Ladakh was in my bucket list since a while and 2 years back in July i got the opportunity to travel there.The flight from Delhi to Leh is a spectacle in itself and the views of snow covered peaks that you see from above are hard to forget. Leh can also be reached by road from Srinagar and Manali so if you don't have any time constraints the journey by road will give scenic memories to last for a lifetime.
The landing at Leh airport is an adventure as you can see a narrow strip of land surrounded by mountains on all sides. Leh is situated at an altitude of 11,500 feet and you need to acclimatise properly by resting and taking adequate fluids in order to avoid mountain sickness.
There are many monasteries in the region like Thiksey, Stakna, Hemis and Diskit and Buddhism culture can be felt all around. The peace and calmness which i experienced within the monasteries is hard to describe.
The Khardung La pass – the world's highest motorable road and the Chang La pass – claimed to be the second highest motorable road are sights to behold. The roads to these passes are very curvy with snow covered mountains around and i experienced slight nausea and headache during the journey but once I reached the top, all the symptoms dissappeared and it was like feeling on top of the world.
There is a striking contrast to the beauty of landscapes – at one place you see huge mountains rising above the earth and at the other place you find desert area with sand dunes ( Hunder sand dunes at Nubra Valley ). Both have their own charm and we can just marvel at nature's creations looking at the contrasting landscapes. A very calm stream – a tributary of Shyok river flowing through the sand dunes and tourists enjoying rides on bactrian camels with the sun setting in background are a sight to behold.
The Pangong Tso – a salt water lake is situated at an altitude of 14,000 feet and gets completly frozen in winters. The line of control passes through it and 60% of the lake lies in China.After the movie 3 idiots, tourism in this place has picked up.
Best time to visit Ladakh is from June to August when summer is in full bloom and all the snow has melted. Few of the bravehearts who wish to enjoy Ladakh in its snow covered glory can visit during winters but be prepared for the freezing cold.