Leh, Mountain city in Ladakh, India
Description
Leh is a mountain town in Ladakh, northern India, and the largest settlement in the Leh district. It sits in a wide valley surrounded by barren mountains, with narrow lanes running between flat mud and stone houses and several monasteries plus the ruins of an old palace visible on hills above.
History
The settlement served as a trading post on the Silk Road for centuries, where merchants from Tibet, Central Asia and India exchanged goods. In the 17th century a local ruler built a large palace here, which was later abandoned.
Culture
Buddhist monks and nuns live in the monasteries around town, where they pray and perform rituals throughout the day. Many residents visit the temples in the morning or evening, spinning prayer wheels along the streets as they walk.
Practical
The thin air at 11500 feet (3500 meters) makes breathing harder, so visitors need a day or two to adjust before doing much activity. The sun is very strong here even in cooler months, so bring sunscreen and a hat.
Did you know?
Because of the extreme altitude and short growing season, farmers here can only plant barley once a year. The houses have flat roofs where people dry crops in summer and gain extra living space in winter.
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Hemis National Park
24.5 km
Chadar Trek
38.9 km
Shanti Stupa
1.4 km
Hemis Monastery
30.1 km
Thikse Monastery
14.2 km
Leh Palace
273 m
Stok Kangri
23.8 km
Diskit Monastery
42 km
Alchi Monastery
38.3 km
Shey Monastery
10.9 km
Likir Monastery
40.1 kmZorawar Fort
1.5 km
Namgyal Tsemo Monastery
621 m
Kang Yatze
46.3 km
Stok Monastery
11.6 km
Phyang Monastery
9.1 km
Basgo Monastery
28.7 km
Matho Monastery
18.9 km
Chemrey Monastery
29.6 km
Stakna Monastery
20 km
Sankar Monastery
1.1 km
Takthok Monastery
28 km
Rizong Monastery
45.5 km
Tingmosgang monastery
57.7 km
Mangyu temple complex
49.5 km
Old Castle at Tsemo Hill
647 m
Palace of Stok
10.7 km
Statue of Jampa Buddha
42.2 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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