Ladakh

Ladakh is a land like no other. Bounded by two of the world’s mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karakoram, Ladakh lies at attitudes ranging from about 9000 feet (2750m) at Kargil to 25,170 feet (7,672m) at Saser Kangri in the Karakoram. This remote region of India lies tucked away amongst some of the world’s highest peaks and remains snow laden for most of the year. Between June and September, when the rest of India is in the grip of the South-West monsoon, this high-attitude desert region comes alive with the re-opening of the several mountain passes that surround the capital city, Leh. For the first time traveler to this part of India, Ladakh is full of surprises. Accessing Leh by the land route through either the Manali – Leh highway from Himachal Pradesh or Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway from Kashmir involves a formidable road journey that takes two days to complete and traverses through gigantic mountain ranges standing tall amidst a landscape that is stark and barren and yet beautiful! For those who choose to fly from Delhi to Leh the less than two hours flight is not minus adventure – the narrow air strip of Leh airport wedged in between the jagged peaks of Khardung La is enough to make the air traveler hold his breadth while the plane lands even on a clear morning.

Exquisitely lovely and relatively unspoilt, Ladakh guarantees an experience one will not forget. Amidst the backdrop of barren and snow laden mountains, one comes across a gompa (Tibetan monastery) that is perilously perched on the hill side, clinging on seemingly through sheer will power. Built several centuries ago each gompa bears a history of its own. Some of Ladakh’s most prominent gompas include Lamayaru (the oldest), Hemis (the largest and wealthiest), Thikse, Shey, Stok, Spituk, Alchi and Deskit. Buddhism predominates in Ladakh and imparts a distinct identify to its people.

Set like sapphires in the otherwise dry, barren landscapes are the two beautiful high-attitude lakes of Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso. Home to several rare species of birds and animals these water bodies are not just a visual delight but serve to convey the magnificence of nature’s creation in this remote part of the Himalaya.

Ladakh is full of trails that connect remote villages, spread across ancient trade routes, and there is no better way to absorb this fascinating land and its unique culture than to trek through it. However, as almost all treks start at over 4,800m, a successful trek in Ladakh requires one to acclimatize well before setting out to discover this unique region of the Indian Himalaya.