 11,500 to 23,000 feet above sea-level and is quite popular for its otherworldly landscapes and gorgeous Tibetan-style monasteries.
You can get all the information to travel to Zanskar Valley here.
11. Lamayuru Monstery
Less than 30 minutes from Alchi is Lamayuru Monastery, which is considered another sacred place for the locals and has monks residing in it. The place is surrounded by rocky terrain and mesmerizing views.
12. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, located 25 kilometres before Leh, is a popular tourist destination in Jammu & Kashmir. It’s interesting because there’s such a narrative linked with this location, and everyone who comes here is shocked. This Gurudwara, located between Srinagar and Leh, is frequented by hundreds of worshippers each year.
13. Shey Palace
Shey Palace is now a Monastery which is open for the tourists. Earlier it was the summer residence of the Royals. A giant gold plated statue of a seated Shakyamunyi Buddha is worshipped at this monastery and this is the second largest Buddha statue in Ladakh.
14. Hall of Fame
As the Name suggests, hall of fame is a Museum extensively dedicated to the Indian Army and their glorious stories which you can experience through this museum and feel proud about the soldiers who selflessly serve our country with their extreme dedication and honesty.
15. Chang La Pass
Chang La is the world’s third highest motorable pass and serves as a route to the world-famous Pangong Tso Lake. The visual features of this location include the dry terrain, snow-capped peaks, and panoramic vistas of rolling valleys. Tourists can only pause for a hot cup of tea at the location, which is located at an elevation of 5,360 meters above sea level.
16. Diskit Monstery
Head towards the Diskit Monastery also known as Diskit Gonpa. This is one of the largest and oldest Buddhist monasteries of the Nubra region. There is a huge 32 meters statue of the Maitreya Buddha near Diskit Monastery which faces towards the Shyok river flowing towards Pakistan.
17. Tso Moriri
Tso Moriri Lake is a beautiful 19-kilometre-long lake near the Chinese border at an elevation of 4,530 meters above sea level. It is flanked by Himalayan peaks that soar above 6,000 meters. To avoid altitude sickness, you must be appropriately acclimatized to the altitude before visiting Tso Moriri Lake. Korzok is the only settlement on the shore of Tso Moriri Lake, and it has guesthouses and homestays.
18. Chadar Trek
The Zanskar river in Ladakh freezes from mid January to mid February - the coldest months in the region. The trek is essentially a way for locals to commute daily, having been completely cut-off from the public roads during this period. For people in remote villages, it takes them many days during winters to even reach the nearest transport service.
Check out this article for the perfect adrenaline rush you need for this trek.
19. Leh Market
Leh Market is the most happening place of Leh. You can find shops of all types, locals chatting and hanging out, tourists hopping from one shop to another. To start your perfect day, have breakfast in any place in Leh Market. If you're willing to have Pranthas, head to Punjabi Tadka Near Leh Market. Craving for an amazing cup of coffee? Cafe Lehvenda is the best place in town. And who would mind a cheesecake even in breakfast? Head to Leh Cafe for their delicious Apricot Cheesecake.
20. Stok Village and Monastery
Taking a turn back towards Leh and turning on the first left, you would be driving on the stok-chuchot road. A road less travelled by tourists, the bewildering views would leave you awestruck. A 16 km drive from Thiksey, Stok Monastery is a perfect place to catch the view of Leh from the other side. Stok Palace is yet another majestic attraction with real-time prince and princess residing in it. Spending some time in Stok village, exploring the palace, admiring the view from the top and hailing to the stunning Stok Kangri ranges is yet another experience!
21. Hemis Festival
The Hermis Festival is celebrated in month of June to July every year in Leh. The hills of Leh Ladakh offers perfect lights and sounds to celebrate the vibrant Buddhist dance festival.
22. Hemis Gompa - Monastery
Hemis Gompa, the largest monastery of Ladakh is the site of the famous annual festival Hemis which commemorates the birth of Guru Padamasambhava. It has been long believed that Padmasambhava was the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. But a testimony to the relevance history of this colorful festival indicates that the monastery where the festival takes place is old about 300 years and is the largest and richest monastery in Ladakh.
