I left my heart in Leh... (A woman's guide to adventurous travel in Leh with a touch of wellness)

Hello, this is Gib from www.fallenforadventure.com. www.facebook.com/fallenforadventure

Today, I'm sharing my travel itinerary for Leh Ladakh, which may be suitable for adventurous female travelers who enjoy soft adventures like hiking and mountain biking, with a touch of wellness through multiple yoga sessions. Follow along to see what I experienced!

Introduction to Leh Ladakh

Leh Ladakh is a high-altitude desert region located in the Indian Himalayas. It is known for its stunning mountain scenery, Buddhist monasteries, and unique culture. The region is popular with trekkers, mountaineers, and adventure travelers.

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is a bustling town with a rich history. It is home to the 17th-century Leh Palace, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The town is also a center for Tibetan Buddhism, with numerous monasteries and temples.

Ladakh is a vast region with a diverse landscape. The Nubra Valley is known for its sand dunes and the Pangong Lake is famous for its turquoise waters. The region is also home to several high-altitude passes, including the Khardung La and the Chang La.

Leh Ladakh is a popular tourist destination, and the best time to visit is between June and September. The weather is pleasant during these months, and the roads are open. However, it is important to be prepared for the high altitude, as it can cause altitude sickness.

Here are some additional facts about Leh Ladakh:

• The region is sparsely populated, with a population of around 270,000 people.
• The majority of the population is Buddhist.
• The official language of Ladakh is Ladakhi.
• The region is known for its unique cuisine, which includes dishes such as momos, thukpa, and skyu.
• Leh Ladakh is a popular destination for adventure activities such as trekking, mountaineering, and whitewater rafting.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Leh Ladakh is located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, in northern India. It borders several countries, including Tibet, China, and Pakistan. In the past, the city was a stopover on the famous Silk Route. While Leh Ladakh is often referred to as a single entity, Ladakh is actually a region with Leh as its largest city.

Although this city is located in India, the local people share more historical, religious (the majority of the population here follows the Dalai Lama), and cultural similarities with Tibet than with India. Even their appearance resembles Tibetans more than Indians. The name Ladakh itself comes from the Tibetan language, meaning "Land of High Passes," due to the region's high altitude and mountainous terrain. It is the highest region in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, with most of its area exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level. The city of Leh itself sits at an altitude of 3,524 meters (11,526 feet) above sea level.

Therefore, those who plan to travel to Leh Ladakh should be well-prepared both before and during their stay to ensure a smooth trip. Altitude sickness is a condition that can occur at altitudes above 2,000 meters above sea level due to the low oxygen levels in the air, which can lead to various symptoms. The initial symptoms include headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, dizziness, numbness in the fingers, and insomnia. In severe cases, individuals may experience vomiting, fever, and fatigue even when sitting still, which can be life-threatening. (In the next blog post, we will discuss how to prepare before and during your stay in Leh to minimize the risk of altitude sickness.)

Altitude of Tourist Attractions in Ladakh

Leh is located at an altitude of 3,524 meters above sea level.

Nubra Valley

The Nubra Valley sits at an elevation of 3,048 meters above sea level, accessible via the Khadungla Pass, which reaches a staggering 5,359 meters.

Pangong Lake

Elevation: 4,250 meters (accessible via Changla Pass, elevation 5,360 meters above sea level).

Ladakh Tourist Season

April - Mid-May: (Temperatures can drop to around -16°C at night) This is the month when the tourist season in Leh begins, with hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants gradually opening to welcome visitors.

May - September: (Temperature around 7 - 25 C) This is the peak season in Leh Ladakh, with a high influx of tourists. However, all roads are accessible during this period.

Mid-September to October: (Temperature -1 to 21 C) Some say this is actually the best time to visit Leh, as there are not many tourists, the roads are all open, and the weather is good.

November - March: (-20 - 0 C)

This is the coldest period in Leh, with temperatures ranging from -20 to 0 degrees Celsius. During this time, roads and even hotels may be closed.

Itinerary (10 days)

DAY 1: BANGKOK – DELHI

The flight departed from Bangkok at approximately 6:30 PM and arrived in New Delhi close to midnight. Clearing immigration took nearly an hour. We had booked a hotel at the Pride Hotel in Aerocity (less than 10 minutes from the airport), but securing a taxi proved to be a tiring experience. After a brief sleep of 2-3 hours, we had to rush to catch our connecting flight to Leh.

