Leh Ladakh can be best described as India’s Shangri La. A land that looks too distant to be true, it is wedged between the high Himalayas. Dotted by high-altitude lakes and lofty peaks such as Stok Kangri, Leh and Ladakh offer an experience that does not have an equal. While stargazing might just be the most fascinating thing to do here, driving through the high mountain passes and wandering in the winding lanes of Leh are once in a lifetime’s experiences. It is not for without any reason that Leh Ladakh trip is rated as one of the most sought-after road trips on Earth. In case you are in a mood to fully explore the oh-so-beautiful destination, try to plan a trip during the festive season. Ladakh actually comes alive during festivals and you will actually be able to not only explore the place, but also be a part of their culture and tradition.
Leh Ladakh Travel Guide
Leh Ladakh can be best described as India’s Shangri La. A land that looks too distant to be true, it is wedged between the high Himalayas. Dotted by high-altitude lakes and lofty peaks such as Stok Kangri, Leh and Ladakh offer an experience that does not have an equal. While stargazing might just be the most fascinating thing to do here, driving through the high mountain passes and wandering in the winding lanes of Leh are once in a lifetime’s experiences. It is not for without any reason that Leh Ladakh trip is rated as one of the most sought-after road trips on Earth. In case you are in a mood to fully explore the oh-so-beautiful destination, try to plan a trip during the festive season. Ladakh actually comes alive during festivals and you will actually be able to not only explore the place, but also be a part of their culture and tradition.
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A complete guide to the Manali-Leh road trip
This is a road trip that has changed many people’s lives. Passing through two 5000 m and two 4900 m high passes with jaw-dropping views, the Manali-Leh road was built as an alternate to the Srinagar-Leh road. It remains ...more
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How to reach Ladakh
A paradise on earth, Ladakh is renowned for its natural beauty and splendour. Visitors often wonder how to reach Ladakh from various parts of the country. However, reaching Ladakh is not a big deal as the place enjoys go...more
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Your comprehensive guide to the Srinagar-Leh road trip
The best option to reach Leh by road is via the 434 km long Srinagar-Leh highway. Also called NH-1D, this is a better alternative for going to Leh as compared to the Manali-Leh road. It winds with the fact that the Srina...more
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Get the right permits for Ladakh for a hassle-free trip
Ladakh, the mere mention of the name conjures up images of prayer flags fluttering atop snowy mountains, azure blue skies with white patches of clouds over the horizon, pristine blue rivers gushing through the barren lan...more
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Live a lifetime in Ladakh
A trip to Ladakh, India's cold desert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Spectacularly beautiful, it is a visual treat for your eyes and your camera.
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Homestays in Ladakh for a home-away-from-home experience
Autumn might be the last you can enjoy Ladakh, minus the unbearable cold. The fact that Ladakh will be off limits in winter further supports this. This makes October the perfect time for you to visit Ladakh one more time...more
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Leh hotels for comfort seekers
Luxury at 11,000 feet is no mean feat! The increase in the number of tourists to Leh, including those who like to travel on a shoestring budget as well as those who are expense agnostic, has resulted in a surge in the nu...more
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Your firsthand guide to the best mid-range hotels in Leh and Ladakh
Life doesn't get any better than a holiday in the Himalayas; more so if you can save by staying at one of the best mid-range hotels in Leh and Ladakh. Completely enveloped with peace and beauty, this region in India’s Ja...more
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The best budget accommodations in Leh
Confused by the many options for budget hotels in Leh? While you might be spoilt for choice, picking the best of the lot is difficult. Making the task easier, you can choose from all time favourites like the Atisha Guest...more
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Camps in Leh Ladakh—your guide to the very best
A good way to celebrate this beautiful world is to camp, it means to get away far from the madding crowd, to live under the open sky, and taste the adventure of a lifetime. Camping in Ladakh, amidst the high Himalayas, i...more
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Ladakh Residency
Another luxury hotel in Leh, the Ladakh Residency is a fine mix of tradition and modern day comforts. While the ambience is inherently traditional, with almost a vintage look, it has the best of facilities like central h...more
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Ashoka Guest House
A family-run guest house that has been wooing backpackers from past 20 years - that is the Ashoka Guest House. It is a comfortable accommodation with clean, airy rooms and modest hosts, who are more than willing to put y...more
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Dorje Guest House
Dorje Guest House, located at a walk of 10 minutes from the central market in Leh, is managed by a Ladakhi family. Away from the din of the market, it offers spacious, clean rooms with coloured TVs, comfortable bedding a...more
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Leh Ladakh special food—the must-haves
The picturesque Himalayan region of Leh has somewhat emerged as a destination for soul-searching. A giant leap, away from the common commotion of daily life, Leh, located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, presents trav...more
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A quick guide to Leh's best restaurants
Restaurants in Leh are no-frills places that are alluring in their simplicity. Staying true to the famous saying that food is always a reflection of a place and its people, the food in Leh is simple yet amazing. Ladakhi ...more
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The Tibetan Kitchen
Give your Leh trip a gastronomical turn by going local, gorging over the very delicious and healthy local cuisine that is a mix of Ladakhi and Tibetan food. A regular meal here includes thentuk, momos (cheese spinach mom...more
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Old Town Café
Traditional Ladakhi food served in a 17th-century kitchen - that’s the Old Town Cafe for you. It is curled up in a corner, under the shadow of the Leh Palace, guarded by Stok Kangri on the horizon. Walk in for amazing vi...more
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Pumpernickel German Bakery
No dessert lover should skip a visit to this one. It stands by the side of Zangsti Road and comes across as a tiny place with a surprisingly large menu. While coconut cookies are its shot to fame, choco danish, walnut an...more
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The wonders of Leh and Ladakh
If you are scouring for a comprehensive guide for the places to visit in Leh and Ladakh, here is some help. Check out Pangong Tso that is the undisputed highlight of the region and everything you wanted to know about it....more
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Popular monasteries of Ladakh
The rugged terrain of Ladakh is dotted with innumerable monasteries or gompas as the majority of its population practice Buddhism as their religion. These monasteries not only attract visitors for religious and cultural ...more
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10 reasons to leave for that trip to Ladakh RIGHT NOW!
