Devotional & Spiritual
Hemis Monastery
The largest and wealthiest gompa in Ladakh, hidden in a gorge, famous for its June masked dance…
2 hr
₹100
A 134 km endorheic lake at 4,350 m straddling the India–China line, changing from turquoise to deep blue as the light moves.
Don't miss
- Colour shifts through the day
- Spangmik and Merak shores
- Night sky
- Chang La pass on the way
- Time needed
- 6 hr
- Entry
- Free
- Best time
- Morning
- Photography
- Allowed
- Parking
- Available
Works well for
Friends
Couple
Family
Corporate
Tips from our editors
Five to six hours each way from Leh — do it as an overnight, not a day trip, and only after you are acclimatised. Camps at Spangmik are basic; nights are freezing even in July. Inner Line Permit required.
Where it is
Close by
All places
Combine with these
Must visit
Devotional & Spiritual
Thiksey Monastery
A twelve-storey gompa stacked up a hill in the Indus valley, often compared to the Potala, with a…
1 hr 30 min
₹50
Historic & Heritage
Leh Palace
A nine-storey 17th-century royal palace above the old town, modelled on the Potala and now partly…
1 hr
₹40
Markets & Shopping
Leh Main Bazaar
The pedestrianised old market below the palace — pashmina, apricots, prayer flags, and cafés where…
1 hr 30 min
Free entry