Ladakh
Union Territory Of Ladakh; Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (India'S First, 2022); Hemis National Park In Its South · Leh, Ladakh
A high desert between the Himalaya and the Karakoram in India's far north, culturally Tibetan and one of the most dramatic landscapes anyone can reach by road. Leh, the main town, sits at about 3,500 metres, and everything around it is higher: bare brown mountains, whitewashed Buddhist monasteries on ridges, turquoise lakes like Pangong Tso on the Chinese border, and passes above 5,000 metres on the road to the Nubra Valley. People come to trek, to ride motorbikes over the passes, to see the monasteries and their masked festivals, and in winter for snow leopards and the frozen-river Chadar trek. The two things that decide every trip are the altitude and the season. Flying into Leh puts you at height in an hour, and the first two days must be spent resting, because altitude sickness here is common and can be serious. The road links over the mountains from Manali and Srinagar are open only roughly from late spring to autumn. Several of the famous areas need permits. Cash, patience and warm layers matter more than anything else you pack.
Main Bazaar, Leh, Leh, Ladakh, 194101, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. Ladakh itself is open all year, but in practice it has two seasons. The road links over the mountains from Manali and Srinagar are open only from roughly late spring to autumn, depending on snow clearance; in winter Leh is reached by air only, and many hotels, camps and cafes close. Monasteries generally open early, around dawn for prayers, and close by late afternoon, often with a midday pause. Permit offices and agents keep office hours, so arrange permits a day before travel. Flights to Leh run mainly in the morning. The traps: going high on arrival day, a closed pass on the day of a flight, and arriving at a lake without the permit. Confirm road status, permits and monastery times before travelling.