 Leh Travel Guide, India
Leh, India
Author: Abdulsayed (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Leh is the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, which is now called the Leh District of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The district of Leh covers an area of 45,110 square kilometers, making it the largest district in terms of size throughout India.
Guide to Leh Hotels
It's never easy finding the hotel that's just right for your stay. Still, by taking a little time to do your research, you increase your chance of getting a good hotel at the best price. Go through the list of hotels in Leh which we've put together, with full description, star rating, address, location map and evaluation. Pick the hotel of your choice and view the rates offered by different booking sites. Yes, we show you prices from different websites, so you don't have to visit them one by one.
More on Leh
The Leh district is one surrounded by tall mountains, some as high as 3,500 meters. It was here that the Kingdom of Ladakh was founded around the end of the 10th century. It is located on an important trading route between China and India, between Pubjab and Central Asia, and between Kashmir and Tibet.
Leh Palace, India
Author: Karunakar Rayker (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
Budget Travel to Leh
By Plane
There are flights from Delhi and Srinagar to Leh. Due to unpredictable weather, flights are some times cancelled if the weather is bad, hence you have to brace yourself for such possibility if flying in.
By Road
The main access to Leh is by road. It is usually done by 4WD vehicles, arranged through a travel agency in Delhi, or through connection with local monasteries. There are also buses from Srinagar and jeeps from Manali.
You have two options to reach Leh, via Srinagar from the west or via Manali in the south. Either way, you are going to pass through winding mountain roads in a scabrous terrain, punctuated with security checkpoints and stringent checking of your passport and luggage.
The Srinagar-Leh Highway is the preferred highway to reach Leh, as it runs at a lower attitude compared with the Manali-Leh Highway. The Srinagar highway is 434 kilometers (270 miles) in length, and is open to traffic in the warmer months, from June to October. The highway follows the traditional trade route between the Kingdom of Ladakh and Kashmir.
Whether via Srinagar or Manali, the land journey to Leh will be one of the longest car rides you will ever take, through terrain that can only be described as breathtaking.
Budget Travel within Leh
Having completed such a long journey to get there, you will find that Leh itself is small enough for you to explore on foot. The only place where you would need a taxi is the journey between the airport and town, assuming you are flying in. If you are arriving from the lowlands, you should allow some days to acclimatize before any strenous walking around.
Photos of Leh
Leh, Ladakh
Author: Shark (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)
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Places of Interest in Leh
- Main Bazaar
A good place to get to know Leh and get up close with the locals.
- Leh Palace
Enormous 9-storey structure erected in the 1630's by the most famous ruler of Ladakh.
- Chang Gali
The jewellery and semi-precious stone market in Leh, with shops selling curios and other items.
- Jokhang
Modern ecumenical Buddhist temple in Leh.
- Old Town
Section of Leh with labyrinthine alleyways.
- Namgyal Tsemo
Fort and monastery complex above Leh.
- Ecological Centre
Centre that runs development projects for the surrounding villages.
- Shanti Stupa
Gleaming white pagoda built in the 1980's with funds donated by Japanese Buddhists.
- Skara
A village in Leh.
- Zorawar Fort
A 19th century fort in Skara.
- Sankar Monastery
19th century monastery in the village of Changspa.
- Choglamsar
The main Tibetan refugee settlement in Ladakh, located 7 km south of Leh.
- Spituk Monastery
Oldest monastery of the Gelugpa sect in Ladakh.
- Phiyang Monastery
One of only two monasteries of the Drigungpa sect in Ladakh.
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