Planning to visit ladakh can be overwhelming, You have to think a lot as Leh Ladakh has different climate, higher altitude and even different custom and culture from the rest of the India and the world too.
Although it is just an 1 hour 15 minute flight from the capital delhi, You will notice a change in altitude and physical characteristic of the landmass just after half an hour in the flight.
It is important to figure out whether you are travelling with, friend, family, a group tour or single. it is equally important to choose the right mode of transportation, hotel and the tour.
If you are travelling from outside of India, Most probably your first stop in India will be New Delhi, even though you might feel little concern about small things while visiting a small town in the midst of the Himalaya, You will be amazed with how a small town at 11,000 ft has so many things to do.
There are Some dos and don’t to make your visit to Leh Ladakh more Memorable.
Carry Warm Clothes and Travel Medicine kit
If you are visiting ladakh in the Colder season you surely will carry a lots of Woollen clothes and Coat but, people make a mistake of not carry at least a single Warm Jacket or Sweater in summer, No matter what, even if is the hottest season in ladakh, A cold wind, a light rain can change the weather of ladakh from a high 27 degree a half and hour ago to 5 to 15 degree.
Once you reached leh you must be aware of that you are already above 11:000 ft above sea level and travelling to some tourist places required you to cross higher passes and having a medicine kit are very helpful for travelling.
Be friendly with local
Ladakhi are know for warm smiles and friendly with everyone, Don’t afraid to ask for directions, suggestion. If you are travelling to different tourist place within ladakh: its normal that such places are very far from each other, so you probably will spend the whole day with the driver, So talk with him like a friend, You will definitely enjoy your travelling and making it more fun.
Visiting Monasteries
Monasteries are the sacred place for people who believes in peace, There are timing to visit each monasteries: mostly it is open from the early morning to late afternoon, You are expected to be talk in a low voice or if possible be silent inside the monastery. Although you are free to ask as many questions you like but do not expect everything about buddhism and enlightenment from every monk, as a person like us, monk are also in the learning stage too. Another important to keep in mind while visiting monastery, While addressing you are supposed place your hand, inside up, point all four hand toward buddha instead of directly point your index finger.
Do not walk alone at night
After reading the heading your mind must be flooded with theft and other scary things happen in the big cities, No! these thing are almost non-existent, the cute stray dogs which you see roaming in the day, once sun goes down half of them become a monster, They attack everyone, There happen some unfortunate incident by these stray dogs in the last couple of year. So the best suggestion to avoid them and to travel late night by a car only.
Be part of the Eco-traveller
Since ladakh fall in the rain shadowed region, it does not received enough precipitation and on the top of that global warming result in receding the already small glacier of ladakh, Hundred and thousand of bore well are dug due to exponential rise in tourist further speed up the water shortage, As Ladakhis are educated on minimise usage of water, use local toilet and not to pollute the environment.
So using less water is the only way and you will be a proud to be a part of this act.
Bring Cash
Many business in and around leh started to use online payment but if you are travelling to far places from the capital town, It is likely that they don’t have online payment and its become important to carry cash, I suggest you to withdraw cash from the leh town itself before travelling, although small villages do have atm but it likely that it ran out of cash or there might be some problem with it.
Don’t afraid to try Local Cuisines
If you visit any restaurant in Leh, ladakh , you may came across, thukpa, noodles, dumpling on the menu and you will believe it to be a only cuisines, In reality Ladakh have much more cuisines than you see in a typical restaurant,
There are many homestay which offer authentic Ladakhis experience from staying in authentic Ladakhis house and offering Ladakhis food.
Typical Ladakhis have, Kholag which is made from a roasted barely, with curd or some curry for breakfast, A rice and veggies curry for a lunch, Chutaggi or skyu which is more like a pasta for dinner.
Recommendation: Veggies Chuttagi and Khambir with local cheese and veggies
More update Coming soon!
