Things to do in Ladakh | What to Do and See in Ladakh

Ladakh, nestled in the high reaches of the Himalayan Mountains is one of the most otherworldly places on planet Earth. It boasts snowy peaks, awe-inspiring valleys, stark landscapes, unreal blue lakes, unique and rare flora, and fauna and even a barren desert. Its isolation and brutal climate have resulted in the development of a singular culture, and it is one of the most prominent sites of Tibetan Buddhism today. For a place so difficult to reach, Ladakh sure has a king’s ransom worth of sightseeing and experiences. There are plenty of places to visit and tons of things to do in Ladakh that as a tourist you can enjoy and be a part of. So many that you can spend days here, weeks even; and will still not be done with the list.

Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh –  A Complete Travel Guide

Ladakh truly has something for everyone, and its pull is undeniable. One visit is never enough and this beautiful, spiritual, astounding land will call out to you again and again. To cover all of Ladakh’s attractions, you need to be aware and prepared for them, for missing out even one would make you regret for the rest of your life. The question of what all to do in Leh Ladakh can have a different answer for every tourist but hopefully, after reading the article below, you will have a fairly good idea on what to do in and around Ladakh.

Things to do in Ladakh

Most of the articles that I came across on the web around this topic are purely just a list. While they do cover all the necessary information, it can often be a little confusing for someone who is visiting Ladakh for the very first time. Keeping that in mind, I will take a different approach to provide these details. I will first list down a comprehensive itinerary for Ladakh covering all of the tourist spots. Then I will run down that itinerary, from place to place, explaining the activities you can do while visiting there. This way, you will have complete details, from the points of what to do in Ladakh, where and how. You will know of all of the tourist activities in Ladakh; and you will also know how you can incorporate them in your travel plan.

Let us first take a look at the itinerary that we will be following for this journey.

• Delhi to Jammu – Day 1
• Jammu to Srinagar – Day 2
• Srinagar to Kargil – Day 3
• Kargil to Leh – Day 4
• Leh – Day 5
• Leh to Diskit (Nubra Valley) – Day 6
• Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik – Day 7
• Panamik to Pangong (via Shyok) – Day 8
• Pangong to Hanle – Day 9
• Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri) – Day 10
• Karzok to Leh (via Chumathang) – Day 11
• Leh to Sarchu – Day 12
• Sarchu to Manali – Day 13
• Manali to Delhi – Day 14

Itinerary for Ladakh

This is just an example of an itinerary that I chose to explain the information below. You do not necessarily have to follow the journey the same way. The reason why I drafted it this way is that:

• Starting from Srinagar is better because it helps in terms of better acclimatization and lesser chances of altitude sickness.
• It saves you the hassle of obtaining Rohtang Permit which you will have to get if you went via Manali.
• If you still wish to start from Manali then you can just do the same journey the other way around.
• The itinerary I explained above covers almost every major tourist destination in Ladakh. A few routes are left out like Zanskar Valley, Batalik route, Sham Valley and Chumur which I will explain separately towards the end of the article.
• I understand that not everyone will be able to afford 14 days for the journey. If you have a lesser number of days in hand, just remove the places you do not wish to cover to reduce the duration of the trip.
• If you need help to figure out a better itinerary, feel free to ask in our Community Forum or in the comments section towards the bottom of this page.

What to do in Leh Ladakh

Without further ado, let us take a look at the travel plan day by day. I will explain the journey for each day including details like distance, travel time, what to see and things to do. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will have an answer to the question of what can I do in Ladakh. Our first two days of the journey will have us travel from Delhi to Srinagar via Jammu so let us talk about that first.

Day 1 – Delhi to Jammu

• There is nothing to do on this day to be honest except for a long and monotonous ride.
• An early start from Delhi is highly recommended.
• Take the route via Karnal, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Pathankot to reach Jammu
• Total of 590 kilometers of journey
• Travel time of 12-13 hours
• You will not get time to do anything except to travel on this day. The only thing I can think of is to break this journey in 2 days. From Delhi, go to Amritsar first, visit the golden temple and stay there for the night. On the second day, you can then arrive at Jammu or go to Patnitop to break the journey for the night.

Day 2 – Jammu to Srinagar

• Jammu to Srinagar is a total of 270 kilometers approximately.
• It will take you about 10 hours to complete because of the traffic on Jammu Srinagar Highway.
• You will be crossing the scenic towns of Udhampur, Patnitop and Anantnag on the way.
• Enjoy natural beauty and stunning vistas all day.
• Arrive in Srinagar by evening and stay for the night.
• An alternate way to do this journey is to travel via Mughal road.
• The route then would be Jammu, Rajouri, and Bafliaz, Peer ki Gali Pass, Shopian and Srinagar.
• This is approximately 340 kilometers and will take you about 10-11 hours to complete.
• It is the more scenic of the two routes to Srinagar from Jammu.
• You will be traveling via the historic Mughal Road and crossing the pass of Peer ki Gali on the way.
• Traffic on this route is very less
• To know more, please read How to Plan a Journey on Mughal Road.
• Enjoying the natural beauty is what you will be doing this day. There is no special activity to as such between Jammu and Srinagar. If you went via Mughal Road, then the 100 kilometers long stretch between Bafliaz and Shopian will become the highlight of your journey.

What to do in Srinagar

There are tons of things that you can do in Srinagar depending on how many days you have in hand. It is a major tourist city in itself and serves as a base to explore all of Kashmir. There is a wide range of tourist activities available in Srinagar but in the end, it will all boil down to how much time you are planning to spend here. Since our destination here is Ladakh, I am assuming that you plan to spend an evening in Srinagar and be on your way to Leh the next morning. For an itinerary like this, there are 5 things that you can do in Srinagar.

