The stark and glorious land of Ladakh is located in Jammu and Kashmir. Yet, it is so far removed from what one expects of Kashmir, both in terms of geography and culture. A Ladakh tour will show you a very different and awe-inspiring world. Ladakh itself is separated from the Kashmir valley by the Himalayan range and the difference is immense. The breath-taking landscape is almost magical. Ladakh is known to be the world’s coldest desert. Here, you will find glaciers and sand dunes and freezing winds shaping the raw landscape.
Undoubtedly, you will emerge a changed person after your Ladakh tour. The people of Ladakh are friendly and there’s a sense of spirituality in the air. You can sense it as soon as you enter Ladakh. The many Tibetan monasteries contribute to this. But the wide expanse of the sky, the land and the mountains make you realise how tiny and insignificant we are in the whole grand design of the universe. The land might be barren, but it comes alive with the people here whose love for their land and simple joys infuse the landscape with life.
The most convenient way of travelling to Ladakh is by air. Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport of Leh (code: IXL) is the main airport serving Ladakh. It is connected by regular flights to all the major cities in India through New Delhi. The other way of reaching Leh Ladakh is by road. Ladakh is linked to the rest on India through only two road routes. One route is through Manali in Himachal Pradesh which is enchanting but long, and the other is through Srinagar which requires crossing the perilous Zoji La Pass. However, the road through Srinagar is at a comparatively lower altitude reducing the risk of severe high-altitude mountain sickness. Both these roads close from October/November to May, leaving flying as the only option of reaching Leh Ladakh.
The best time to visit Ladakh is during the summer season from April to June when the climate is pleasant to enjoy the breathtaking landscape. The temperature during this time ranges from 15 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celcius. This is also the tourist season in Ladakh. The Leh-Manali highway closes from October to May which makes reaching Leh Ladakh inconvenient to reach. However, the winter months are popular amongst adventure enthusiasts for the Chadar Trek. Leh Ladakh is known for extremely low temperatures almost throughout the year.
A land like no other with a superabundance of attractions to visit and fabulous landscapes, amazing people and culture, Ladakh is truly a heaven on Earth.
Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karakoram, it lies athwart two other, the Ladakh range and the Zanskar range. Ladakh is mystical in all the spheres it covers, from nature, geography, sceneries to the modest cultures that it fosters. It is said that only in Ladakh can a man sitting in the sun with his feet in the shade suffer from sunstroke and frostbite at the same time.
For those of us living in the constant confusion about the difference between these twin locations, Leh-Ladakh, here is something that might help you. Formerly falling in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh was administered a union territory on 31st October 2019. Ladakh is divided into two districts: district Leh, and district Kargil. The former district has a popular town “Leh” and is a great tourist attraction because of its beautiful monasteries, picturesque locations, and interesting markets defining the culture of the place.
Ladakh is an adventure playground for climbing, jeeps tours, rafting and high-altitude trekking. Note that Leh Ladakh is inaccessible by road outside the summer months. The road passes close altogether from around October to May, and the only way to reach left is by air.