Ladakh Tourist Attractions

Ladakh Tourist Attractions - Check out Famous Tourist Attractions of and near Ladakh.

Leh
Leh, 11,970 ft above sea level is the district headquarters of Ladakh, and has grown as a tourist town ever since the district opened up to visitors in the 1970’s. The town is small enough to get to most places on foot, and most of the guest houses are located within a 30 minute walk from the main bazaar.

The Leh Palace, or the “Lhachen Palkhar” is the most striking landmark of the town, built along Tibetan architectural lines as a residence for the Sengge Namgyal in 1600 AD The palace complex includes the Namgyal Tsemo, a fort built by King Tashi Namgyal in the 16th century.

The New Monastery in the heart of the town built in 1957 contains the Buddha Sakya Muni brought from Tibet. The Japanese Shanti Stupa was also built as recently as 1983. Two Mani walls built in the 17th century; the stupas of Enlightenment and Victory, the Moravian church and the Leh Mosque are other interesting places to visit in Leh. The town celebrates the festival of Dosmochey at the end of the 12th Tibetan month during which monks from all monasteries in Ladakh are invited to perform sacred ceremonies.

Stok
A 40 minute bus ride from Leh will take you to the picturesque village of Stok, famous for its 14th century Gompa founded by Lama Lhawang Lotus. The Stok Monastery belongs to the yellow hat sect of Buddhism, and is supposed to be the subsidiary of the Spituk Gompa. The colorful friezes, the images of Vajrapani, Avalokiteswar, Sakya Muni and his disciples, and the thrones are the major attractions of the monastery. Stok has a small chapel with the image of Tsong-kha-pa, the founder of yellow hat Buddhism, and a library. The 80-room Stok Palace built in 1825 has a gompa over 1000 years old. Its museum has a rare range of royal ornaments, traditional dress and thangkas on display.

Basgo
Famous for the Basgo Rabtan Lhartsekhar Castle atop a hill of clay built by Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgyal and his son Sengge Namgyal. The copper gilded image of the Buddha Maitreya rising up to two storeys and an even taller clay image atop the castle are the highlights of the castle. Basgo lies 42 km west of Leh.

Drogpas
These refer to the villages occupied by the Dards, the last of the Aryan race within the Indus Valley. The Dards retain their distinct identity and still follow the practices of the Bon religion, which existed before Buddhism was introduced into Ladakh. At a distance of 150 to 170 km, the settlements of Dah and Biama are most frequented, especially during their lively harvest festivals.

Nubra Valley
Located between the Ladakh and Karakoram ranges, the Nubra Valley at 10,000 ft is a broad and fertile stretch supporting a higher order of vegetation than the rest of Ladakh, especially along the river valleys. Ringed by towering peaks and glaciers, the Nubra Valley offers scenic views.

The Samstanling Gompa and the Diskit Gompa are located amid picturesque surroundings on the foothills of the Karakoram Range. The Murgi waterfall, the Panamik hot spring and the Khardongla pass at an altitude of 18,383 ft are its other major attractions. The Nubra Valley offers ample scope for river rafting and trekking. Accommodation is available in PWD guesthouses, private guesthouses and tents.

Zanskar
Zanskar is a sub-district within Kargil and is a territory enclosed by the tributaries of the Zanskar River. The Zanskar River is a tributary of the Indus. High mountain ridges of the Great Himalayas and the Zanskar range enclose the sub-district. Only its lower reaches support some sort of vegetation that is typical of high alpine and tundra regions. Padum is the administrative capital.