Location: Ladakh
Top Things to do in Ladakh
Things to do in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir: The Best Nature & Parks
Bounded by the Karakoram and Himalayan mountains, Ladhak is the largest province in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The landscape of Ladhak, a high altitude desert, is defined by craggy, barren cliffs and plateaus. Ladhak is a favorite among adventure sports enthusiasts, offering unique adventures in trekking, mountaineering and white water rafting. While rafting options are available on both Indus and Zanskar rivers, the Zanskar course is more difficult and exciting. The trekking options range from short, day-long walks to visit monuments or monastic settlements to long, trans-mountain treks involving weeks of walking and camping in the wilderness. Ladhak celebrates a numbers of monastic festivals - annual events of the major monasteries primarily in winters. The month of September, hosts the Ladhak Festival, that gives a peek into the richness, depth and pageantry of Ladakh's centuries-old culture, traditions and folk heritage. One can witness the best samples of the region's performing arts, Archery contests and the Ladhak Polo Cup.
Restaurants in Ladakh
1. Tso Moriri
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 343 reviews
Reviewed By SavvyFernwehBlog - New Delhi, India
Tso Moriri is mountain lake in Ladakh, little less popular than Pangong, and at a height of 4595m above sea level. It is said to be the largest high-altitude lake, being entirely in India. The lake and surrounding area are protected as the Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve. So, pitching tents/ camps right along the lake is not allowed. But a little far and with a view of the lake, some camps are set up, which can be booked for accommodation. The lake is surrounded by snow clad mountains all around and the lake is mostly felt by the snow meting from this mountain top and some springs. The pristine waters of the lake have blue colors and it is surprisingly calm and serene. There is reflection of snow-clad mountains and clear blue sky in this beautiful lake. Tso Moriri is relatively untouched and experiencing this breathtaking beauty is totally worth the very long drive from Pangong or Leh to Tso Moriri. It is not ideal for a day trip. It is more popular to drive from Leh to Tso Moriri. We drove from Pangong to Tso Moriri (240 kms) through the Changtang region which is quite remote. It is often said to be one of the most beautiful drives in entire Ladakh. So imagine, how breathtaking it could be! We did not see any petrol pump in the route and less toilets/ food stops. To visit Tso Moriri, an Inner Line Permit (ILP) is mandatory. Ask your travel agency or driver to arrange the permit for you. We stayed in Korzok village which is in a highland on the shores of Tso Moriri. Korzok is quite remote but has some simple and traditional homestays and guest houses. We stayed with Goose homestay and absolutely had a great experience. At the same time, much of the places nearby to the lake is army area and in my opinion there are lot more restrictions in Tso Moriri than in Pangong.
2. Sham Valley Trek
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
3. The Old Monastery Trail
4. Moore Plains
5. Pangong Tso
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,466 reviews
Reviewed By LataV - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
This is one of the few endorheic basins in India...i.e the water does not naturally flow as a outlet to another water body like a river etc. This is also a salt water lake which lies in India and China and no prize for guessing why it does not have any kind of marine life or flora habituating its waters. In fact a line of control also lies within the lake...While this part of the review takes care of some hard facts pertaining to the lake...now comes the amazing magical part. No visit to Leh can be complete without a visit to this mesmerising lake. The colour of the lake is a reflection of the sky at any point of the day. The water is always calm and peaceful with little gentle waves touching the shores silently. Its so still that you can actually hear your own breath when the man made noise around you comes to a stop. The best way to visit this place is to stay overnight as one then gets to see the lake in its various moods and time....in the afternoon under the blazing day sun, in the evening while the sun is setting , the early morning sun-rise. Each of these bring a different facet of this beautiful water body and should not be missed. There are many camps lining up the Pangong Tso and its worth its while to stay back at one of these.
6. Karste Valley
7. Stok Kangri
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By Karnikeya
Climbed it this summer with my 3 close cousins. This one ticks all the boxes, scenic beauty, challenging , amazing people on the trail and more. We heard it may close down for a bit on account of ecological damage so if you do manage to go please respect the mountain. Do not underestimate it though, it is on the boundary between trekking and climbing and altitude speaks for itself. We got rain lower down and snow from base camp onwards so made the last section technical with use of ropes and crampons etc. the summit ridge is steep and exposed and tricky under snow and ice, so you need to be comfortable with at least a class 3 scramble. Summit day is also long with 1200 meters to climb and you need to summit early morning if snowed in or you turn back. Little objective danger though I. E no hanging seracs etc. I suggest the Stok la route which is prettier and longer and much better for acclimatising as you cross a 4900 meter pass and descend ahead of climbing. Take the time to acclimatise well or you will suffer and hate it on summit day. Overall truly amazing and also keep a few days for Leh and surrounds as this is a culturally fascinating area.
8. Thang
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By DRPRPANDIT - Mumbai, India
When we included Turtuk in the itinerary we were quite clueless what to expect from this border village. But the actual experience was truly exciting & very unique. The route to Turtuk throws at you unique & mesmerizing landscapes soon after you leave Nubra & on the way as you approach Bogdang army base. The actual village Turtuk is very cute with plenty of homestays & you can enjoy the local buck wheat preparation here too . A museum at Turtuk is also quite informative. A must visit if you have the luxury of time either for a day visit or an overnight stay.
9. Zanskar Valley
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
This region is almost totally cut-off from the rest of the world for 9 months a year.
Reviewed By Alienalouis - Northern Poland, Poland
It was an amazing experience. Thank you for such an amazing trip to zanskar valley. Being Solo i enjoyed alot and it was an adventurous experience. I'm looking forward for more such experiences.
10. Nakpochu Valley
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
