Leh-Ladakh - Your Journey to Nature's Best Place
Leh-Ladakh is a place blessed with nature's best. Majestic mountains, green meadows and clear blue sky together appear like a painting. Traveling through the region helps you capture the picture perfect scenes in your camera as well as your memories.
This Himalayan region has snowy winters from November till the May. Mountains, lakes and monasteries make Leh-Ladakh a distinct place to visit. Away from the polluted cities and towns, this Leh-Ladakh feels like heaven. This majestic hilly region is subdivided into three areas namely Leh & Upper Indus Valley, The Zankar Valley and Kargil & Suru Valley. Leh & Upper Indus Valley is the cultural centre for Ladakh.
Leh functions as the cultural centre for Tibetan- Buddhist activities. Zankar Valley is comparatively a peaceful region with not much settlement and not many activities. Next is the Kargil & Suru Valley, which lies to the west of Leh. In this part of Ladakh, mostly Islam is practiced apart from Buddhism. During winters, Leh Ladakh has extremes of climatic condition, which leads to freezing of lakes. May to September is the ideal months for planning a visit to this exotic destination.
Top places to visit in Leh-Ladakh
Leh-Ladakh is one of the splendid vacationing destinations to pick up if you are a nature lover. This Himalayan destination has crystal clear lakes, magnificent mountains, green meadows and artistic monasteries, which help you have a dream like and picture perfect vacation.
Zanskar
Zanskar is a remote region, which is surrounded by the mountains. The valley stands elevated from other regions of Ladakh. This part has extremes of climate, which in a way adds to the beauty of the region. The rugged landscapes along with the spectacular views of the Nun-Kun twin peaks, makes this part of Ladakh a beauty worth visiting.
Kargil & Suru Valley
Kargil is marked by narrow roads, apricot groves and the majestic Himalayas. The small town itself is beautiful. Kargil is situated behind Zoji La Pass. Visitors can enjoy the views and also participate in trekking activities starting from Sanko to Drass and Sanko to Mulbek.
Lamayuru monastery
Leh-Ladakh is all about beautiful monasteries. Lamayuri is one such monastery, which not only draws devotes from all over the world but also gets travel enthusiasts who love to visit this spiritual attraction in the district. The monastery came up under Mahasiddacharya Narope. It belongs to the 11th century. It is a heritage under the Red-Hat sect of Buddhism. This shelters about 150 monks. Here, you will know about the incarnations of Skyabse Toldan Rinpoche. The monastery had five artistically designed building, only one of which remains intact.
Indus Valley
Indus Valley is located amidst Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range. The place serves as the historical centre of Ladakh. The capital city of Leh is located here and so are other significant regions, which play an important role in the history of Ladakh. The place is marked by Buddhist monasteries, colorful fairs and festivals, vibrant markets and quaint villages. A major chunk of population survives in this part of Ladakh.
Spituk Gompa
Spituk Gompa is a famous monastery in Ladakh, which was created under Od-de. The monastery got its name from Rinchen Zangpo, who worked towards spreading the faith of Buddhism. Stok, Sankar and Saboo Gompa are the branches of Spitk Gompa. One of the main attractions of this monastery is the assembly hall. It is called Dukhang. The hall has a beautiful throne for Dalai Lama. The monastery also has a Chapel with pictures of Tsong-kha-pa who one of the main disciples of Lord Buddha. Another nearby feature to check out is the Mahakal temple, which is perched on a hill. This holy shrine shelters an idol of Vairabhairava.
Leh Palace
Leh Palace is a must-see attraction in Ladakh. It has magnificent architecture. The palace offers panoramic views of the valley. It is almost in ruins, though the government is taking special measures by sending Kashmiri craftsmen to revive the palace and its lost glory. The Leh Palace belongs to the 17th century. It was constructed under the reign of King Sengge Namgyal. Later, the palace was abandoned by the royal family who shifted to Stok Palace, because the former was occupied by armies of Kashmir. The nine storied building is a beauty to explore. While the top floors were for the royals, the lower ones were for the attendants, had a horse stable and store rooms.
Shey Gompa
Another wonderful monastery to check out when in Ladakh is the Shey Gompa. It is perched on the hill and is a well known spiritual stop for the Buddhists. The monastery is a 15-minute drive from the capital city. This religious site was constructed by King Deldon Namgyal who dedicated it to his late father. This place also sheltered some of the kings of Ladakh. Shey Gompa has a beautiful statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in gold and copper. You can also catch a glimpse of some ancient antiques such as perak, silver jewelry, old weapons, king's armor and royal clothes.
Pangong Lake
This is one of the most beautiful lakes in Ladakh. Panong Lake is also known by the name of Panong Tso. The lake lies near the Changla Pass. It as a width of 8 kilometers and is 134 kilometer in length. It is one of the biggest saltwater lakes that Ladakh boasts of. Pangong Lake stretches from Ladakh region to Tibetan region. Most of the fresh water side belongs to Tibet. The surroundings of this natural attraction are equally beautiful with straight peaks standing tall around the lake.
Hemis Gompa
It is the biggest monastery in Ladakh. This religious site is situated at a distance of 45 kilometers from Leh. The monastery was constructed in 1630. It is also famous for Tse Chi Festival, which is celebrated annually. It is popular as the Hemis Festival.
With such natural and man-made beauties to enchant and thrill you during your visit, Leh-Ladakh gives you more than a pleasurable vacationing experience. You will love to spend more and more time in the serenity of the valleys away from the polluted cities and overcrowded towns.
