Leh
High-altitude desert
Leh is the gateway to Ladakh — a high desert kingdom of ochre mountains, whitewashed gompas and prayer flags snapping in thin blue air. The old town climbs toward the nine-storey Leh Palace, echoing the lines of Lhasa's Potala.
At 3,500 m, Leh asks for a day or two of acclimatisation before the high passes — time well spent among monasteries, markets and some of the clearest night skies in India.
Monasteries & viewpoints
Visit the hilltop Thiksey monastery at dawn prayers, the grand Hemis gompa, Shey and Spituk, and climb to the white Shanti Stupa for sunset over the Indus Valley. Leh Palace and the old bazaar anchor the town itself.
Beyond Leh
Leh is the base for Ladakh's headline drives — over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley dunes, and across Chang La to Pangong Tso. Permits, oxygen and a driver who knows the altitude make all the difference; we plan the route so your body adjusts as you climb.
Highlights
- Leh Palace & old town bazaar
- Shanti Stupa sunset viewpoint
- Thiksey, Hemis & Spituk monasteries
- Day-trip to Magnetic Hill & Sangam
- Springboard to Nubra & Pangong
