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Ladakh
Region · India

Ladakh

A high-altitude desert of monasteries, passes and enormous skies — where the first two days are for acclimatising, not sightseeing.

Best seasonMay/Jun – Sep
Ideal length7 – 10 nights
Main gatewayLeh (IXL)
Before you goGreen fee · 48-hour acclimatisation
SuitsAdventure · culture · mountains
Overview

Why Ladakh

Ladakh is a Union Territory of two districts, Leh and Kargil, and almost every first trip is built around Leh. The appeal is a landscape and a culture you will not find elsewhere in India: Buddhist monasteries on barren ridges, passes among the highest motorable roads in the country, and lakes that change colour with the light.

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Where to go

Where to go in Ladakh

Leh is the base for everything; Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake are the two journeys most itineraries add. Their guides are linked below.

Leh
Leh
Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley
Pangong Lake
Pangong Lake
Highlights

What Ladakh is for

Ladakh rewards time and slowness more than checklists.

LehThe old town, the palace above it, and monasteries within day-trip range. The right place to spend the first, easy days.
Nubra ValleyA green valley beyond the Khardung La, with a monastery at Diskit and sand dunes where camel rides are offered.
Pangong LakeA long, high lake whose colour shifts through the day; most people stay a night rather than rushing back.
MonasteriesWorking Buddhist monasteries across the region; dress modestly and ask before photographing inside.
Road journeysLadakh can be reached by road from Srinagar or Manali, which suits travellers who want to gain altitude gradually.
When to go

When to visit Ladakh

The calendar is set by the roads and the cold, not by preference.

May/Jun – SepThe main season. The Manali road opens from May or June and the Srinagar road from May, according to the Leh administration; days are mild and sightseeing is easiest.
Oct – NovRoads begin to close, nights turn very cold and many camps and guesthouses shut. Possible, but check road status and what is open.
WinterNight temperatures fall to around minus 30 C, per the Leh administration. Travel is for experienced, well-prepared visitors, and flights are the only dependable way in.
Getting around

How to travel Ladakh

Fly into Leh and hire a car with a driver who knows the passes; or come by road to gain altitude gradually.

By air

  • Leh (IXL) is the gateway, with direct flights from Delhi that take about an hour according to the Leh administration. Services also operate from other northern cities.
  • Arriving by air means arriving at altitude within hours. Rest fully on day one.

By road

  • Srinagar to Leh is 434 km and Manali to Leh is 473 km, per the Leh administration. Srinagar–Leh is open from May to November or December; Manali–Leh from May or June to September or October.
  • Travellers who come by road gain altitude gradually, which the administration notes helps acclimatisation.

Locally

  • Hired cars are the practical way to reach Nubra and Pangong. Agree the route, the overnight stops and any rest days before you set out.
Itinerary

A first Ladakh route

Nights 1–2

Leh, acclimatising

Rest, drink water, and keep to Leh town and nearby sights. The administration requires at least 48 hours before higher areas such as Khardung La and Pangong.

Nights 3–4

Nubra Valley

Over the Khardung La into the valley; monastery and dunes. Plan the return as its own day.

Nights 5–6

Pangong Lake

A night at the lake, then back to Leh. Confirm the route and road conditions before you leave.

Night 7

Leh, buffer

A spare day for monasteries, shopping, or weather delays before your flight.

Questions

Ladakh — practical questions

Domestic visitors pay the Leh administration's environmental (green) fee, which includes a Red Cross fund and wildlife fee, online at lahdclehpermit.in and carry the receipt. The administration's 2021 notice put the green fee at Rs 400 per person; check the portal for the current amount. The district portal is built around this fee and its main page does not describe an Inner Line Permit step for domestic visitors. Rules for border-area sites can change, so confirm on the portal or with the Leh administration before you finalise the route.
At least 48 hours. The Leh administration requires all arriving tourists to acclimatise for at least 48 hours before going to higher areas such as Khardung La and Pangong Lake; local sightseeing around Leh town is allowed in that time.
From May or June to September, when both highways are open and the weather is mild. Roads start closing from October, and winter is very cold.
Air is quickest but means arriving at altitude within hours, so a full rest day is essential. The roads from Srinagar and Manali take longer but give a gradual climb.
It is possible but tight: the first two days are for acclimatising, and Nubra and Pangong are each a long drive. Seven nights or more is more comfortable.
Plan

Plan your Ladakh journey

Tell us your dates and how you want to reach Leh, and we will build in the rest days honestly.

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