Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is a fantastic destination for tourists and travellers. Scattered all over the place are ancient monasteries, quaint lanes, colourful markets and splendid view of the Himalayas. Leh is the place where the adventure of Ladakh begins. Trekking is one of the many adventure activities that Ladakh is widely known for. Mountaineering, white water rafting, game of polo and wildlife tours are a few of the lures of the place. A tour to Ladakh is truly an experience of a lifetime.

Leh is the headquarter of Leh District, and the largest town of the region. It is located to the north of the Indus River at an elevation of 3600m above the sea level. The town is dominated by the nine-storey Namgyal Palace and Namgyal Tsemo (victory peak), built by Tashi Namgyal on his victorious in reunification of the Upper and Lower Ladakh. Leh became the capital of Stod (upper Ladakh) during the reign of king Graspa Bum- Lde,who ruled Ladakh from 1400 to 1430 AD. In the later period, Leh became an important center for trade in Central Asia. Leh remained merely a headquarter of Ladakh district until 1974, when Ladakh was opened for foreign tourists. Since then period Leh became the centre for tourism related activities in the region.

Places of Interest

Leh Palace

The most popular attraction of Ladakh, apart from its numerous monasteries, is the Leh Palace. The ruined palace comes across as a mesmerizing piece of architecture and is visited by tourists in large numbers. Leh Palace is perched at the edge of the Namgyal hill and overlooks the entire Leh town below. The palace was constructed in the 17th century, to serve as the residence of King Singge Namgyal. It is quite similar in appearance to the Potala in Lhasa, though it is much smaller in size.

Leh Palace of India comprises of nine stories in toto. It has been deserted since the 1830s, when the royal families of Ladakh were exiled to the Stok Palace. Years of neglect have resulted in the palace being reduced to ruins. Towering above the Leh palace is a huge tower, known as the 'Victory Tower', which was built to celebrate the victory of the Ladakhi soldiers in the early 16th century, over the attacking army of Balti Kashmiris. However, the canon balls fired by the Kashmiris have left the palace quite weak.

Presently, Leh Palace has been converted into an office for Indian Government's archaeological conservation organization. It has been built as per the medieval Tibetan architectural style. The walls of the palace are huge and inclined, while the wooden balconies seem to be protruding. The flaking murals of Leh Palace serve as a window to the erstwhile grandeur and magnificence of the ruined apartments. The fourth story of the palace houses the Dukhar temple, which enshrines thousand-armed image of its deity, Goddess Tara.

Tsemo Gompa

Moving further up ahead of the palace, one arrives at the Tsemo Gompa. The Gompa is accessible either from Chubi or by walking up the south approach from the Leh Palace.

Shanti Stupa

The Shanti Stupa was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1985. This newly-added attraction in the Leh area attracts a good number of tourists and travellers. The Stupa was erected with the assistance of the Japanese. The beautiful murals and the calm ambience that surrounds the Stupa is truly a wonderful experience.

Chain of Monasteries

To the southeast and west of Leh, one can come across a whole chain of monasteries. To the southeast of Leh are some popular monasteries like Shey, Thiskey, Hemis, Stanka, Matho and the Stok Palace. Spituk, Likir, Alchi and Rhizdong lie to the west of Leh.

How to Reach Leh

Manali to Leh - Since 1989, the 473 km. Manali-Leh road has been serving as the second overland approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from around mid-June to early October. This high road traverses the upland desert plateau of Rupsho, altitude ranges from 3,660m to 4,570m. A number of high passes fall enroute among which the highest one known as Taklang-La is world's second highest motorable pass at an altitude of 17,469 feet/5,235m. Himachal Pradesh Tourism, HRTC and J & K SRTC operate daily Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Manali and Leh. The bus journey between Leh and Manali takes about 19 hours or two days with an overnight halt in camps at Serchu or Pang. Maruti Gypsy and jeep taxis are also available, both at Manali and Leh at quite reasonable rates.

Road Distances
Srinagar-Leh 434 Km
Manali-Leh 473 Km
Srinagar-Kargil 204 Km
Delhi-Leh 1047 Kms
Leh-Kargil 234 Km
Kargil-Padum (Zanskar) 240 Km
Leh-Deskit (Nubra Valley) 118 Kms.