Guest Post by Radhika Sharma from Nomllers.com:

Things to Do and Places to Visit in Ladakh

Ladakh is a dream destination not just for international tourists but also for Indians. It is known as the cold desert and once you enter this place, the entire scenery and the landscape changes in front of you. It feels like you have stepped into a completely new world. Ladakh is a place which will make you feel at awe and one visit to this place will not be enough.

The mountainous region in the North of India does not only offer breath-taking views but is also very culturally rich. There are so many things to do and places to visit in Ladakh. In Ladakh, you will see snow clad high peaks, glaciers, and desert kind structures. You will also find lakes and rivers where you can go rafting. You will also notice here how different life in the mountains areas is as compared to city life in the rest of the country. Below, I am talking about the top things do in Ladakh.

does not only offer breath-taking views but is also very culturally rich. There are so many things to do and places to visit in Ladakh. In Ladakh, you will see snow clad high peaks, glaciers, and desert kind structures. You will also find lakes and rivers where you can go rafting. You will also notice here how different life in the mountains areas is as compared to city life in the rest of the country. Below, I am talking about the top things do in Ladakh.

Things to do in Ladakh: Spot A Snow Leopard

Not many regions in the world is a home of snow leopards. But Ladakh definitely is. In the upper region of the Himalayas, you can spot a snow leopard if you are lucky. There is a particular place in Ladakh where people go on a winter trek just to spot one of the 200 snow leopards that reside in the Hemis National Park. Many tourists come to this region for snow leopard expeditions. It was one of the most adventurous activities of Ladakh.

Bactrian Camel Safari in Ladakh

Hunder Bactrian camels or the double-humped camels are located in a few specific locations in the world. Some of them can be found in the Central Asian region, however, you can also spot them easily in Ladakh. Hunder region of Ladakh is a perfect place to ride on the double-humped camels. Hunder comprises of sand dunes which will make you feel that you are experiencing an Arabian night.

Places to visit in Ladakh: Chadar Trek

Chadar trek is also popularly known as the frozen river trek. It mostly happens in the months of January and February when the Zanskar river freezer. Many people come to challenge themselves in the extreme weather to see the frozen waterfall at the end of the trek. This is one of the toughest and most adventurous treks.

However, if you are commencing this trek be sure that you are prepared both physically and mentally as the temperature here at times goes in negative 30 degrees. This trek takes about a week to complete and it is very important to be physically fit because before the start of this trek medical tests happen so that they can check if you are in a condition to face such a challenging temperature. Also, make sure that you have everything you need for your treck with this Chadar Trek Packing List.

Highest Cafeteria in The World

Yep! Ladakh is not just about its pretty mountains but it has several record-breaking places in the world. There is a Maggi point at Khardung La Pass, which is one of the highest motorable passes in the world. Ride a bike up to this point and savor the moment by having Maggi here. It is such a surreal feeling to overlook at the Himalayan ranges while standing at the world’s highest cafeteria. Khardung Pass lies at a height of 5,359 meters.

Start Your Morning by Praying in a Monastery

Once you are in Ladakh you will notice that you are surrounded by many monasteries. Ladakh’s specialty is its beautiful monasteries as well and all of them are so uniquely constructed that visiting just one monastery is not enough.

Apart from the beauty of this monasteries people also find peace especially after a good morning prayer in the monasteries. In fact, you can stay overnight in one of these and then attend the early morning prayers to experience peace.

Ride on the Adventurous Roads in Ladakh

If you are a biker, then riding a bike in Ladakh is an absolute must. Bikers from several parts of the world come only to experience this in Ladakh. Some of the roads are so exceptionally well constructed however, there are many raw roads as well which will give you all the thrill that is in biking.

In fact, ride a bike till Khardung La Pass and Umling La Pass which are one of the highest motorable roads, you will love it. In fact, Umling La Pass is at a height of 5883 meters while Khardung Pass is 5,359 meters.

Best Places to Visit in Ladakh: Pangong Tso Lake

Pangong Lake got its much-needed fame after the release of a Bollywood movie called ‘3 Idiots’. Since then the lake has become really crowded however, it has still not lost its charm. This lake stretches from India to Chutan and majority of it lies in China.

During the winter season you will find this lake to be frozen. If you are brave enough you can skate on it. The best time is in June when the lake is blue in color and looks very divine. You are not allowed to camp near the lake, so a day trip from the main market of Ladakh – Leh would be good enough as well.

Enjoy the Anti-Gravitational Pull at Magnetic Hill

In Ladakh, there is a road where you can feel the magnetic pull. If you will park your vehicle, it will start moving on its own in an uphill direction. It is said that this is because of the magnetic hill that pulls the vehicles towards it. There is still no physical explanation for this phenomenon. Many tourists come here and park their vehicles, keeping their brakes unlocked to experience it moving towards the hill.

Experience River Rafting in Zanskar River

Remember I talked about Chadar trek during the winter season? Right on that river, tourists enjoy river rafting during the summer season. This place is considered one of the best destinations to river raft in India and it is so thrilling to raft despite the cold during the summer season. Some brave soul in fact take a dive as well in the cold Zankskar river.

Spot the Stars in the Milky Way

Ladakh lies in the high mountains and due to the altitude as well as the clear environment it is easy to spot milky way. You will find many photographers here in Ladakh just to shoot milky way. If you are into astrophotography, then this place is for you. The views Ladakh offers of milky way is unbeatable as it provides really clear night skies for photographs.

Shop at the Local Markets – Things to do in Ladakh

Ladakh is so culturally different from the rest of the India that buying local items here is amazing! The woolen clothes, decorated carpets, beautiful Tibetan jewelry will add on to your experience. The best place for all this would be to go to the Leh market where you can buy everything. In fact, you can also get ready for your treks and buy warm clothes, gumboots from here. Further, the market is not very costly as well.

Experience the Local Life and Culture in Ladakh

Many travelers like to stay with a local just to know a bit about their life and how they live in the mountains. These locals also provide you the taste of their local food along with the famous butter tea of Ladakh. This is a must try thing for all the tea lovers. In fact, you can also ask them for Chang which is a local brew made in a cylindrical porcelain pot. If you are in for a treat they will also make you taste their momos, thukpa and noodle soup which are their traditional dishes and are extremely mouth watering.

Things to Do in Ladakh: Trek the Picturesque Trails

If you are into hiking, Ladakh offers so many trekking trails that you can explore. Stok Kangri lies at a height of 6,000 meters and is one of the highest trekkable summits in India. Many tourists from around the world come to Ladakh to experience Stok Kangri.

There are several other trekking trails as well that you can enjoy. These trails are very scenic and offer breathtaking views of the valleys which every nature lover enjoys. Some of the other treks that you can consider are – Spituk-Stok Trek and Markha Valley Trek.

Best Places to Visit in Ladakh: Shanti Stupa

Located near to the Leh market, this is an architecture which everyone should marvel. You have to climb a few steps to reach to the Stupa. While Stupa itself is a site to admire, but one cannot help but also be in awe looking at Leh from up above.

Shanti Stupa provides a bird’s eye view of the entire city which is very breathtaking. In fact, you can also enjoy the Leh city at the night time as well which offers magnificent views of the city during the night.

Ladakh has much much to offer that going here once is not enough. Whenever you come back, you will discover new things and places to see in Ladakh! Ladakh is marvelous and you can spend a long time here to actually experience the beauty of this place.

Radhika Sharma is a travel blogger, an avid YouTube an IG influencer for the past 2 years. She is based in New Delhi and quit her corporate job a year back. She is the co-founder of the blog, Nomllers. You can find her work on her YouTube and Instagram.

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