Ladakh

The "Little Tibet" of the high plateau, a hidden realm of monasteries, alpine lakes and vast, rugged desert mountain scenery.

Ladakh lies in the far north of India between the Himalayas and the Karakoram, at very high average elevation, and became a Union Territory in 2019. The capital, Leh, has a royal palace and many Tibetan Buddhist monasteries; the Nubra Valley has sand dunes and Bactrian camels; and Pangong Lake and Tso Moriri are a brilliant blue and stunningly scenic. Some areas require an Inner Line Permit, and you should take care to acclimatize on arrival. The best season is June to September; winters are extremely cold and many overland routes are closed. Leh Airport has flights to Delhi and other cities, and in summer you can also arrive by road via Manali or Srinagar.

Destinations

• Leh & Indus Valley
• Pangong Tso (Ladakh)
• Nubra Valley
• Tso Moriri

Itineraries

• Ladakh: Leh, Nubra Valley & Pangong Tso – Fly to Leh to acclimatize, cross Khardung La into Nubra Valley, and travel along the Shyok River to Pangong Tso.
• Manali-Leh Highway & Tso Moriri Overland – Cross the four major passes of the Manali-Leh Highway, then detour to Tso Moriri and Tso Kar.