DAY 2: DELHI – LEH – Acclimatization – SHANTI STUPA – LEH MARKET (Accommodation: LADAKH SARAI)

I arrived in Leh this morning around 7:30 AM. I checked into my accommodation and slept until noon, as I had very little sleep the previous night. I landed in New Delhi around midnight and had to catch a connecting flight to Leh at 6:00 AM.

After a 2-3 hour nap, I woke up for lunch and went out to explore the city a bit, taking it easy.

The view from Shanti Stupa is breathtaking, especially during sunset. Perched atop a hill, it offers panoramic vistas that stretch as far as the eye can see. Afterwards, we took a leisurely stroll through Leh Market, where we found a few souvenirs to take home.

Shanti Stupa

Panoramic view from the SHANTI STUPA platform

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Leh Market

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DAY 3: YOGA – OUT AND ABOUT IN LEH (Accommodation: LADAKH SARAI)

Waking up early in the morning, the hotel offered yoga at 7:30 am. I participated for about 1.5 hours, which allowed me to stretch and loosen up my muscles. Afterwards, I prepared to explore the city.

Today, we remain in Leh, but we will travel around the city, following the route to Lamayuru Monastery. The places we will stop and visit are as follows:

• Magnetic Hill

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Alchi Monastery

This sentence describes a specific location, the Alchi Monastery.

Here are some possible translations, depending on the desired level of detail:

• Simple: Alchi Monastery
• Descriptive: The Alchi Monastery, a renowned Buddhist monastery in Ladakh, India.
• Detailed: The Alchi Monastery, located in the Alchi village of the Leh district in Ladakh, India, is a renowned Buddhist monastery known for its exquisite wall paintings and sculptures dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.

Please let me know if you would like me to provide a different translation or additional information about the Alchi Monastery.

Confluence of the Indus and Zanskar Rivers

The confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers is a spectacular natural landmark located in the Ladakh region of India. The Zanskar River, a tributary of the Indus, joins the main river at a point known as Nimu. The confluence is marked by a dramatic change in the landscape, with the Zanskar's turquoise waters contrasting sharply with the Indus's muddy brown. The area is also home to a number of Buddhist monasteries and villages, making it a popular destination for tourists and pilgrims alike.

We stopped for a picnic lunch before reaching Lamayuru. The hotel had prepared a packed lunch for us, so we looked for a suitable spot to eat before arriving in Lamayuru.

Find a place to stop for lunch.

Lunch prepared by the hotel.

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Find a suitable spot and enjoy your meal. After finishing, please take all your belongings with you and leave no trace. 🙂

• Lamayuru Village

• Lamayuru Monastery

• Basgo Monastery

Day 4: Mountain Biking Adventure in Leh and Cultural Dance at Hotel (Accommodation: Ladakh Sarai)

Today was a light adventure day. In the morning, we relaxed and read books at the hotel. In the late afternoon, we went mountain biking. We borrowed bikes from the hotel and asked them to choose a beginner-friendly route with minimal hills. It was tiring, but it was a great cardio workout. Plus, the views along the way were amazing.

Relaxing with a good book and stunning views at the LADAKH SARAI hotel. It feels like being in the Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie the Pooh.

Upon returning to the hotel in the evening, we were treated to a cultural dance show, showcasing traditional local dance styles.

DAY 5: YOGA - NUBRA VALLEY (VIA KHADUNGLA PASS) - HUNDAR SAND DUNES (ACCOMMODATION AT HUNDAR SARAI)

This trip has rekindled my love for yoga. I used to practice regularly, but I haven't done it in 5-6 years. Fortunately, the hotel offered yoga classes for guests, with one class in the morning and one in the evening. The instructor was a yoga master from New Delhi, which made us all hooked. Whenever we had the chance, we would wake up early to attend the yoga class.

After practicing yoga, we embarked on a journey to Nubra Valley via Khadungla Pass, which is said to be the highest motorable road in the world, perched at an altitude of 18,380 feet above sea level. Due to the thin oxygen levels at this elevation (comparable to Everest Base Camp, which sits at 17,600 feet), it is advisable to limit photo stops to avoid altitude sickness.

