Ladakh is a mountainous region in northwest Jammu and Kashmir in north India and in the area known as the Trans-Himalaya,

(the lands beyond the Himalaya: Tibet, Xinjiang and northern Pakistan). It's slightly smaller than Scotland, the settle d population live between 2700 m and 4500 m, and nomadic encampments even higher , and it's the largest and the least populated region of Jammu and Kashmir. The people are a mixture of Buddhist and Muslim 50% of each. Buddhists are the major ity in the east close to the Chinese border and a slight majority overall while Muslims have the majority in the north and west. Travellers are likely to see mo re of the Buddhists as the majority of the tourist attractions are in the east a nd directly related to Tibetan Buddhist culture. Ladakh was an independent kingdom for nine centuries, but it was very strongly i nfluenced by Tibet and the neighbouring Muslim region. Linguistically Ladakhi is very closely related to Tibetan. Tibet has always been where Ladakhi Buddhists would go for higher religious educ ation, which since the incorporation of Tibet into China has meant the Ladakhis have made the much shorter trip to the Tibetan monasteries in India. The archite cture of Ladakh is almost identical to that of Tibet, both of residential buildi ngs and of the monasteries. The class structure, or more precisely the lack of a sharply defined class structure, is common to Tibet and Ladakh, and is in sharp contrast to the rest of India. Related to this is the relatively high status, f reedom and outspokenness of Buddhist women in Ladakh and Tibet. Importantly, a set of cultural practices that keep the population from growing t o be more than the land can support, and to prevent a farm from being divided up and thus being unable to support a family, is common to both cultures. Cities Choglamsar - a village with a large Tibetan comunity, almost close enough to Leh to be a suburb. Kargil - key to access to Zanskar area, and a necessary stop along the way from Leh to Srinagar and the Vale of Kashmir. A mostly Muslim town. Blossoming aprico t orchards in summertime. Leh - a medium sized town, very picturesque. An excellent base for exploring Lad akh. Good guest houses and restaurants. Turtuk - a remote village inhabited on the "line of control" between Pakistan-ad ministered Baltistan and Indian-administered Kashmir.

Monasteries: these would take large numbers of the monks and nuns and thus keep the population at a stable level. Polyandry: a practice where one woman marries all the brothers of a family to pr event the family's land from being divided, was common in both Ladakh and Tibet until into the 20th century. Primogeniture: a system where the inheritance after a man's death (primarily the land) would pass to his oldest son in order to keep farms large enough to suppo rt a family. Khangbu: the little house to which the father and mother would retire once their eldest son married and took over the management of the farm, inheriting the mai n house along with it.

However, Tibet was far from the only influence on Ladakh. Where Tibet was largel y closed off to outside influence, Ladakh was a nation where the caravan trade p layed an important role. Traders from the neighbouring Muslim lands (both Kashmi r and East Turkistan, now the Xinjiang province of China) were a common sight in Leh's bazaar until the 20th century. The folk music is based on the styles of t he Muslim parts of the Western Himalayas; likewise polo was imported from these lands and enjoys popularity to this day with Ladakhis regardless of faith. Over the couple decades the relationship between Buddhists and Muslims in Ladakh has deteriorated. Possibly due to the complex roles of the communites as minori ties relative to each other. Muslims are a minority in Leh, majority in J&K, min ority in India; Buddhists a majority in Leh, minority in J&K to Muslims, in Indi a to Hindus. Possibly due to the importation of identity politics from the rest of India. Whatever the reason, it has never erupted into the kind of violence se en elsewhere in India at times, but it still may take the sheen out of a place t hat seems remarkably idyllic, when a new friend says something that's hard not t o hear as racist. Geography The Indus valley is the Ladakhi heartland, with the highest population density, and large amounts of agricultural land. Running parallel, roughly north-east sou th-west with it are a series of valleys and mountain ranges. North of the Indus valley is the Ladakh range, on the other side of which is the Shayok, and Nubra valleys. South of the Indus is the Stok range, clearly visible from Leh. On the other side is the Markha valley, a popular trekking destination. Farther south-w est is a series of minor ranges and then uninhabited valleys we come to Zangskar , with the Kargyak and the Stod rivers joining at Padum, to form the Zangskar ri ver which bucks the trend and flows north through a narrow gorge to join the Ind us. To the south of Zangskar is the Grand Himal range marking the southern limit of Ladakh. To the east of this series of ranges is the Changtang, a high plateau home to no mads. It is known as Kharnak in the west, Samad Rokchen in the north east and Ko rzok in the south east. Not a true plateau, it has a chaotic assortment of minor mountains ranges not much higher than the wide valleys between them. With no dr ainage leading out of this area, there are a number of beautiful salt water lake s that make popular destinations for tourists. Fauna The animals of Ladakh have much in common with the animals of Central Asia gener ally, and especially those of the Tibetan Plateau. Birds An exception to this, are the birds, many of which migrate from the warmer parts of India to spend the Summer in Ladakh. Birds are also, rather predictably, the easiest form of wildlife for tourists to see, and the only thing tourists who d on't leave the paved roads, and villages, can be sure to see. For such an arid a rea, Ladakh may surprise you with the variety of birds, a total of 225 species h ave been recorded. The Indian redstart, and Hoopoe, both summer in Ladakh and are very common. Surp risingly, the Brown-headed Gull is seen in summer on the Indus, and on some lake s of the Changthang. Other migratory water birds, include the Brahimini duck, Ru ddy Sheldrake, and the Barhead goose.

