Written by: Divya Nadkarni
Leh
It’s a city, but yet so un-city-like – Mystical, Musical and ethereal – like the innumerable rotating prayer wheels lined on the slope of the entrances to the monasteries, like the winsome smiles on the rosy cheeked school children trudging miles to the nearest school…..
When you first set your eyes on it, the entire township looks like a fairy land. Charming houses dotted on amazingly steep slopes interspersed with tall deciduous trees and farmlands along the banks of Indus, which flows through the city.
Leh does have a charm of its own – Its bustling city markets where shoppers can walk around and dawdle in the numerous trinket shops and little eateries that dot the place; and the cheery greeting ‘Julley’ that fills the pleasant mountain air. Every now and then the rows of shops gives way to steep byways which lead down to the lower road or up to the next level.
It’s a pity that accommodation in Leh can be very expensive.
Orientation
Leh lies at an altitude of 3,500 meters (11,500 ft) and is at a distance of 434 Km from Srinagar, 475 Km from Manali, 220 km from Kargil and approximately 980 km from New Delhi.
Leh is definitely a difficult place to get to, but it’s worth all the trouble.
Weather
True that the whole region of Ladakh is dogged by extreme temperatures that can drop to -28°C in winter and soar to nearly 40°C in peak summer. And the altitude, the closeness to the sun doesn’t help either.
However, there is a time just after summer and before the onslaught of winter when the temperatures are most human friendly. It is cold no doubt, but it is cold bordering on pleasant, and it is definitely the best time to be there: July to September – when the temperatures fall between 16°C during the day and drop to about 10°C at night. This is also the only time when it rains, but being a rain-shadow region the average rainfall is only about 90mm
Towards the end of August temperature dip suddenly and the air gets crowded with pollen from trees, almost like snowflakes, carrying along a warning of the coming of a bitter winter.
Getting There / Route Information
Distances
Manali – 473 km
Delhi – 1076 km
Srinagar – 450 km
Kargil – 230 km
By Air: Air seems to be the most convenient way to get there considering how dicey road travel in that region can get. There are regular flights to Leh from Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. Airlines that fly to and from these cities are Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Air Deccan (now Kingfisher Red). However they don’t fly on all days of the week, and flights run full, you need to book well in advance.
By Road: Now for all those who want to give in to the adventurous streak in them, there is always a road. Leh is well connected to Srinagar and Manali with the National Highway 1D connecting Leh, Kargil and Srinagar and to Manali by the Leh-Manali Highway.
However, the roads are at an immensely high altitude, and curve treacherously around mountains. Often the sight of the bottomless ravines below can make your heart stop. During months of snowfall vehicles have known to be stranded for hours on end with no way to escape. In addition, the rocky barren terrain is prone to devastating landslides (though rarely). But at the end of it all it is perhaps this journey that becomes the most unforgettable part of the trip; the sights take your breath away, making this one road trip worth all those risks.
The J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) provides regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on NH 1D with a night halt at Kargil. Private licensed vehicles are also available from Srinagar. Similarly the Himachal Pradesh Tourism, H.P. SRTC provides regular bus services between Manali and Leh. The journey is about two days long with night halts in camps at Serchu and Pang.
To travel around Leh, tourists have to book licensed vehicles – cars and Gypsys – which are available for hire on a fixed tariff, at an approximate rate of Rs 18 per km.
Pictures of Leh, Ladakh
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Major Attractions / Things to See
There are so many places worth seeing in and around Leh that you’ll probably need about 5 days to do justice to the place.
Leh Palace: This is a nearly ruined structure built in the 17th century by King Sengge Namgyal. Built at a height, from where nearly the whole of Leh can be seen, studies claim that it took nearly 3 years to complete. It is 9 storeys high with stables on the lower floors and rooms for the royal family on the upper levels. However, it was abandoned after the Kashmiri forces conquered it in the 19th century and the royal family moved to the Stok Palace.
Stok Palace: Located 15km south of Leh on the bank on River Indus, the Stok Palace is the current home of Ladakh’s royal family. It is a colossal structure with 80 odd rooms, of which only a dozen are in use. There is a museum in the palace which contains evidence of nearly 4 centuries of royal heritage, and gives an invaluable insight into the life of the royal family over the years.
The Stok Monastery too is worth a visit.
Shey Palace and Monastery: Situated about 15 km to the south of Leh, the Shey Palace was built in the early 17th Century by King Deldan Namgial. The monastery at the palace has a unique 3 storey statue of Buddha, which is one of its kind in the whole region.
Shanti Stupa: Shanti Stupa is one of the Japanese Stupas constructed as a dedication to world peace. Located on the hilltop at Changspa, it was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1985. The tranquil ambience of the place and the panoramic view it offers of the hills over yonder attracts millions of tourists every year to the Stupa.
Hall of Fame: As a museum constructed by the Indian Army, the Hall of Fame is a must visit for every Indian citizen. The museum contains a treasure trove of war memorabilia, surrendered weapons, and invaluable dedications and biographies of our war heroes. A section of the place is dedicated completely to Siachen’s heroes.
Magnetic Hill: Now this is one miracle you have to see. Located in Leh, the magnetic power of this hill is so powerful that a car in neutral gear gets pulled up the hill instead of sliding down.
Khardungla Pass: About 50 km north of Leh, on the road to Nubra Valley, Khardungla Pass is the highest motor able road in the world, at a height of 18,380 feet above sea level. One of Ladakh’s most beautiful points, Khardungla is under snow cover almost all the year round. So whenever you feel like dipping your fingers into freshly fallen snow, that’s the place to be.
Markha Valley Trek: For all those mountain adventurers to long for crazy treks into the wild, do not miss the classic Markha Valley trek – a 10 day long trek from base camp at Ganda la Pass to the ghost village in the Markha River valley.
Vital Tourist Information
For all those who aspire to travel to Leh, here are a few pointers: Firstly, always carry more warm clothes than you think are necessary as temperatures are known to dip most unexpectedly. Secondly, always take a whole day to acclimatize. Altitude sickness can get severe if the body doesn’t get enough time to get accustomed to the climate. Spend a day lounging around at your hotel or amble down those charming alleys, but don’t start travelling immediately. Before you set off, contact your family doctor and carry along some prescription medicine for mountain sickness just in case.
Beautiful pictures divya. Nice information too. What are the expenses like? Very high means?
It was a great fun. Its a must see place.