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Leh & Ladakh
Ladakh Tourism
Ladakh Tourism
Scattered along the Indus Valley,
both east and west of Leh, are other fascinating towns, villages, monasteries
and palaces. Some are visited by almost every traveller who comes to Ladakh
while others remain the preserve of the dedicated few.
A
tour of the gompas is high on most people's
lists.
Whether you decide to see as many as possible or to spend more time at one or
two is up to you. Buses connect most of the principal villages and provide a
cheap means of transport - confmn the departure times at the Tourist Information
Office as they are liable to fluctuate. If your time is limited it may be more
convenient to hire a taxi for a day between three or four people. A round trip
taking in Shey, Tikse, Hemis and Stok will cost RsI045, or if you've got the
energy you could add Chemre, Tak Tok, Matho and Stakna for Rs 1950. A tour to
the west stopping at Basgo, Likir, Alchi and Lamayuru is Rs2225 one way or Rs2640
return. Go to the taxi office for other alternatives. You can usually visit
gompas between 8am and 5pm and most now charge an entrance fee of RsI0-20.
Interesting places further afield include the
Suru
Valley and Zanskar (but see the warning on p79 about the Kargil area), and now
that entry has been allowed into the former restricted areas (now called 'protected
areas') the choice is wider than it has been for decades. The government is
trying to develop the tourism potential of these areas but at the moment the
infra structure is minimal and pennits are still required. Nubra and Dba-Hanu
are the easiest to visit as they can be reached by public transport and have
several guest-houses. The simplest way to get to Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri and
Tso Kar is with an organised tour.
Alchi
The Chaskor, or religious enclave, is one of the most important cultural sites
in Ladakh. Built in the 11 th century, it is a treasure trove of early Buddhist
art in the Kashmiri tradition, a style quite different from the Tibetan art
found in Ladakh's other monasteries.
Zanskar
South of the main Indus Valley on the northern edge of the Great Himalaya Range
lies Zanskar, one of the most isolated inhabited valleys of the Himalaya.
Lamayuru
An old foundation associated with the Tibetan Yogi, Marpa, Lamayuru is now the
second largest monastic establishment of Zanskar, inhabited by the resident
community of about 60 Gelukpa monks. The sprawling whitewashed complex has a
number of temples, each a repository of the region's rich monastic legacy.
Kargil
Travellers should be aware that Kargil is very close to the Line of Control
between India and Pakistan and throughout the spring and summer of 1997, 1998
and 1999 became the target of frequent artillery attacks from Pakistani troops
- please read the warning on p79 before visiting.
Shrey
This was the old capital and the home of the kings of Ladakh before the new
capital became established in Leh. The palace sits in a strategic position on
a spur jutting out into the Indus Valley. The main temple contains a large Buddha
statue sculpted by Nepalese craftsmen.
Rizong
The solitary Gelukpa monastery at Rizong lies up a remote side valley to the
north of the main road between Nuda and Saspol. Take any bus from Leh going
to Khalsi or beyond and get off at the turning to the gompa.
Protected Areas
Permits must be taken from the Deputy Commissioner (head of the district administration)
in Leh, but citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka and Myanmar will be issued
permits only with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government
of India, New Delhi.
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