Experiences

Alchi

Drive from Leh to Alchi, a fantastic monastery complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the early 12th century, located approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Leh. Only discovered by the outside world in 1974, when Ladakh was opened to tourism, the complex is filled with remarkably well preserved paintings, carvings, Kashmiri temple architecture, and stupas containing holy relics.

Gandala Pass

Embark on a one-day trek from Rumbak to Gandala Pass, nearly 16,000 feet (4,877 meters) above sea level; the pass affords fantastic views of the Himalayan peaks and the Markha Valley.

Hemis Monastery

Drive from Thikse south across the Indus River to Hemis Monastery, the largest and grandest of the monasteries in central Ladakh, known for its spectacular annual summer festival.

Leh City

Take a day to get acclimated to the elevation and explore Leh at a leisurely pace, including the maze of alleys in the Old Town, the stalls of the city’s Main Bazaar, a reminder of Leh’s trading past, and the nine-story Leh Palace, which almost appears to be an outgrowth of its surrounding hills. The palace dates to the 1630s and shares architectural similarities with Lhasa’s Potala Palace, which it predates by nearly half a century.

Shey

Visit Shey, the ancient capital of Ladakh, located about 9 miles (15 kilometers) outside of Leh. Once the royal residence, it is now home to an abandoned palace. A highlight of Shey is its 57-foot (17 meter) tall statute of the Maitreya Buddha (the Buddha yet to come), the largest in Ladakh. Also a must-see are the “five Buddhas of meditation,” giant rock carvings from the 11th century.

Stokla

Another daylong trek takes you from Rumbak along a winding path up to Stokla, a resting point at an altitude of about 16,000 feet (4,877 meters) and 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) below the peak of Stok Kangri, the highest Himalayan peak in Ladakh.

Thikse Festival

If traveling in October, your visit may coincide with the Thikse Festival, whose precise dates vary and are dependent on the Tibetan lunar calendar. The festival features sacred mask dances and a lively market where villagers trade and barter crafts, and artists create sand mandalas, the elaborate geometric symbols of the universe in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Thikse Monastery

Drive through the Indus River Valley from Leh 10 miles (16 kilometers) east to Thikse Monastery, a 15th-century jewel perched on the crest of a hill and one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture. Belonging to the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism – that of the Dalai Lama – Thikse has been consecrated by His Holiness himself, and is an active monastery home to about 80 monks.

Zinchen & Rumbak hike

Drive to Zinchen, a tiny village consisting of just five houses. From Zinchen, hike five to six hours to reach Rumbak, situated at an altitude of nearly 13,000 feet (3,962 meters), keeping an eye out for golden eagles’ nests along the way.