Ladakh is a region in the state of jammu and kashmir of northern india sandwiched between the Karakoram mountain range to north and the himalayas to the south.The indian portion of ladakh is composed of the Leh and Kargil districts.
The Leh district is the largest district of jammu and kashmir covering more than half the area of jammu and kashmir of which it is the eastern past.Adventure tourism in ladakh started in the19th century,by the turn of 20th century it was not uncommon for british officials to undertake the 14 stage trek from srinagar to leh as part of their annual leave.
Ladakh is a mysterious land shrouded myth and legend.Much of its ancient history is known only through the mythology of its people as its written history is of very recent origin.Tourist attractions in Ladakh Division Leh,Drass,Kargil,Zanaskar,Nubra Valley,Chang Thang etc. Leh at a distance of 434 kms from srinagar is situated on the banks of the river indus at a height of 11,500 feet.The land of majestic mountains leh is a complete beauty itself.Leh has quite a few amazing places to offer its tourists.Drass,Drass is about 60 kms west of Kargil on the road to srinagar is located at an altitude of 3,300 mts in a realtively flat and open space in the centre of a valley.It has extensive willow groves along the river.
In winter it is covered with a thick blanket of snow.Drass experiences the lowest tempestures in the ladakh valley and is said to the second coldest inhabited place in Asia.Drass valley around the township becomes very picturesque the gently undulating hillsides turn into lush green pastures splashed with a variety of fragrant wild flowers.Kargil,Kargil the average tourist to ladakh usually begins by taking a tour of leh prime town ladakh.It invariably does the sightseeing the monasteries justly famous of shey shankar phyang spituk and hemis.Some might include alchi likir and lamayuru.Few if ever trek to interior villages venture north to Nobra Valley or visit the zanaskar region.
Zanaskar about 20 kms south east of Rangdum stands the panzila axis across which lies Zanaskar the most isolated of all the trans himalayan valley.the penzila pass 4,401 mts is a picturesque tableland surrounded by snow covered peaks.Nubra Valley is located in the north of Leh.Nubra is a tributary to the shyok,which flows parallel to the indus.On the other side of the ladakh range the Nubra Valley used to be on the caravan route leading from leh to Kashger through the two passes of Saser and Karakoram.The main attractions of this area are the Bactarian camels(double humped camels).Khardung La Pass,World’s highest motorable road at 18380 feet and the monasteries like samstaling.Chang Thang the land of Nomads Chang Thang means eastern flat land is located in the east of leh on the chinese border.The average altitude of the area is around 14,600 feet above from sea level.This area is also known as Rupsho Valley.The main attraction of this area is Changpa Nomads,wild animals,lakes,and rare birds.
Tourist Places
Kargil
This area lies just behind the Zoji La Pass, and the center is Kargil, a small town with cobbled streets surrounded by apricot groves. Good panoramas of the Himalaya can be obtained on 03-04 day treks from Sanko to Drass via Umba, and on the more demanding Sanko to Mulbek via the Wakka La Pass at 4,930m.
Indus Valley
Indus Valley, At an average elevation of 3500 m is sand-witched between the Zanskar Range on its South and the Ladakh Range on its North, This is the geographical backbone, and the historical heartland of Ladakh. All major sites connected with its dynastic history are here, starting with Leh, the capital city. The bulk of the population resides along the Indus. Its main attraction are the numerous Buddhist monasteries, quaint villages, fairs , festivals and bazars. Air and road communications converge at Leh.
Zanskar Valley
One of Ladakh’s remotest regions. A 300 km long valley ringed by mountains, only accessible by high passes. The Valley of Zanskar is situated in the inner Himalaya and is higher than most areas of Ladakh. The climate is very Harsh and receives very little rain fall. The twin peaks of Nun-Kun, its Monasteries and its extremely rugged, awe-aspiring landscape are its main attractions.
Suru Valley
Suru Valley, One of the most beautiful regions of Ladakh , the Suru Valley forms the mainstay of Kargil district. Lying nestled along the north-eastern foothills of the great Himalayan Wall, it extends from Kargil town, first southward for a length of about 75 Kms Upto the expanse around Panikhar, thence eastward for another stretch of nearly 65 kms upto the foot of the Penzila watershed where the Suru valley rises. Its composite population of about 30,000 — mainly of Tibeti-Darad descent — are Muslims who had converted their Buddhist faith around the middle of the 16th century. The upper valley reaches of the valley, particularly around the Sankoo bowl, the Panikhar expense and the higher stretch beyond, present a spectacle of breathtaking features-majestic mountain ramparts crowned by snow capped peaks, undulating alpine slopes draining into wild mountain streams of foaming cascades of pristine water, awesome glaciers descending along the Himalayan slopes to the river bed in riverine formation, Quaint villages of adobe houses straggling dry hillocks surrounded by large tracts of lush crops downward the patches of alpine pastures uphill. The beauty of this region is further enhanced by the sheer contrast provided by the towering peaks of Kun (7035 m) and Nun (7135 m) which loom over the skyline in their crystalline majesty.
How to reach ?
Sankoo, Panikhar and Parachik are connected with Kargil with regular bus services, in summer even twice a day. A bus ride from Kargil takes 2 hours to Sankoo, 3 hours to Panikhar and about 4 hours to Parkachik. Rangdum is serviced by the BI-week bus service to Padum, which increases according to demand. Some trucks plying between Kargil and Padum also offers a lift in the cabin for the price of a bus seat. Cars and jeeps taxis can be hired from Kargil for visiting different places in the Suru Valley, including Rangdum and Penzila.
Pangong Lake
The 160 km trip to Pangong Lake from Leh is a wonderful experience. It begins with Thiksey village famous for its huge monasteries covering an entire mountain ridge. Beyond this remote village there is nothing but the extreme mountain ridge. Beyond this remote village there is nothing but the extreme mountain ranges for company. The topography throughout the journey shoots up so abruptly that they throw off all calculations of distance – what looked to be a ten-minute crossing easily required an hour or more. At times, it appeared as if so many of nature’s forces were warning us away at the steep slopes and uneasy bends and not to forget the great chunks of ice appearing static and frozen in time. At Darbuk village near Tangste Valley stood a chain of war memorials with Regimental Insignias in commemoration of the soldiers who lost their lives during the Indo-Chinese war of 1962. Some of the army bunkers and trenches are still in use. Villagers can be seen here along with their large herds of Pashmina sheep and long tailed yaks.
The placid Pangong Lake is not just a tourists paradise but a geologist’s domain too and if one is to brush up with political history, the place is a melting pot of confusion and for sure it in no fun for the army in the biting cold to take care of the strategic landscape.
Tsomoriri
Tsomoriri or “Mountain Lake” is situated in the middle of the elevated valley of Rupshu surrounded by 6000 m peaks which completely surrounds the lake. This valley is inhabited by a small scattered population of “Changpas” nomadic shepherds who also engage in trade and work in caravans in Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti. The Area is rich in wildlife including the “Kyang” (wild ass), red fox and the rare, highly endangered, snow leopard. Black necked cranes and geese flock to the lakeside for breeding during the summer months. It also houses 350 years old Karzok monastery which has about 33 resident monks.