The Black Necked Crane is famous due to its extreme rarity. It is found only in Ladakh and Tibet. Other specifically high altitude birds are the Tibetan Raven, Red-Billed Chough, Snow-cock, and Chukor. There are two main raptors in Ladakh. The Lammergeier, a vulture, is relatively common here. It's unusual in that its head has feathers, unlike most vultures. T he Golden Eagle, is also found in Ladakh, is closely related and outwardly the s ame as found in North America. Hunting by British so called "sportsmen" during colonial rule, and more recently unofficially by the Indian army, has taken its toll on the wildlife population. In recent years however things have been improving due to greater popular aware ness of the value of wildlife, an awareness that has spread as far as reaching s ome members of the army. The Ibex is found in high craggy terrain, it still numbers several thousand in L adakh, and trekkers often spot them. The Bharal, or Blue Sheep, is even more common, ranging in the Himalayas from La dakh east as far as Sikkim. Its unusual in that it is neither a true sheep nor t rue goat, but has characteristics of both. The Shapo, or Urial, is a goat, found at lower elevations, mostly in river valle ys, and therefore is often directly in competition with domesticated animals. Th ey are now rare, numbering about one thousand. The Argali, or Nayan, is a relative of the Marco Polo Sheep of the Pamirs. They are impressive animals with huge horizontal curving horns. They are extremely ra re in Ladakh, numbering only a couple hundred, however they do have a wide range throughout mountainous areas of the Chinese Provinces of Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. The Chiru, or Tibetan Antelope, (known in Ladakhi as Tsos) is also endangered. I t has traditionally been hunted for its wool, which must be pulled out by hand, a process done after the animal is killed. The wool obtained from the Chiru is c alled Shahtoosh, and is valued in South Asia for its lightweight and warmth, but more than anything else, as a status symbol. Early in the 20th century the Chir u was seen in herds numbering in the thousands, surviving on remarkably sparse v egetation, they are sadly very rare now. The owning or trading in Shahtoosh is n ow illegal in most countries. The Kyang, or Tibetan Wild Ass, is one animal that visitors can expect to see fr om the comfort of a vehicle, if they take a Jeep tour on the Changthang. They fa vor the rolling grasslands of this area, and with their natural curiosity makes them fairly easy to spot, despite the relatively low numbers, about 1500 individ uals. They often seem to be drawn by their curiosity toward a jeep, or trekkers, only to be overcome with shyness and run away. The tendency to repeat this a nu mber of times is most endearing. Predators None of the predators of Ladakh are a safety concern to trekkers, it is people w ho are a danger to these animals. The Snow Leopard, is justifiably famous. It once ranged throughout the Himalaya, Tibet, and as far as the Sayan mountains on the Mongolian, Russian border; and in elevation from 1800m to 5400m. They are extremely shy, and very hard to spot, and as such not well known, it is believed there are about 200 in Ladakh. While tourists are unlikely to see the cats themselves, during winter sightings of th e footprints and other marks are not uncommon. Tourists that want to see Snow Le

