A high desert at 3,500 m where the air is thin and the light is unreal.
Leh is at 3,500 metres, and Pangong, Nubra and the passes between them are considerably higher. Acclimatisation is not optional: fly in, then rest for 48 hours before attempting anything strenuous. Every year visitors ignore this and end up on oxygen.
Once you are settled, the region is extraordinary. Thiksey monastery at dawn, the Indus valley gompas, the road over Khardung La to Nubra's sand dunes and double-humped camels, and Pangong Tso, which changes colour through the day and is worth the long drive despite what the Bollywood crowds have done to it.
Inner Line Permits are required for Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri and are issued online or through agents in Leh. Most of the region is only reachable May to September; flights run year-round.
Ranked by how much each place adds to a visit — not alphabetically, and never paid for.
1
A 134 km endorheic lake at 4,350 m straddling the India–China line, changing from turquoise to deep blue as the light moves.
2
A high valley over Khardung La with sand dunes, double-humped Bactrian camels and a 32-metre Maitreya statue above the monastery at…
3
A twelve-storey gompa stacked up a hill in the Indus valley, often compared to the Potala, with a 15-metre Maitreya Buddha inside.
4
A white Japanese-built peace pagoda on a ridge above Leh, reached by 500 steps or a road, with the best view over the town.
5
The largest and wealthiest gompa in Ladakh, hidden in a gorge, famous for its June masked dance festival and a museum of thangkas.
6
A nine-storey 17th-century royal palace above the old town, modelled on the Potala and now partly restored.
7
The pedestrianised old market below the palace — pashmina, apricots, prayer flags, and cafés where every Ladakh trip gets planned.
8
A stretch of the Srinagar highway where an optical illusion makes a stationary car appear to roll uphill.
Distance is what breaks itineraries. See how the city actually lays out before you commit to a day.
Leh's most established full-service hotel, open year round with central heating.
Dorms and private rooms with a terrace that becomes the town's ride-planning hub.
The district hospital — the place to go for altitude sickness that is not improving.
Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh (IXL), 4 km
Daily flights from Delhi, and seasonal services from Srinagar, Jammu and Mumbai. Morning flights only — afternoon winds close the airport. Arriving by air means you gain 3,500 m in an hour, so rest on arrival day.
Jammu Tawi (JAT), 700 km
None. Jammu Tawi is the nearest railhead, two days away by road.
Two highways: Srinagar–Leh (open roughly May to November) and Manali–Leh (roughly late May to October). Both cross high passes and both are spectacular. Driving up allows gradual acclimatisation, which is a real advantage.
Taxis operate on a fixed union rate card — there is no bargaining and no app-based service. Rented motorcycles and self-drive cars are popular; only Ladakh-registered rentals are allowed on many routes. Leh town itself is walkable.
Per person, per day, excluding travel to the destination. A three-day trip for two is shown for comparison.
Clean budget stays, local food, shared or public transport.
Well-rated 3–4★ hotels, sit-down dining, private cabs.
Summer days are warm and intensely sunny with cold nights. Winter drops below −20°C, most roads close and only flights connect Leh — the Chadar trek season. The monsoon barely reaches here, which is why it stays clear when the rest of the country is wet.
Ladakhi thukpa, momos, skyu and butter tea, alongside Tibetan, Kashmiri and traveller-café food on Changspa Road. Apricots, seabuckthorn juice and barley are the local staples.
Pashmina, apricot products, prayer flags, thangka paintings and turquoise jewellery. Buy pashmina from a certified cooperative — the market is full of blends sold as pure.
Effectively none, and that is appropriate at altitude. Cafés close by 10pm.
Acute mountain sickness is the real risk. Rest 48 hours on arrival, drink water constantly, avoid alcohol for the first two days, and descend immediately if headaches worsen or breathlessness appears at rest. Carry a basic altitude medication only after speaking to a doctor. Sun at this altitude burns fast — high-factor sunscreen and sunglasses are essential.
Inner Line Permits are needed for Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri and Dah-Hanu — apply online or through a Leh agent, and carry printed copies plus ID. Mobile data is limited: only postpaid Indian SIMs work, and coverage outside Leh is patchy. Carry cash; ATMs run dry in season.
Walk clockwise around stupas and mani walls. Ask before photographing monks or inside prayer halls, and remove hats and shoes in monastery temples. Do not touch religious objects or point your feet at an altar.
At least 48 hours of rest at Leh's altitude before any excursion, and longer before Khardung La or Pangong. Fly in, walk slowly, drink water and skip alcohol for the first two days. Rushing this is the single most common mistake in Ladakh.
Yes — Inner Line Permits for Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri and Dah-Hanu, applied for online or through a Leh travel agent. Carry several printed copies; they are collected at checkposts.
June to September for open roads and all destinations. May and early October are quieter with some routes closed. Winter is only for experienced travellers — most roads shut and temperatures fall below −20°C.
Only postpaid Indian SIM cards work in Ladakh; prepaid cards issued elsewhere in India do not. Coverage outside Leh is patchy to non-existent, so download offline maps before you set out.
The end of the Kullu valley and the start of the high road north.
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