Ladakh has seen lot of Indian tourists since movies started portraying its beauty a few years back. Before that Ladakh was less known and less travelled by Indian travellers.
Though many are travelling to Ladakh, most of the attention is diverted to Pangong Tso and Nubra valley. They are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to be but i want to take you to some remote villages of Ladakh. These villages will not have the usual hotels but one has to stay with the locals in their house and experience their lives. We get opportunity to see how people live happily with so little and stay healthy and strong.
The flight to Ladakh starts with the Majestic view of the Himalayas from the top. One of the most fascinating sights of my life.
1. Likir
A village located in the western part of Ladakh. This is where i started my stay in Ladakh and have visited it multiple times since then. A quaint village with one the most important monasteries in the region.
Nested within high mountain ranges, it sits at an altitude higher than Leh and is divided into upper and lower Likir.
I stayed with the local family who became good friends and like another family of mine
The Old likkir guest house was particularly fascinating to me owing to its location and the rooms that offered breathtaking views!!
2. Hemis Shukpachan
One of the most beautiful villages i have visited. Located on a warmer valley(still cold by all means) and boasts of beautiful houses and can be reached by road.
The village name is derived from the sacred juniper trees found in this region
It has ancient stupas which were built as offering to Buddha with precious items inside them.
It has some beautiful picturesque houses and is good for star gazing as well.
3. Hinju
A remote village that can be reached by car . Sits between steep mountains and gets sunlight only for a few hours in winter.
The coldest village i have been to but was worth the visit. The village has very few houses and they are a closed knit family.
A lot of animal tracks were seen as they come down from the mountains to drink water from the stream below.
The village also boasts of unearthly landscapes that can be seen nowhere else. Perfect for star gazing.
One cannot just choose a place to stay here but villagers take turns to host people and you have to abide by that.
4. Tar
Tar is a village that cannot be reached by car, remote in the truest sense. First we have to cross the beautiful Indus river on this footbridge.
Then we have to trek through narrow rocks(much like Grand Canyon) to reach the village.
The road is filled with many natural spectacles which will amaze you.
Finally we reach the homestay and there are only a few families there. But the food is the best i had in Ladakh. Nuts, Apricots and Thukpa made with mountain herbs.
5. Sumda Chenmo
This has to be the most difficult village to reach. We have to cross a 5000M pass to reach this village.
The trek is very difficult and long as well. It takes us through the most beautiful snow clad mountains and glaciers.
The trek challenged my fears and tenacity as the climb is steep and just gets steeper. But it was every bit worth losing the fears. It is highly recommended to do this trek only with experienced guides.
The morning at the village was again something to remember forever. The highest village i have been to at around 4500M.