It’s not just a destination, it’s a dream.
Dramatically amazing, extremely beautiful, another world place, difficult to reach and live – in Toto a paradise – these were some of the words I heard of Leh Ladakh while growing up.
And I just don’t remember when and how the place became one of my dream destinations and I am sure this must be the case with most of us.
Land of alluring mountains, supernatural landscapes, high altitudes, harsh climate – this incredible place – Ladakh, under the Karakoram range, in the trans-Himalayan region of Kashmir is a remote region of broad valleys with peaks rising to about 20, 000 feet.
Table of Contents
Our Top experiences In Leh Ladakh
Every moment spent in this mystical paradise is an experience in itself. Every other corner seems to be a destination. We enjoyed each and every bit of our time in Ladakh to the fullest. Listing here some of the experiences, we never had before and that blew our minds completely.
How to reach Ladakh
Flight – On this occasion, we booked a Vistara flight from Delhi to Leh (1:30 hours), finding this to be the most convenient option. It can be very economic if you book your flights well in advance.
Train – The nearest railway station from Ladakh is Jammu (Fastest Rajdhani Train takes around 9 hours). From there you can book a taxi.
Bus – You can take a bus from Delhi to Ladakh but it takes around 24 hours to reach.
Own Vehicle – This is also one of the options. There are two routes – Manali Route and Srinagar route. No doubt the drive offers you scenic views but driving for long can be exhausting. If you are adventure loving and enjoy long drive then only go for it!!!!.
Best time to visit Ladakh
Being covered with thick sheet of snow for most of the time, June – September is the slot when snow is clear and roads are open for traveling.
We visited this place in the pleasant weather of July.
Our 5 days 4 nights Itinerary for Leh Ladakh
5 days are minimum of what you need to get the feel of this place. On this occasion we covered some of the most famous destinations of Ladakh. Travel Route we took is :
Leh (2 N) -> Nubra Valley(1N) -> Pangong(1N) -> Leh
Day 1: Reached Leh, took entire day to acclimatize, visited Shanti Stupa and Leh Market in the evening.
Day 2: Sham Valley Bike Tour, Leh
Day 3: Khardungla Pass, Hunder Sand dunes and Nubra Valley
Day 4 : Pangong Lake
Day 5 : Sunrise at Pangong Lake and back to leh
That’s how we explored Ladakh
Day 1 – Reaching Leh
After landing at this amazing place, while we were collecting our luggage, we bumped into Phunsukh wangdu (remember the character played by Aamir Khan in 3 idiots movie).
Getting a taxi from the Airport to your place of stay
Plenty of them are available outside the airport. Ours was arranged by our guest house (on our prior request) for INR 300 and dropped us to our guest house near Leh market.
After reaching guest house, we were suggested to rest for at least a day and drink lots of water to acclimatize to such an altitude.
We took rest for the entire afternoon, but our itchy feet didn’t let us relax much. So to serve them, we came out of our cozy blankets and visited some of the nearby places in Leh. (Though it is not recommended but we went out as we were feeling fine in the evening).
Shanti Stupa
This beautiful white-domed Stupa perched on a hilltop in Leh offers a panoramic view of Leh city lying amidst rugged mountains and cloudy sky which is sure to give you Goosebumps.
To capture this place at its beauty best, visit it during the full moon when this Stupa gets illuminated by moonlight. Just reach here before the sunset and stay until stars become visible and immerse yourself in the beauty of this place.
The stupa is 20 minutes walk from Leh Main Market (you can also hire a vehicle) followed by a short hike (on stairs) of 15-20 minutes.
We climbed a few stairs and felt exhausted (it happens on the very first day being high altitude). So, we stopped to catch our breath but turned breathless looking at the view behind. We could see the entire landscape from there.
Just before you reach the top, you will find a restaurant there serving tea and maggie.
When we reached the top, cool breeze kindled our cheeks and our eyes were glittering with joy grabbing the view of this marvelous white stupa and of the entire city from there. It felt really great to be at such a spectacular location.
This is such a picturesque place that a group of photographers was sitting there since dawn just to capture some of those stunning shots. It felt awesome to meet such a talented folk at one place.
Leh Main Bazaar
The Main Bazaar is a vibrant and colorful place adorned with Local handicrafts, restaurants with live music and people there from different corners of the world. This place makes you feel more lively.
(we had plans to enjoy Pizza in a bonfire restaurant with live music, but due to exhaustion, MJ got a headache). Luckily she got up fine next morning, so it’s mandatory to give your body complete rest to adapt.
Our accommodation in Leh
There are many hotels, hostels, and home-stays in Leh. Home-stays at a place like Leh are altogether a different experience, so we stayed in Charu Guest House near Leh market. There are many guest houses in Leh which are not available for online booking and this is one of them.
This guest house was suggested to us by one of our friends who lives in Leh. It costs us INR 1500 for a night including breakfast and Dinner.
This guest house is super clean and equipped with all hotel like comforts. The owner is a very nice lady (Jigmet Dolkar).
Shu made a facebook page for them and now it can be booked by messaging them on facebook or calling them (09596976692).
If on a budget you can also stay in hostels which are easily available in Leh. If you plan to visit in tourist season, it’s better to book your accommodation before.
Day 2 – Sham Valley Bike Tour
Sham Valley Bike Tour in Ladakh | Renting a bike in Leh
Day 3- 5 Trip to Nubra valley and Pangong Tso
Travel guide to Nubra valley and Pangong Tso
What you need to pack for Leh Ladakh Trip
Like already said, we traveled to Leh in July and day temperature at this time was around 15-20 degree Centigrade. While in sun, there is no need of warm clothes but when in shade you need a pullover . At night, a warm woolen jacket is required.
For Places like Khardungla and Changla passes which are at very high altitude, mostly covered in snow and cool breeze blowing every time, don’t forget to pack your woolen cap, gloves, muffler etc. For overnight stay in Pangong, atleast two layers of clothes are required (warm inner, a fleece, and a jacket).
Put on some comfortable footwear (preferably your sports shoes) and also carry comfortable lowers (or other comfy bottoms) as the journey from Leh to Nubra/Pangong is long.
To protect yourself from scorching sun rays wear Sunscreen and sunglasses.
Food Options in Leh
Budget Tips
– Book your tickets well in advance.
– Instead of staying in hotels, go for hostels, zostel and Home Stays.
– For locations like Nubra Valley and Pangong lake, hire a shared taxi from a travel agency (there are a number of them in Leh Main Market) a day before your scheduled departure. Private taxis are way too expensive there.
– For visiting the surrounding locations of Leh, rent a bike instead of hiring a taxi.
Ladakh is such a beautiful location that once you visit, it is sure to remain in your memories for years to come. But keeping it beautiful and clean is our responsibility.
Guys, the place is at a very great height. Don’t destroy its beauty by making it dirty. Carry your bin with you and dipose this in Leh.
Find more tips on how to reach from Leh to Pangong Lake
https://www.altitudeadventureindia.com/pangong-lake-ladakh/