The first is to enjoy a stay in a houseboat. It is not necessary but I would recommend it. Majority of the houseboats are in Dal Lake and you will easily find one even upon arrival. The second thing would be to enjoy a Shikara ride in Dal Lake. If you were staying at a houseboat then you will do it anyway while going to the houseboat. But if you decided to check into a hotel, then come back to Dal and spend some time boating over the beautiful lake.

The third thing would be to enjoy the sunset view and for this, I would recommend either going to Pari Mahal or view it during the Shikara ride itself. Shopping is the next thing in line. Either visit the local market near Lal Chowk or just take a drive along the Dal Lake. Near Dal Gate, there is a small market where you can buy some cheap items as souvenirs. Last but not least, enjoy some amazing Kashmiri dishes for dinner before calling it a day.

For 2 Days in Srinagar

If you were planning to spend an additional day or two in Srinagar, then you can visit places like Mughal Gardens, Hazratbal, Shankaracharya temple etc. For more details, please read What to see in Srinagar City. If you had 2 days in hand for Srinagar, then I would highly recommend making a short trip to Gulmarg.

What to do on Srinagar Leh Highway

Next part of the trip will have you traveling from Srinagar to Leh via Kargil in 2 days. You will stay in Kargil for your third night of the trip and reach Leh on Day 4. Of the two roads connecting Ladakh with rest of the country, Srinagar to Leh highway usually comes as a second choice. People assume the Manali Leh route to be the more scenic and adventurous one which is not really fair. A comparison between the two roads is very difficult because they are both equally beautiful and have enough aces up their sleeves to get your heartbeat racing.

Enjoying the natural beauty of the place will be the first thing you will do on Srinagar Leh Highway. The slow transformation from the lush green valleys of Kashmir to the barren brown of Ladakh is purely magical. You will feel like stopping at every turn and clicking as many pictures as you could. A journey on this road will actually tell you why Kashmir is termed as paradise on earth. Apart from relishing on the stunning vistas, below are a few other activities that you would enjoy during your journey on this highway.

Day 4 – Srinagar to Kargil

• The total distance between Srinagar and Kargil is about 205 kilometers that can easily be covered in 8 hours at most.
• An early start from Srinagar is advised so that you have plenty of time for sightseeing.
• Condition of the road will be good with a very bad stretch around Zoji La Top.
• Route of the journey will be Srinagar – Kangan – Sonamarg – Baltal – Zoji La – Dras – Kargil
• A little after Srinagar, you will cross the beautiful town of Sonamarg. If you have time, spend a day here and trek to Thajiwas Glacier.
• You will then also cross the first high altitude pass of your journey; the mighty Zoji La at an altitude of 11,575 feet (3,528 meters). This is where the road will turn extremely bad.
• As you drive down from Zoji La, you will reach the town of Drass; possibly the coldest inhabited place in India.
• In Drass, take a quick break and visit the Kargil War Memorial, also known as Dras War memorial.
• See Tiger Hill in Drass. This is the mountain the Pakistani Army tried to capture and lost in Kargil War
• Overnight in Kargil

What to do in Kargil

There aren’t many things to do in Kargil. You won’t even find to be that scenic either. Just use this place to halt here for the night and be on your way to Leh the next day. Kargil has several hotels in almost every budget. Just drive around in the town and you will easily find one fitting your requirement. Kargil is also the place where a road bifurcates towards Padum, the headquarters of Zanskar valley. I will cover the details on what to do in Zanskar further in this article.

Day 5 – Kargil to Leh

You will now reach your destination, the city of Leh, on Day 5 of the journey. The total distance between Kargil and Leh is about 220 kilometers and the road is super smooth. So the journey can easily be done in 5 – 6 hours but I will still urge you to take an early start because there are a lot of places to see between Kargil and Leh; and you will need time for that. Below is an overview of your journey on this day.

• The route that you will take will be Kargil – Mulbekh – Namika La – Fotu La – Lamayuru – Hangro Loops – Khalsi – Khaltse – Uleytokpo – Nimmoo – Leh
• Right after you leave Kargil, you will reach the small town of Mulbekh. Take a break at the monastery here and see the grand 9-meter high statue of Buddha, known as Mulbekh Maitreya.
• After Mulbekh, you will then cross the two high altitude passes of Namika La at 3,700 meters (12,139 ft) and Fotu La at 4,108 meters (13,478 ft).
• See the Lunar Landscape and the monastery in Lamayuru. It is an area that resembles the landscape on the moon.
• Drive-up the Hangro Loops, a series of 18 hairpin bends/loops; driving on which is quite an experience.
• See the Indus Zanskar River Confluence at Nimmu.
• Pay respect at Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, one of the highest Gurudwaras in the world.
• Last but not least, experience the magic of Magnetic Hill. This is a stretch on the road that is believed to have magnetic powers; such that it can get your vehicle into motion on an uphill slope even with the engine turned off.

Day 6 – Leh

If you spent time at all the places I mentioned above, you will arrive in Leh City near evening. Find a hotel per your liking and check-in. Depending on the time you have left in the day, you can spend the evening at Shanti Stupa and enjoy a beautiful view of the sunset from there. Otherwise, just take rest in the hotel and do sightseeing in Leh the next day.

What to do in Leh

Leh is the headquarters of Ladakh and the largest town in the region. There is a whole bunch of activities that you can enjoy and be a part of here. For most travelers, it is just a place that they halt at for the night and a day to arrange their permits. But Leh City is much more than that. Listed below are some of the most common and popular things to do in Leh town.

