Leh City Travel Guide - Jammu and
Kashmir
General Information Of Leh
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Area 380 sq. km
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Population (1991) 192967
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Altitude 5205 m above sea
level
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Languages Hindi, English,
Ladhaki and Urdu
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Best Time to Visit April –
September
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STD Code
01982
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Introduction to city Leh - In
Jammu and Kashmir
Ladakh is a land abounding in awesome physical features, set in
an enormous and spectacular environment. Bounded by two of the
world\\\'s mightiest mountain ranges, the Karakoram in the north
and the Great Himalaya in the south, it is traversed by two
other parallel chains, the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range.
Today a high-altitude desert, sheltered from the rain-bearing
clouds of the Indian monsoon by the barrier of the Great
Himalaya, Ladakh was once covered by an extensive lake system,
the vestiges of which still exist on its south-east plateaux of
Rupshu and Chushul, in the drainage basins or lakes of
Tso-moriri, Tso-kar and Pangong-tso. But the main source of
water is winter snowfall.
Sightseeing : Places to visit in
destination - Leh
Sightseeing of the historic monuments and major Buddhist gompas
(monasteries) are the main attractions of Ladakh. the capital,
since the building of its nine-storey Leh Palace in the
early 17th century. A few kilometres up the Indus is Shey
Palace, the most ancient capital, with its palace and
temples. Down river, Basgo, right on the road, and
Tingmosgang, a short distance up a side-valley, both served
as royal capitals when the Old Kingdom was temporarily divided
into two parts in the 15th century. Both these places have the
remains of forts and temples dating from the period of their
brief glory. Just across the river from Leh lies Stok, the
village with which the deposed royal family was compensated for
the loss of the throne.
Stok Palace,
where the royal family now lives, houses a museum of artefacts
associated with the dynasty
Leh Sightseeing : Places to
visit in destination Leh
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Places to visit in the city Leh |
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SHEY PALACE - Leh
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Around 12 kms south of Leh, it was the seat of power for
the first king of Ladakh, Lhachen Spalgigon who
constructed the hill top fortress. The ruins can be seen
from above the present Shey Palace. There is a monastery
too and its main image is the three-story statue of Buddha
Shakyamuni, made of Copper guilt. |
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STOK PALACE - Leh
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This has been the Royal Palace since the King was
dethroned by the Dogras and is now the home of the last
king\'s widow. It is around 12 kms from Leh. There is an
interesting museum that contains an odd collection of
exhibits including the King\'s teacup holder, the queen\'s
turquoise headdress, and many more interesting things.
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THIKSEY MONASTERY - Leh
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In south of Leh the most beautiful of all the monasteries
in Ladakh belongs to Gelukspa Order. Around 80 monks
reside here at present. Thiksey festival is held in the
month of October-November. |
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RI – DZONG - Leh
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Ri-dzong, situated a few kilometres up a side-valley from
Uley-Tokpo, was founded only a century and a quarter ago
by a devout layman-turned-lama, with the purpose of
following the strict monastic rules of the Gelugs-pa sect.
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Excursions : Places nearby city -
Leh
Leh offers many excursion such as Hemis Monastery which
is one of the largest and famous monasteries belonging to Dukpa
Order. Likir Monastery belongs to Gelukspa Order is a
worth seeing monastery. Lamayuru Monastery belongs to
Drigunp a order of Tibetan Buddhism.
Leh Excursion : Places
nearby Leh - Jammu and Kashmir
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Places to visit nearby destination - Leh |
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Hemis Monastery
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Hemis monastery is around 45 kms south of Leh, and is one
of the largest and most famous monasteries belonging to
Dukpa Order. The Hemis festival is held in the month of
June. This festival is a very famous one attracting people
from far off places. |
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Lamayuru Monastery
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Around 125 kms west of Leh, you pass through several
villages on the way with scenic beauty especially the Moon
land type features. In Lamayuru, there is a monastery too,
which belongs to Drigunp a Order of Tibetan Buddhism. The
monastery is remarkably built on a rock. |
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Likir Monastery
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The Likir monastery is around 53 kms west of Leh, which
belongs to Gelukspa Order. This is also worth seeing.
Likir festival takes place on the 28th & 29th of the 12th
month of Tibetan Calendar |
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