About the Leh Ladakh :
Leh
Situated at an altitude of 3505 m above sea level, Leh is to the east of Jammu & Kashmir and is the capital of Ladakh. Zanskar River flows through it and breathtaking sparking white snowcapped peaks surround the valley of Leh. A blending of barren desert and well-irrigated farms, the ruined Tibetan style palace of Leh is the first to attract the attention of the tourists.Leh provides medium and lower class accommodation, with hundreds of guesthouses and hotels, which can suite every budget. Restaurants offer good multicuisine for a reasonable price. There are number of tour Operator/Travel Agents around the town, which look after travelers requirements. The Palace was built in the middle of the 16th century by King Singe Namgyal and still belongs to the royal family that now lives in the Stok Palace. The nine-storeyed monument has gone to seed, so don’t visit the site expecting too much. You might not be able to get in at all as the palace remains locked, unless of course you ask around and find a monk who can open it for you. The Palace has a museum with some tangkhas (painted or embroidered scrolls) and paintings amongst other things. The view from the monastery is quite impressive. Roosted above the Leh Palace is the Namgyal Tsemo Gompa (monastery).
Ladakh
Lying in the rain shadow area of the Great Himalayas, Ladakh is a cold desert area and the most sparsely populated land in the whole world with just two people per sq km. It is perhaps the only place where one can get frostbite and sunburn at the same time while sitting in the sun and stretching out one's legs in the shaded area.The peculiar climatic conditions of the region feature the freezing winds and the burning sun at the same time. The snow-covered expanse of this rugged terrain attracts tourists with its fantastic and panoramic views. This white paradise is surrounded by some of the highest mountain ranges of Great Himalayas and Karakoram ranges that are young and mighty in geological terms.Ladakhis are known for their cheerful disposition and most of their festivals fall in winters, which serve as an excuse for social and convivial gatherings. In summers, archery competitions and native version of polo are quite common and especially among the Buddhists, these competitions are often a local ball where folk songs and dances add to the jovial atmosphere and 'Chang', the local barley beer is amply used. The rich collection of oral literature of the region is full of occasion-special songs and poems and includes the localized versions of the Tibetan epic, 'Kesar Saga'.
Tourist Attractions In Leh :
Sankar Gompa :
This is small but more interesting place to visit than the Leh Gompa and can easily be visited on foot. The Sankar Gompa is an under Gompa of Spitok Gompa. At the most only 20 monks live here and few are permanently in residence although the monastery itself is fairly active. Thus the Gompa is only open to the public from 7.00 am to 10.00 am and from 5.00 to 7.00 pm. It is, however, well lit, so an evening visit is worthwhile. At these times the monks will welcome the visitors and may offer one yak butter tea, 'Tsampa' and boiled and spiced mustard plant.
Jami Masjid :
City with Jama Masjid in foregroundWhen one had enough of the bazaar, head past the new green and white painted Jami Masjid at the top of the street, and follow one of the lanes that lead into the old town. Apart from the odd electric cable, nothing much has changed here since the warren of flat roofed houses, crumbling 'Chortens', 'Mani' Walls and narrow sandy streets was laid down late in the 16th century - least of all the plumbing.
Chamba Temple :
One place definitely worth walking through the putrid smelling puddles to visit, however, is the Chamba temple. It's not easy to find on your own; ask at the second row of shops on the left after the big arch for the key keeper (gonyer), who will show you the way. Hemmed in by dilapidated medieval mansions, the one roomed shrine houses a colossal image of Maitreya, the Buddha to come, and some wonderful old wall paintings.
Leh Palace :
The old palace of the kings of Ladakh overlooks the town from the southwest slope of the Tsemo hill. It has eight storeys and was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 16th century, at much the same time as the famed Potala of Lhasa - which it resembles. The damage to the palace, one side is gaping open, stems from the Kashmiri invasions of the last century. Like the Shey palace the Leh palace still belongs to the Ladakhi royal family, who now live in their palace in Stok.
Leh Gompa :
The Leh Gompa stands high above the palace and also overlooks the ruins of the older palace of the King of Tagpebums. The Red Gompa also known as Namgyal Tsemo Gompa was built in 1430 by King Gvags-Pa-Bum-Ide and has a fine three-storey high seated Buddha figure flanked by Avalokitesvara on the right and Manjushri on the left. In all there are three Gompas at the top of the hill, the topmost one is in a very ruined condition but offers extremely fine views over Leh and the surrounding countryside. To the right of the palace one can see a Buddha painted on the rocks, a remnant of an earlier monastery.
The major tourist attractions of Ladakh are:
Buddhist Monasteries :
Sightseeing in Leh Ladakh begins with a tour of the Buddhist monasteries of the region. Infact, these monasteries are the most distinguishing feature of Ladakh. The Hemis monastery is the largest monastery of Ladakh with an exquisite painting of Lord Buddha, displayed once in 2 yrs. Then, there is the Shey monastery with a gold plated copper statue of Buddha. Alchi, Lamayuru, Likir, Spituk, Thikse, Stakana, Sankar, etc are some of the other popular monasteries in Ladakh.
Leh Palace :
Leh Palace counts amongst the popular places to see in Ladakh. This nine-story palace was built in the 17th century. However, because of neglect, the palace now stands mostly in ruins.
Adventure Sports :
One of the major tourist attractions of Ladakh are the adventure sports of the region. Ample opportunities as well as facilities are available in Ladakh for trekking, river rafting, mountain climbing, cycling, camel safari, yak safari, etc.
Wildlife :
Ladakh is home to some of the most exotic wildlife species. Thriving on the minimal vegetation, poor shelter, rocky terrain and bitter cold are the wild animals like Yak, Nyan, Urial, Churu, Ibex, Snow Leopard, Bharal, etc. Ladakh also plays host to a number of resident as well as migratory birds.
Leh Mosque :
Leh Mosque, in the main Bazaar, is an architectural beauty. A Sunni Muslim Mosque, the Leh Mosque is believed to be built on the land granted by King Deldan Namgial, the grandson of the Muslim Queen of Ladakh.
