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Taking a courageous tour to Ladakh, The Mountain Kingdom has been soul refinement initiative. Fitness matters mostly. Very few people dare to dream and make it happen to visit once in a lifetime. The place I have chosen which is the most desired tourist destination for the adventurous traveler. Unquestionably, they have to be both mentally and physically fit. The terrain of breathtakingly beautiful Ladakh will overwhelm any traveler beyond any measure. It will truly be one of the most memorable voyages I have ever embarked upon. Readers can plan if they want to visit indomitable Ladakh.
My Researched Package Tour To Mountain Kingdom
My tour was well researched before reaching to the mountain kingdom. I knew about the weather conditions of Ladakh in November, harshness about AMS, and limited tourism opportunity during this time. Note to say, all highways leading to Ladakh are closed in November. The airway is the only mode of transportation available. Having known the brutal tourism truth of Ladakh, I landed with mental readiness and preparation for visiting Ladakh all alone. I connected to an Indian guy named Yogesh Sarkar through Google research who traveled Ladakh region several times. Till I reached Ladakh, I took his advice for accommodation, guided tour, places to visit in November. I’m really thankful for all the information he provided. So, I advise my readers also to follow my tips and instruction before visiting Ladakh. You’ll enjoy your trip if you follow this.
Welcome to The Mountain Kingdom
I was visiting India for my official assignment at the end of November 2017. After finishing my job, I flew to Leh by Air India’s early morning flight from Delhi. It was all scheduled before reaching the mountain kingdom. All you needed to ensure your passport, return air ticket and hotel booking slip if you have. The immigration officer doesn’t ask much if you have all the documentation right. I had no issue whatsoever for entering to Leh. Since I had planned to visit Leh City and its surroundings, I didn’t require any permission from any authority. But visitors need prior permission if they plan to visit Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso or Khardungla Pass. Anyway, my tour guide cum driver Mr. Chubedorji was present at Leh Airport which was very peaceful for me.
Day 1: 22 November: Leh Site Seeing
Cheaper & Better 
Clean Bed
I checked in Hotel Tso-kar by the recommendation from my guide. This is not a star rated hotel but it had all basic amenities. It is recommended to take rest in the hotel for the major part of the day to acclimatize with high altitude though I went outside post-lunch to do nearby activities after 5 hours of rest. It was very nice and homely stay at the Hotel Tso-Kar which I recommend for my readers for several reasons: 1) Centrally heating system, 2) Great hospitality, 3) Food quality, and 4) 10-minutes walk from the city centre
Firstly, I explored Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace and Leh main market. While exploring my first destination, Shanti Stupa, I felt shortage of oxygen in the air because Leh is high enough for travelers to exhibit acute mountain sickness (AMS) symptoms.
At that point of time, I slowed down my entire movement. I took rest for 10 minutes on a bench and went up again to the top till I felt better. My first day activity ended at Leh Market where I had a quick walk down to tea stall area for cup of tea. Since, temperature was below minus degree Celsius, there were hardly any tourists seen on the road except for few local people. I went back to my hotel early for taking rest for the next day preparation.
Spiritual Shanti Stupa in The Mountain Kingdom
The Spiritual Shanti Stupa is approximately 14 minutes drive from the town. The stupa is located at a hill top and overlooks the entire Leh town. The walls of the stupa are filled with vibrant colors depicting numerous beautiful figures of Buddha. It was worth visiting there.
Leh Palace
Secondly, I visited Leh Palace. This a must visit palace within the city. This time I made no rush to climb up the palace. I was very slow to look around. When I reach to the base of this palace, it took half an hour to climb up the top. From there, I could see the 360 degree panoramic view of the Leh city. I took many great shots from every layer of the palace. Insulation system of this palace was worth seeing.
Leh Market in The Mountain Kingdom
Thirdly, Leh Market is the only place where you can shop when in Ladakh. Here you can buy many souvenirs for your friends and family. This is a very lively place filled with tourists. It has a lot of small restaurants where you can try the traditional ladakhi cuisine. You must take a tea break in the market because it’s really cold out there.
Day 2: 23 November: Leh Site Seeing
My body had acclimatized well within 24 hours with high altitude. Waking up fresh in the morning and getting started from the hotel by 10.00 am was a seamless start for the second day. My second-day activities were scheduled with the advice from my local guide, Mr Chubedorji to visit 1. Sangam Point, 2. Magnetic Hill, 3. Hall of Fame, 4. Shey Palace and 5. Druk Padma Karpo School where “3 Idiots” was shot. I must say that itinerary was well planned in a short time. Now I can guide my readers with do’s and don’ts during the trip.
