Leh Ladakh

The beauty of Leh ladakh will make you spellbound. When you will travel across those majestic passes, it is altogether a different world. You feel as if nature is dancing to the tunes of eternity.
Leh ladakh is an exotic place for tourist with its majestic mountains and monasteries.

Leh, was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Leh, with an area of 45,110 km², is the second largest district in the country (after Kutch, Gujarat) in terms of area.

The town is still dominated by the now ruined Leh Palace, former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh, built in the same style and about the same time as the Potala Palace. Leh is at an altitude of 3524 metres (11,562 ft). National Highway 1D connects it to Srinagar in the northwest.
Leh is towards the eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The region is watered by the Zanskar River, which flows into the Indus River just below. Spilling out of a side valley that tapers north towards eroded snow-capped peaks, the Ladakhi capital sprawls from the foot of a ruined Tibetan style palace - a maze of mud-brick and concrete flanked on one side by cream-coloured desert, and on the other by a swathe of lush irrigated farmland. As one approaches Leh India for the first time, via the sloping seep of dust and pebbles that divide if from the floor of the Indus Valley, one will have little difficulty imagining how the old trans -Himalayan traders must have felt as they plodded in on the caravan routes from Yarkhand and Tibet: a mixture of relief at having crossed the mountains in one piece, and anticipation of a relaxing spell in one of central Asia's most scenic and atmospheric towns. Leh in India is a beautiful destination with so many attractions and is the center of Tibeto-Buddhist Culture for ages. Its colorful gompas have attracted the devout Buddhists from all over the globe. Besides, it is also a favorite hiking locale and is known for some of the best hikes in the country. Travel to leh this vacation to enjoy its mystic beauty, nut before that acquaint yourself a little bit about the past and present of Leh India.

The trans-Himalayan district of Ladakh is simply a storehouse of adventure. Travellers from all across the globe keep flocking to Ladakh almost all the year round. When it’s about adventure in India, Ladakh happens to be second to none. Adventure in Ladakh has its own taste and meaning. You have a good number of adventure sports in Ladakh to choose from. Most famous adventure sports in Ladakh include mountaineering, jeep safari, trekking, cycling and river rafting. Ladakh adventure holidays have everything to offer an adrenaline junkie might be looking for. There are high mountain ranges, scenic trails, expansive lakes, deep valleys and high passes that add to the joy of your adventure in Ladakh.

Before you actually arrive in the adventurous land of Ladakh, we would like you to enrich your knowledge about various adventure options available in Leh-Ladakh. Give below is a list of some of the most famous adventure sports in Ladakh. Start planning your adventure holidays in Ladakh right away!

History

The region of Ladakh once formed part of the erstwhile Kingdom of Ladakh and for nearly 900 years from the middle of the 10 th century existed as an independent kingdom. After 1531, it was periodically attacked by the Muslims from Kashmir, until it was finally annexed to Kashmir in the mid 19th century. The early colonizers of Ladakh included:- the Indo-Aryan Mons from across the Himalayan range, the Darads from the extreme western Himalayas, and the itinerant nomads from the Tibetan highlands. While Mons are believed to have carried north-Indian Buddhism to these highland valleys, the Darads and Baltis of the lower Indus Valley are credited with the introduction of farming and the Tibetans with the tradition of herding. Its valleys, by virtue of their contiguity with Kashmir, Kishtwar and Kulu, served as the initial receptacles of successive ethnic and cultural waves emanating from across the Great Himalayan range.

Ladakh became recognized as the best trade route between the Pubjab and Central Asia. The merchants and pilgrims who made up the majority of travellers during this period of time, travelled on foot or horseback , taking about 16 days to reach Srinagar; though a man in hurry, riding non-stop and with changes of horse arranged ahead of time all along the route, could do it in as little as three days. These merchants who dealt in textiles and spices, raw silk and carpets, dyestuffs and narcotics entrusted their goods to relays of pony transporters who took about two months to carry them from Amritsar to the Central Asian towns of Yarkand and Knotan. On this long route, Leh was the half-way house, and developed into a bustling entreport, it bazaars thronged with merchants from far countries. This was before the wheel as a means of transport was introduced into Ladakh, which happened only when the Srinagar- Leh motor-road was constructed as recently as the early 1960s.

Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and also between India and China for centuries. The main goods carried were salt, grain, pashm or cashmere wool, charas or cannabis resin from the Tarim Basin, indigo, silk yarn and Banaras brocade.
Although there are a few indications that the Chinese knew of a trade route through Ladakh to India as early as the Kushan period (1st to 3rd centuries AD), and certainly by Tang dynasty,little is actually known of the history of the region before the formation of the kingdom towards the end of the 10th century by the Tibetan prince, Skyid lde nyima gon (or Nyima gon), a grandson of the anti-Buddhist Tibetan king, Langdarma (r. c. 838 to 841). He conquered Western Tibet although his army originally numbered only 300 men. Several towns and castles are said to have been founded by Nyima gon and he apparently ordered the construction of the main sculptures at Shey. .Shey, just 15 km east of modern Leh, was the ancient seat of the Ladakhi kings.
Several trade routes have traditionally converged on Leh, from all four directions. The most direct route was the one the modern highway follows from the Punjab via Mandi, the Kulu valley, over the Rohtang Pass, through Lahaul and on to the Indus Valley, and then down river to Leh. The route from Srinigar was roughly the same as the road that today crosses the Zoji La (pass) to Kargil, and then up the Indus Valley to Leh. From Baltistan there were two difficult routes: the main on ran up the Shyok Valley from the Indus, over a pass and then down the Hanu River to the Indus again below Khalsi (Khalatse). The other ran from Skardu straight up the Indus to Kargil and on to Leh. Then, there were both the summer and winter routes from Leh to Yarkand across the Karakorum. Finally, there were a couple of possible routes from Leh to Lhasa.
The royal palace, known as Leh Palace, was built by King Sengge Namgyal (1612–1642), presumably between the period when the Portuguese Jesuit priest, Francisco de Azevedo, visited Leh in 1631, and made no mention of it, and Sengge Namgyal's death in 1642.[11]
The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, and the stables and store rooms are located on the lower floors. The palace was abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises south to their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus.

Transport

• Road
  

Leh is connected to the rest of India by two high-altitude roads both of which are subject to landslides and neither of which are passable in winter when covered by deep snows. The National Highway 1D from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh-Manali Highway can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus, and the lower but landslide-prone Rohtang Pass near Manali.

• National Highway 1D
  

The overland approach to Ladakh from the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. Srinagar-Leh road typically remains open for traffic from June to October/November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 3,505 m (11,500 ft.) high Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.

• Leh-Manali Highway
  

Since 1987, the 473-km[citation needed] Manali-Leh road has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m to 4,570 m. There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is sometimes (but incorrectly) claimed to be the world’s second highest motorable pass at an altitude of 5,325 m. (17,469 feet). See the article on Khardung La for a discussion of the world's highest motorable passes.

• Air
  

Leh's Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to Delhi at least daily on Kingfisher, Jet Airways and/or Indian Airlines which also provides twice weekly services to Jammu and a weekly flight to Srinagar. Connect in Delhi for other destinations.
How to reach Leh Ladakh
You can travel to Leh Ladakh by air and road. There are regular services from Jammu, Delhi, Srinagar, and Chandigarh. There are flight services from Shimla as well taking hardly 40 minutes.

By road, there are two routes to reach Ladakh. From Srinagar, it is around 434 km travel open to tourists visiting the place between June to November. Another way to tread up the place is via Manali. The Manali-Leh roda is a stretch of around 485 km and is open from July to October. In December and January, because of the extreme temperatures, landslides hamper tours to great extent.

Leh Ladakh

Leh Ladakh are two amazing place of visit especially during the onset of summers. This mountainous region has exemplary beauty of the landscape and holidays here could be like being cut off from an entire civilization. Leh is the capital city of Ladakh, while Ladakh is the plateau and the valley lying close to the Greater Himalayas. There are several ways by how you can reach there but depends on the route that would be open. Srinagar and Manali are two major gateways to Leh Ladakh. A part of the Himalayan kingdom, Leh lies in the district of Jammu and Kashmir. A hamlet of small wooden huts to keep off the cold winds, Leh has a great market for tourists. There are trekking opportunities to Ladakh and excursions to Shimla and other places in Himachal Pradesh. The place is connected to Srinagar from the northwestern part.



Leh Ladakh holidays
Having a rich trade history through the Rohtang Pass, Leh matured as a tourist destination over the years. Once it is snowing in Ladakh the adventure of the place gets intensified. Though there are few noted attractions in these two places, the Leh Palace is a popular place of visit. The palace built by king Sengge Namgyal has nine storeys with the royal family residing in the top floor before shifting their home to the Indus. The Karkoram range is another major attraction apart from the Himalayan mountain. The ridges and the peaks of high altitude are aprt for rock climbing, trekking, and skiing during snowfall.

