Places to Visit in Ladakh: 20 Best Sights from Leh to Hanle

Ladakh is huge, about the size of a small country, and its sights are spread across valleys separated by high passes. The best way to plan is by region: Leh and the Indus valley, Nubra Valley to the north, Pangong and the Changthang plateau to the east, and Kargil, Zanskar and the Aryan Valley to the west.

This guide covers the places to visit in Ladakh region by region, how long each needs and how they fit together, so you can choose the right itinerary.

• Leh town: Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, the old town, Leh Market and the Hall of Fame. See our guide to places to visit in Leh.
• Thiksey, Shey and Hemis: three of Ladakh's great monasteries and palaces, south-east of Leh along the Indus.
• Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib and the Sangam: on the road west of Leh, where the Indus meets the Zanskar river.
• Sham Valley: Likir and Alchi monasteries, apricot villages and gentle walks, at a slightly lower altitude than Leh.

North of Leh over Khardung La, Nubra is a wide valley of sand dunes, villages and the Shyok and Nubra rivers. Highlights are the double-humped camels at Hunder, Diskit Monastery and its giant Maitreya Buddha, the Sumur and Panamik side of the valley, and the Balti village of Turtuk near the Line of Control. Plan one or two nights. Read our Nubra Valley and Turtuk guide.

Pangong Lake is the most famous sight in Ladakh, a 134-km-long lake that changes colour through the day. You can visit on a long day trip from Leh, but a night at the lake is far better. Beyond Pangong, the remote Changthang plateau leads to Hanle, Umling La, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar. See our Pangong Lake guide and Hanle, Umling La and Tso Moriri guide.

West of Leh, the Srinagar road passes the eroded 'moonland' around Lamayuru Monastery, the rock-cut Maitreya at Mulbekh, the town of Kargil and the Kargil War Memorial at Drass, which honours the soldiers of the 1999 conflict. These are best seen on a road trip to or from Srinagar.

The villages of Dah, Hanu, Garkone and Darchik along the Indus are home to the Brokpa community, known for their distinctive culture, flower-decorated headdresses and festivals. The area is lower and greener than Leh, and can be added as an overnight from Leh or on the way to Kargil. A permit is needed.

Remote Zanskar, south of Kargil, is reached over Pensi La. Its highlights are Padum, the cliffside Phuktal Monastery, the Drang-Drung glacier and some of the Himalaya's great treks. Plan at least 6 or 7 nights. See Zanskar Valley and Ladakh treks.

• 3 to 4 nights: Leh, Sham Valley and Pangong, or a quick Nubra–Pangong loop.
• 5 to 6 nights: Leh, Sham Valley, Nubra Valley with the Hunder dunes, Pangong and Thiksey.
• 7 nights: add Turtuk and Thang in the far north of Nubra.
• 8 to 9 nights: add Hanle and Umling La, or Tso Moriri and Tso Kar.
• 10 nights or more: add Zanskar, Lamayuru and Kargil, or drive in from Manali or Srinagar.

If you have a day to spare, consider Hemis and the Stok Palace museum near Leh, the cave monastery at Takthok on the way to Pangong, the hot springs at Panamik in Nubra, the sacred lake of Yarab Tso near Sumur, or a night in a village homestay in Sham Valley. These quieter places show a side of Ladakh that most visitors miss.

In 5 or 6 nights you can see Leh, Sham Valley, Nubra and Pangong comfortably. With 7 nights, add Turtuk; with 8 or 9, add Hanle and Umling La, Tso Moriri or a road trip through Kargil. See our Leh Ladakh itinerary for day-by-day plans.