Numerous Buddhist monuments, monasteries and study centers – Leh, the land of lamas (Buddhist monks), serves as the capital of the snow desert Ladakh. The city is picturesquely nestled by the Karakoram and the Himalayan ranges. Leh valley is that it draws tourists from all over the world to the amazing scenery alongside the Indus river. The city, at 3505 m from sea level, is dotted with a number of ancient Buddhist monuments, which still retain the age old Buddhist traditions and practices.Major Attractions

Apart from the fascinating Himalayan landscapes, Leh is visited for various monuments and culturally rich sites. Shanti Stupa is the prominent one. It holds a major importance for the Buddhists regarding their age old ritual practices and traditions. It also offers a bird’s eye view of the entire valley. Few other attractions at Leh are:

Stok Gompa (built in 14th century, a subsidiary of Spituk Gompa; displays masks, frescoes, paintings, 108 volumes of Buddha’s teachings and other antique Buddhist articles)
Sankar Gompa (has paintings and murals of the guardian god of the Four Quarters of Heaven, the wheel of Life, the Old Man of Longevity, Sakyamuni Buddha with his 16 sages and the 35 benevolent Buddhas)
Leh Palace (built in 17th century; houses the office of the Archeological Conservation of the Indian government)
Shey Monastery (12 m Sakyamuni Buddha statue made of gold-plated copper; also has a small library and a collection of tangkhas)
Thiksey Monastery (best place around Leh to see a puja; exhibits excellent art works and provides a panoramic view with the Zanskar range in the backdrop)
Hemis Monastery (most important Gompa in terms of spiritual hierarchy; hosts the Hemis Festival – characterized by masked dance).

There are people to whom danger, adventure, thrill, adrenaline rush etc are more important than comfortable vacations. They can go to any extreme for that, irrespective of inhospitable rugged terrains, harsh climates which are difficult to acclimatize to and difficulties of reaching these places. For these avid adventure-lovers, Ladakh is a tourist paradise. Located in the northern parts of the Paradise on earth, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh is bounded by the Kunlun ranges in the north and the Great Himalayan range to the south, Ladakh offers plenty of breathtaking visual treats in the form of panoramic views from hilltops, snowcapped mountains, rolling valleys, meadows, interesting flora and fauna and a rich cultural heritage and ancient tradition. Though it’s mostly an arid desert, there’s some heavy snowfall in winter over the glaciers which melt in summer irrigating the fields. Ladakh varies in altitude from 9000 ft at Kargil to 25170 ft in the Karakoram range. There are extreme temperature variations with temperature as low as minus 20 degree Celsius in winter and summer temperature not more than 27-30 degree Celsius. The incredibly thin air not only causes hyperventilation and asphyxia but also aggravates the heat.

Apart from the hiking, mountaineering trekking in Ladakh, people can also enjoy the gorgeous scenic beauty, company of friendly people and peaceful monasteries in Ladakh with Buddhist art, paintings etc. The unspoilt, rustic charm and the adventure the land provides are what attract people in droves here. Ladakh is a very important tourist spot in Kashmir with hundreds of people from both inside and outside India visiting it. Tourism comprises of an important means of livelihood amongst the people here. The people here make money mostly during the tourist seasons out of pilgrimages, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism etc.

There is no dearth of excellent deluxe hotels in Ladakh if you are looking for comfortable accommodations. These hotels are operated by some of the famous hotel chains in the country and have all sorts of modern amenities of comfort like plush rooms, room service, laundry, dry cleaning, lobbies, library, medical units, transportations etc. They also provide you with superb tour packages. The tariffs are a bit stiff in any luxury hotel in Ladakh but the experience is totally worth it.

For affordable living, there are also many standard hotels in Ladakh with much lower tariffs but very good facilities available. For people who are on a tight budget yet don’t want to miss any experience, these hotels are ideal. They collaborate with tour operators in Ladakhand arrange for trips to places like Kargil valley, Zanskar, Zangla, Leh, Nubra valley in Ladakh.

For experiencing traditional Ladakhi hospitality and local cuisines, you can also check into guest houses in Ladakh owned by local families. They are comparatively cheaper. There are several guest houses in India but nothing beats these Ladakhi ones for their rustic charm and delightful living facilities.

For booking details, contact travel agents of Ladakh who have been conducting tours to even most inhospitable terrains of this region with utmost security.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and gear up for the most thrilling vacation of your life.

The Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range is one of the major tourist destinations in India. The mountain ranges spread over, the entire Northern and North Indian states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, etc. The Himalayas are indeed dream holiday destination for every adventure enthusiast and nature lover. The mountainous ranges boast of direct tourism in forms of skiing, mountaineering and trekking. Not only that the numerous foot hill destinations in the Himalays and surrounding areas, make up for half the tourist hot spots of India. Shimla, Mussourie, Kashmir, Kasauli, Darjeeling, etc are prime tourist destinations that make a Himalayan Holiday.

Both exotic and rich in variety, a Himalayan holiday trip could in fact be an exotic combination of many things clubbed together. For the average tourist, there’s White Water River rafting, on some of the major Indian rivers like Ganges, Yamuna, Indus, Teesta, etc. Skiing is another sport you could enjoy while on a Himalayan trip. Auli, Khufri, Manali, etc are some hot spot skiing destinations.

If you are a wild life freak, the Himalayas have something for you too. The foot hills of the Himalayas sport numerous jungles with plenty of wildlife too. Due to the diverse topography, here you could see plenty of rare plants and endangered species of animals. For the adventurous, there are options for exploring the wilds of the Himalayas, with jungle safaris either on an elephant’s back, by jeep or even with motorbikes.

You could also set up base camp on any of the foot hills and go camping too, and when you are done with the adventure bit, try to take a relaxed holiday in any of the hill stations, from where you could watch the Himalayan ranges and be a part of the varied Indian culture too. Some popular destinations, which could form a part of your Himalayan trip, could be-

o Himachal Pradesh( many hill stations)
o Jammu & Kashmir
o Ladakh Leh
o Sikkim
o Darjeeling

If you love taking biking trips, you could do so on a Himalayan holiday trip. The dangerous curves and the thrill of the pace will surely entice you. Some of the famous biking routes in the Himalayas are, Himachal Pradesh to Uttranchal, Leh and Ladhakh and the Tarai region of Uttranchal.

If you wish to explore the outdoors and be one with nature while on your Himalayan holiday trip, try out your options for camping. Get in touch with companies that will provide you with the necessary gear and information. Some camping sites you could try out are- Tabo, Nainital, Chail, Sangla Valley, Chitrauli, etc.

Apart from adventure tourism and sight seeing, the Himalayas also cater to religious tourism. Year after year the religious places in Himalayas namely Badrinath, Kedarnath, Mukteshewar, Dharamshala, Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Yatra, etc are filled with thousands of devotees who try to offer their prayers in these holy sites. There are various arrangements in all the aforesaid destinations both luxury and budget to accommodate every travellers taste and pocket.

Indeed a Himalayan holiday trip has something for every member of the family, young or old. In fact the mighty ranges have so much to offer that an average tourist can have his/her fill of the many facets of tourism all at one go!