At the summit, a sign reads "You have arrived at the highest road in the world at 18,380 FT."

Our travel time was hampered by frequent photo stops, resulting in a late arrival at Hundar Sarai Hotel around 5 pm. We quickly changed and headed to the Hundar Sand Dunes, where camels were available for tourists to ride. This area was once part of the Silk Road, and traders historically left camels in the nearby sand dunes.

The Bactrian camels in the Nubra Valley are a two-humped breed with soft humps.

We intended to ride camels to watch the sunset, but upon seeing the camels and their living conditions, we felt sorry for them and couldn't bring ourselves to ride them. Locals informed us that the camel handlers mistreat the animals, even withholding food during the winter months. Consequently, we decided not to ride them.

A stroll through the Sand Dunes can also yield beautiful photos.

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HUNDAR SARAI, our overnight camp in NUBRA VALLEY

DAY 6: DISKIT MONASTERY – PANGONG LAKE

Due to heavy rainfall and road closures, the trip to Pangong Lake was canceled. Instead, the group returned to Leh for a yoga session and overnight stay at Ladakh Sarai.

The interior of Diskit Monastery

Photographed from the monastery opposite Diskit Monastery.

The original plan was to visit Pangong Lake after Diskit Monastery, bypassing Leh via the Shayok River route. However, due to heavy rainfall and a rockfall on the road, we were forced to return to Leh for another night. Approximately 10 minutes after crossing the Khadungla Pass, a large boulder fell onto the road, blocking the path of 6-7 vehicles ahead of us. Soldiers arrived to detonate the rock, and bulldozers cleared the debris, causing a lengthy traffic jam. We waited at the site for nearly an hour.

Even monks must wait.

We arrived at the hotel around 4:30 pm. We did another round of yoga at the hotel, playing as the sun was setting. The view was amazing.

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Day 7: Pangong Lake (via Changla Pass) (Accommodation: The Hermitage)

Today, we embarked on a journey to Pangong Lake from Leh, taking the Changla Pass route, which covers approximately 220 kilometers (longer than the route from Leh to Nubra Valley). The scenery along the way was stunning for the most part, but the road conditions remained challenging. It took us nearly six hours to reach our destination.

The first glimpse of the azure lake, framed by the majestic mountains, instantly erased all traces of fatigue and weariness. The vibrant rainbow, a breathtaking spectacle, further enhanced the scene. (A comprehensive review of Pangong Lake will be provided in due course.)

PANGONG LAKE, a scenic destination worth the journey.

DOUBLE RAINBOW! Very clear and full.

The Hermitage, our hotel at Pangong Lake.

Day 8: Return to Leh and Hike the Stok Kangri Trail (Accommodation: Ladakh Sarai)

After departing Pangong Lake, we efficiently drove back to Leh, arriving around 2 PM. We then embarked on a hike along the Stok Kangri Trail.

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This trail can be hiked in 2-3 hours, or even several days. We didn't have much time, so we only hiked for about 3 hours, but the views were amazing. Next time, we'd like to hike for 2 days and camp overnight in the mountains.

Day 9: Yoga and Shopping in Leh Market (Accommodation: Ladakh Sarai)

On our final day in Leh, we enjoyed a leisurely morning with a final yoga session before our departure. Afterwards, we explored the vibrant Leh Market, where we indulged in some shopping and relaxed with a cup of coffee.

Practice, practice, practice!

Sipping coffee on the bedroom balcony, the view is amazing.

DAY 10: LEH – DELHI – BANGKOK

As you can see from the itinerary, I used a hotel in Loei as my base for exploring the area (I will review the hotel in Loei in a future blog post). The plan was not to pack too much, as the first 2-3 days would be spent acclimating to the altitude in Loei. Since it was a long trip with plenty of time, I could take my time and explore at a leisurely pace.

For this trip, Ladakh Sarai Hotel arranged everything for me, including the car, driver, hotels in different cities, and activities such as mountain biking and hiking. It was very convenient because they could adjust the itinerary and activities according to my needs.

Read the full trip and other trips at

www.fallenforadventure.com or www.facebook.com/fallenforadventure.

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