Leh	Click here to Print

Overview		Tourist Attraction		How to Reach

Introduction Flying into Leh, the cold desert land, over the magnificent Himalayas is a beautiful and scary experience at once. Leh Palace illuminated by huge halogen lamps looks like a bewitching castle on a hilltop set ablaze in the dark nights of the Leh. Drive in the city is as exciting as the wonders it has in its lap with the long isolated winding road that opens up into a sheer expanse of arid flatness in burnt sienna. There is blinding sun at the top and perhaps at the first impression, a visitor is not likely to appreciate the blessings of the land fully. Bon and Buddhism rule the lifestyle and culture of the people here. The Chortens (Stupas) and enchanting Gompas (Monasteries) adorn the city with their presence. The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful and there is an ominous beauty in the stark surroundings of Ladakh. The Hinayana Buddhist way of life lends a benevolent spirit to the very air of the region. Best Time to travel April to September Leh Palace First look of the palace reminds you of the famous Potala Palace situated in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. It looks like a miniature model of the real Potala Palace. Also known as Lhachen Phalkar, the palace was built in 17th century by Dharamraja Singey Namgial. This once abode of royal family till 1830s is now the Ladakhi branch of the Indian Government's archaeological conservation organization. The palace is located by the edge of a hill and just above the palace is a victory tower build to commemorate the Ladakhi victory over Balti Kashmir. Pangong Lake Pangong is 40 miles in length and nearly 2-4 miles in width at a height of 4267m above the sea level What strikes the eye in coming first in view of this lake is the lovely colour of its water, espacially towards evening, which is of the richest deep blue, over the whole expanse, at morning time, it is of a lighter a very brilliant colour. The water of the Lake is not that salty as sea water. Hemis Monastery The Hemis monastery is situated 44 kilometres from Leh. Hemis is not built very far from the main village, which has a very small non-monastic population. It is the largest monastery in Ladakh, Hemis belongs to the red sect, Brokpa. Built in 1630, 45 km south from Leh, it is not only impressive and intriguing but also different from the other important monasteries of Ladakh. Likir Monastery 52 km from Leh, it was founded in the 11th century by a sect known as Klu-Kkhjil (water spirits) and was rededicated to another monastic order (the yellow sect) in the 15th century. The original Gompa was destroyed in a fire and the present-day Gompa was rebuilt in the 18th century. It is home to huge clay images of Lord Buddha, several old manuscripts, a rich collection of Thankas, old religious and domestic costumes, implements and other such things. Spituk Monastery 18 km from Leh, Spituk Gompa is on the hilltop near River Indus. Initially it belonged to the Kadampa School but during the reign of King Gragspa Bumide, he transferred it to Gayluk Pa order. The monastery has a rich collection of ancient masks, antique arms, icons and numerous Thankas. An annual festival, known as the Spituk festival, is held here from 17th to 19th days of the eleventh month. There is another shrine, higher up the hill, known as the Mahakal Temple, dedicated to the deity of Vajrabhairava. It has a frightening face, which is unveiled only during the annual festival in January. Alchi Gompa Situated on the shores of the River Indus, Alchi Gompa is more than thousand years old. One of the walls of the monastery features thousands of miniature paintings of the Buddha along with three large sized images that are made of clay and have been painted brightly to be the highlights of the place. However, this place does not serve as active religious center anymore and monks only look after it from the Likir. Lamayuru Monastery 125 km west of Leh, Lamayuru monastery was founded in the 10th century. According to a popular folktale, Lamayuru was once a lake. A Lama once blessed the place so that it caused the waters of the lake to recede up to the mountains and left the place for the monastery to be built. This monastery is in utter ruins and only its main hall stands to this day housing numerous Tankhyas. The monastery is also known as Yung Drung (meaning 'Swastika') and is worth seeing, if only for its beauty that surmounts that of any other gompa of the region. Cave Monastery The Cave Monastery of Shergole is old and small but has elegant frescoes. A peculiar Buddhist monastery of the region, it juts out of a brown, granite cliff and is frighteningly suspended in the middle of the mountain. The architectural oddity of the monastery along with its thrilling views arouses the curiosity of not only the tourists but also the locals and it is a perfect thing that one would want to take a photograph of, as a memento to keep forever. The Samtanling Gompa The Samtanling Gompa at the relatively bigger Sumur Village is definitely worth a visit, and houses a fine collection of idols, frescos and tangkhas (painted and embroidered scrolls). Sumur too offers basic holiday accommodations, and a few days spent in this busy little village can be a very pleasant experience. Nubra Valley In the days of yore, the fertile Valley of Nubra formed a part of the overland route between Tibet and Turkestan. Once dotted with garlands of camel and yak caravans, this Silk Route glen is also known as the 'Valley of Flowers' of Ladakh, and is amongst the greenest valleys in the region, ideal for your holiday break. Diskit Village The Diskit Village is located slightly off the little hamlet of Khalsar. Dotted with apricot plantations, Diskit is amongst the larger villages in the region, and home to the 350 year-old Diskit Gompa - the oldest, and the largest monastery in the Nubra Valley. Thiksey Monastery Situated at an altitude of 3600 m above sea level, the monastery of Tiksey is situated about 20 km far from the town of Leh and ranks among the most important monasteries in Ladakh. It is the seat of Tiksey Rinpoche, the main leader of the Gelug School in Ladakh and is the main and leading monastery for more than ten other famous Ladakhi monasteries such as Diskit, Spituk, Likir, and Stok Introduction Flying into Leh, the cold desert land, over the magnificent Himalayas is a beautiful and scary experience at once. Leh Palace illuminated by huge halogen lamps looks like a bewitching castle on a hilltop set ablaze in the dark nights of the Leh. Drive in the city is as exciting as the wonders it has in its lap with the long isolated winding road that opens up into a sheer expanse of arid flatness in burnt sienna. There is blinding sun at the top and perhaps at the first impression, a visitor is not likely to appreciate the blessings of the land fully. Bon and Buddhism rule the lifestyle and culture of the people here. The Chortens (Stupas) and enchanting Gompas (Monasteries) adorn the city with their presence. The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful and there is an ominous beauty in the stark surroundings of Ladakh. The Hinayana Buddhist way of life lends a benevolent spirit to the very air of the region. Best Time to travel April to September How To Reach Air Leh has its own airport. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways & Air Deccan have regular flights operating to and from Leh. The city is also well connected to other major cities of India. Road Leh is having a road connection to Srinagar and Manali. The route to Srinagar is open from June to October, whereas route to Manali is open from July to September.