6 Insanely Beautiful Places In Ladakh
Every traveller has picturesque Ladakh in their bucket list. Be it riders, mountaineers, campers or trekkers, Ladakh is a must-visit place for them as they get to fulfil their adventurous side. The majestic Karakoram range serves as the backdrop to Ladakh in the north, while the towering Himalayas surround it in the south. The best time to visit Ladakh is the summer months as the weather is at its best, the roads to Ladakh are clear for travel, and the beautiful Union Territory of India is in its full bloom. Here are the six insanely beautiful places that you must visit in Ladakh.
Pangong Lake
India has only one-sixth of the Pangong Lake, while the rest is in Tibet. Nevertheless, the lake is the main attraction in Ladakh. It gained popularity as an important sight-seeing place after the Bollywood movie ‘3 Idiots’ was shot here. The lake is frozen during the winter months, and provides opportunities for travellers to do ice skating. Once it starts melting from April, travellers can camp by the lakeside and savour the picturesque brackish water lake that has hills as the backdrop. You could also catch a glimpse of migratory birds such as Brahminy ducks at the lake during the summer months. There will be a permit required to visit the lake for both Indian and foreign nationals.
Nubra Valley
This is another must-visit place in leh ladakh tourism packages. Situated about 150 km from Leh, Nubra Valley presents nature at its best, with mountains, rivers, sand dunes forming the crux of it. July is the best time to travel to Nubra Valley as the weather is at its pleasant best. A camel ride through the Nubra Valley is a must-do activity here. You can visit the local town Diskit, and marvel at their survival strategies in the harsh weather in this valley. You can also take a dip in the Panamik hot springs in Nubra Valley, and make it a memorable trip. Both foreign and Indian nationals will require a permit to visit the Nubra Valley.
Khardung La
It is one of the highest motorable roads in India, and sees thousands of travellers riding their way to the top on their bikes and cars. The thrill of riding a challenging terrain to Khardung La gives an altogether new high and an amazing experience to riders. Khardung La presents a great view of nature, with snow-covered mountains, beautiful landscape and a clear fresh air summing up a never-seen-before experience. However, you need a permit to visit Khardung La, irrespective of whether you are an Indian or foreign national. Khardung La is about 40 kms from Leh, and should be part of your Leh Ladakh package.
Zanskar Valley
It is another important sight-seeing place in Ladakh and is easily accessible by road. However, travellers prefer to ride their way to Zanskar Valley on their bikes and cars to savour its natural beauty, and enjoy the thrill of riding through difficult or challenging terrain. The Zanskar Valley is home to glaciers, lakes and streams, and provides multiple adventurous activities such as river rafting, trekking, rock climbing, among others. You can also visit a few monasteries such as Phugtal Monastery and Bardan Monastery in Zanskar Valley. The summer month is the best time to visit the valley as the weather is pleasant and warm.
Magnetic Hill
As the name implies, this place is said to have magnetic properties as it pulls stationary vehicles up the hill, defying all rules of gravity. And hence, it sees many travellers visiting Magnetic Hill, which is 30 kms away from Leh, to catch this phenomenon live. There is no logical explanation why it happens, but it has definitely become one of the important sight-seeing places in Ladakh. Besides, the Magnetic Valley also presents an optical illusion of a downhill road looking like an uphill slope. Hence, driving through the beautiful Magnetic Hill with its so-called magnetic and supernatural forces at its works is an important itinerary in every Leh Ladakh package.
Spituk Gompa
A trip to Ladakh is not complete without a visit to its famous monasteries. Spituk Gompa should be one of the must-visit monasteries on your tour of Ladakh. Located about 20 kms from Leh, this monastery, near the Indus River, rests on top of a hill. Once you reach the monastery atop the hill, the views from there are just mesmerising, and beautiful. Close to 100 monks live there. There is an old chapel inside the monastery with a giant Buddha’s statue resting on a huge throne. Spituk Gompa is an architectural marvel, and has some amazing carvings all over the monastery.