Things to do in Leh City

• The first thing you will do here is to arrange your permits for the journey ahead to Nubra and Pangong.
• Visit the local market and buy some souvenirs.
• Visit Leh Palace, Stok Palace, Shanti Stupa and Hall of Fame.
• Take a monastery tour visiting the local monasteries of Thiksey, Hemis, Stanka, etc. While you were visiting here, you can also cover the famous 3 Idiots school. If you had time, you can also drive to the nearby monasteries of Alchi, Shey, and Likir.
• Book a rafting tour in Leh City and enjoy white water rafting in River Indus or Zanskar.
• Take a day-long drive to Sham Valley. To know this part of Ladakh in details, please read How to Plan a Trip to Sham Valley.
• If you were visiting at the right time, you can attend the local Ladakh Festival or Sindhu Darshan Festival. To know more about these festivals and their timings, please read Festivals of Ladakh and their Dates
• All these places would require that you spend at least a few days in Leh City. But if you were short on time and had just one day planned in the city, then your plan should be to arrange the permits in the early part of the day; visit the monasteries and then spend your evening visiting the Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa. Before retiring to your hotel, take a stroll through the market, do a little shopping, have something to eat and call it a day.

What to do in Nubra Valley

In many ways, Nubra Valley is what I call as the very heart of Ladakh. This is the place which is perfect for a family vacation in Ladakh. It is at a lower altitude than even Leh City so the risk of AMS is very less. The entire valley is a beautiful and enchanting place filled with several tourist places to visit and things to do. Accommodation here too is not a challenge at all and almost every town here has a good number of decent hotels available. It is like a picnic spot where you will come across families with children, couples, group of friends and all kinds of tourists having a time of their life. There are plenty of things to do in Nubra Valley and you will really enjoy your time here.

Diskit is the biggest town in the valley followed by Hunder, Sumur, and Panamik closely behind. Take a look at this Map of Ladakh Region that I created some time ago and will help you understand the roads and routes here. As you drive down from Khardung La Pass, you will enter Nubra and will reach the town of Khalsar. At Khalsar, the road will bifurcate. The one going to your right will take you to the villages of Sumur, Panamik and then end at Warshi. The one to your left will take you to Diskit, Hunder and end at Turtuk Village. This entire area is Nubra Valley and can actually take 3-4 days for you to explore it all. Let us take a look at the journey day by day.

Day 7 – Leh to Diskit

You will be spending two days in Nubra Valley and will travel straight to Pangong Tso from here. This is a long route that you will be covering before returning to Leh again. In case you were wondering about how to carry so much petrol or Diesel for your vehicle, please read Fuel Availability in Leh Ladakh – How to Manage. The total distance between Leh and Diskit is 120 kilometers and can be completed in 4-5 hours easily unless you encountered traffic at Khardung Top which may cause a slight delay.

• Start early from Leh to avoid traffic
• Drive to the top of Khardung La at a height of 5,359 meters (17,582 feet), once famed to be the highest motorable pass in the world.
• Spend some time at Khardung Top. Click pictures in front of the board there that still reads as World’s Highest Motorable Road and Pass.
• Take a break and have something to eat at the Army Canteen at the pass.
• Enjoy the snow and amazing view of snow-covered peaks all around
• Drive down to the village of Khardung and Khalsar.
• Enjoy your first view of the Shyok River.
• From Khalsar, take the road towards your left and continue to Diskit.
• Overnight at Diskit.

What to do in Diskit

Now that you have reached Diskit, let us take a look at what are some of the things you can do here. If you started early from Leh, by 7 AM, you should comfortably reach Diskit by 2 PM at most. Check into a hotel, have something to eat and step out for some local sightseeing.

• See the Diskit Monastery
• See Maitreya Buddha, an impressive 32-meter statue of Buddha that was built in 1996 and sits facing Pakistan. It is located close to Diskit Monastery.
• See Lachung Temple, a beautiful temple located near Diskit Monastery.
• There are a few campsites in Diskit so if camping was on your mind, you can do it here.

What to do in Hunder

Hunder is about 12 kilometers ahead of Diskit and is the second most popular destination in Nubra Valley. If you had some time left in the day, you can drive ahead to Hunder and sightsee there as well. If not, then enjoy Diskit on this day and cover Hunder the next. Below are a few things to do in Hunder.

• See Hunder Sand Dunes located between Hunder and Diskit villages. Presenting an amazing site of white sands, it is also among the top camping sites in Ladakh.
• See Bactrian Camels and enjoy a Camel Safari. Also known as the two-humped camel, it is a very rare animal with a population estimate of only two million all over the world. These are found in Hunder and a camel safari in the dunes is one of the most popular tourist activities in Ladakh.
• Visit Hunder Gompa

Day 8 – Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik

I am explaining this day from the point of exploring the valley and providing details. But there are a few other ways as well to change the itinerary. You can either go to Turtuk and stay there for a day, thus adding another day to the overall trip. Or you can skip Turtuk altogether and head straight to Panamik. Or if you were short on time, then you can skip both the places and go to Pangong Tso via Shyok road. But assuming that you are traveling how I have planned the itinerary, your travel for the day will look like below.

• Diskit to Turtuk is about 100 kilometers and the road is mostly average.
• Diskit to Panamik is about 50 odd kilometers.
• So going from Diskit to Turtuk, returning and continuing to Panamik will mean a journey of about 250 kilometers.
• Your entire day will be spent in traveling and covering all these places so please ensure you get an early start from Diskit, possibly by 6-7 AM.
• Take the road from Diskit, travel all the way till Turtuk, spend some time there and return to Diskit again. Now go all the way back to Khalsar at the point where the road bifurcates. Last time you took the road to your left and now you will take the one on the right. Travel via Sumur and reach Panamik where you will stay for the night. See the Ladakh Map that I provided a Link to in order to understand the route better.

