Leh was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The town is still dominated by the now ruined Leh Palace, former home of the royal family of Ladakh, which resembles a mini-Potala Palace. Leh is at an altitude of 3,650 meters (11,975 ft).
Leh is located at 34.17° N 77.58° E. The district is bound by Pakistan occupied Kashmir in the West and China in the north and eastern part and Lahul Spiti of Himachal Pradesh in the South East.
Best For:
The fresh mountain terrain highlighting the monasteries is a photographer’s delight. Leh is the ideal place to relax and get a feel of the daily trials and tribulations of the local residents.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
The town is dominated by the royal palace known as Leh Palace. This was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century but was later abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises south of their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus. The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, the stables and store rooms are located in the lower floors. The mosque in Leh is a Sunni Muslim mosque. It was constructed under the threat of military action by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb which prompted King Deldan Namgyal to build the mosque in 1661. The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and can accommodate more than 500 people.
Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and ultimately between India and China.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Average annual rainfall is 90 mm. The temperature can range from −28 °C in winter to 33 °C in summer.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Foreign currency can be exchanged at the DelhiInternationalAirport or at any of the banks in Delhi or at Srinagar.
Buddhism is the religion of the majority of Leh District’s population. The most attractive features of the Landscape of Leh are the Buddhists Gompas (Monasteries).
Hemis - Situated 40 Kms from Leh, Hemis is the wealthiest, best known and biggest Gompa of Ladakh. The annual festival of the gompa is held in the summer in the honour
of Guru Padma Sambhav’s birth anniversary. Hemis was built in 1630 A.D., during the reign of Sengge Namgyal and flourished under the Namgyal dynasty.
Alchi- The Gompa is situated on the banks of the Indus, 70 kms from Leh and dates a thousand years back. One of its walls features thousands of miniature sized pictures of the Buddha. The gompa is no longer an active religious centre and is looked after by monks from the Likir Monastery.
Spituk- The gompa stands prominently on the top of the hillock, 8 kms from Leh and commands a panoramic view of the Indus valley for miles. Many icons of Buddha and five thankas are found in the 15th century monastery.
Phyang- The monastery is situated 17 kms from Leh on the Leh- Kargil road. It was built by Tashi Namgyal in the later half of the 16th century A.D. The gompa belongs to the Red Cap sect of the Buddhists.
Jama Masjid, Leh - The historical mosque is situated in the heart of Leh town. It was built in 1666-67 A.D consequent to an agreement between the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the then ruler of Ladakh, Deldan Namgyal. Since then it has been repaired and extended several times. A couple of years ago, the Jama Masjid was dismantled and a new mosque was constructed in its place, using modern masonry skills. Leh Palace- The palace is a distinguished monument and a historical building. The nine-storeyed palace was built by the 17th century illustrious ruler of Ladakh, Sengge Namgyal. It is an imposing structure, though in ruins now, situated on a hill and commands a grand view of the Leh town.
Shopping:
The main market street is full of small stall and vendors displaying a variety of handicrafts, silver and precious stone jewellery, carpets, wooden artifacts and goods from China.
The biggest and most famous of the monastic festivals frequented by tourists and locals alike, is that of Hemis which falls in late June or the first half of July and is dedicated to Padmasambhava. Every 12 years, the gompa’s greatest treasure, a huge thangka - a religious icon painted or embroidered on cloth- is ritually exhibited.
Leh can be reached by travelling to Delhi or to Srinagar and then continuing the journey by road or by plane.
Domestic Flight
Planes fly year round, and are the only option in the winter. Book early and give yourself at least a few days of flexibility as flights are often delayed due to weather conditions. Air India and Air Deccan have daily flights from Delhi. Flights go to/from Delhi, Srinagar, and Jammu.
Those arriving by air are strongly advised to rest for at least one day in order to acclimatize to the high altitude. International Flight:
The nearest international airports are at Delhi and Srinagar. Daily flights operate from most of the cities around the world to Delhi.
Road Travel
Principal roads include the 434 km Srinagar-Leh highway which connects Leh with Srinagar and the 473 km Leh-Manali Highway which connects Manali with Leh. Both roads are open only on a seasonal basis.
The Leh-Manali Highway is a highway in India connecting Leh and Manali. It crosses some of the highest mountain passes in the world, including Rohtang La (3,978 m, 13,050 ft), Baralacha La (4,892 m, 16,050 ft), Lachulung La (5,059 m, 16,600 ft) and Tanglang La (5,325 m, 17,470 ft) and is open only between June and mid-September when snow is cleared from the road by the Border Roads Organisation. It connects the Manali valley to Kullu valley, Lahaul and Spiti and Ladakh. The Manali -Leh highway is open for only three-four months from May to October
Buses run from Leh to the surrounding villages. Trucks often stop for hitchhikers who are usually expected to pay half the bus fare. There is a bit less than 1000 km of paved roads in Ladakh.
Train Travel
There is no direct train service to Leh. Visitors can travel to Delhi or to Jammu by train and then proceed by road.
Getting Around Trekking
Leh offers very interesting trekking routes for trekkers. Trekking possibilities include short, day-long walks up and down the mountain slopes to visit isolated villages or monastic settlements. Reasonably good trekking equipment can be hired from Private Tour Operators specialised in mountain treks.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Shey -15 kms upstream from Leh, the palace was once residence of the royal family. The palace is believed to have been the seat of power of the pre-Tibetan kings.
Thikse- The Thikse monastery is spectacularly situated 19 kms from Leh. It is one of the largest and architecturally most impressive gompas.
Other monasteries of equal importance include Chemrey 45 Kms from Leh, Stakna, Matho, Sankar, Stok and above all Lamayuru, the oldest religious centre of Ladakh.
Masjid-e-Shah-e-Hamdan
At Shey village, 15 kms upstream from Leh, there is a small mosque of great historical value. The mosque was built by one of the greatest preachers of Islam in Kashmir, Mir Syad Ali Hamdani, popularly known as Shah-e-Hamdan. He had arrived in Ladakh about seven centuries ago.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
The existence of Tibetan Buddhism and Islam in Leh resulted in conflict between the two religions. Mosques and Buddhist Gompas were destroyed whenever a religious war was initiated. Since the main Mosque, Jama Masjid and the Soma Gompa are situated not very far from one another, broadcasting of the Muslim prayers and Buddhist prayers have resulted in a cold war between these two communities. The Dalai Lama made a visit to Leh in August 2003 to temples and mosques, and made a speech to stress religious pluralism among locals to promote religious harmony.
