Leh,
located at a height of 3500 metres in the Karakoram mountains, is 434 kms
from Srinagar. Leh is the nerve - central region of Ladakh.
Sightseeing
The main attractions of this area include the Leh Khar Palace, Leh Monastery, Leh Mosque, Tsemo Gompa and the Stok Palace Museum. The Leh Khar Palace, dating back to the 16th century, is hewn into a rock-face. Within the palace are Buddhist wall paintings, centuries old 'tankas' or painted scrolls and other artefacts. The Leh Monastery looms over its surroundings, housing a solid gold statue of the Buddha, and ancient manuscripts among other articles.The Leh Mosque, built by Single Namgyal, sports a unique blend of Turkish-Iranian architecture. The royal monastery, better known as Tsemo Gompa, has an impressive two - storeyed image of Chamb Buddha. The Stok Palace Museum has on display the royal crown, `tankas', coins and other invaluable items.
Festivals
The festivals celebrated in Ladakh, include the Hemis festival, held in June to commemorate the birth of Guru Padmasambhava; Losar, which is held in the eleventh month of the Buddhist year, and the Ladakh festival held in August, which is primarily organized by the District Tourist Office, for the tourists.
How to Get There
By air: Leh is connected by Indian Airlines to Chandigarh, Delhi, and Srinagar.
By rail: The nearest railhead is Jammu (690 km), which is linked to the rest of the country by express trains.
By road: Leh can be reached on a state highway, from Srinagar ( 387 kms).