Summer time is Ladakh time; yes, to me the two are synonymous. Take away Ladakh from summers and I would not want the winters to end. Brutally honest. A Ladakh trip is what summers come for, as long as you do not have sk...more
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Phugtal Monastery, India
Phugtal Monastery or Phugtal Gompa is one of the most isolated monasteries in the south-eastern Zanskar region in Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir in northern India.
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Lamayuru Monastery
Lamayuru, fondly referred to as the Moon Land, is a major stopover on the Leh-Kargil Road. Hidden in the folds of the mountains of this mystical land is the Lamayuru Monastery. One of the oldest gompas in Ladakh and Spit...more
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Pangong Tso
While no words can be apt enough to describe Pangong Tso, words like ‘magic’ and ‘surreal’ can be put to good use here. This astonishing, blue-water body at 14,270 ft is guarded by looming mountains. One of the most stun...more
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Stok Palace
Stok Palace is the less majestic yet more famous of the palaces in Ladakh. At some 14 km from Leh, it was the once summer palace of Ladakh’s royal family. Built over 200 years ago, Stok Palace houses some rare ancient pa...more
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Whispers of the fluttering prayer flags—the incredible Hemis Festival of Ladakh
Start reading if you wish to know everything about the world famous Hemis Festival of Ladakh. The ultimate goal for a human being is to achieve a state of complete bliss, to be at peace, with no difficult contemplation o...more
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Your complete guide to a winter trip to Ladakh
While most of the people believe that Ladakh is inaccessible in the winters, this may be the best time to visit Ladakh for the adventurous souls. Winters in Ladakh hardly see any tourists and you can have all of its stun...more
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A complete guide to the Markha Valley Trek
The Markha Valley Trek is one of the most popular treks in Ladakh, and for good reason too. There are incredible sights and surreal rock formations, timeless villages, snowy mountains and delightful Buddhist gompas. The ...more
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Things to do in Leh and Ladakh
The stunning scapes of Leh and Ladakh offer some interesting as well as unique options for those looking for action ranging from the adventurous to the offbeat. You could be stargazing, capturing the scenery and its hues...more
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Oracle Festival: A snippet from Ladakh
"Follow that king!" I cried, with a wry grin, as I jumped into the car and pointed to the jeep in front. The king in question was Raja Jigmed W Namgyal, the 38th generational descendant of the Namgyal Royal Dynasty of La...more
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Face to face with the rare Bactrian camels and incredible sand dunes in Nubra Valley
With me riding pillion on a bumpy bike ride of six hours from Leh, I was extremely tired and exhausted. My friend stopped the bike for some unusual sight. Clad in four layers of woollen clothes on a sunny day of August, ...more
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Climbing Stok Kangri
Stok Kangri is a trekking peak and involves almost no technical or climbing skills except when it is covered in deep snow or ice when it can challenge even the best of the climbers. Though easy by technical grade, it is ...more
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Manali to Leh: Diary from the highest bicycle ride in the world
When I rode from Leh to Pangong Tso (Lake) in 2009, I had a dream of riding on all the high roads in the world. I returned and enquired about the ride from Lhasa to Kathmandu, via the Everest Base camp in Tibet and even ...more
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Short trips from Leh
Leh, the tiny town that has become a must-visit for adventurers and mountain lovers, is more like the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of interesting places around that add on to the experience of a lifetime. What'...more
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Lamayuru Monastery
Lamayuru, fondly referred to as the Moon Land, is a major stopover on the Leh-Kargil Road. Hidden in the folds of the mountains of this mystical land is the Lamayuru Monastery. One of the oldest gompas in Ladakh and Spit...more
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Diskit Monastery
Diskit is the largest and the oldest surviving monastery in Nubra Valley. It is perched high up in the Himalayas at an altitude of 10,000+ ft and overlooks the flood plains of Shyok river. It was established by Changzem ...more
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A journey across Ladakh
A firsthand account of visiting Ladakh, this feature takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across the Himalayan land, capturing its people, culture, stories, landscapes and so much more.
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A week's itinerary for Leh Ladakh
For a week or more's Leh and Ladakh itinerary, it is advisable to stay in Leh on your first day and get acclimatised. You can explore the town and go shopping for trinkets on your first day. There are a few restaurants d...more
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