What to do in Turtuk

Turtuk is the last village on this side of the India-Pakistan border. The road goes a little ahead to Thang and ends there. From Thang, the border is merely 2-3 kilometers away. Because you are on a day-long trip and will have to be on your way back the same day, you will not have much time to do anything here. Just enjoy the natural beauty of the place, see the scenic valleys and return. However, if your idea was to stay here for the night and spend some time in the village, listed below are a few things that you can do in Turtuk.

• There is an old and historic Polo Ground in Turtuk which is worth seeing. If you were lucky, you may even get a chance to be part of a game.
• Visit the Balti Heritage House
• Visit the 16th Century local mosque and the Monastery
• See the local Greek style watermill
• Visit the local museum
• There are ruins of an old Brokpa Fort that you can visit if you have interest in monuments, ancient buildings, and races.
• The entire village has an arrangement in the form of little hollows used to keep their perishables. These are commonly referred to as naturally cold storages. These little holes stay naturally cold supposedly because of an underground glacial water stream. It is something new that you will see here.

Waterfall in Turtuk

There is a waterfall in the village but it will require you to trek for 2-3 kilometers on a very steep, narrow and also a bit risky climb. A visit to this waterfall cannot be done unless you were staying in Turtuk for a while and you will also need a local to guide you the route. Once you reach the waterfall, the vistas all around are truly stunning and you also get to see the K2 Peak, second highest in the world. If you decide to go, please do not attempt it entirely on your own. This is a very tricky climb and a bit difficult as well.

What to do in Sumur

Sumur is another village/town in Nubra Valley. After you reach back Khalsar and take the turn towards Panamik, Sumur is the first village that you will come across on the way. Most of the people do not stop here and go straight to Panamik but there are a few hotels and guest houses here as well. If you plan to stop at Sumur, below are a few places worth visiting.

• Visit the 140-year-old Samstanling Monastery.
• Visit the Zamskhang Palace in the village of Kygar near Sumur. It is believed to have been the residence of the kings of Nubra.

What to do in Panamik

After Diskit and Hunder, Panamik is the third choice for a stay in Nubra Valley. It is my favorite one as well because it doesn’t get as crowded and is more peaceful. Listed below are some places to see and things to do in Panamik.

• Visit the Hot Water Springs in Panamik. It is one of the most famous tourist spots not only in Nubra but all of Ladakh. Villagers have built small bathrooms around the spring where you can take a dip in the refreshing water. The water of this spring is said to be curative, due to the presence of sulfur and other chemicals in it. If you were planning to stay just one night in Panamik, this is the place you can visit.
• Trek to Yarab Tso Lake: Considered sacred, Yarab Tso is a small but beautiful lake located at a hike of about 15-20 minutes from Panamik.
• Trek to Ensa Gompa: It is a 250-year-old Monastery located near Panamik on top of a rock that overlooks the snow-capped mountains of Nubra valley. It is a 4-5 hours trek to reach the monastery from Panamik and will require day-long trekking in the wilderness of Nubra.

Apart from the places I listed above, another tourist attraction will be the Shyok River, Nubra River and Siachen River that you will see in Nubra Valley. If you did not know it already, both these roads via Diskit and Panamik lead to the Siachen Base Camp. A visit to the Base Camp is possible but you will need some high-end contacts and will have to pull some strings to get you the permit.

Day 9 – Panamik to Spangmik (Pangong Tso) via Shyok Road

It is now time for you to bid adieu to Nubra Valley and move towards Pangong Tso, the beautiful lake which in the last few years has become the very symbol of Ladakh. For this journey, you will take the road via Agham and do not have to travel back to Leh. This road earlier was one of the most dreaded ones and dangerous as well but now it is a smooth drive all the way. I will highly recommend that you travel direct from Nubra to Pangong direct; thus saving a day that you can use to explore some other area.

Another route that you can take to travel this way is via the high altitude pass of Wari La. I have talked about this road later in the article but for now, assuming that you went via Shyok road, the journey will be as mentioned below.

• From Panamik, travel back to Khalsar but this time, rather than taking the road towards Khardung La, take the one towards Agham Village.
• The total distance between Panamik and Spangmik is about 180 kilometers that can easily be covered in 6 hours.
• At Spangmik, accommodation is available in the form of campsites, cottages and as paying guests. There are a couple of guesthouses as well in the villages of Man and Merak.
• Depending on your preference, you can say at either Spangmik, Man or Merak. If you like to be in a quieter place with fewer people around, go all the way to Man / Merak and stay there.

What to do at Pangong Lake

After you have found accommodation, let us talk about a few things to do at Pangong lake. The lake in itself is the biggest tourist attraction in Ladakh so enjoying the natural beauty around you will be your first preference. You will find it hard to stop clicking as many pictures as possible. Apart from this, there aren’t many things to do near Pangong lake but listed below are a few worthy of note.

• Enjoy the magical sunset over the lake. Get up early in the morning before the sun came up and take a walk next to the lake. At this time, the waters are perfectly calm with no waves and you will be able to capture great shots with perfect reflections of the hills in the water.
• Early in the morning, you will also be able to view and click pictures of the wildlife around Pangong including the beautiful Brahmi Ducks and a few other birds.
• For people interested in stargazing capturing shots of star trails, Pangong is a great place to do so.
• Boating was probably the only entry in the list of things to do IN Pangong Lake. But with an increase in tourism, the Army has removed this option completely. Due to it being saline in nature, the waters of Pangong have no life in them so fishing also is not an option.

