The
peaks of Snow Mountains on bright mornings part the dense clouds and soar into
the skies. Beneath the skies like a world submerged, lies a lost kingdom.
Ladakh, the roof of the world opened to tourists only in the last decade. At an
awesome altitude, this highland is the bridge between the earth and the sky!
Part
fantasy, part reality... Ladakh, is where, the forces of nature conspired to
render a magical unrealistic landscape... a landscape of extremes... desert and
blue waters... burning sun and freezing winds... glaciers and sand dunes... a
primeval battleground of the titanic forces which gave birth to the Himalayas.
Ladakh is a region in India totally isolated from the
modern world. An authentic land, it is faithful to ancestral customs where life
is characterized by intense spirituality. Even an Indian traveler will probably
find no similarities in the land and people between the ones he leaves behind
and those he encounters in Ladakh. Rich traditions of Mahayana Buddhism still
flourish in the purest form in this region, which has often been referred to as
Little Tibet.
Ladakh lies at an altitude from 9000 ft to 25170 feet. At
these heights, you are on the roof of the world! As the highest inhabited land
in the world, it holds a fascination for many, while for some there is an
enchantment of seeing mountains which had been under the sea for millions of
years. Ladakh is like a forgotten moment in time. It is common in Ladakh to
come across villages carved out of veritable mountainside, steps reaching the
sky, monasteries virtually hanging from the cliffs and crags. Their interiors
are filled with priceless antiques and art.
As the first rays of the sun hit the mountains, the monks
blow the large copper trumpets from the rooftops of the monasteries. Below the
monasteries, ritual articles are laid out, as monk’s investments and masks get
ready for dancing in front of a gathering. As events build up, the music gets
louder, incense is brought out and a group of monks in ceremonial dress come
out to unfurl the large painted scroll. The night is alive with the
illumination of shrines and buildings. A typical monastic festival in Ladakh
takes place.
Ladakh means "land of high passes". Until the
coming of the aircraft, the only access into this remote, high Trans-Himalayan
kingdom was across several high pass crossings. From the west the Zoji La at
14,000 feet is the lowest. Taglang La to the southeast is 17,200 feet high and
a military highway now crosses this coming from Manali. To the north is the
Khardung La - at 18,200 feet, the only access into the Nubra valley and the
Karakorams. Dead ends now, but important in centuries past, were the northern
passes on the Central Asian trade route - Saser La and the Karakorum pass.
Ladakh’s landscape has more in common with the lunar
landscape than any other place on earth. Being in a complete rain-shadow
region, cut off from the monsoon clouds by the Great Himalayas and a host of
subsidiary ranges, it is a cold high altitude desert where the wind, water from
the minimal winter snows, and chemical reactions within the rocks themselves,
have carved a fantastic, sometimes grotesque, landscape.
Why Visit Ladakh
As soon as we hear about place such as Ladakh, it simply fills our senses with serene beauty of Himalayas. People usually like to talk about it, aspire to visit this place someday however usually Ladakh remains dream destination forever. Ladakh is not a far fetched place which cannot be reached only to be dreamed about. Your Ladakh tour can be a reality all you have to do is to find out about the best Ladakh packages and take one of them. Yes, it is as simple as it sounds.
There are various types of Ladakh tour packages available so you can opt one, suitable for your need. If you want to explore, Ladakh drive around the plans, Hike Mountains and dive in river then you must take discover Ladakh package for seven days and eight nights. Each day in fact every minute of your tour will be not only memorable but satisfying as well. You will find yourself lost in lap of nature and return home peaceful and energized. Ladakh has most amazing views you could ever imagine. It gives peace to mind, relaxes you and makes you feel compassionate. It is not just a journey to any adventurous or scenic place it is journey to your soul. Your four days and five nights scenic Ladakh package takes you to Pangong Lake. You would feel so connected that would not like to move from there and that is why this tour offers camp at lake side.
If you want to take a sightseeing tour of Ladakh in just three days and four nights then take Mystic Ladakh tour package, here you will get to see the local places such a famous Shanti stupa, Gurudwara pathar sahib, Indus & zanskar river sangam and most importantly Khardung la drive, where you can enjoy breath taking scenery at 18390ft.
Ladakh package offers you a wide variety of choices where you can pick according to your choice of locations, price, stay type, and duration of stay. This makes the whole tour very simple and enjoyable. In fact you will be given itinerary of schedule travel so you come to know which places you will be visiting and prepare yourself for that. Ladakh tours make just perfect destination for honeymoon trips as it very cozy and romantic. If you are planning a conference with your investors and clients then bring them on to Ladakh, You will win back home more than business.
Places to visit
Khardungla Top:
A panoramic view towards north of Khardung La (18380
feet), Ladakh, India. The Karakorum Range can be seen at the background. The
road at the left leads one into Nubra Valley en route to Siachen Glacier, the
highest battlefield in the world.
Leh:
Leh is the land of Lamas, the Buddhist Monks and is
mainly populated by Buddhists and Hindus. Leh houses numerous Buddhist
monuments, monasteries and study centers, Shanti stupa and Sankar Gompa are
some of them.
Alchi:
Alchi is an ancient Gompa located 70 km from Leh on the
banks of river Indus in Jammu and Kashmir. It is the only monastery on flat
ground in Ladakh. The Gompa is taken care of by the monks from Likir monastery.
Inside the Gompa, there are thousands of miniature-sized paintings depicting
Buddha.
Pengong Lake:
Located in an isolated area at a 5 hr drive (160 km) from
Leh, this 134 km long lake extends from India to China. Tourists mostly visit
this lake during May to September with a special permit. The Pangong lake
boasts of being the world's highest brackish lake at a height of about 4,250 m
(13,900 ft) from sea level. Villagers can be seen with their large herds of
Pashmina sheep and long-tailed yaks. Despite being a salt water lake, it
surprisingly gets frozen in winter. With such a wonderful location and a
scarcity of oxygen, the Pangong Lake is a geologist's domain too.
Tso Moriri Lake:
Providing a majestic natural view of Ladakh in the north,
Tibet in the east and Zanskar in the west, Tso Moriri Lake is mostly visited in
summer. Changthang plateau, with snow peaks, provides the source of water for
the Lake. The lake is popular for being the largest of the High Altitude Lakes
in the Trans-Himalayan region, entirely within India. It was earlier a salty
lake whose salt was extracted by the end of 1959 for the consumption by the
local people. Tourists flock to the lake to visit the Korzok Monastery,
situated on the western bank of the lake, believed to be about 400 years old.
Lamayuru:
Lamayuru is among the oldest known Gompas, dating back to
the 10th century. This Tibetan Buddhist Gompa (monastery) lies in Kargil
District, Western Ladakh, about 125 km west of Leh. With around 150 permanent
resident monks, Lamayuru hosts two annual masked dance festivals (in the second
and fifth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar). People gather around the
monastery together to pray and perform traditional dances.
Nubra Valley:
Nubra valley is located at an altitude of 3,000 m. Known
as a ‘Valley of flowers’, this valley is affluent in vegetation. You get a
chance to enjoy camel riding. Trek through the scenic landscapes.
HOW TO REACH Ladakh
By Air
Go Airways
& Air India operates their flights daily from Delhi to Leh. There are
flights from Jammu & Srinagar as well.
By Road
There are two ways to reach Leh by Road via Srinagar or via Manali. The
distance between Srinagar to Leh is 434 km’s & the road is open from May
till November. The distance from Leh to Manali is 470 Kms & the road is
open from May till October.
By Rail
The
Nearest Railway Station to Leh is Jammu which is located approximately 690 Kms
from Leh.
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