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.
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.