Ladakh is alluring with its altitude of at least 9,000 feet overlooking the Kargil and Tibet border. Your holidays in Ladakh is more about adventure and photography that sightseeing. The Tibetan and Buddhist cultures have prevailed for centuries now in these two places of India. Many Buddhist monasteries are top pilgrimage centers in the country. Leh-Ladakh tour is a journey into the most fascinating peak and religious zone of the world accompanied by exceptional adventure sports activities throughout the region.

Sheltered from the rain clouds, there is just a minimum rainfall of 4 inches in Leh Ladakh annually. There is a lake system existing for ages maintaining the bio-diversity of the region. During summer months, the lakes in Leh have boating rides as the skies are thankfully clear for the whole year and the lake is not frozen.

Location of Ladakh India

A land of freezing winds and burning hot sunlight, Ladakh is a cold desert lying in the rain shadow of the Great Himalayas and other smaller ranges. Little rain and snow reaches this dry area, where natural forces have created a fantastic landscape. Surrounded by rugged mountains this land is completely different from the green landscape of many parts of the Himalayas. Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karokaram, it is a land which has no match.

Formation of Ladakh India

In geological terms, this is a young land, formed only a few million years ago by the buckling and folding of the earth's crust as the Indian sub-continent pushed with irresistible force against the immovable mass of Asia. Its basic contours, uplifted by these unimaginable tectonic movements, have been modified over the millennia by the opposite process of erosion, sculpted into the form we see today by wind and water.

Water in Ladakh India

The main source of water in this land remains the winter snowfall. Ladakh was once covered by an extensive lake system, the vestiges of which still exist on its south -east plateaux of Rupshu and Chushul - in drainage basins with evocative names like Tso-moriri, Tsokar,and grandest of all, Pangong-tso.

Temperature in Ladakh India

The temperature rarely exceeds 27 degree celcuis in summer while in winter it may drop to minus 20 degree celcuis






Three places to see around Leh in Ladakh: the Buddhist murals in Alchi, the high altitude Pangong lake and the world’s highest motorable mountain pass, Khardung La.

Pangong Tso, a High Altitude Lake in Ladakh






You’ve driven for hours through fields where the only other living things you see are wild goats and marmots, you’ve passed the third highest motorable mountain pass in the world (Chang La) and you’ve had to figure out a way to drive through the remains of a severe landslide. You’ve arrived on the shores of a high altitude lake that stretches from India to Chinese-controlled territory and you have dealt with a bored official at the checkpoint who gets his only job satisfaction from giving you hassle when checking your travel permit. You’re at 4250 metres altitude somewhere in East Ladakh, and you think you’ve arrived somewhere very far away, so you feel quite intrepid.
And then you see the tent village and the German tour bus, just as the jeep full of European and Israeli backpackers arrives, followed by four travellers you know from
Pangong Tso is not really as remote and inaccessible I thought it was going to be, but it’s very beautiful. If you have been to Tibet and seen some high altitude lakes, you’ll know what to expect: clear blue waters, very blue skies, rocky shores, snow-capped mountains. If you haven’t seen one before, you won’t be able to stop going “I can’t believe it’s so beautiful here”. Accommodation is basic, so do not count on running water or electricity.

Khardung La is the world’s highest motorable mountain pass – maybe. Apparently there is another, higher pass nearby, although it is one that would be very difficult for foreign tourist to get to. Apparently some people with GPS have also measured less than the 5602 metres that is advertised on top of Khardung La. Who cares? It’s very high! You can’t stay too long because of the altitude, but there is also not so much to do anyway except to take some photos and have a cup of tea. Khardung La, or K-Top, is an easy half a day’s trip from Leh, and also a gateway to the Nubra Valley, the northernmost part of India a tourist can visit.

Alchi and its Buddhist Murals
Alchi is a small and incredibly pretty Himalayan village about 60 km from Leh, and home to unique Buddhist murals. The 11th century Kashmiri Buddhist murals have suffered badly due to neglect and the harsh mountain weather, and soon you might not be able to see them at all: while some have been restored, some are clearly not going to survive.

Alchi is an easy daytrip from Leh (although in Ladakh 60 km of road means a good few hours of driving ) but the cute guesthouses, nice restaurants and bakeries and the gorgeous views made me wish I could have stayed a few nights.
Ladakh Travel Permits for Foreign Tourists
An Inner Line Permit is needed to visit most of these places. Almost any of the travel agents in Leh can get one for you. Each permit should include four names so if you’re travelling alone, the travel agents will group you together with others.
Officially, you should travel together with the others on the same permit, and if you don’t, there might be trouble at checkpoints. Keep several copies of the permit, especially if going to Pangong Tso, because each checkpoint will keep one copy and there are lots of checkpoints on the way.