Ladakh Permits and Preparation

Destination Ladakh (Pre-Departure Information)

LADAKH is situated between 30 degree to 36 degree east latitude and 76 degree to 79 degree north longitude. The region of Ladakh is spread over an area of 96,701 Sq. Kms and has a population of 2 Lac habitants and consists of two districts, Leh and Kargil. The region of Ladakh normally remains land locked between November to June every year as Srinagar-Ladakh and Ladakh- Manali highways, which connect Ladakh with the other parts of the country, remain closed during this period because of snow and rigorous winter.

Situated at 10,000ft above sea level, the capital - Leh is higher than most Alpine mountains. In Ladakh you can travel to the world’s highest motorable road at 18,000 + ft (Khardung-La pass).

About Ladakh

Ladakh (meaning "land of high mountain passes") is a mountainous region in North India. Leh, the main city is situated at 3500m above sea level nestled in the great Himalayan, Karakoram, Zanskar and Ladakh ranges. Ladakh is known for remote mountain beauty, studded with monasteries and stupas. Ladakh is often referred as "Little Tibet" due to its geographical proximity and strong links to Tibetan culture.

Acclimatization

Leh is at 3500m above sea level so acclimatization can get difficult because of high altitude. It is advisable to spend at least two days to acclimatize before you set out for your adventures. Drink plenty of water or other fluids such as soup, tea and juice.

Climate

Ladakh is a rain shadow region of the Himalayas, the annual average rainfall in Leh is 100 mm. In summer, temperature reaches 25°C and it drops down to -15°C in winter. The high passes are closed during winter due to heavy snowfall.

Languages

Ladakhi, Zanskari, Tibetan, English and Hindi - The predominant language is Ladakhi, it is closely related to Tibetan though is not mutually intelligible with it. A Ladakhi phrasebook "Getting Started in Ladakhi" by Melong publication is available in bookstores.

Ladakh Road Trip Guide

Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher of the late 19th century has quoted, “He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.” Ladakh tourism offers you this life-changing thrilling experience that teaches you a lot about Mother Nature and takes you right in the lap of it. The only thing you will need to keep going through the Leh Ladakh trip is passion for travelling, and this landscape will give you enough of it.

Leh Ladakh road trip has been a dream of most of the individuals across the globe. Traveling across the beautiful landscapes of Ladakh by road is perhaps one of the most enticing and thrilling road adventures in India. Ladakh road trip takes you through some of the highest motor-able mountain passes in the world. The road trip takes you through the beautiful green plateaus driving through vast semi-arid planes, and the topsy-turvy curves of the Himalayan Mountain ranges. Colorful Tibetan prayer flags that most tourists take back as a souvenir, prayer bells, and different monasteries including the latest one by Dalai Lama, and Tibetan Buddhist populace that one encounters with-along the way of Leh Ladakh road trip are some unique aspects of traveling to this region by road.

Must Visit Places of Ladakh Road Trip

The Leh Ladakh road trip has a lot of uniquely beautiful landscapes, lakes, circuits, and plateaus that you can enjoy along the route. The beauty of this entire region just can’t be expressed in words. Going through a Leh Ladakh trip can be one of the greatest experiences you ever have as these places have an enormous bounty of extreme natural pristine beauty.

Total Area: 96,701 Sq.Kms

Latitude: Between 30 degree to 36 degree east latitude

Longitude: 76 degree to 79 degree north

Population: 27500 and 117000 of the complete Leh District comprising of 112 odd villages

Best Season: April to October

Average Altitude: 3505 metres

Local Languages: Ladakhi, Hindi, Urdu, Balti, Shina, Tibetan, English

ATM’s Available: SBI / J&K Bank / HDFC / AXIS / PNB (Still advisable to carry Hard Cash)

Networks: Jio,Airtel, BSNL(Postpaid) are present there; others please check your operator’s collaboration

Strong Suggestions in Leh

Tibetan Handicrafts and items: Main Bazaar

Bakery must haves: German Bakery & Jeevan Café

Coffee shops: German Bakery & Jeevan Café

Dreamland Restaurant offers Indian, Continental and Chinese/Tibetan variants at its best.

Tibetan Kitchen offers Chinese/Tibetan variants at its best.

Temperature

The winter temp. Touches as low as minus 30 degree (Leh & Kargil) and minus 60 degree in (Drass) subzero temp. Prevails from December to February throughout Ladakh, whereas, zero degree temp. is experienced during rest of winter months. This result in freezing of all conceivable water resources. During summers the maximum temp. Increases from 20 degree C to 38 degree C in July and August

Languages Spoken

Ladakhi is the main language of Ladakh; other languages spoken are Balti, Shina, Brokshat and Changshat. In hotels and restaurants staff speaks English and Hindi, while tourist guides are well versed with the language.

