Leh Travel Guide

  Leh monastery and town
by husain
 
  • Leh monastery and town
      Leh monastery and town
    by husain
  •   Leh
    by MalenaN
  •   Leh
    by MalenaN
  •   Leh
    by mantru
  • Pangong Lake (Pangong Tso)
      Pangong Lake (Pangong Tso)
    by MalenaN
 

Pro

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  amazing landscapes and friendly locals 


Con

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  The swindling Kashmiri shop keepers, the grossed out sewage running along the main road 


In a nutshell

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  Make sure you go, if in India 

 

Explore Leh

Things to Do  

Hemis Monastery

Hemis Monastery, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  On day one, as you go towards your first monastery (gompa or gonpa) visit to Hemis (3740 m; 12,270 ft.), the river Indus flows towards you on your right. The drive is smooth and the breeze is so pure. You drive up to Karu village, a distance of only 35 kms. Then you branch... 

Tangste-Monastery-Return to Leh-Zorawar Fort

Tangste-Monastery-Return to Leh-Zorawar Fort, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  On day six, you return through the same thrilling scenery back to Leh. If you did not get proper sleep the previous night, blame it on the height of Tangtse (4,322m; 14,180 ft). There are locations for a helipad here but security concerns may not permit this. However, before... 

Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  The lake is over 130 kms long and 5-6 kms broad. However, the major portion of the lake lies in Chinese territory (Tibet).The water of the lake is clear but has high salt content which prevents normal marine life from flourishing. Birds of various varieties are present... 

To Pangong Tso through Changla & Tangste

To Pangong Tso through Changla & Tangste, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Day five, you travel to Pangong Tso or Lake (4,420m; 14,500ft ; 146 kms; 4 ½ hours) in the Changthang valley after negotiating the pass at Changla (5,360 m; 17,586 ft.), the third highest pass. At Karu, you show your permit, go past the picturesque Chimrey Monastery (300... 

Nubra Valley - Hunder

Nubra Valley - Hunder, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  The entire journey from Leh to Diskit, Nubra Valley and to Hunder is 118 kms and it takes roughly four and a half hours.Kalsar is 59 kms (3 hrs) away. You may take your lunch here but as Diskit is only 30 kms away, you might as well wait. Along this journey, River Shyok... 

Khardungla

Khardungla, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  By day three, you’ll feel like a pro in Leh and will be rearing to go past one of the world’s highest motorable pass, the Khardungla on to Diskit and the Nubra Valley. However, it’s best to remember that in a matter of 1 hr and 15 minutes, you’ll traverse 39 kms to reach... 

Tsemo Gompa

Tsemo Gompa, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Once you reach Leh, head straight for the Tsemo Gompa located on Namgyal Peak (Victory Peak) and the Khar or Lachen Palkhar or Royal Palace. The monastery, the fort and the red Maitreya temple, are all in ruins though attempts are being made now by the ASI to renovate these... 

Alchi Choskor (Religious Enclave)

Alchi Choskor (Religious Enclave), Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Alchi Choskor (religious enclave), 35 kms away, is one of the oldest shrines in Ladakh and is the oldest among the 20 branches of the Likir Monastery. It is situated in Alchi village (3165m; 10,384 ft). You will heave a sigh of relief as there are no steep stairs to climb;... 

Confluence of the Indus and the Zangsar

Confluence of the Indus and the Zangsar, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  A little further on, 2 kms to be precise, is the Sangam or Confluence of the two mighty rivers, the Indus and the Zangsar. You can make out the two rivers by their distinctive colours (dark brown of Zangsar and foamy white of the Indus before they merge and flow towards... 

Gurudwara Shri Pathar Sahib

Gurudwara Shri Pathar Sahib, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Thereafter, you carry on to Gurudwara Shri Pathar Sahib (‘pathar’=’stone’), about 25 kms from Leh on the Leh-Srinagar road. This place of worship is dedicated to Guru Nanak who is believed to have visited Ladakh in 1571. Legend has it that at this place, when Guru Nanak was... 

Magnetic Hill

Magnetic Hill, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Only 2.5 kms from the Gurudwara is the Magnetic Hill, a natural phenomenon that adds to the wonder of your holiday. Drivers routinely stop their vehicle at the spot marked on the road, keep the gear in neutral and wait. After barely a few seconds, the vehicle is literally... 

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  On day two, start with the Hall of Fame, barely 7 kms from the town along the main airport road. This is an Army initiative and one which encapsulates the history of Ladakh region in the first two rooms, gives one room to the exploits of the Indian Air Force and takes over... 

Leh Town - I

Leh Town - I, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Before you head back to your lodgings, take a stroll in Leh market. It is a small town but one which is full of knick-knacks, delicacies, quaint buildings and narrow bye lanes. You’ll find trinkets, vegetables, ATMs, book stalls, eating joints, cyber cafes, shops selling... 

