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Photo: Sumit Das · CC BY-SA 4.0
AltitudeAbout 3,500 m (11,500 ft)
Best timeMay–September (flights all year)
Ideal stay3–4 days
Distance420 km from Srinagar by road (2 days); 430 km from Manali
Overview
Leh is the capital of Ladakh, a mud-brick old town crowned by a nine-storey palace in the style of Lhasa’s Potala. Around it stretch the brown and ochre mountains of the trans-Himalaya, dotted with whitewashed monasteries.
The Indus valley around Leh holds some of Ladakh’s greatest monasteries — Thiksey, Hemis, Shey — and the town is the base for every journey to Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri. Because of the altitude, the first day here is always for rest.
Top attractions
Leh Palace17th-century royal palace above the old town
Shanti StupaWhite stupa with sunset views over Leh
Thiksey MonasteryHilltop monastery often compared to the Potala
Hemis MonasteryLadakh's largest monastery, famous for its summer festival
Magnetic Hill & SangamOptical-illusion hill and the Indus–Zanskar confluence
Hall of FameArmy museum on Ladakh's history
Things to do
- Acclimatise with an easy first day
- Monastery circuit of the Indus valley
- Rafting on the Zanskar or Indus
- Shop the Leh market for pashmina and Tibetan crafts
How to get there
By air: flights to Leh from Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar, Jammu and other cities.
By road: from Srinagar via Kargil (2 days) or from Manali (2 days), roughly June–October.
Local tips
- Rest completely on day one — altitude sickness is real.
- Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours.
- Carry cash; ATMs beyond Leh are few.
Gallery
→Trips that include Leh