Near Leh
Dawn at Thiksey
Join the morning prayers at a hilltop gompa with its great seated Maitreya Buddha.
- Type
- Faith
- When
- May to September
Experience Ladakh
Choose a place on the map to see what your client can do there.
Hemis
The Hemis Festival
Masked cham dances in the courtyard of Ladakh's largest monastery.
- Type
- Festivals
- When
- Usually June or July
Pangong Tso
The Changing Lake
A long high-altitude lake whose blues shift through the day. Inner Line Permit needed.
- Type
- Nature
- When
- May to September
Changthang
Tso Moriri
A remote lake among the pastures of the nomadic Changpa herders. Inner Line Permit needed.
- Type
- Nature
- When
- June to September
Hunder, Nubra
Dunes of Nubra
Ride a double-humped Bactrian camel across sand dunes in a high mountain valley.
- Type
- Nature
- When
- May to September
Khardung La
Over Khardung La
One of the highest motorable passes, on the road from Leh to Nubra.
- Type
- Nature
- When
- Usually May to October
Leh
Old Town & Butter Tea
Salty butter tea, thukpa and apricots in the lanes below Leh Palace.
- Type
- Food
- When
- May to September
Drass
Kargil War Memorial
A quiet memorial at Drass, on the road between Srinagar and Leh.
- Type
- Heritage
- When
- May to October
Lamayuru
The Moonland
An ancient monastery above an eroded landscape known as Moonland.
- Type
- Faith
- When
- May to September
Illustrative map, not to scale. The outline is indicative and is not an official boundary. Outline data: INDIAN-SHAPEFILES (MIT).
About Ladakh
Leh, Nubra, Pangong, Kargil
Ladakh is a cold desert on the roof of India, its villages and monasteries set in green oases against bare brown mountains. Leh, at about 3,500 metres, is the base, with its palace, Shanti Stupa and an old town of lanes and bakeries.
Around Leh, the gompas of Hemis, Thiksey and Diskit are living monasteries with festivals through the summer. Over the Khardung La, the Nubra valley has sand dunes and double-humped Bactrian camels at Hunder; Pangong Tso, a lake that changes colour through the day, stretches across the border into Tibet.
The road from Srinagar through Kargil, or the high road from Manali, turns the journey itself into the holiday for clients with time.
What Your Client Will See
Pangong Tso
A long high-altitude lake whose blues change with the light.
Nubra Valley
Sand dunes and Bactrian camels at Hunder.
Khardung La
One of the highest motorable passes, on the way to Nubra.
Hemis & Thiksey
Great gompas with summer festivals and morning prayers.
Leh Palace & old town
The nine-storey palace above the bazaar.
Magnetic Hill & Sangam
The Indus and Zanskar meeting below Leh.
Departures & Catalogues
Fixed departures and catalogues for Ladakh. A departure added on the Fixed Departures calendar appears here by itself.
Catalogues
No fixed departure for Ladakh is open right now. Every itinerary is quoted on request: ask the trade desk for a worked quotation.
Plan the Trip
- Best time
- May to September. Many passes are closed in winter; Leh can be reached by air all year.
- Gateway
- Leh (IXL) by air; by road from Srinagar or Manali in summer.
- Ideal length
- 5 to 8 nights, with two nights in Leh before going higher.
- Acclimatisation
- At least 36 to 48 hours of rest in Leh on arrival by air. Clients with heart or lung conditions should consult a doctor.
- Permits
- Inner Line Permits for Nubra, Pangong and other protected areas.
Sell Ladakh with Us
Send the dates, the number of travellers and the hotel category, and the North desk replies with a worked quotation. Registered partners see net rates on every package.