15 tips while traveling to Ladakh

Here is a list of 15 tips which can be helpful to get you around the land of passes.

1. It hasn’t been long before tourism developed in Ladakh. And the north western region is still sensitive. So the tourists who arrive from outside the country need special permits to visit the Inner Line area. These permits can be availed from local Ladakhi authorities.

2. Majority of the tourists in Ladakh comes for Trekking and Camping. So if you are

here for the same reason then you should pay attention to your physical fitness. Ladakh weather is chilling and for first timers here acclimatization can be a problem. So when you land in here give yourself a day to get used to the weather and high altitudes.

3. Lot of back packers who come here should make sure that they should fill their sacks with water bottle. Hydration at high altitude can keep you going strong for long. Though the weather generally get you to go thirsty it is highly advisable that you should. Apart from that carry a first aid kit, prescribed medicines and enough warm clothing.

4. Next you need to have in your must-haves are sunglasses, moisturizers and sunscre

en lotions.

5. Whether on a trekking expedition, Jeep Safari or hiking tour you should keep in mind that you have a responsibility towards the conservation of the place. You should contribute to the protection of environment by not littering, using paper instead of plastic and by creating less noise pollution in deserted areas.

6. Leh the capital city is well developed to provide you with basic amenities. The calling facility is good here though the STD’s booths close by 10 pm.

7. When you are sightseeing you’d be tempted to click pictures. But before taking your camera out read the sign boards well. Photography is not permitted everywhere.

8. Talking of photography, Ladakh is such a beautiful place you will not get tired of clicking pictures. So while you visit the places that allow photography or pass through the general landscape of the place, you have ample opportunities to click click & click. So buy extra batteries and lots of film rolls or extra memory cards.

9. While eating out in Ladakh, carry the Indian currency because majority of the hotels and restaurants do not accept credit cards.

10. Leh the big town has facilities for e-mailing and general surfing. In fact Leh is the only place where you can have access to the internet. So all your online work should be done in Leh before you proceed further.

11. Very remote regions of Ladakh do not have banks. Leh and Kargil have banks with ATM facilities.

12. Leh has hospitals but Kargil has a district hospital which has good team of doctors and modern equipments. Besides Kargil there are medical dispensaries at Trespone, Sankoo, Mulbek, Padum and Panikher. They all have basic health facilities.

13. The national park in Leh is a good place to sight Wildlife, especially if you are on trek. But do not disturb the animals there and neither pollutes the surroundings.

14. Water pollution is too much in Ladakh. It is advisable to carry purification pills. A better option is to carry your own water or drink packaged water.

15. Lastly respect the culture, the quiet locals, be friendly to them and make time to enjoy the place. Talk to the locals as they are the biggest source of information.

Trekking Adventure in Ladakh

Ladakh, the Himalayan city is located in Jammu and Kashmir at an altitude ranging between 1500 ft to 25000 ft. The snow laden peaks, valleys, lakes, springs and Buddhist monasteries are part of the Ladakhi culture. Snow covered mountains and thousands of miles of barren land make up this beautiful city. Ladakh’s challenging territories and diverse climate makes it trekkers favorite. The virulent conditions of the Ladakh plains which enhance the beauty of the place are inviting for anyone who is looking for that perfect adventure holiday.

Ladakh is bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karakoram. Ladakh lies at altitudes ranging from about 9,000 feet (2750m) at Kargil to 25,170 feet (7,672m) at Saser Kangri in the Karakoram. Summer temperatures rarely exceed

about 27 degree while winters are freezing at -20 degree celsius. Surprisingly, the sun shines throughout the year and due to such varied climatic conditions Ladakh becomes the only place where one can suffer a sunstroke and frostbite at the same time.

Ladakh has a long list of must visit places. For trekkers there is no dearth of challenges. Infact, Ladakh is a heavenly abode for adventure seekers. Acclimatization is the most important activity before heading for trekking and mountaineering. Ladakh has popular trekking destinations like Spituk to Markha Valley, Laayury gompa to Chilling and Likir to Temisgam. Rafting down the Zanskar is another exciting adventure one would like to indulge in. If trekking on a frozen river sounds thrilling then Zanskar river trek in the winter will not disappoint you.

There are many ways to get around in Ladakh. Apart from trekking on foot, you can also go for jeep safaris, mountain biking through the rugged terrains by bus or even cars. The roads in this region are in very bad condition but have been somehow made accessible to vehicular traffic. Bad roads necessitate greater preparedness from the trekkers. You should go with a seasoned guide as his familiarity with the region will be an advantage. There are many inline routes which needs government permission to enter.

The more you explore Ladakh the more there is to explore. This little corner of India puts the rest of the country as simply ‘Down’. See if you don't start doing the same thing yourself.

Chadar trek Adventure

Cloudy blue-green waters and black rock are shrouded beneath a thick veneer of ice and snow, known as the “Chadar” (or veil) lie dormant like a downy white blanket.

Chadar Trek is an unusual expedition of walking on ice. Trekking in Zanskar is the best experience for adventure lovers. The conventional name of the trek is "Chadar Trek", called as the frozen sheet.

Do not forget that, for this trek you need to be patient, resourceful, and mentally flexible.

Esoteric nature of Buddhism practiced here, and enabled its some ten thousand inhabitants to preserve and perpetuate their cultural identity.

Zanskar has the differentiation of being the least interfered with microcosms of Ladakh, is one of the last few surviving cultural satellites of Tibet. It is the most isolated place and inaccessible for nearly eight months a year due to heavy snowfall resulting in closure of all the entries.

The trek is a hazardous journey with temperatures regularly dipping below minus 30° C.

Also, the state of the ice can change quickly from a solid surface to unsteady flows. The route is

passable only when the river is at its coldest.

The trek will require constant alertness in the gorge when ice melts rapidly or conditions change. In some places, the gorge is only 5m wide and there are only a few emergency escape routes and caves for shelter. The trek follows the river gorge through a spectacular landscape, a photographer’s paradise, offering occasional sighting of wildlife.

This Chadar trek will offer you to get through this isolation and to examine some of the villages along the Zanskar River in the midst of winter and thus catch a glimpse of the lifecycle during this unique time of the year.

Many ancient monastic establishments of Karsha and Zangla promise to heighten your insight into the mysteries of this Shangri-la, a land and culture frozen in time behind the ramparts of the Zanskar Mountains.

Visit the villages like, Chilling and Lingshed, which come on this trek until Hanamur and Pidmo before Pishu and Zangla in Zanskar, all the rest are names of places and caves, which come in route.