Ladakh is known as Land of High Passes and is located in Jammu and Kashmir State. Ladakh lies at an altitude from 9000 ft to 25170 feet. At these heights, you are on the roof of the world! Ladakh is well known for its mountains, high passes, scenic aura and its culture. Ladakh is in the highest region of the north, surrounded by the great Himalayan chain in the south. For many centuries, Ladakh has haunted traveler’s dreams. Countless temples and monasteries dot this magical land, landlocked in the mountains, and therefore, rightly called the ‘Roof of the World’. It is common in Ladakh to come across villages carved out of the veritable mountainside, stupas reaching the sky, monasteries virtually hanging from the cliffs and crags. Their interiors are filled with priceless antiques and art.
Ladakh is popular among the adventure lovers because of several activities which one can do on Ladakh tour, some of them are white water rafting, trekking, and biking at Khardung La Pass, Camping and Paragliding. It offers trekking options ranging from soft, short hikes through villages for amateurs, to long trans-mountain traverses involving weeks of walking & camping in the wilderness. For mountaineering enthusiasts, there are dozens of peaks and climbing sites to choose from. River Indus & its dramatic tributaries (Zanskar, Shayok, Suru etc.) provide rafting options, both for amateurs and professionals. Or you can go on exciting Jeep Safaris across some of the highest passes &vast plateaus of the world.
There are various ways of reaching Ladakh but the most comfortable of them all is taking a flight. Several flights fly to Ladakh during the peak season and also during the off-season. However, it should be remembered that changes in flights are not unusual due to the unpredictable weather conditions during winters.
The closest airport to Leh is the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport. It operates flights to major cities like Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar and Chandigarh and many more. This airport, being a military air terminal, is very strict when it comes to security checks. Therefore, it would be best to take a printout of your e-ticket before entering; not doing so may result in your being denied entry into the airport. From the airport however, you can avail taxis to reach your lodging or resort.
Travelling by bike to Ladakh is something that is eagerly looked forward to by adventure enthusiasts. After all, biking to Ladakh can be so adventurous and thrilling. There are two different routes that lead to Ladakh – one from Srinagar and the other from Manali: Srinagar to Leh and Manali to Leh.
Next to a bike trip, riding by jeep is also as much fun and adventurous. It is perfect for those travelling in groups of friends and families who want their share of excitement but prefer the road to air. You can take a car trip to Leh from Srinagar, Manali or Chandigarh, depending on the time you have with you. It should be remembered, that the highways are closed during the winters due to substantial snowfall. Keeping this in mind, the best time to take a trip to Ladakh by jeep would be from the months of May to September.
The highlight of this trip is crossing the Zoji La Pass, located at an altitude of almost 11,500ft. It is this same pass that serves as the gateway to Ladakh if you are travelling to Ladakh from Kashmir Valley through Kargil. This road takes you across several passes like the Tanglang La Pass, the second highest motorable pass in Ladakh at 17,480ft.
A bus ride to Ladakh can be quite bumpy. Ladakh is connected to Srinagar and Jammu by roads. There are two routes that lead to Ladakh, one from Srinagar through Zoji La Pass and the other from Manali to Ladakh through Rohtang Pass.
If you are up for it though, then there is a direct bus service from Delhi too. The total distance covered by the bus will be almost 1,203km.
Some people also prefer to travel by train to Ladakh. If you are travelling by train, then the closest railway station is Jammu Tawi, located at a distance of almost 700km from Ladakh. It is well-connected to the major cities in India like Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. From Jammu, arrangement for travelling to Ladakh by a private vehicle can be made.
