Ladakh is a union territory in northern India, set high in the Himalayas and known above all for its high-altitude desert landscapes. Its wide, sun-bleached valleys, bare mountain ridges and sharp contrasts of light make it one of the most striking places in the country to travel through.
The region lies between Pakistan and China, and that position gives it a distinct character. Its strategic location has shaped its history and its present, and visitors will notice the presence of the military and the sense of a frontier landscape in many parts of the territory.
What a visit offers
- Landscape: high desert scenery of open valleys, rugged peaks and clear, dry air.
- Buddhist monasteries: Ladakh is known for its monasteries, which sit against the hillsides and make a visit feel closely tied to the region's religious life.
- Frontier setting: the territory's location between Pakistan and China gives a journey here a different sense of place from most of India.
Planning your trip
Because Ladakh is high and remote, travellers should allow time to adjust to the altitude and plan their route with care. The landscape rewards slow travel, with time to stop at monasteries and to take in the views between them.
Ladakh is best approached as a destination in its own right, with the mountains and monasteries at its centre. Those who come for the quiet, the scale of the landscape and the Buddhist heritage will find that the region holds a great deal to see and reflect on.
