Thursday, 20 March 2014

Leh-Ladakh – Land of Never Ending Discovery



Placed in the higher part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Leh-Ladakh are tourist places famed for several harsh trekking routes
, Buddhist circuits and picturesque landscapes. Inspite of its great natural setting and huge places of tourist interest, the number of tourists visiting this region are less in number but has been increasing in the recent years. 


Heaven for tourists, apart from the natural beauty the unique culture and exotic gift items is what drives tourists for visiting this place.    

Things to do:
Trekking: The land of Leh-Ladakh is home to several of the great and adventurous trekking routes. Not only for the adventurous travelers but also for the starters, this region is truly blessed for trekking and can be easily crowned as a ‘trekkers delight’. Darcha-Lamayaru Trek, Frozen River Trek, Indus Valley Trek, Lamayaru Alchi trek are some of the great trekking routes of Leh Ladakh region.  

Apart from trekking, one can also indulge in mountain biking, river rafting, safari and many more thrilling and yet rejuvenating things. Cycling, camel safari, polo and archery are some other activities that you can indulge to satiate your hunger of maintaining your stamina and strength at an elevation of about 12, 000 feet.  

Shopping: While touring in and around Leh-Ladakh, you can purchase unique mementos and souvenirs that you can take back home as a memorabilia. The item which is renowned among the tourists is the Pashmina Shawl. 

Among others are the woolen caps, gloves, hand-woven rugs, carpets, socks, sweaters which are woven by the local people with their own hand. Some other exotic items to buy here include Tibetan prayer wheel, silver jewelry, Buddhist masks, and the Thangka paintings. 

Leh Palace: Constructed in 1553 by the Buddhist Kings, it used to be the world’s highest building. The construction manual of this building is similar to that of the Potala Durbar in Lhasa. Now the grandeur of the former Leh Palace is only kept alive by the prayer rooms.  

Monasteries: As Buddhism is followed here by the major portion of the people, large number of monasteries adorns this place in the most beautiful and natural way possible. Some of the monasteries that you must include in your visit are Hemis monastery, Matho monastery, Phugtal monastery, Lamayaru, Rangdum, Alchi, Spituk Gompa, Diksit and many more.      

Movies: Numerable amount of movies has been shot in and around the surrounding areas of Leh-Ladakh. The critically acclaimed bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots last scene was shot in the banks of the Pangong Tso Lake. Among other movies which was shot in Leh-Ladakh are Dil Se, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Lakshya, Paap, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Frozen.  

Best time to visit: June to September is the best time to visit Leh-Ladakh as the weather and the climatic conditions remains pleasant and agreeable. 

How to Reach:
By Air: The nearest airport is located in Leh. Daily flights to Delhi and 2 flights in a week from Jammu and weekly flight from Srinagar are available.  
By Train: The nearest railway station is the Jammu Tawi at a distance of 680 km from Ladakh. 
By Road: Srinagar to Leh is 434 km, Manali to Leh is 473 km, and Delhi to Leh is 1047 km.

Travel Tips:
Ø  While venturing in and around the Leh-Ladakh region use the service of the public buses which ply to strict time an schedule but are the cheapest and the easiest.  
Ø  Carry bottle of water and energy capsules while venturing to nay nearby location.

Ø  Leh-Ladakh has some harsh trekking routes so be careful and follow your guide carefully while trekking in any region.
Ø  Avoid doing anything for 2 days and acclimatize yourself before indulging in any kinds of adventurous trek.
Ø  Laptops should be avoided as they don’t favor the high elevations and hard drives can crash.   

No comments:

Post a Comment