Magical Ladakh

Nestled in the midst of the Himalayas Ladakh is a beautiful Himalayan destination becoming popular every year.  Ladakh which means “the land of may passes” is a treasure of rich cultural and natural resource as well as a haven for adventure enthusiasts.  Situated at an altitude of 11500ft above sea level the region is a perfect gateway to relieve yourself from the hot summer months & experience something is unique and different.  This land of barren yet colorful mountains, the great ancient Buddhist Monasteries with picturesque locations,  the traditional folk songs and dances, the colorful masked dances of monastic festivals, fantastic landscapes, clear blue sky, the grandeurs of snow-capped mountains, the huge crystal clear lakes, the silence of the valleys,  the charms and hospitality of the Ladakhi people all go into making this mountainous region, a great attraction for tourists of all categories.  Therefore in a nut-shell this is one destination is Indian Himalayas which you should not miss.  So next time you pack your bags & load you cameras…… think of us… think of Ladakh.

Despite the floods of 2010…. Ladakh is lovely and shining as ever.  Sadly many News channels in India grossly exaggerated the events & carried out a negative publicity of Ladakh with their vested interest to increase viewership.  The District authorities in Leh and the Jammu & Kashmir Government has already declared Ladakh safe to travel for tourism purpose.  None of the tourist infrastructure facilities be it hotels/ guest houses/ transport facilities/ airport/ main markets/ restaurants etc has been effected and you can travel and explore all tourist destinations with complete ease as ever before.

Best Season:

• April to Mid - October, Rush period July & August

How To Reach

By Flight:

• Both Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Go Airways almost daily scheduled flights on Delhi-Leh-Delhi sector. It is advisable to book your flight tickets well in advance.

By Road:

• Manali to Leh: in 2 or 3 days 474 kms via Keylong/Jispa and Sarchu. Open around end May till October end.

Srinagar to Leh: In 2 or 3 days 434 kms via Drass/Kargil/Lamayuru. Open after mid April till October end.

• A rich Culture with magnificent monasteries
• Thrilling adventure activities
• Amazing mountainous landscapes
• Spiritual solace and peace of mind
• High altitude wildlife and bird watching
• Exquisite Arts & crafts
• Rhythmic folk dances & music
• Smiling and hospitable people

• Say “Julley” while meeting people and receiving favors in Ladakh, it means both “Namaste” and “Shukriya”
• Avoid bringing or using polythene bags as it is strictly banned in Ladakh.
• Avoid taking bath/washing in Pangong and Tsomorriri Lakes.
• All personal garbage like pack lunch boxes, wafers, mineral water bottles etc. must be brought back to your hotel, as littering is prohibited in Ladakh.  You can also put in your taxi and the driver will bring it back to Leh.
• Always put off your shoes before entering a monastery prayer hall.
• Take permission from the monks before taking photos inside the monasteries.
• Avoid offerings sweets/tips etc to local children.
• Always take clockwise direction while visiting Stupas and Monasteries.
• Smoking/drinking around religious shrines are not welcomed.
• And always wear your smile, you will win many friends.
• Do not pluck wild flower/plants.
• Do not disturb wild animals.
• Bring back your garbage from your trek.

• Good U/V protected sun goggles.
• Sun Cap
• Sun Cream lotions
• Personal Flash torch
• Comfortable clothing
• At least one warm jacket & a sweater
• Personal medicines
• Binocular for wildlife viewing

• Ladakh being a high altitude arid region where amount of oxygen is less needs proper acclimatization.  Therefore initial 1 or 2 days on your arrival in Leh must be utilized to take rest.
• The main symptoms of altitude sickness are:
• Headache, Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
• Fatigue or weakness
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Difficulty sleeping
• All of these symptoms may very from mild to severe.  There is no significant effect of age, gender, physical fitness, or previous altitude experience.  Some people acclimatize quickly, and can ascend rapidly others acclimatize slowly.
• Treating High Altitude sickness: The mainstay of treatment is talking complete bed rest for minimum one full day and keeping yourself property hydrated but not over drinking too.  Improvement usually occurs in one or two days, but may take as long sometimes.  Descent/loosing altitude is also an option.

Medicines:

• Acetazolamide (Diamox) Acetazolamide (Diamox®) is a popular medicine that forces the kidneys to excrete bicarbonate, the base form of carbon dioxide this re-acidifies the blood, balancing the effects of the hyperventilation that occurs at altitude in an attempt to get oxygen.  Its net effect is to accelerate acclimatization.  It works well if you take it before reaching the altitude region.  Acetazolamide/ Diamox is a sulfonamide medication, and persons allergic to sulfa medicines should not take it.

Note of Caution:

• Incase you are not feeling better in initial one or two days & symptoms persisting you must immediately consult a specialist medical doctor available easily in Leh as otherwise condition could worsen and prove life threatening.

Snm Hospital-Leh

• Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital in Leh is the main and hospital in Leh is the main and hospital in Leh which is 5-10 minutes drive from any hotel in Leh.  The hospital has excellent medical specialist and a separate ward for tourists.  All emergency facilities are available 24 hours at the hospital.

• Ladakh has all categories of accommodation suited to every budget.  From high end hotels to family run guest houses.  Most of the Hotels in Leh are well Equipped with CTV with multi cable channel, running hot & cold water, STD-ISD and intercom facilities and provide laundry, doctor-on-call provide multi-cuisine buffet meals.  Places like Nubra, Pangong Lake, Tsomoriri Lake has swiss deluxe Camps as well as hotels and guest houses in some areas like Nubra valley.  The Camps are usually open from May till September.

• Leh has a very good fleet of tourists transport facilities numbering more than 2000 vehicles.  Every taxi be it Toyota Innova / Mahindra Scorpio/ Mahindra xylo / Toyota Qulais / Tata Grande / Maruti Van are maintained in excellent condition which is something very appreciable in Ladakh.  Drivers who are locals are well acquainted with all the tourist routes of the region and they are very friendly and well-mannered with their guests taking every care to see to it that their passengers are comfortable and safe. 

Some of the adventure activities that you can participate are:

• Exciting valley and mountain Trekking/hiking (May to Oct)
• White water River Rafting on Indus & Zanskar Rivers (May to Sept)
• Mountain Biking (cycling) & Motor biking (May to Sept)
• Mountaineering (June to Sept)
• Camel and Horses safaris. (May to Sept)

On the Spiritual front, you can experience Vipassana Meditation and seek spiritual teachings from some of the revered Gurus.Beside traditional oracle healing and the age old local Ayurvedic Amchi medicines can also be tried & Leh has some of the best Amchi Practitioners in India.