Hotels  

Spic N Span Hotel

 4 Reviews and 39 Opinions  Spic and Span is really the best hotel one can stay in. At least the manager was courteous enough to... 

Lotus Hotel

 1 Review and 18 Opinions  The Hotel Lotus is meant to be one of the better hotels in Leh. While it offers clean rooms, TV,... 

See all 28 Hotels in Leh

Restaurants  

Lamayuru: Good food, great service

Lamayuru: Good food, great service, Leh

 abi_maha Says:  We fell in love with this restaurant! They not only served up steaming hot and fresh food, they'd also be very open to telling us if some of the food was cooked from canned vegetables. We went there whenever we were in Leh, they got so friendly with us that on a high traffic... 

Transportation  

Chauffer-driven Innova

Chauffer-driven Innova, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  If you require an experienced and well-behaved driver and a vehicle, try out Shri. Sabir (+91-9419326234). We booked him for 6 days and he took us everywhere we wanted to go at any time in his Innova. The owner of the vehicle is one Shri. Nangyal (+91-9419219412). 

Altitude Sicknes Srinagar-Leh Road & Opening Date

Altitude Sicknes  Srinagar-Leh Road & Opening Date, Leh

 vistet Says:  Altitude sickness is more or less a non-issue on the Srinagar-Leh road IF you make a night stop in Kargil @ 2693 meters. Don´t plan before mid-May , the road has opened later. Last ten years openings here :... 

Shopping  

Pearl Market: Only pearls

Pearl Market: Only pearls, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Pearl Market, by the side of the Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBF) camp, is a unique place to shop for pearl and other semi-precious stones. Just stick to stones and trinkets; no ‘traditional' Buddhist artefacts. Pearls, semi-precious stones, paschmina products. 

Ladags Apricot Store: Organic Produce

Ladags Apricot Store: Organic Produce, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  While at Leh, you might want to try out Ladags Apricot Store at LBA Shopping Complex, Zangsti, on the main road itself. This store sells eco-friendly, organic local products of Ladakh. The owner is Skarma C. Namtak. Organic, local produce, including beauty products. 

See all 5 Shopping in Leh

Tourist Traps  

Only pashmina & semi-precious stones

Only pashmina & semi-precious stones, Leh

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  At Leh, don’t buy anything except ‘pashmina’ products like shawls, scarves, stoles and semi-precious stone products like ear-rings, bracelets, bangles ans other similar trinkets. All other ‘tourist’ items, like ‘tankas’ and other Buddhist artefacts, are manufactured in... 

Favorites  

Something necessary to know about Leh Trip

Something necessary to know about Leh Trip, Leh

 Rhietu_Negi Says:  Hi, Nick.. See it is the month of August and probably rainy season in India. so be careful while you opt for your journey to Leh this time as you can face landslides this time. So better ask to some travel companies which provided tour and travel to Ladakh, as they can clear... 

See all 21 Favorites in Leh

The Place

Plan a Leh vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Leh locals

Experience Leh
  •   255 Tips and Reviews
  •  596 Photos
  •  3 Videos
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Map of Leh
 

The People

6 Members Live Here
 
Advice from the Locals
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 leh and around. - leh the capital city since 17th century when sengye namgyal builts its nine storey palace. style made is in tradition of tibetan archtecture. above the palace is namgyal tsemo built by king tashi... 

6 members live in Leh

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  I already booked flight tickets to Leh, and also a hotel. All I need is a scorpio, or an innova to drive around there. Can I get... 

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A: If you require an experienced and well-behaved driver and a vehicle, try out Shri. Sabir (+91-9419326234). We booked him for 6 days in Sept., 2011 and he took us... 

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Top Leh Writers

1

LEH TOWN

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  Once I asked a tourist "how do you like Ladakh?" He said...ummmmua! Wonderful! I asked: what about Leh? He said..."Its the toilet of Ladakh" This was when 1987....and now Leh is more... 

2

KI KI SO SO-MOTTO OF LADHAK SCOUTS

mantru profile photo

 Leh is located at 34.17° N 77.58° E[1]. Its average elevation is 3650 metres (11975 feet). Average annual rainfall is 50 mm. The temperature can range from well below -30°C in winter and to 40°C in...... 

3

Leh- A trip to heaven and back!!

abi_maha profile photo

 Leh is not just another district in Jammu & kashmir, infact the one thing thats strikes you about Leh is the sheer size of the district. I haven't seen any other district in India that is this HUGE!... 

4

into thin air

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  Leh, Ladakh - 3500 m a/s/l for a couple of days, it leaves you breathless . 

5

Ladakh Leh - A Kingdom Lost

anilpradhanshillong profile photo

 The Ladakh region lies in the Indus valley basin in the state of Jammu & Kashmir of India and occupies almost 60 % of the land mass of the state followed by Jammu and Kashmir regions. This is after...... 

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