Day 10 – Pangong to Hanle via Chushul

You will now move deeper into the Changthang Valley of Ladakh towards the India-China border. For this part of the journey, I will again recommend that you take a look at the Ladakh Road Map again to be able to understand it better. From Pangong, you will move towards Chushul either via Erath or Man and Merak. The destination for today will be the beautiful village of Hanle which is again the last village on the border.

• Distance between Spangmik and Chushul is about 170 kilometers but travel time will be around 7-8 hours due to frequent breaks and roads.
• At some places, there won’t even be a road and you will have to follow the electricity wires and tire tracks to keep moving in the right direction.
• Keep riding along the banks of Pangong to arrive at Chushul first.
• After Chushul, take the road via Tsaga to reach Loma.
• Register yourself at Loma Check post, surrender your photography gear and take the road to your left to reach Hanle.
• From the check post, the village is about 50 kilometers.
• Beware of the dogs in this area.

What to do in Chushul

Chushul is a small village and there isn’t much to do around here. There is a war memorial here that is a must-visit. A little after Chushul is the pass of Rezang La. There is another war memorial at top of the pass which you should visit. Both these places stand witness to the 1962 India China war and the lives of Indian soldiers lost here. The Rezang La Pass is where the Indian Army made the last stand.

What to do in Hanle

• Visit the Hanle Monastery
• Indian Astronomical Observatory
• There is not a better place in all of India for star gazing and capturing star trails. This is the reason why even the observatory is built here. While you are in Hanle, don’t forget to take some time out and enjoy the beautiful scenery in the dark of the sky.
• Take a ride / drive to Photi La Pass

Day 10 – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri)

After Hanle, the next destination in your itinerary is the beautiful lake of Tso Moriri. Unlike Pangong, this one is actually a freshwater lake and you will find some greenery around it as well. It may be a bit smaller in size than its bigger cousin but make no mistake; it is no lesser in beauty. Karzok is the village on the banks of Tso Moriri and that is where you will be staying for this night.

From Hanle, you will have to travel back 50 kilometers to Loma again. From the check post, collect your photography gear from the Army person and take the road that goes through Nyoma and Mahe to arrive at Sumdo. The road will completely turn into a dirt trail at Sumdo which you will be riding on for the last 50 odd kilometers to Karzok.

There are multiple campsites, hotels, guest houses at Karzok where you can stay for the night. The option of paying guest is available as well but I would recommend staying at a guest house rather. If you were carrying your own gear, then you can self-camp as well but please do not do so close to the lake. Camping on the banks of Tso Moriri is forbidden by law and you may get into trouble for doing so.

Things to do around Tso Moriri

Enjoying the natural beauty, photography, walking along the banks of the lake and camping are probably the only activities to do in Karzok. It is just a remote village and people come here to get away from the crowd really. Pangong has started to get a little crowded these days and that is some a lot of tourists prefer to visit the Tso Moriri Lake instead. There is a small monastery in the village which is worth visiting.

Like Pangong, there are no tourist things to do in Tso Moriri Lake. Boating is not allowed and isn’t available either. It is a freshwater lake so there could definitely be fish in there but you cannot go fishing. If you tried, the locals will stop you and may even complain to the ITBP so please do not attempt.

Between Sumdo and Karzok, you will cross the relatively unknown and easier pass of Namashang La. A little before Karzok, there is another small but beautiful lake by the name of Kiagar Tso that you should see.

Day 11 – Tso Moriri to Leh

After completing the entire circuit around Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri, you will now return to Leh but will take a different route to do so. You came to Karzok from Leh via Changthang Valley but will return via Chumathang. You will go back to Leh, stay there for a night and return home via Manali. If you want to, you can extend your trip by another day and relax in Leh city for a day more before going back home.

For your return journey from Karzok to Leh, you will have to drive back to Sumdo on the same dirt road that you took to get here. From Sumdo, drive back 12 kilometers to Mahe and then turn left towards Chumathang. From there, you will drive for another 90 kilometers to exit on Manali Leh highway near Upshi and continue to Leh.

Another route that you can take for this journey is via Tso Kar. In order to do so, you will take a different road from Sumdo. This one will take you across Polo Kongka La Pass and Tso Kar and you will exit near Pang. But if you were taking this route, it would be better to head straight to Manali from there rather than coming back to Leh City. Once again, please refer to my Ladakh Road Map to understand these routes better.

What to do on Leh to Tso Moriri Road

• Taking the ride on a smooth road between Sumdo and Leh through superb scenery is what you will be doing on this day.
• There is a hot water spring in Chumathang that you can visit.
• Apart from the above-mentioned activities, there is nothing else to do on Chumathang route.
• If you, however, went on the Tso Kar route, then you will, first of all, see another hot water spring near Puga. You will then cross the high altitude pass of Polo Kongka La and continue riding towards Debring. Before you get there though, you will first come across the beautiful lakes of Startspuk Tso and then Tso Kar. Both of these are extremely beautiful water bodies and you must stop to click some pictures here.
• Option to camp at Tso Kar is available in case you wanted to stay here for a day.

Things to do on Manali Leh Highway

One of the reasons why I prefer coming back from Leh via Manali is because it kind of gives a grand closing to a remarkable journey. The route from Manali to Leh or vice versa is one of the best parts about visiting Ladakh. There are just so many things to do and places to see here that I actually wrote an entire article about it. This is probably the most famous highway in our country right now. To read a complete and detailed description of tourist attractions on this road, please read Tourist Places on Manali Leh Highway and Things to Do. But for a brief and short summary, listed below are some of the most popular activities that you will be enjoying while traveling from Leh to Manali.

