Why Ladakh is Called Roof of the World

The adventure capital of the country, Ladakh is famous for the top three highest motorable mountain passes in the world. This is the reason to why Ladakh gets the name as Roof of the World. It is also famous for Tibetan and Buddhism culture. You can find many outdoor activities and other attractions here. This region is filled with mountain passes, trekking routes, frozen rivers, glaciers, monasteries and everything is beautified with snow.

Read here about Why Ladakh is Called Roof of the World and the main tourist attractions, things to do, activities, how to reach and other travel guide.

How to Reach Ladakh?

The land of high passes is easily accessible from many parts of the world. The nearest airport is located in Ladakh. The airport is located at a height of 3256m. You can find flights from many important airports in Northern India. The nearest international airport is located in Delhi. Other accessible international airports are located in Mumbai and Kolkata. You can find direct flights from these three international airports to Ladakh.

There are two main highway routes to reach Ladakh. The first route starts from Manali, ends in Leh and the second route starts in Srinagar, and ends in Leh. If you are visiting during the monsoon or early winter season (July to November), the Srinagar route is commonly open. If you are visiting between June and October, the Manali route is open.

The nearest railway station is located in Tawi. It is around 708 km away from Ladakh. You can hire bus or cab from the railway station to reach Ladakh and it would takes at least 15 hours to reach.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh?

This region is at prime beauty throughout the year. The best time to visit depends on the type of vacation you have in your mind.

Summer

June to August is the summer season here. You can find very little of snow in this season and thus, all snow activities will be missing. However, this is the time for Hemis festival and other cultural activities. Trekking during summer is more mesmerizing than any other month.

Also Read : 35 Best Places to Visit in Summer in India

Winter

Winter starts in December and ends in February. This is the adventure time. Almost all adventure activities will be open during this season. This is the peak tourism season too. This is the only season during which the frozen river trekking (Chadar trek) is open. All trekking routes will be open during this season and you can find fresh apricots too.

Also Read : Top 10 Winter Destinations in India and Things to Do

Monsoon

Rainfall is moderate in this season. It starts in September and ends by November. This is the worst time for adventure activities. Since landslide is common during monsoon, trekking in various routes are banned during heavy rainfall. Nevertheless, this is the most romantic time to visit the place. The place will be at picturesque mode during this season.

Also Read : Top Ten Places to Visit During Monsoons in India

Top Attractions and Activities to Enjoy in Ladakh

1. River Rafting

This is an iconic activity in this region. The Indus River and Zanskar River are the top spots for river rafting. Best time for river rafting is June to October.

Suggested Tour : 14 Days - Ladakh River Rafting Tour

2. Camel Safari

You can ride the double-humped camel enjoying the cold desert of Ladakh. Top spots to enjoy this activity are Diskit valley and Hunder valley.

Read More : Popular Safari of Ladakh

Suggested Tour : 9 Days - Camel Safari In Ladakh

3. Trekking

You can trek through mountains, high passes, valleys, frozen river and many other geographical land forms based on the level of difficulty that you can manage. Famous trekking routes are Nubra valley trek, Indus valley trek, Markha valley trek, Stok Kangri trek and Chadar trek.

Read More : Top Trekking Places in Ladakh

Suggested Tour : 5 Days - Leh Ladakh Trekking Tour

3. Jeep Safari

Those who are not ready for trekking can enjoy scaling the place in a jeep. You can choose many spots for jeep safari and the top ones are Pangong Lake, Tsomoriri Lake, Nubra valley, Zanskar valley and others.

Suggested Tour : 8 Days - Ladakh Jeep Safari Tours

4. Mountain Biking

It is the best place to enjoy high altitude mountain biking. You can cross mountain passes or small circuit routes in this activity. Best time to enjoy mountain biking is from June to August.

Suggested Tour : 17 Days - Ladakh Biking tour

These are just the iconic activities that no one should miss. You can find many such activities in this place. This region is endowed with nature extremities like lakes, high passes, deep valleys, rugged routes and others.

Top Destinations to Visit in Ladakh

Zanskar Mountain Ranges – Echo Point, Sightseeing, Jeep Safari, Trekking, River Rafting And Others.
Pangong Tso Lake – Camping, Sightseeing, Ice Skating and Others
Tso Moriri Lake – Sightseeing, Camping and Others
Khardungla Pass – Highest Motorable Mountain Pass In The World For Spotting Tibetan Flags, Mountain Biking And Others
Nubra Valley – Camel Ride, Safari Activities, Trekking And Others
Magnetic Hill
Spituk Gompa – Exploring the Monastery, Trekking, Pilgrimage, Photography and Others
Namgyal Monastery – Meditation, Pilgrimage Activities, Sightseeing, Trekking and Others
Hemis Monastery – Famous for Hemis Festival of July, Unique Rituals, Colorful Customs and Others
Lamayuru Monastery – Star Gazing, Exploration, Trekking and Others.
Likir Monastery – Delicate Architectural Elements, Sightseeing and Others
Suru Valley – Glaciers, Trekking, Adventure Sports and Others.
Leh Palace – Sightseeing
Donkey Sanctuary

Also Read : Top Four Places To Visit In Leh Ladakh

Top Dishes to Try in Ladakh

Tibetan Stew
Tibetan Fried Bread
Tibetan Bread
Momos
Thukpa
Ladakhi Bread

Do not get confused with Ladakh cuisine and Tibetan cuisine or Kashmiri cuisine. You ought to try the butter tea of this region too.

What to Buy in Ladakh?

The unique culture of the land marks an interesting twist to the shopaholics. This is the land for unique souvenirs. Top things to buy here are

Jackets
Pashmina Shawl
Tibetan Tables
Buddhist Masks
Tibetan Prayer Flags
Prayer Wheels
Thangka Painting
Tibetan Hat
Silverware

Top places to shop are main bazaar road, art palace, Thangka house, Tibetan Handicraft emporium, Old Leh road and others. Apricot is a very common fruit here and you ought to buy apricot jam, oil and other products. Learn about the shelf life before you pack for home.

Also Read : Best Shopping Destinations in India with Specialties

Ladakh Tour Packages

As mentioned before, This region has a bit of everything and it is up to you to make a vacation that you like out of it. It has a pilgrimage spot, honeymoon location, desert destination, adventure capital, lush hill station and even a calm rejuvenating place with yoga, meditation, massages and others. It is up to you to choose the right set of activities and create an itinerary that would suit your dream vacation genre.

You can choose different packages based on the type of activities covered like pilgrimage, yoga, adventure, food and culture, photography and others. You can also pick from the geographical point of view. You can either enjoy Ladakh as a part of Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar and others or, stick with just and so on. Some even prefer to scale the country from Delhi to Ladakh. You can also choose to backpack through the place and enjoy it in the raw form or submerge in the luxury of resorts, safaris, luxury camping and others.

Also Read : Top 5 Reasons to Visit Ladakh

Popular Ladakh Tour Packages to explore :

For more Packages : Click Here

Why Ladakh is Called Roof of the World

How to Reach Ladakh?