Unexplored places in Leh Ladakh that you should definitely visit this year
Everyone who visits Leh-Ladakh wants to have a picture at Pangong lake and the highest motorable road of India i.e.Khardung La pass, visit Namgayal Monestry, rent a motorcycle and have a riding experience to Kardung La pass and Magnetic hill. But there is much more to Leh-Ladakh other than these famous tourist destinations. There are few villages that very few travellers have heard about. The true beauty of Ladakh region lies in these villages.
Below are the 8 unexplored offbeat destination that every backpacker should visit in Leh-Ladakh this year:
1. Spangmik:
Everyone knows Pangong lake, but very few know that Pangong lake is situated in Spangmik village. As this village is very close to the border, Indian army ensures that Spangmik
is connected with Leh by road throughout the year. The main tourist attraction is the Pangong lake.
2. Hemis (Hamis):
It has one of the famous and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh. If you are planning Leh-Ladakh during July, you must definitely visit Hemis. The village hosts a colorful festival in July which is to glorify the victory of good over evil.
Hemis National Park is very near to the village. It is the home of the endangered snow leopard.
3. Nimoo (Nimu):
This village is also known as Jannat of Leh. The 18km Magnetic hill is present in the Nimoo village of Leh. It is situated on the confluence of Zanskar and Indus river. This is a great place to experience river rafting.
4. Zanskar:
The best time to visit Zanskar is during June end and early July. Many tourists also visit Zanskar during mid January till the end of February. Zanskar is popular for the famous Chaddar trek. The only access route to Zanskar is through Kargil.
5. Alchi (Alchi Monestry):
Alchi or Alchi Monastery is the oldest monastery in the entire Ladakh region. The spiritual and artistic details of both Buddhism and the Hindu kings of the 11thcentury are reflected in the oldest surviving wall paintings in the monastery.
6. Lamayuru (Moonland of Ladakh):
Lamayuru also commonly known as Moonland of Ladakh is a small village between Kargil and Leh. There are three important things to look out here.
a. The Moon like landscapes
b. Medical laboratory setup by the monks.
c. Homestay with locals (Avoid hotels, homestay are cheap and convenient)
7. Turtuk:
This is the last village before the LOC. This was under Pakistan until the Indo-Pak war of 1971 after which the village came under Indian governance.
A Muslim village, in a Buddhist realm, within a Hindu-majority country -that’s Turtuk. People here speak Balti (mix of Persian and old Tibetan). The best time to visit Turtuk is from June to early September.
8. Diskit (Diskit Gompa):
Diskit has the largest monastery in the Nubra valley. The Monastery along with the support of ‘Tibet Support Group’ runs the school children in this region. Diskit is famous for two things:
a. Over 100 foot (32 meter) status of Maitreya Buddha
b. Festival of the Scapegoat (celebrated in winter)
Leh Ladakh is not only about the visiting the popular destinations. It is all about getting to know the locals and indulging in their culture and traditions. All the listed villages are connected to Leh through roads and must be visited.
Let us know your thoughts on these unexplored places of Ladakh. Also, let us know if we missed out on any unexplored village/destination through the comment box below.
