Leh district

The heart of the Ladakh plateau, where Leh's monasteries and high-altitude lakes such as Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are awe-inspiring.

Leh district lies in the Union Territory of Ladakh, in the Indus Valley between the Himalaya and the Karakoram, at an average elevation of more than 3,000 meters. Leh has the Leh Palace and the Shanti Stupa, and nearby Tibetan Buddhist monasteries such as Hemis and Thiksey have long histories. To the east, Pangong Tso straddles the Line of Actual Control between India and China, its color shifting with the light; Tso Moriri lies on a more remote plateau and is home to migratory birds. The best season is May to September; winters are bitterly cold, but you can try the Chadar frozen-river trek. The gateway is Leh Airport, or you can come by road via Manali or Srinagar; allow time to acclimatize on arrival.

Destinations

• Leh & Indus Valley
• Pangong Tso (Ladakh)
• 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.