Things to do from Manali to Leh

• Natural Beauty like no other: This definitely remains on top of the list. As I mentioned above, every turn here would leave you enchanted. From the lush green hills of Kullu Valley to the cold barren desert of Ladakh, every sigh is worth cherishing.
• Adventure: Need I say this? Driving on a road that is open for just 5 months in a year and completing the journey would fill your soul with a feeling of accomplishment that is going to last a lifetime.
• Solitude: In a country like ours, the second most populous in the world, Solitude is a little hard to find but you will get plenty of it while traveling from Manali to Leh.
• Peace: Imaging sitting on a hill with snow capped mountains all around, not a soul in sight, just the sound of cold wind, and you will get the idea.
• Culture: Experience and witness culture and customs of Ladakh, the monasteries, the food and wonderful people; things you will not find elsewhere in the country.
• High altitude passes: A total of 5 high altitude passes that you will cross in order to get to Leh, each one of which is an experience in itself.
• Nallahs: Ever driven through a stream of water with damaged road and rocks underneath, a hill on one side and straight fall on other? Get ready because you will be doing it several times on Manali Leh highway.
• Lakes: There are two lakes on this route that may be small in size but are a giant in beauty.

Let me break this information down day by day.

Day 12 – Leh to Sarchu

Leh to Sarchu is a total of 250 kilometers and will take you approximately 7-8 hours to complete, depending on your speed and breaks. Road of the journey will be “Leh – Karu – Upshi – Rumtse – Tanglang La – More Plains – Pang – Lachulung La – Nakee La – Gata Loops – Sarchu”. Listed below are places to see and things to do between Leh and Sarchu

• Cross the high altitude pass of Tanglang La at a height of 17,582 ft. It was famed to be the second-highest motorable pass in the world once upon a time.
• Drive through the more plains between Tanglang La and Pang.
• Cross the high altitude pass of Lachulung La after Pang, at a height of 16,616 ft.
• Shortly after, you will climb up the third pass for the day, Nakee La at a height of 15,547 ft.
• While driving down Nakee La, you will be crossing the famous Gata Loops, a series of hairpin bends. These are also believed to be haunted. To know more, please read The Ghost of Gata Loops.
• Arrive at Sarchu by late afternoon or evening.
• Overnight at the camps at Sarchu.

Day 13 – Sarchu to Manali

In many ways, this will be the last day of your trip because, after Manali, it is just a long ride home. But don’t let that dishearten or discourage you because you still have a full day of adventure ahead of you. Manali is at a distance of 225 kilometers from Sarchu and the roads are mostly good. But it may take you up to 10 hours to reach Manali if you got stuck in traffic at Rohtang Pass. Hence, an early morning start from Sarchu is highly advised, possibly by the first light of the day. Below is what you will be enjoying on this day.

• Cross the beautiful high altitude pass of Baralacha La at a height of 4,890 meters.
• At top of the pass, you will see the beautiful Sooraj Tal. If you were traveling early in the season, chances are that you may find it frozen completely or partially.
• Shortly after Sooraj Tal, you will come across Deepak Tal, another small but very beautiful lake on the route.
• After Deepak Tal, you will reach Darcha, then Jispa and finally at Keylong.
• After Keylong, the final lap of your journey begins as you climb up and cross the mighty Rohtang Pass at a height of 3,978 meters. This will be the last mountain pass of your trip so stop for a while and take is as much as you can.
• Climb down to Manali from Rohtang
• Overnight at Manali. Hotels in Manali are not a problem and no matter what your budget is, you will easily find one here.

What to see around Jispa

To be honest, Jispa is really just a small village with a handful of houses and a few hotels. There aren’t many things to do in Jispa except for enjoying the natural beauty, the calm of the place and visit Deepak Tal, Baralacha La, and Suraj Tal.

What to do in Keylong

Just like Jispa, there aren’t any tourist things to do in Keylong as well. It is the biggest town in Lahaul Valley and hence so very well known. But it is just a town with a lot of hotels to choose from if you wanted to stay here for the night.

What to see between Rohtang and Manali

Below are the places that you will be crossing as you drive down from Rohtang Pass to Manali.

• Palchhan – Just a small village on the route, good enough for a cup of tea or snacks. No tourist spot here as such.
• Kothi – Another small village like Palchhan.
• Gulaba – Gulaba is at a distance of about 20 kilometers and also known as lower winter snow point after the road to Rohtang Pass gets closed in Winter. Nothing to see here in July except for its natural beauty.
• Marhi – Also known as highest snow point in Winters, Marhi has a few dhabas where you can stop and eat, and that is pretty much it.
• Rani Nallah – Just a few kilometers ahead of Marhi, Rani Nala is a glacier point and also a spot where you need to be careful while riding or driving. No matter which time of the year you reach here, you will always find snow at Rani Nala and something the snow walls can be several feet high. Once the snow starts melting, the entire stretch near Rani Nallah gets prone to landslides and road always remains in pathetic condition.

What to do in Manali

Manali is one of the biggest tourist destinations in our country and listing every place to see and every tourist thing to do in Manali is really not possible in this article. That would just result in this post becoming an endless one. If you were planning to stay in Manali for a couple of days, then please read How to Plan a Trip to Manali to know of the tourist attractions and things to do here.

What to see in Zanskar

As tourism in Ladakh continues to grow by each passing year, more and more people are now starting to look for less-visited areas in Ladakh as well. If the thought was on your mind as well then Zanskar Valley is probably the answer to your question. This remote valley lies at a distance of about 230 kilometers from Kargil and is still one of the remotest areas of the country. I am not saying that no one goes here but the number is very less. As a matter of fact, the list of places to see in Zanskar is far more comprehensive than any other valley in Ladakh.

