VISIT LADAKH —» Places to Visit in Ladakh

Places to Visit in Ladakh

Scattered along the Indus Valley, both east and west of Leh, are other fascinating towns, villages, monasteries and palaces. Some are visited by almost every traveller who comes to Ladakh while others remain the preserve of the dedicated few.

A tour of the gompas is high on most people's lists. Whether you decide to see as many as possible or to spend more time at one or two is up to you. Buses connect most of the principal villages and provide a cheap means of transport - confmn the departure times at the Tourist Information Office as they are liable to fluctuate. If your time is limited it may be more convenient to hire a taxi for a day between three or four people. A round trip taking in Shey, Tikse, Hemis and Stok will cost RsI045, or if you've got the energy you could add Chemre, Tak Tok, Matho and Stakna for Rs 1950. A tour to the west stopping at Basgo, Likir, Alchi and Lamayuru is Rs2225 one way or Rs2640 return. Go to the taxi office for other alternatives. You can usually visit gompas between 8am and 5pm and most now charge an entrance fee of RsI0-20.

Interesting places further afield include the Suru Valley and Zanskar (but see the warning on p79 about the Kargil area), and now that entry has been allowed into the former restricted areas (now called 'protected areas') the choice is wider than it has been for decades. The government is trying to develop the tourism potential of these areas but at the moment the infra structure is minimal and pennits are still required. Nubra and Dba-Hanu are the easiest to visit as they can be reached by public transport and have several guest-houses. The simplest way to get to Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar is with an organised tour.

Alchi
The Chaskor, or religious enclave, is one of the most important cultural sites in Ladakh. Built in the 11 th century, it is a treasure trove of early Buddhist art in the Kashmiri tradition, a style quite different from the Tibetan art found in Ladakh's other monasteries.

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Zanskar
South of the main Indus Valley on the northern edge of the Great Himalaya Range lies Zanskar, one of the most isolated inhabited valleys of the Himalaya.

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Lamayuru
An old foundation associated with the Tibetan Yogi, Marpa, Lamayuru is now the second largest monastic establishment of Zanskar, inhabited by the resident community of about 60 Gelukpa monks. The sprawling whitewashed complex has a number of temples, each a repository of the region's rich monastic legacy.

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Kargil
Travellers should be aware that Kargil is very close to the Line of Control between India and Pakistan and throughout the spring and summer of 1997, 1998 and 1999 became the target of frequent artillery attacks from Pakistani troops - please read the warning on p79 before visiting.

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Shrey
This was the old capital and the home of the kings of Ladakh before the new capital became established in Leh. The palace sits in a strategic position on a spur jutting out into the Indus Valley. The main temple contains a large Buddha statue sculpted by Nepalese craftsmen.

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Rizong
The solitary Gelukpa monastery at Rizong lies up a remote side valley to the north of the main road between Nuda and Saspol. Take any bus from Leh going to Khalsi or beyond and get off at the turning to the gompa.

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Protected Areas
Permits must be taken from the Deputy Commissioner (head of the district administration) in Leh, but citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka and Myanmar will be issued permits only with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi.

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Places to Visit Alchi :: Zanskar :: Lamayuru :: Kargil :: Shrey :: Rizong :: Protected Areas