Since, centuries, Leh has been the transit point on the business routes near Indus valley, middle of Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and also in the mid of India and China. The main trade goods were pashm or the cashmere wool, salt, grains, charas or cannabis from indigo, Tarim Basin, Banaras brocade and silk yarn. There are few manifestations about the awareness of China about India’s trade routes through Ladakh in 1st to 3rd centuries and Tang dynasty. Several trade routes from Leh were traditionally started in various directions. The first aristocratic residence in Ladakh which was at the peak of Namgyal was built by the king Tashi Namgyal. The noble palace named as Leh palace was constructed by Sangge Namgyal in the middle of 1612-1642. It was nine storey’s high accommodating the noble family on the upper floors whereas had the stables and store rooms at the lower ones. In the middle of the 19th century, the palace was discarded when the Kashmiri army trapped it. The dignified family moved their campus in the stark palace situated on the southern bank of the Indus.

Present Scenario

The governance of Leh is looked after by Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). The deputy commissioner of Leh is the current chief executive officer of LAHDC. It was established in 1995 in order to provide a clear growth in the area. It has 30 delegates among which 4 are approved and 26 are chosen. The beautiful richness of the lofty mountains and the snowy valleys combined with the excitement of its cultural life makes Ladakh one of the uncharted harbors which are an adventurous place that provide a refreshing and soothing environment. It is highly renowned for its nine storied palace made by King Sangge Namgyal. It also has an unusual place for adventure lovers having a wide area for trekking routes. It is 434 kms from Sri Nagar and 474 kms from Manali. It is also known as the land of monks and monasteries as it has a lot to explore. The main attractions of Leh include Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Hemis Gompha and Stok Palace. 

Tour Tips

There are two basic routes in order to get into Leh. The first one is from Manali which is 474 kms from Leh while the other one is from Sri Nagar which is 434 kms. Both these roads have numerous constraints with scanty roads and many military checkpoints. Tourism has a limited access in the mid of June and the end of September, whereas, it gets snow covered for the rest for the year. The snow in the area is cleared in the early April.

Travel by Bus

There is government as well as private buses starting from Manali HPTDC (Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation). There are also deluxe buses available for tourists which stops in Keylong through the night in the mid of July and September which costs around Rs. 2000. The government buses costs around Rs.130 (Manali-Keylong) and Rs. 513(Keylong-Leh).

By Jeep

The fastest way to reach Leh is by Jeep which takes around 20-24 hours, i.e. a day. In a shared Jeep, the cost is around Rs. 1500 per head.

By Air

It is the last and the only option during the winter season. It is suggested to book the tickets few days earlier than your trip as the plane gets delayed due to the weather conditions. The flights available from Delhi includes Jet Airways, Air India and Go-Air which is daily available. Airways are also available from Sri Nagar and Jammu.

By Train

The closest railway stations are from Pathankot or Chandigarh which 3days from bus to reach the station. A latest build station is Udhampur station which is linked from Jammu. These are not available daily.

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