Nestled among isolated mountain peaks, the bustling town of Leh has long been an important stopover for trade between Kashmir, Tibet, India and China. From a high viewpoint, grey flat-topped houses dominate the old city and sprawl through the valley easing off into a verdant patchwork of irrigated barley fields and tall trees, which light up the landscape. Major attractions offering superb views include the Buddhist Shanti Stupa and the former royal palace, Leh Palace, which is currently being restored. A worthwhile trek once you’ve settled into town is a hike to Victory Fort.
Situated in the Kargil district of the union territory of Ladakh in India, the town of Dras is a popular tourist hub. It serves as a great base from which to explore the network of trekking routes and multitude of tourist sites on offer. Dubbed ‘The Gateway to Ladakh’, this picturesque Hill Station is the coldest inhabited place in India with temperatures reaching -40 degrees celsius, and it is the second coldest inhabited place in the world. The landscape is characterised by rugged mountains, spectacular ridges, and scenic valleys. This mountain village offers visitors a wide range of attractions and activities to enjoy. Visitors can look forward to soaking up captivating landscape views, sampling local cuisine and visiting the magnificent Tiger Hill. Other highlights include: Kargil War Memorial, Ningoor Masjid, the Amarnath holy cave and Suru Valley.
Situated deep in the Ladakh mountain range, almost 4000 metres above sea level, the small high-altitude village of Ulley is one of the most remote in India. Here, where the tiny population lives in a quaint collection of homesteads, visitors travel from far and wide in the hope of seeing the ever-elusive, always-enthralling snow leopard in its natural habitat. This is one of the best locations to spot these majestic creatures, where they live peacefully along with Himalayan wolves, ibex, urial, and Himalayan fox. Nicknamed the ‘grey ghost’, this cat species is one of the rarest on earth. Travellers will be able to enjoy an otherworldly experience which makes for breathtaking photography and incredible memories.
Perched at an altitude of over 4500 metres in the Changthang plateau of northern Ladakh, Tso Moriri, also referred to as ‘Mountain Lake’, is India's largest high-altitude lake. Fed by springs and snowmelt from the magnificent mountains, this wondrous body of water offers a fertile ecosystem for unique flora and fauna species to flourish. Nature lovers will be thrilled as the glistening blue waters, and sandy banks of Tso Moriri are teeming with an abundance of birdlife, with the sightings of over 34 bird species that call this astonishing area home. Resting on the western bank of this remarkable destination lies the Karzok Buddhist Monastry, an ancient and charming Tibetan Monestry dating back 400 years to the Drukpa Lineage.
