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Leh
Situated at an altitude of 3505 m above sea level, Leh is to the east of Jammu & Kashmir and is the capital of Ladakh. Zanskar River flows through it and breathtaking sparking white snowcapped peaks surround the valley of Leh. A blending of barren desert and well-irrigated farms, the ruined Tibetan style palace of Leh is the first to attract the attention of the tourists.

Leh provides medium and lower class accommodation, with hundreds of guesthouses and hotels, which can suite every budget. Restaurants offer good multicuisine for a reasonable price. There are number of tour Operator/Travel Agents around the town, which look after travelers requirements.

The Palace was built in the middle of the 16th century by King Singe Namgyal and still belongs to the royal family that now lives in the Stok Palace. The nine-storeyed monument has gone to seed, so don’t visit the site expecting too much. You might not be able to get in at all as the palace remains locked, unless of course you ask around and find a monk who can open it for you. The Palace has a museum with some tangkhas (painted or embroidered scrolls) and paintings amongst other things. The view from the monastery is quite impressive. Roosted above the Leh Palace is the Namgyal Tsemo Gompa (monastery). The enigmatic stark structure stands on a steep hill looming over the town.

Built in 1430 by the Namgyal rulers, the red monastery has some frescos, Buddhist scriptures, idols and a massive statue of the Maitreya Buddha (future Buddha). The splendid view from the top alone is well worth the effort. The striking Shanti Stupa is a recent structure. A Japanese who harboured the ambition of spreading Buddhism across the world, had it constructed in 1985 with aid from the Japanese Government. The stupa is connected by a ‘motorable’ road and a steep flight of stairs.

Once on top, you can stop for a snack in the tea shop, then relax and enjoy the panoramic view of the chain of mountains and the peaceful little village of Changspa with typical Ladakhi houses built along a gushing stream, and the towering Namgyal Tsemo in the distance. Leh is the headquarter of Leh District, and the largest town of the region. It is located to the north of the Indus River at an elevation of 3600m above the sea level. The town is dominated by the nine-storey Namgyal Palace and Namgyal Tsemo (victory peak), built by Tashi Namgyal on his victorious in reunification of the Upper and Lower Ladakh.

Leh became the capital of Stod (upper Ladakh) during the reign of king Graspa Bum- Lde,who ruled Ladakh from 1400 to 1430 AD. In the later period, Leh became an important center for trade in Central Asia. Leh remained merely a headquarter of Ladakh district until 1974, when Ladakh was opened for foreign tourists. Since then period Leh became the centre for tourism related activities in the region.

Ladakh
Lying in the rain shadow area of the Great Himalayas, Ladakh is a cold desert area and the most sparsely populated land in the whole world with just two people per sq km. It is perhaps the only place where one can get frostbite and sunburn at the same time while sitting in the sun and stretching out one's legs in the shaded area.

The peculiar climatic conditions of the region feature the freezing winds and the burning sun at the same time. The snow-covered expanse of this rugged terrain attracts tourists with its fantastic and panoramic views. This white paradise is surrounded by some of the highest mountain ranges of Great Himalayas and Karakoram ranges that are young and mighty in geological terms.

Ladakhis are known for their cheerful disposition and most of their festivals fall in winters, which serve as an excuse for social and convivial gatherings. In summers, archery competitions and native version of polo are quite common and especially among the Buddhists, these competitions are often a local ball where folk songs and dances add to the jovial atmosphere and 'Chang', the local barley beer is amply used. The rich collection of oral literature of the region is full of occasion-special songs and poems and includes the localized versions of the Tibetan epic, 'Kesar Saga'.

The biggest and most popular monastic festival among the tourists, Hemis festival usually falls in June or July. It is dedicated to the deity Padmasambhava. The highlight of the festival is the unveiling of a huge thangka (religious icon) once every 12 years. It is considered to be the gompa's greatest treasure and is exhibited either as a painting or embroidered on cloth. In 2004, this thangka has been exhibited. There are other monasteries that have their annual festivals in summers such as Lamayuru, Phiyang, Tak-tok and Karsha in Zanskar. Just like Hemis, Phiyang also exhibits a gigantic thangka in its festival except that it is done every year.

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