You will need a minimum of 2 days to add Zanskar Valley to your itinerary. From Kargil, you will travel 230 kilometers to Padum which will eat up your entire day because of bad roads. From Padum, you will then again return to Kargil and be on your way. If you could spare some time, then a stay of a day or two in Padum is highly recommended.

What to do in Zanskar Valley

Below is a list of things to do in Zanskar and places to see.

See the Glaciers

• Shafat Glacier: It is a 14 km long glacier in Suru valley which gives rise to the peaks of Nun and Kun and also provides a base to climb these two mountains.
• Parkachik Glacier:  Located near the village of Parkachik, it is a majestic mass of ice moving slowly down the slopes of Nun and Kun peaks. You can walk up to the glacier via a suspension footbridge over the Suru river.
• Drang Drung Glacier: At the top of the Pensi La pass, you will be greeted with breathtaking views of massive Drang Drung glacier; a river of ice and snow considered to be the largest glacier in Ladakh outside Karakoram range, second only to Siachen Glacier.

Lakes, Mountains and the Valley

• Drive through Suru Valley: The moment you leave Kargil, you will enter the beautiful and mesmerizing valley of Suru. Be amazed to see how lush this valley is presenting a great contrast to the barren wasteland of Ladakh and Zanskar.
• Cross the Pensi La Pass: Known as the Gateway to Zanskar, this is a relatively easier pass to cross at an altitude of 4,400 meters (14,436 ft.).
• Be Humbled by the Nun-Kun Massif: If it is a clear day, you will continue to see the rising twin peaks of Nun and Kun for the most part of your journey towards Rangdum. Together, these two beautifully mysterious mountains are one of the biggest attractions of Suru valley. Nun is forever covered in snow, a white peak whereas its next-door neighbor, Kun is barren black.
• See Ta Tso and the Lang Tso lakes. These are two small lakes located at the top of Pensi La pass.

Monasteries & Forts

• Sani Monastery located at a distance of 6 kilometers from Padum in the village of Sani.
• Bardan Monastery: Located approximately 12 km from Padum towards Reru.
• Dzongkhul Monastery: Located near the village of Ating.
• Rangdum Gompa: 5 Kilometers from Rangdum villages.
• Karsha Monastery: Karsha is the largest and the most important monastery in Zanskar.
• Pibiting Monastery: Another ancient monastery located near the village of Pibiting, on the road towards Hanumil.
• Stongdey Monastery: Located approximately 18 km from Padum on the road to Zangla.
• Phuktal Monastery: Also known as the cave gompa, this monastery is an almost 4 to 5-hours walk from the village of Anmu. It is a 14th-century monastery famous for 700-year-old mural fragments in the Alchi style. The view of the surrounding valley from this monastery though is its greatest appeal. This monastery also offers rooms for rent so you may go trek there, stay at the monastery for the night and return to Padum the next day.
• Visit the Fort of Rangdum located 5 Kilometers from Rangdum, on a small but steep hill and once used as a fortress by Dogra armies of General Zorawar Singh.
• View Zangla Fort or Palace: In ancient times, Zanskar was under two different kings, one ruling Padum and other ruling Zangla. The ancient Zangla fort or palace was the residence of the king of Zangla.

Zanskar Details

As you can see, by just providing a list, the information proved to be a bit much for this one post. Hence, I had to cover these details in a different article. To know more details on the places I listed above, and how you will be covering this during your journey, please read Kargil to Padum Travel Guide and Tourist Places in Zanskar Valley.

What to do in Sham Valley

Sham Valley is another one of the lesser-visited places in Ladakh. As a matter of fact, not many people are even aware of this name. Also known as “Apricot valley”, it is home to some of the remotest villages in Ladakh.

The valley is a little ahead of the village of Likir, towards Khaltse. The villages of Suspool and Hemis Shukpachan are right in the center of the valley. The village of Hemis is well connected by road whereas the road towards Suspool ends a little before the village from you will have to trek towards the valley.  Unfortunately, most of the villages in Sham valley are not connected by motorable road and trekking is required if you truly want to enjoy the beauty of the valley. The trek starts from Likir and ends at the village of Hemis Shukpachan from where you will trek back to Srinagar Leh highway, ending the trek at Nurla or Khaltse.

If you have time in hand and you would like to include it in your itinerary, I will recommend reading How to Plan a Trip to Sham Valley for details on tourist places and things to do in Sham Valley.

What to do on Chang La Route

While explaining the trip to Pangong Tso, I missed out one of the most commonly traveled routes and passes in all of Leh, the Chang La pass. It falls on the way if you travel from Leh to Pangong Tso via Karu but since we went straight from Nubra to Pangong via Shyok, Chang La got left out. Let me explain this route a little bit. Traveling on this road, the total journey from Leh to Pangong Lake is of 230 kilometers and will take you about 7-8 hours to complete. Condition of the road is good enough except for a bad stretch towards Chang La top.

The only thing to do on this route is to enjoy standing at the top of Mighty Chang La, once famed as the third highest motorable pass in the world. Get a few pictures clicked at top of the pass, have a cup of tea in the Army canteen, buy some souvenirs for yourself from the Army shop and be on your way to Pangong Tso Lake.

Adventure Activities in Ladakh

Everything about a trip to Ladakh has an element of adventure to it. No matter where you go or what you do, you will be doing something adventurous. Even if you did nothing and just sit at your hotel, just being here is an adventure in itself. With that being, below are a few tourist activities in Ladakh that you can be a part of and that can be tagged as an adventure within an adventure.

White Water Rafting in Ladakh

Book a trip in Leh City and go have fun in the wild waters of Indus or Zanskar Rivers

Chadar Trek

This is the mother of all adventure activities in Ladakh. If you arrived here in January or February, you can walk over a sheet of ice along the river. Yes, I am talking about walking on top of a frozen river from Nimmu to Zanskar Valley. Before you attempt it though, please make sure you are well prepared for it and book through a good and reliable agent.