Permit and Passport

Tourist don't require permit for Leh, however, all foreigners are required to be registered at Drass, Rumtse and Serchu if they are traveling overland. Those traveling by air get themselves registered at airport. Tourists are required to get permit for restricted areas like Tsomoriri, Tsokar and Pangong Lakes, Dhahanu and Nubra Valley, which can be obtained from District Magistrate, Leh, through Travel Agents at Leh.

Sweaters / Jackets

Pair of woolen / Cotton socks

Hat (wool if cold) and sunglasses

Warm clothing (i.e. synthetic fleece)

Credit Cards & Atm Machine

Credit cards are accepted by very few hotels and tour operators but there will be 2.5% service charge. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank and State Bank of India has placed ATM Machine in Leh. The State Bank of India accepts visa and Maestro but this ATM is not very reliable. J&K Bank ATM is more reliable but accepts only Maestro. Now we have Punjab National Bank, HDFC Bank & Axis Bank ATM’S available in Leh Market

How to Reach

Overland Approach - The overland approach to Ladakh from Kashmir Valley via Kargil is approx. 434 Km, which remains open for traffic from early June to November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 11,500 feet / 3,505 m high Zoji-La, the pass in the Great Himalayan Wall that serves as the gateway to Ladakh. The J & K State Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey. Groups can charter Deluxe and A-class buses for Leh, Kargil or Padum (Zangskar) from the J & K SRTC at Srinagar.

Manali to Leh -

Since 1989, the 473 km. Manali-Leh road has been serving as the second overland approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from around mid-June to early October. This high road traverses the upland desert plateau of Rupsho, altitude ranges from 3,660m to 4,570m. A number of high passes fall enroute among which the highest one known as Taklang-La is world's second highest motorable pass at an altitude of 17,469 feet/5,235m. Himachal Pradesh Tourism, HRTC and J & K SRTC operate daily Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Manali and Leh. The bus journey between Leh and Manali takes about 19 hours or two days with an overnight halt in camps at Serchu or Pang. Maruti Gypsy and jeep taxis are also available, both at Manali and Leh.

Road Distances

Srinagar-Leh : 434 Km Manali-Leh : 473 Km Srinagar-Kargil: 204 Km Delhi-Leh : 1047 Kms Leh-Kargil : 234 Km Kargil-Padum (Zanskar) : 240 Km

Leh-Deskit (Nubra Valley) : 118 Kms.

Travel Tips

Most of Ladakh is at an altitude of more than 3000m so you need to get acclimatized before you can set about. Your body needs to adapt to high altitude, as the higher you go, the air becomes rarified and the oxygen available for you to breathe becomes lesser. Even though your body is capable of adapting to 'thin air', you need to give it time to do so. This is what is called acclimatization. Acclimatization is essential to avoid acute mountain sickness (AMS). The symptoms include headache, lethargy, dizziness, and loss of appetite.

Shopping in Leh Ladakh

Leh also offers exciting shopping experience. You can shop for turquoise and silver jewellery that come from Tibet and Burma. The colorful markets of Leh are also famous for semi precious stones, curios and artifacts.

You can enjoy shopping for curios and souvenirs in the bazaars and markets of Leh, while on your tour of Ladakh.

Popular items with tourists are Pashmina shawls, stoles and other Pashmina wool garments. Locally handmade woolen socks, gloves, caps and sweaters are a favorite of tourists in Ladakh.

Tibetan handicraft items including prayer wheels, Buddhist masks and Thangka paintings can be purchased in Ladakh. Tibetan silver jewelry and traditional Ladakhi jewelry with turquoise are also popular with tourists.

Apricots that grow abundantly in Ladakh are another popular gift that you can take back as a delicious souvenir of your trip to Ladakh.

Handwoven rugs, carpets and shawls are available in a range of prices in Ladakh's markets. The carpets have floral or geometric designs or dragon motifs on them and can also be hung as decorative wall hangings. Woven in wool gathered from Ladakhi goats, and dyed with natural dyes, Ladakhi carpets and rugs are thick, long-lasting and objects of utility and beauty, which you can buy while shopping in Ladakh.

While shopping in open markets, bargaining is commonly practiced and the final price you pay for any product will depend on your skill at negotiating with the seller. In government-run crafts emporia and larger established stores the prices are fixed and bargaining does not occur.