23. Hunder - Bactrian Camel ride
Bactrian camels, which sport two humps instead of the one hump present in ordinary camels, are one of the few relics of the historic Silk Road commerce.
To travel the rugged mountainous terrain of the Ladakh trade route, these camels from China and Central Asian nations such as Mongolia and Kazakhstan carry large cargo. As a result, thousands of people abandoned their homes in Ladakh’s Nubra Valley after the Silk Road closed.
Hunder and Deskit are the most popular sites for camel safaris, located in the Nubra Valley. Explore the complex terrain and varied vistas of sand and snow as you ride through the Nubra Valley.
24. Namgyal Tsemo Monastery
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa is a Buddhist monastery which did not have any clear path and a moderate level trekking was needed to climb the cliff.
25. Lamayuru - Stargazing
Lamayuru is well-known for its ‘lunar’ scenery and monastery. But, interestingly, this tiny little town is marketed to tourists as a “moonscape,” owing to its unique yet strange geological characteristics.
It’s a little village in Ladakh, but it’s a great location to stop on the way from Kargil to Leh. Legend has it that this location was originally a lake that dried up, and it is now home to one of Ladakh’s oldest monasteries.
26. Lamayuru Monastery
The Lamayuru Monastery in Lamayuro is one of Ladakh’s oldest and most important monasteries. It is located at the height of 3,511 metres above sea level. Apart from being one of Ladakh’s largest monasteries, this Tibetan Buddhist monastery is also the region’s oldest gompa known as “the place of liberation” or “Tharpa Ling.”
27. Karsha Village
The village was surrounded by green fields full of corn and wheat. The houses in Zanskar are generally two storeyed with a very different roof. The construction of houses involve many glass windows and high stairs to climb up from outside. Though there is vast amount of empty space in the region, the houses are small and compact primarily to keep the room warm.
28. Bardhan Monastery
The monastery is very scenically located on a huge rock next to the Tsarap River. This is another spot that holds local and cultural importance. Many local weddings also take place here for the sacredness of this monastery.
29. Matho Narang Monastery - festival
Held during the 14th and 15th days of the first month in the Tibetan calendar, Matho Nagrang is also known as the festival of oracles. Two lamas are chosen every two years to receive Oracle spirits, they purify themselves through months of fasting and meditating diligently for 9 months. Once the spirit enters them, they are known to perform in-human tasks such as walking around the ramparts of top roofs blindfolded. The oracle spirits are essentially venerated to answer questions about the future of Ladakh and Matho, and also personal questions put across by followers.
30. Chemrey Monastery - Festival
Chemrey Angchok takes place on the 28th and 29th day of the 9th month of the Tibetan calendar. This celebration of the rich culture of Ladakhi people lasts for two days and includes music concerts and theatre performances by lamas and locals. The final carnival passes through the busy main market of Leh and masked dancers chant and celebrate the victory of good over evil in the stories of Tibetan deities.
31. Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary
Changthang is a huge ecoregion in Tibet, a small part of which crosses over in Ladakh. Situated at 4500 m above MSL, Changthang wildlife sanctuary is surrounded by tall snow-clad peaks and emerald lakes. The forest type is high-altitude grassland. The iconic animal found here is, of course, snow leopard. Of note, it is the only place in India where you can find Tibetan wild ass, black-necked crane, and Pallas’s cat. Other than these major attractions, Tibetan wolf, wild yak, bharal, mormot, and numerous migratory birds can be found here. As far as flora is concerned, the sanctuary hosts around 200 species of plants.
Have you ever traveled to Leh Ladakh? Know any places that we have missed on the list? Any secret spots that we can include here? Mention in the comments below.
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Check out this 7-day itinerary of Leh Ladakh to gain some insights and inspiration for your trip. You can also check out this 9 day itinerary of Leh-Ladakh places to visit for some inspiration and insight.
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