The heavenly paradise of Jammu and Kashmir is opulent in some of the picturesque hill resorts in the country. Moored at an elevation of 3505 m above sea level and drained by the Zanskar River,rests the quaint and picture perfect hill station Leh.
Leh happens to be the capital of the famed Ladakh valley that is sited in the eastern regions of Jammu and Kashmir. The frontiers of Leh stretches from the ruins of the primordial Tibetan palace to the snow white glaciers that seem so close at hand that tourists can reach out and embrace them.
An epicenter of the Tibeto-Buddhist culture, Leh abounds in colorful gompas and monasteries where droves of devout Buddhists from all across the globe flock together. The arid mountainous terrains that was once upon a time a bustling and flourishing market of the Silk Route was also the erstwhile kingdom of King Sengge Namgyal, under whose rule Leh reached the pinnacle of glory.
The closure of the Chinese border in the 1950's drastically changed the fate of Leh. Today the mountainous city is primarily inhabited by Buddhist monks and army and air force personnel. The Indian Government' s momentous decision to open the city to foreign tourists. Today thousands of backpacking foreigners can be found strolling through the malls and browsing through the artifacts displayed in the art emporiums and Kashmiri handicraft stores or gorging on momos and thupkas and in the quaint Tibetan restaurants.
The noteworthy tourist destinations of Leh include:
- Leh palace
- Pangong Lake
- Khardunga
- War Memorial