Acclimatization -

If you are traveling by air to Leh (alt: 3505 M / 11505 ft.), you must allow a day of complete rest for getting used to the high altitude and low level of atmospheric oxygen. High altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a risky condition faced by tourists who do not allow sufficient time for acclimatization upon reaching Leh by air.

High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO) and High Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACO) are very serious forms of acute mountain sickness. These are life-threatening ailments and require immediate medical attention

The most common symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) are: breathlessness; coughing; disturbed sleep, headache, inability to concentrate; lassitude, loss of appetite, nausea etc.

The following precautions are necessary to avoid such problems:

Take complete rest at least for a day after arrival;

Move about slowly and breathe deeply till your body get used to the lower oxygen level.

When trekking, do not permit your trekking guide to go any faster than you (and your group) can comfortably move.

Important -

It's generally suggested to take one Diamox tablet a day for 3 days prior to your departure for Leh by air and continue it within Ladakh, if required, to overcome the effect of high altitude. However, You must consult your doctor and confirm if you can take diuretic medicines like Diamox or Disprin tablets - If so, what the dosage is.

REMEMBER:

You might feel 'normal' when you land at Leh, but that's an illusion as the effect of the altitude and low oxygen level hits slowly. It is important that you do not exert yourself on the very first day, as your body needs time to acclimatize itself. If you neglect to do this, then you might fall sick and spoil your much awaited holiday in the hills.

Useful Tips -

In Ladakh, you will find a culture in transition, yet one in which the traditional values are still largely intact. In order to make your visit to Ladakh more pleasant, both for yourself and for the host community, some general guidelines that may be helpful.

DRESS CODE:

Please avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts, blouses, tops, undershirts etc. in public and especially in monasteries, mosques, temples, gurudhwaras, and churches. The same holds true on the trekking routes. While short clothing is acceptable in camp-sites away from human habitation, they should be changed for trousers, slacks and sleeved shirts or blouses in villages where you might stop. Under no event should swimwear (and for women bikini tops) be worn in public as these may be taken as sexually provocative and be a cause of possible harassment.

BEHAVIOUR CODE:

Please keep your affection for your partner as a private matter and confined to your own rooms or tents, but not for public display, on the street, in religious buildings, in restaurants or at public events.

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Please do not take photographs of local people without seeking permission, nor of, or within, any religious building and of any religious ceremony, without permission of the official in-charge of the concerned religious place. Remember that the intense light of flash photography is damaging to ancient wall paintings and tapestries.

Always carry drinking water and dry food.

Take Disprin with you if you want to go to Khardung La, as it is very high altitude of 5359m.

Temperature in Ladakh is too low and if you will throw any biodegradable item, it will remain in the same state for very long time, especially in snow, people defecate and the shit remains in the same form for years, so please try the Ladakhi winter toilets.

Interact with local people. They love to interact and it will also change your outlook.

People there are very friendly and hospitable. Do not betray them and respect them.

Make a first-aid box and carry proper medicines for headache, fever, and vomiting also in it (The Hotels & Camps we are using will be very much equipped with First Aid)

Again remember to not use plastic in Ladakh.

Vodafone connection does not work there and Airtel / Aircel / BSNL postpaid work well over there for roaming connectivity.

There is electricity problem in Leh, so it is better to take extra batteries for digital products like camera, mobiles phones, etc. Charge them fully before leaving for the tour. You may not get electricity at some remote places and also because of the cold, the battery gets discharged soon.

DON'TS:

If you reach Leh by air, stay that day and do not plan to go anywhere for that day, as you will need a minimum day to acclimatize yourself. Drink plenty of fluids (that does not include alcohol), do not move much for the first one or two days.

Appeal: Ladakh is a "no polythene" zone. Kindly respect this and please carry back all the plastic you take with you.

Help Ladakhi government and people to keep Ladakh clean.

Refill your water bottles instead of buying new ones. Mountain water is good. If you have doubt, boil it and refill. Ladakhi guesthouse owners feel happy on refilling water for their guests.

Please respect Ladakhi culture. Do not make fun of them. Do not try to influence them with your western outlook. They are happy the way they are, in their natural form of culture.

Wear nice clothes covering your body while on roads, especially while visiting a Buddhist Gompa.

Encourage local business by eating local food, buying local items, and support local economy because modern things can be bought from anywhere in the world, but Ladakhi items you will only get in Ladakh.

People in Ladakh use to live interdependently and with multinational companies influencing them, they are being affected, so please support the local culture.

DISTANCES FROM LEH TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS with Altitude in MTRS & Distance in KMS

Take care and Happy Journey