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The headline things to do in Leh & Ladakh

From the Leh & Ladakh guide — these are the items that anchor a 4-day visit. For the full breakdown, read the Leh & Ladakh travel guide.

1. Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake) — 160 km southeast of Leh

   The 134 km high-altitude saltwater lake at 4,350 m on the Indo-Tibet border — the colour shifts from turquoise to deep cobalt as the sun moves, and the surrounding ochre mountains complete one of the most photographed landscapes in India. The "3 Idiots Point" near Spangmik became a tourist sensation after the 2009 Bollywood film. Drive from Leh: 5-6 hr each way via Chang La pass (5,360 m); overnight stays available in tented camps at Spangmik and Lukung. Inner Line Permit required.

2. Nubra Valley & Diskit Monastery — 150 km north of Leh, via Khardung La

   A high-altitude desert valley 150 km north of Leh, accessed via the Khardung La pass at 5,359 m. The valley is famous for the white-sand dunes at Hunder, the double-humped Bactrian camels (a leftover of the Silk Road camel caravans), and the 14th-century Diskit Monastery with its 32 m statue of Maitreya Buddha facing the Nubra plain. Allow 2-3 days; overnight in Hunder or Diskit. Inner Line Permit required.

3. Thiksey Monastery — 19 km southeast of Leh, on Manali highway

   The most photographed monastery in Ladakh — a 12-storey complex resembling Lhasa's Potala Palace, terraced up a hill 19 km southeast of Leh. Founded in 1430, it houses 60 lamas, a 15 m statue of Maitreya Buddha, and an extraordinary library of Buddhist texts. The morning prayer (puja) at 7 am, when monks blow long horns and chant in the assembly hall, is the standout experience. Allow 2 hours.

4. Hemis Monastery — 45 km southeast of Leh

   The largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh, 45 km southeast of Leh — founded 1672, headquarters of the Drukpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Hemis Festival in late June/early July (date varies by lunar calendar) features the spectacular masked Cham dances performed by monks in elaborate silk and bronze costumes — among the most important Buddhist festivals in the Himalayan world. Outside the festival, the museum of thangka paintings and gold statuary is reason enough to visit.

5. Leh Palace — Above Leh old town

   The 17th-century nine-storey palace of the Ladakhi royal family, built to resemble (and predating) the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Largely abandoned after the royal family moved to Stok Palace in 1834 and damaged in subsequent wars, it is now a museum overlooking the old town of Leh. The rooftop view of Leh, the Stok Range, and the Indus Valley is the best in town. Allow 1.5 hours.

6. Shanti Stupa — Changspa hill, Leh

   A modern white Buddhist stupa built in 1991 by Japanese monks of the Nipponzan-Myohoji order to promote world peace. The location on Changspa hill at 3,700 m gives the best 360-degree view of Leh, the Indus Valley, and the surrounding mountains. Walk up via the 500 stairs from Changspa Road in 20 minutes (good for acclimatisation) or drive the back road. Best at sunset.

7. Leh Old Town & Main Bazaar — Central Leh

   The maze of mud-brick houses and Buddhist chortens (small stupas) below the Palace is the historic heart of Leh — fully walkable, with restored old houses, the 1666 Jamia Masjid mosque (Ladakh has a sizeable Muslim minority), and the Main Bazaar lined with Tibetan refugees selling thangka paintings, silver jewellery, and pashmina shawls. Best in the morning before the heat.

8. Tso Moriri Lake — 230 km southeast of Leh

   The other great Ladakhi lake — at 4,522 m, larger and remoter than Pangong, surrounded by 6,000 m peaks. The Karzok village on the western shore is the highest year-round settlement in India. Less developed than Pangong (no commercial tented camps within sight of the lake; basic homestays only), and more rewarding for serious travellers. Drive from Leh: 8 hr via Chumathang. Inner Line Permit required.

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