About Ladakh
Ladakh lies between Karakoram Mountain & Himalayan range where Karakoram being in north and Himalayan mountain ranges being in south. Adventure tourism in Ladakh is very popular in among adventure lovers around the world. Ladakh is the land of high passes; highest motorable pass in the world is also in Ladakh - Khardung-La (5,359 m). This is not all Ladakh have more to offer to explore. Ladakh culture - main religion in Ladakh is Buddhism and it is full of ancient Buddhist monasteries, some prominent are- Alchi monastery, Lamayuru Monastery, Hemis Monastery, Thiksey monastery.
Ladakh is also has most beautiful High Altitude Lakes (HAL) such as Pangong Lake and Tosmoriri Lake.
Ladakh is a treasure of rich culture and natural resources as well as a heaven for adventure enthusiasts. This land is barren yet colorful mountains, the great ancient Buddhist Monasteries with picturesque locations, the traditional folk songs & dances, colorful masked dances of monastic festivals, fantastic landscapes & clear blue sky, the huge crystal clear lakes, the silence of valleys.
Climate
Ladakh is a beautiful Himalayan destination and also a cold desert of India. The temperature of Ladakh in summer (May to September) is between 32°C to -3°C and in winter (October to April) -20°C to -35°C.
General Information
Ladakh means "The land of high passes", is situated on the western end of Himalayas; Ladakh has four major mountain ranges - the great Himalayan, Zanskar, Ladakh and the Karakoram, passing through it. A maze of enormously high snowcapped peaks and the largest glaciers outside the polar region, dominate the terrain where valley heights range from a mere 8000 ft. to 15000 ft. while passes of up to 20000 ft. and peaks reaching above 25000 ft. can be seen all around. The world's highest battlefield Siechen (6400m) glacier is here. Ladakh lies between Kunlun mountain range in the north and Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo – Arya and Tibetan descent. Current Ladakh border Tibet to the east, the Lahaul and Spiti to the south, the Kashmir valley in west and Trans Kunlun territory of Xinjiang to the far north.
The major waterway of Ladakh is the Indus which enters India from Tibet at Ldemchok. Starting near Mt. Kailash, the Indus according to Mythology, sprouts from the mouth of a loin, and is therefore known as Senge Khababs.
How to Reach Leh
Road Distances
Srinagar-Leh 434 Km
Manali-Leh 475 Km
It takes two days to reach Leh from both Manali and Srinagar with night halt at Sarchu (Camp) & Kargil hotel respectively.
Air Travel
There are regular flights of Indian Airline, Jet Airways, Kingfisher & Go Air from Delhi. Two flights from Jammu & One flight from Srinagar per week of Air India.
Ladakh Culture
The culture of Ladakh is very similar to Tibetan culture that is why Ladakh also called "The Little Tibet". Buddhism is the main religion of Ladakh and people in Ladakh follow Tibetan Buddhism. Ladakhi food has much in common with Tibetan food. The architecture of Ladakh contains Indian and Tibetan influence and monastic architecture reflects a deeply Buddhist approach. The Buddhist wheel, along with two dragons, is a common feature on every monastery (Gompa) likes Lamayuru, Likir, Thiksey, Hemis, Alchi and Rizong monastery.
The land of Ladakh is prosperous in culture, history, natural beauty and flora and fauna. The Ladakhi region is surrounded by Tibet to the east, the Lahul & Spiti to the south and Jammu & Kashmir to the west. To the north of Ladakh lies the central Asia. Wildlife in Ladakh is also worth seeing. Thrilling wildlife, majestic mountains, monasteries gripping to the rocky slopes of hills retain a timeless fascination of the Ladakhi Region. The people of Ladakh are also very warm, welcoming and friendly. This is why the exotic and mystic land of Ladakh appeals tourists to travel in Ladakh. In fact, the interesting land of Ladakh will never fail to allure you with its unique charm and fascination. At least, once in lifetime one must visit to Ladakh and enjoy its fascination.
Altitude Sickness
Lack of oxygen is the main cause for altitude sickness. Though problems normally occur 8000ft or above, it can also happen as low as 5000ft in winter due to cold and stress. More...