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                  LEH TRAVEL GUIDE

Leh  was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the
state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The town is still dominated by the now ruined
Leh Palace, former home of the royal family of Ladakh, which resembles a
mini-Potala Palace. Leh is at an altitude of 3,650 meters (11,975 feet).

The town is dominated by the royal palace, known as Leh Palace. This was built by
King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century, but was later abandoned when Kashmiri
forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises
south to their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus. The
Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, the
stables and store rooms are located in the lower floors.

The mosque in Leh is a Sunni Muslim mosque. It was constructed under the threat
of military action by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb which prompted King Deldan
Namgyal to build the mosque in 1661. The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and
Tibetan architecture and can accommodate more than 500 people.

Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet
to the east, Kashmir to the west and ultimately between India and China.

GENERAL INFORMATION


Time zone         IST (UTC+5:30)
Elevation           3,650 m (11,975 ft)
District(s)           Leh District
Population         27,513 (2001)


PLACE TO VISIT

Palace of the King of Ladakh - The most noticeable building in Leh, the
palace was built in the 17th century, and now undergoing restoration. There's not
much to see on the inside, but there are good views outside.

Namgyal Tsemo Gompa - above the Palace, built 1430, is only open from
7AM-9AM during the morning puja.

Soma Gompa - just around the corner from Main Bazar, it's a large modern
gompa. It's also the location of the Ladakhi Buddhist Association, a conservitive
political orginisation, with ties to Hindutva groups.

Karma Dupgyud Choeling - monastery in the Karma Kagyu tradition

Shanti Stupa -  built by a Japanese Buddhist group. This modern stupa is
somewhat kitschy, but still worth a visit.


HOW TO REACH

By bus - State buses run from Srinagar and both privately operated deluxe
buses, and state-run deluxe and ordinary buses run from Manali. It is possible to
book tickets direct Leh-Delhi, but it is recommended to spend a few days in Manali
resting.

By plane - Planes fly year round, and are the only option in the winter. Book early
and give yourself at least a few days of flexibility as flights are often delayed due to
weather conditions. Air India and Air Deccan have daily flights from Delhi. Flights go
to/from Delhi, Srinagar, and Jammu.

Those arriving by air are strongly advised to rest for at least one day in order to
acclimatize to the high altitude.

By train - The closest train stations are Jammu or Chandigarh, both at least
three days away by bus. A new station added recently is Udhampur which is linked
by rail to Jammu. Please check the Train schedule as trains may not run on daily
basis.