The former capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, Leh is a city located in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a land of abundant attractions, extraordinary landscapes and wonderful people and culture. Here are some of the incomparable things you can do when visiting Leh.
Just about 160 km from Leh a beautiful lake named Pangong is located. The well- known and gleaming blue lake is, approximately at the height of 4350 meters. This lake possesses the unique ability to change colours from light Blue to Green and even sometimes to Grey.
It is also known as Pangong Tso. It has been a tourist attraction for a very long time and has gained further popularity after being featured in various blockbuster movies such as 3 idiots. Camping at the Pangong Lake can be a fascinating experience with migratory birds flocking around you and the sheer beauty of the lake surrounding you.
The Ladakhni cuisine contains some hidden gems which are essential for your taste buds, the most yummy ones include :
This divine dish contains pieces of flour or noodles, in a soup which largely comprises of vegetables, but may occasionally also have chicken pieces added to it.
This cuisine contains steamed or fermented bread along with veg/non veg stew.
Another steamed bun. It is often served with Thupka, and has different fillings such as Pork, chicken, mutton, beef or vegetables.
This is also a type of bread, which almost tastes like a thick roti. It can be topped with jam or can simply be enjoyed with the famous butter tea.
A salty and pink twist to the regular tea, to make this tea, the tea leaves are boiled in water for half a day and fresh butter is added to it along with salt, which results in a tea which is pink in colour.
This local beverage of Ladakh, is made by fermenting miller with yeast in a porcelain pot.
Another beverage, but this is made by mixing yak milk with lime, to ferment the milk. This is one of the many delicacies of this region and is enjoyed along with various Ladakhni cuisines such as momos.
The stars will definitely guide you home at Leh. It provides clear night skies, which add to scenic beauty. Cities do not have such clear skies because of the pollution. If you want to take the experience to the next level there is also an Indian Astronomical Observatory which contains powerful telescopes.
Magic or just science? The famous Magnetic Hill of Ladakh is known to be a gravity hill where vehicles oppose the force of gravity and move against it, moving up on the hill when parked at a specific location. Different theories have surfaced as to why Magnetic Hill may be just an illusion or how it may actually be a major break-through and one of the Earth's many geological wonders.
Tibetan hand crafted items which include wheels, Buddhist masks and Thangka paintings can be bought in Leh. Silver jewelry and traditional Ladakhi jewelry with turquoise made in a Tibetan style are also famous among tourists. Apricots that grow in large amounts in Ladakh are another famous gift that you can take back as a yummy gift of your visit to Ladakh.
Handwoven rugs, carpets and shawls are found in a range of prices in local markets. The carpets have floral or geometric designs or dragon motifs on them and can also be hung on walls as hangings. Other popular things with tourists are Pashmina shawls, which are popular among women as they are very unique and hard to find in cities and usually bear a hefty price tag. Stoles and other woolen garments are also very popular amongst tourists. Handmade woolen socks, gloves, caps and sweaters are also a staple of tourists in the area of Leh, Ladakh.
Local markets in Leh where these items can be found are, Tibetan Market off the Old Leh Road for clothes, Moti Market, Ladakh Art Palace,Women's Alliance in Changspa, andTibetan Handicraft Community Showroom in Choglamsar.
The historical sites at Leh provide solace and peace, the must visit sites include:
Home to almost 55 lamas, Takthok Monastery is distinguished for its brilliant architecture, murals, assembly hall and the holy throne of Dalai Lama.
This castle is glorified by Padmasambhava of Oddhiyana and is also a crypt of Dechendal which makes it one of the most critical historical places of Leh. It also bears a meditation cave and it is said that, The Guru stayed there and meditated for a long time.
It is an ideal place to enjoy the heavenly panoramic view of the entire Leh along with Zanskar mountain range. It shows Medival Tibetan Architecture and is also regarded as the hub of Buddhist culture.
Another magnificent architectural construction in Leh, which shows the royalty of the royal family. It show-cases crowns and royal amenities to enchant the tourists. It has gardens, which have amazing views and the complete feel of the palace is illustrious.
It is one of the richest and the biggest monasteries in Ladakh. It is one of the most magnificent Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in India. Each year during June/July the Monastery becomes a site for the famous 2-days Hemis festival which is a major tourist attraction the Buddhist spiritual followers as well as for the casual travellers who witness priests leading masquerades in company of playing drums and horns by monks.
At 11800 feet above ground, it is one of the most imperial monasteries in Ladakh. It is best known for its pilgrim activities and grandiose architecture.