Motorcycling in Ladakh

This is an adventure activity that is probably the most common one for a trip to Ladakh. Thousands of bikers ride their motorcycles to Ladakh each year from their homes but even if you were doing so, you can still rent a motorcycle in Leh City and ride it to a nearby location for an experience. Riding from Leh to Khardung La top and back is the most common trail of all.

Biking / Cycling in Ladakh

Must similar to a motorcycle, you can also rent a bicycle in Leh City and ride it around for fun. If you have the stamina and experience, take it up to Khardung Top or other high altitude passes nearby like Tanglang La or Chang La.

Camping in Ladakh

This is definitely the most sought after activity in Ladakh for all kinds of tourists. Stay in a camp under countless stars in the cold freezing temperatures of the cold desert that Ladakh is. You can either bring your own camping gear or stay at a camp site in Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri.

Quad Biking in Hunder, Nubra Valley

Between the towns of Diskit and Hunder, there is a spot famous for its dunes. This is also the hub for several tourist activities like an ATV ride. Hop on to an ATV and ride it around in the sand for fun.

Camel Safari

This too happens in Hunder sand dunes only but this time, rather than jumping on an ATV, you sit over the back of a double-hump Bactrian camel.

Participate in Ladakh Marathon

If the timing of your trip was right and you had both the stamina and days to run, come and participate in this 72 km Marathon.

Trekking in Ladakh

Last but not the least; trekking is a fun and adventure activity in Ladakh as much as it is in any other place. Some of the most common trails are the Snow Leopard Trek, Markha Valley Trek and Stok Kangri Trek.

Must do things in Leh Ladakh

I agree that not everyone would have time to participate in all these activities. But no matter the time you have, once you arrive in Ladakh, Camping, Camel Safari and Sightseeing as much as you can are three must do things in Leh Ladakh.

Family Activities in Leh Ladakh

Camping, walking along the banks of Pangong or Tso Moriri, attending a local festival, Camel Safari, ATV Ride, photography are some of the fun things to do with your family in Ladakh.

Things to do in Ladakh

What can you do in Ladakh will also depend a lot on your timing of the trip. Finally, to end the article, let me give a month by month breakdown of activities in Ladakh. Attending a local festival will also depend on the time of your trip. So for details on which festival can you be a part of, please read Festivals in Ladakh – Details and Timings.

Things to do in Ladakh in January

A winter trip in Ladakh is an entirely different ballgame and not everyone is up for it. But if you arrived here in January, below are some of the fun things you can do.

• See snow everywhere and all around. Witness a white Ladakh
• Enjoy a live snowfall
• Experience temperature several degrees below 0
• See an entirely frozen Pangong and Tso Moriri
• Do the Chadar Trek
• Visit the monasteries
• Stay with a local family as a paying guest and experience their hospitality
• Sightseeing at all places that I mentioned in the article above except for Manali Leh and Srinagar Leh route that remain closed during winters

Things to do in Ladakh in February

The condition and weather will be the same as January so your list of things to do will also remain the same as the prior month.

Things to do in Ladakh in March

List of activities in March too will be the same in January

Things to do in Ladakh in April

Snow is mostly all gone in April but if you arrived early in the month, you can still find some. If your timing was right, then you may even catch a live snowfall. Manali Leh and Srinagar Leh remain closed for most of the April so they will remain out of the itinerary. Ladakh starts to open up for tourism in April so some of the activities like Rafting and camping may be unavailable in some places but you will be able to go sightseeing almost in all of Ladakh.

Things to do in Ladakh in May

May is the peak tourist season in Ladakh and everything that I explained in the article above can be done in May. The only exception is of Manali Leh Highway which you cannot cover as it opens towards the end of May or early June

Things to do in Ladakh in June

With both Manali Leh and Srinagar Leh routes open, you can do everything in Ladakh that I explained in the article above.

Things to do in Ladakh in July

You can visit all the places and do every activity in Ladakh in July. The only exception is of anything related to snow as it is only limited to the top of the passes in the months of May, June, July, and August. There will definitely not be any snow left in lower areas in these months.

Things to do in Ladakh in August

The situation in Ladakh in August is the same as July. You may have to face a lot of rain in areas around Manali and Srinagar if you came to Ladakh by road so please be prepared.

Things to do in Ladakh in September

All of the activities I mentioned above can be done in September. A good part, however, is that it starts to snow here towards the end of the month. So if you arrived after 15th September, you may even catch a snowfall.

Things to do in Ladakh in October

For a trip in the early part of October, you can do all of the above-mentioned activities. But Manali Leh Highway closes sometime in October Mid so if you came in the second half of October, you may have to keep Manali road out of your plans

Things to do in Ladakh in November

Srinagar Leh route also becomes a bit risky to travel on in November and then gets closed down around 15th. So a complete road trip to Ladakh in November is out of the question. Several activities like camping, rafting; biking too may be unavailable due to cold and unpredictable weather at this time.

Things to do in Ladakh in December

Your choice of activities in Ladakh in December will get limited to only sightseeing and enjoying the snow. This is off-season and there won’t be many people around so enjoying the silence and having some “alone time” can be another activity you can do.

What to do in Leh Ladakh – Conclusion

This probably is the longest article I have ever written and also possibly the longest one you ever read. But the good part is that it covers the majority of the information you need to know about things to do in Ladakh. I hope the details above were of help. If you have any questions; or need any other details; please feel free to ask in the comments section below; or at our Community Forum; and I will be glad to answer.