Travelling guide - Ladakh

You can see every highlight in the region if you have a week to spend in Ladakh. See the nearby monasteries and take in the city of Leh before moving on to the Nubra Valley, often known as the "valley of flowers" in Tibetan, for some sightseeing and a camel safari. Pangong Tso, a large lake renowned for its blue-green waters, will be your next destination. Visit a local children's non-governmental organization after passing by the picturesque Sindhu Ghat, and then head back to Leh for one more look around its vibrant markets.

Ride a Bactrian camel in the Nubra Valley

See three beautiful gompas (monasteries) around Leh

Visit Pangong Tso, the largest brackish lake in Asia

Drive down Khardungla Pass, the world's highest motorable pass

Greetings from India! Travel to Leh by air, a breathtaking journey across the highlands, from Delhi. On your journey in, you might be able to glimpse the summits of K2, Nanga Parbat, and Gasherbrum. Meet your guide upon arrival, then head to your hotel.

After arriving, ease up as Leh is situated at a significant altitude difference of 11,562 feet (3,500 m) above Delhi. If you're feeling adventurous, visit one of Leh's markets, which provide an excellent overview of the people and customs of the area. Along with enjoying some authentic momos (steamed dumplings), you may explore the city's gompas (monasteries) and see the breathtaking mountain vistas.

Hemis Monastery

Start your journey through Ladakh today by seeing the monasteries in the vicinity of Leh. To begin, take a car up the Indus Valley to Gompa and Shey Palace. Shey, nine miles (15 km) upstream on a hill, was formerly the seat of monarchs. This is the location of a 24-foot (7.5-meter) high gold-plated copper statue of the Buddha. Proceed on your journey to Thiksey Gompa, which is among the biggest and most strikingly designed gompas in Ladakh. Inside are stupas, Buddhist wall paintings, and a number of exquisite temples. Thiksey bears the moniker "mini Potala Palace" due to its striking similarity to this Tibetan palace in Lhasa.

Not to be overlooked is the Hemis Gompa, which is situated 25 miles (40 km) from Leh and was constructed in 1630. It's Ladakh's largest, richest, and most well-known gompa. The significant summer celebration held here in observance of Guru Padma Sambhava's birthday contributes to its popularity. It also has Ladakh's largest thangka, a Buddhist picture that unfolds once every twelve years. Here's where you should definitely see the frescoes on the verandas. See the Shanti Stupa situated atop a hill overlooking Leh after you get back to the city. Constructed in 1995, the stupa offers expansive vistas of Leh and the Indus Valley.

Get up early today to travel across the Khardungla Pass to the Nubra Valley. The world's highest motorable road is this one, at 18,379 feet (5,602 meters) above sea level. As you proceed, take in the sights of the surrounding high peaks. Reach Nubra at midday following a six-hour drive, and register at your hotel. After that, enjoy a leisurely evening at your own pace.

Nubra Tours: Deskit, Hundar, & Camel Rides

You will visit Deskit, the Nubra Valley's principal settlement, today. Perched atop a hill, there's a gompa dating back to 1420 and a tiny market with breathtaking valley views. Here reside about a hundred monks. After that, proceed to Hundar hamlet, where you can see the abandoned fort perched atop a hill above it, as well as Samstanling Monastery.

Take a Bactrian camel safari back to Deskit in the afternoon, or choose to walk if you'd rather. It takes almost two hours to make the way through the sand dunes. After that, make your way back to your Nubra Valley hotel and spend the night there.