Ladakh is a union territory in the Kashmir region of India. Formerly falling in the state of jammu and kashmir , Ladakh was administered a union territory on 31st October 2019. Extending from the glacier to the main Great Himalayas, Ladakh is a land like no other. Dominated by dramatic landscapes, Ladakh is known as the world's coldest desert. Stunning Gompas (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries), fluttering prayer flags, whitewashed stupas, Ladakh is a riot of intricate murals and red-robed monks. With a culture similar to the Tibetans, the people of Ladakh are friendly and welcoming to tourists. Ladakh is divided into two districts: district Leh and district Kargil. The former district has a famous town, "Leh", and is a great tourist attraction because of its beautiful monasteries nearby, shanti stupa, cafes and Leh Bazaar defining the place's culture. Ladakh is an adventure playground for rafting and high-altitude trekking. Note that Leh Ladakh is inaccessible by road outside the summer months.
The route passes close altogether from around October to May, and the only way to reach is by air. chadar trek on frozen zanskar river takes place in January to the end of February. Ladakh is most famous for breathtaking landscapes, the crystal clear skies, the highest mountain passes, thrilling adventure activities, Buddhist Monasteries and festivals. Ladakh was established as a union territory of India on 31 October 2019, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. Prior to that, it was part of the Jammu and Kashmir state. Ladakh is both the largest and the second least populous union territory of India.
Adorned with the lofty barren mountains, Ladakh is home to some of the highest motorable passes like Khardung La (5359 m), Marsimik La (5582 m), and Chang La (5360 m), and alpine lakes like Pangong Tso (4350 m) and Tso Moriri (4522 m). Ladakh is further divided into three regions - Leh, Nubra, and Zanskar, and each region has several places to see. ladakh is majorly popular amongst the adventurers who feel welcomed by the number of adrenaline rushing activities offered here. The union territory is amongst the top trekking destinations in India with amazing and unmatched treks like the popular Frozen River Trek/Chadar Trek. Ladakh also has opportunities for mountaineering, motor biking, mountain biking, white water rafting and more. Adding to its exceptional beauty are the ancient Buddhist monasteries that are mostly nestled in the mountains and are thousands of years old.
Popular places to visit in ladakh :
PANGONG LAKE : The most popular tourist attraction in Ladakh, Pangong lake is an endorheic (landlocked) lake situated at 4350 meters. Also known as Pangong Tso it is 12 kilometres long and extends from India to Tibet. Almost 60% of Pangong Lake lies in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. A unique feature of the lake is that it does not remain blue throughout the year or even the day, rather it changes colours from azure to light blue to green and grey too! It is famous amongst tourists as Ladakh lake, the spot where the Bollywood movie "3 Idiots" was shot.
Since the enthralling Pangong Lake falls on the Sino-Indian Actual Line of Control, an inner line permit is required to visit it. The Indian Nationals can easily obtain individual permits while other foreign nationals need to obtain a group permit, with at least 3 persons in the group, accompanied by an accredited guide.
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KHARDUNG LA : Also known as Khardzong La, is a high mountain pass in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, near Leh. It serves as the gateway to Shyok and Nubra Valley. Khardung La is popular as the highest motorable road in India at an elevation of 5602 metres. However, contrary to the belief, its actual elevation is 5359 metres making Dungri La the highest motorable road pass in India. Khardung La pass is a perfect getaway for adventure enthusiasts, peace seekers and mountain biking aficionados. An Inner Line Permit is required by the tourists to enter the pass and travel through it. Due to heavy rains and snowfall, the Khardung La pass remains closed from October to May. Khardung La was built in 1976 and was opened for public in 1988. The pass is very important for India as it is used to carry supplies to Siachen glacier. From the top, you can get picturesque views of the Karakoram range and the Himalayas.
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MAGNETIC HILL : Nesting pretty at an altitude of 14000 feet above sea level, you have to take the Leh-Kargil-Baltic National Highway to reach the destination. Found at a distance of 30 km from the scenic town of Leh the magnetic hill is girdled by the Sindhu river on its eastern side and cradled in a picturesque backdrop of the Himalayan Range. The popular Magnetic Hill of Ladakh is a cyclops hill where vehicles defy the force of gravity and move upwards on the hill when parked at the marked location. To experience this phenomenon, park the car in neutral gear in the yellow box marked a few metres ahead of the Magnetic Hill road. From this point, the car starts moving at a speed of 20 kmph. Even though there are some myths regarding the mysterious magnetic hill, the fact is that the layout of the area and the surrounding hills give it an optical illusion.
ZANSKAR VALLEY : Located in the Kargil district to the east of Ladakh (around 105 km) lies the bewitching Zanskar Valley. Pronounced as Zahar or Zangskar locally, it is separated from Ladakh by Zanskar mountain range which is a part of The Tethys Himalayas. Zanskar is known for raw landscape and is mostly travelled to for trekking and river rafting. The semi-desert region is flanked by snow-capped mountains and sparkling clean rivers along with distinct flora and fauna. The easiest way of reaching Zanskar is from Kargil through Suru Valley. It is cut off from the rest of the world for over 9 months of the year because of heavy snowfall in the region. The only way of reaching Zanskar during the winter months of December to February is undertaking the challenging Chadar Trek .
NUBRA VALLEY : Lies in the union territory of Ladakh at a distance of around 140 Km from Leh. Located on the ancient Silk Route, the valley has Shyok and Nubra rivers snaking through it and some beautiful monasteries. With arid mountains in the backdrop, Hundar in Nubra Valley is famous for the Bactrian camel rides. Bactrian camels are of the rarest sort, having two humps and were the primary source of transportation in the silk route. Diskit Monastery in Nubra Valley is known for the 32 metre Maitreya Buddha statue located near the monastery. There are a lot of activities like ATV rides and ziplining in the Nubra Valley. The region is currently under military supervision because the road further leads to the Siachen base camp, which happens to be the highest battlefield in the world. Most tourists travel to Nubra Valley from Leh through Khardung La.
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SHANTI STUPA : The Shanti Stupa in Leh is a magnificent white-domed Buddhist monument located atop a steep hilltop at a dizzying height of 11,841 feet. It is a religious place for the Buddhists as it holds the relics of Buddha, consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama. It is also popular amongst tourists as it offers a sweeping view of Leh and the nearby Changspa village. Shanti Stupa looks exceptionally beautiful during the full moon night when it is naturally illuminated by the moonlight.
Shanti Stupa was constructed in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist, Bhikshu Gyomyo Nakamura. The construction was jointly done by the Japanese and Ladakhi Buddhists to mark the completion of 2500 years of Buddhism and to promote world peace. It is a part of the peace pagoda mission, which aims to spread peace through the preaching of Buddha. Shanti Stupa is a perfect getaway for both- those looking to obtain peace from offering prayers to God and those waiting to be mesmerised by nature's wondrous beauty.
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