Sangam Point in the mountain kingdom
Explaining a little bit of every place will please my readers. That’s why I took time to explain the uniqueness. Firstly, Sangam Point. River Indus originates from Lake Manosarover which is a religious place for Hindus. It is one of the most visited spots near the town where the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers is seen. The site is absolutely spectacular as you can clearly see the color differences between the two rivers. It meets River Zanskar some distance from Leh on the way to Kargil. River rafting sports enthusiasts will enjoy spending time due to the terrain and the backdrop.
Magnetic Hill in the mountain kingdom
It is a “gravity hill” located near Leh in Ladakh, India. The layout of the area and surrounding slopes creates an optical illusion that the downhill road is actually an uphill road. Objects and cars on the hill may appear to roll “uphill” in defiance of gravity when they are, in fact, rolling downhill. It was very unusual experience for me to observe the wonder of Magnetic Hill for the first time.
Hall of Fame
It is located near the Leh Airfiled. There is a museum maintained by the Indian Army. It was constructed in the memory of the soldiers who had lost their lives during the Indo-Pak wars. It is also termed as a memorial for the war heros. This building consists of two floors. While on the ground floor, there is information about the brave soldiers as and a souvenir shop but on the first floor, there are artifacts of various wars (mainly Kargil war) such as the weapons used during the war and some important documents, related to the same. I purchased souvenirs for my friends and colleagues from Hall of Fame.
Lunch Break
I had my lunch in Punjabi Dhaba. It was street side restaurant in front of Hall of Fame. Menu I chose chapati, daal, plain rice and green salad. I recommend to have oil free food in high altitude. You’ll feed better when you move around.
Shey Palace
It was built around 600 years ago by the King of Ladakh as his summer palace. The royal family abandoned this place in 1843 and shifted to the Stok palace. This monastery has a copper statue of Buddha, over 10 m high, gold plated. I enjoyed taking pictures around the monastery and had a refreshing tea break at Shey Tea Stall near the road side.
Druk White Lotus School in The Mountain Kingdom
In the local language, Druk Padma Karpo School was unfortunately closed due to winter break. Though I couldn’t visit the “3 Idiots” shooting spot, however, there was a mixed feeling of being in the school but couldn’t enter the school. This school also got the title of most beautiful schools in the world by BBC London in 2016.
After doing all the activities, I returned to my hotel by 5pm with lots of pictures taken that gave immense pleasure. As for the second night, I took basic dinner item like the first night but I enjoyed much more compare to the first night. I went early to bed for next day early exploration of hotel vicinity.
Day 3: 24 November: Goodbye Ladakh
Early morning visit to Leh Mall Road was nice experience because crowd was very less, almost nobody, that’s why I felt good to capture every angle of Leh Town surrounding landscape including big mosque in Leh Bazaar. My biggest observation for last 3 days was to see mosque in every key location. Later I got to know that Ladakh is accounted for 14% muslim population in this state of India. My 45 minutes early morning exploration in Leh Bazaar will be cherished for a long time.
Do’s:
– Inner line permit is essential for visiting Khardung La and Pangong Tso, please do not treat it as an afterthought and get it arranged as soon as possible on day 1 or before reaching Leh through your Travel Agent.
– Buy air ticket from online at least 7 days before to get a good deal
– Carry all type of heavy winter clothes – jacket, sweater, muffler, monkey cap, inner garment – upper and lower, hand gloves (2 pairs), high ankled travel boot, backpack etc.
– It is recommended to take complete rest for 6 hours to acclimatize high altitude with light activity on day 1
– Drink lots of water to hydrate yourself
– Cameras and accessories, sunglasses, travel sticks
– Always carry dry food – cup noodles and biscuits are recommended
– Necessary medicines you should carry specially Diamox to prevent AMS
– Hire a good car for the entire trip for your security and comfort
Dont’s:
– Don’t eat non-vegetarian food and oily food for at least 24 hours after your arrival in Leh
– Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking
– Don’t make any rush while traveling alone
Conclusion
Leh is simply an awesome place to travel and it doesn’t take a lot to get around. It’s remote, adventurous and naturally scenic – you will enjoy being there. Take every step with careful measure as long as you love to stay. Always look after your own health condition specially AMS and take care when you are hiking in the mountains. Explore this mountain beauty with time. All you need is a sense of adventure.