Best places to visit in Ladakh
Places to visit in Ladakh
Ladakh is also known as the ‘Land of High Passes’ and is one of the most beautiful places with rich and diverse culture in India. It covers the northernmost regions of the Indian subcontinent and has steep terrains, beautiful Buddhist monasteries, and culturally unique features. In this, blog you gonna see many beautiful places to visit in Ladakh.
Ladakh is without doubt one of the most beautiful and culturally interesting areas in the world. This place has great geographical features, religious significance and military significance of making it a distinct region of India.
Best time to visit in ladakh
The most suitable time to go to Ladakh is from the end of May to mid-October. During this time the climate is favorable and most of the area is not affected by snow and ice. Average daytime temperatures are between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, while nights can be cool.
Best places to visit in ladakh
1. Leh (Places to visit in Ladakh)
– Leh Palace: This 17th-century palace resembling Lhasa’s Potala Palace features spectacular views of the city and the hills in the distance. The palace is now a museum that displays the artifacts of the local people of Ladakh, royal jewels, and paintings.
– Shanti Stupa: This white-domed stupa was constructed to spread the message of world peace, and it contains relics of the Buddha; the presence of the Buddha’s remains and the magnificent view of Leh city from the top of the stupa at sunset and at night are breathtaking.
– Leh Market: A busy market that one may opt to engage in to feel the culture of the society. Buy Ladakhi ornaments, Tibetan artifacts, pashmina shawls and other products that are typically sold in local markets.
2. Pangong Lake
Pangong Tso Lake is also situated at the altitude of 4350 meters, it is one of the highest altitude lakes of the world and is considered as one of the most beautiful lakes in world.
It has the water body which appears as blue, green and red, depending on the time of the day. Due to it’s remote location, it is ideal for camping and photographing. The lake attracted a lot of tourist attention especially after the Indian movie 3 Idiots was shot in the area.
3. Nubra Valley (Places to visit in Ladakh)
Nubra Valley is also famous as the ‘Valley of Flower’ as part of the cold desert state of Jammu and Kashmir and is surrounded by different attractions.
Hunder Sand Dunes: See the sand dunes rising in the middle of snowy mountains for that real breathtaking feel. The Bactrian camels with two humps in the middle of their hump enhance the exotic nature associated with this area.
Diskit Monastery: Standing high above the valley is this monastery that dates back to the 14th century and also contains the statue of Maitreya Buddha which is 32 meters tall. The place has a great historical cultural backgrounds and presents a panoramic view of the valley for the tourists.
Suggested Tour: Ladakh Tour Packages
4. Magnetic Hill
This is one of the wonderful tourist spots as it is situated on the Leh-Kargil-Srinagar highway.
Here people would not even believe their own eyes, thinking that some cars are able to move on their own and even roll uphill! This one is an unusual attraction of Boquete that draws tourists and must be visited in order to experience the trick.
5. Khardung La Pass (Places to visit in Ladakh)
Khardung La stands at an altitude of 5359 meters and is therefore one of the highest passes that are accessible by jeep.
It bestows expansive vistas of the surrounding peaks and valleys. For bikers, the terrain of the roads is quite an exciting adventure and for the adventure lovers, it is a place worth visiting.
6. Tso Moriri Lake
The Tso Moriri is another high altitude lake but not as popular as Tso Pangong and offers a relatively serene and untouched landscape.
The lake is enclosed by rocky poor, and snow-capped mountains which make it a perfect place for quiet reflections and nature walks. It is also a bird-watching area and many different species of birds, which are migrating to the area, are seen here.
Suggested Tour: Ladakh A Piece Of Broken Moon Land
7. Hemis Monastery (Places to visit in Ladakh)
The Hemis Monastery, which is the largest and probably the richest in the whole of Ladakh, hosts an annual Hemis festival.
The major events include by masked dances and music and also ceremonials of the birth of Guru Padmasambhava. The monastery itself has got a museum in which many ancient items and thangkas – the Tibetan Buddhist painting are preserved.
8. Spituk Monastery
Spituk Monastery is an extraordinary site and it is located on a hill that overlooks the Indus Valley.
In the territory of the monastery it is possible to see a set of the ancient masks, icons and arms. One of the attractions of the festival is that the monastery hosts traditional dance during the Gustor Festival which takes place in January.
9. Zanskar Valley (Places to visit in Ladakh)
Zanskar Valley is perhaps one of the most beautiful valleys which is still least explored in the larger region of Ladakh.
This is an area of many hills and mountains, and extreme natural beauty that attracts a lot of tourists for trekking and other adventurous activities. Chadar Trek is an unusual and rather adventurous trek undertaken in the winter when participants cross the frozen Zanskar River.
10. Alchi Monastery
Alchi Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh and is famous for the old wall paintings painted here.
These paintings are of 11th century and express the art as well as the spirit the implied in the mentioned epoch. This has a number of temples and shrines with beautiful wooden carvings and idols.
11. Shey Monastery and Palace (Places to visit in Ladakh)
As for me Shey Monastery and Palace is one of the most historic places of Ladakh formerly known as the summer capital.
Palace of the king has a giant statue of Buddha Shakyamuni which is made gold plated and one of the largest statues in Ladakh. The landscape of the surrounding area is beautiful with panoramic view of the Indus and the place is filled with chortens (stupas).
12. Lamayuru Monastery
Lamayuru monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh and is highly recognized for the similarity of the terrain to the moon.
It is also a religious educational institution for Buddhist monks and serves as a venue for the performance of Yuru Kabgyat festival where mask dances and rituals are showcased.
13. Thiksey Monastery (Places to visit in Ladakh)
The Thiksey Monastery is an architectural delight, which is often said to have been modeled on Potala Palace in Lhasa.
The structure is actually an architectural marvel as the complex is built over twelve floors and also has a colossal statute of Maitreya Buddha carved out of limestone measuring fifteen meters in height and a museum full of exotic Buddhist art. It also provides an opportunity to witness the marvelous landscapes of the Indus Valley.
14. Rangdum Monastery
Situated in the hinterland of the Suru Valley, Rangdum Monastery will give you a glimpse into the monastic life that is so ascetically withdrawn.
It has a number of view of the valley and mountain which make it an ideal center for monasticism and a good place for praying for those who find company of many hording and disturbing.
15. Turtuk Village (Places to visit in Ladakh)
Turtuk is a small village near the international border of India and Pakistan, where tourists can visit to explore the rich culture.
The village is of Balti people and they speak their own language, and have their own customs which make the area culturally rich and interesting. This region is also famous for the apricot gardens and green fields that are located in the area.