Leh, Mountain city in Ladakh, India
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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