opards should visit during the winter, as at this time the cats descend to lower altitudes, and are more active as prey is harder to find, befriending one of th e biologists who come to Ladakh to study Snow Leopards would also help. Other cats in Ladakh are even rarer than the Snow leopard, if not as impressive, the Eurasian Lynx, numbering only a few individuals, and the Pallas's cat, who looks outwardly like a house cat. The Tibetan Wolf is the greatest threat to the livestock of the Ladakhies and as such is the most persecuted, there are only about 300 wolves left in Ladakh. Th ey look unremarkable, and outwardly the same as Wolves seen in Europe and the Am ericas. There are also a few Brown Bears in the Suru valley and the area around Dras. Th ey are not a threat to trekkers Small Animals Marmots are common; you can even sometimes see them from the road, although they don't look different enough to the marmots common to other mountainous areas of the world to be of much interest. There are also plenty of voles, hares, and several types of Pika. Further Reading Leh's many excellent bookshops offer a wide variety of books on Ladakh, Buddhism and Islamic history; general reading. They are well worth visiting, and have ma ny titles not available outside India. Some recommended titles on Ladakh are: Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia: Janet Rizvi, an entirely enjoyable, meticulousl y researched overview of Ladakhi Culture, History, economy and Geography. It nev er lets its precision and accuracy get in the way of its approachability and per sonalness. Ancient Futures: Helena Norberg-Hodge, A passionate explanation of, and plea for , the preservation of the traditional values of Ladakh. A remarkable work despit e its occasional lack of balance, it is an influential book and a must read for all visitors to Ladakh. [edit] Talk The language of Ladakh is Ladakhi, a Tibetan dialect with written Ladakhi being the same as Tibetan. Tibetans can learn Ladakhi easily but Tibetan is difficult to speak for Ladakhis. Spoken Ladakhi is closer to the Tibetan spoken in Western Tibet. Ladakhi language is a shared culture platform which brings the Muslims a nd Buddhists together as one people of this Himalayan region. Ladakhis usually know Hindi and often English, but in villages without road acce ss neither can be expected. A high quality Ladakhi phrasebook, Getting Started i n Ladakhi, by Melong Publications, is available in Leh and well worth getting. N ot only will any attempts you make to speak the language be appreciated, it will be useful. Buses run directly to Leh from either Manali or Srinagar. Enroute to Leh one can stop in a number of places , most will get off in Keylong , the administrative center for Lahaul. Overlooking Keylong is the Kardang monastery. This is the cho ice that most travelers will want to take due to the tense security situaton in Kashmir, however the road is only open from June to mid October due to snow fall . There are shared taxis from Manali which start early in the morning and reach

Leh early next morning.Tourist buses from HPTDC and the local HRTC buses, stop o vernight in Keylong.There are also minibuses and shared cabs that makes a overni ght stop in Sarchu - this comes with a high incidence of altitude sickness , sin ce Sarchu ( also dubbed "The Vomit Hilton") lies more than seven hundred meters higher than Leh , at 4253 meters. Coming from Srinagar there are a few interesting places to stop en route : Kargi l at 2693 meters ( where the buses stops , the best choice for altitude acclimat ization) , (Lamayuru and Alchi that also offer accommodation). The opening and f inal closing of both roads, but no major events in between, are announced on the the official Leh website. Daily flights to Leh are run by Indian, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Red from Delh i, Srinagar, Jammu and elsewhere. These are, however, subject to inclement weath er and may be cancelled at any time, keep your schedule flexible. Altitude sickn ess is also a worry given the altitude. You can ride in to Leh between June and Mid october (when the roads are open) on a motorcyle too. Bikers usually follow either of the 2 routes 1. Delhi -> Chandigarh -> Patni Top -> Srinagar -> Kargil -> Leh 2. Delhi -> Chandigarh -> Manali -> Sarchu -> Pang -> Leh Ladakhi buses run from Leh to the surrounding villages. They are often overcrowd ed and generally disorganised and poorly run. Daily buses or mini buses run to A lchi, Basgo, Dha-Hanu, Likir, Nimmu, and Saspul; twice daily to Chemray, Hemis, Matho, Stok, and Tak Tok; hourly or more often to Choglamsar, Phyang, Shey, Spit uk, Stakna, Thiksay. By taxi You will find in Leh a number of local taxis, that will take you to the surround ing monasteries much faster and more comfortably than Public transport. Rates ar e fairly steep compared to elsewhere in India. By truck Trucks often stop for hitchhikers, who are usually expected to pay half the bus fare, bargaining may be necessary. They are slower than the buses and sometimes stop for long periods to unload cargo. By motorcycle In Leh there are a number of shops that will rent motorbikes, mostly the Royal E nfield, still made in India today (350 and 500 cc model). Rents are fairly cheap , and if you are used to old bikes and left hand side driving, it is certainly a great way to move around if short of time, and far cheaper than local taxis. Be sure to check your rented bike before you leave so that you don't end up gettin g stranded in the middle of nowhere. As always in India, drive carefully, as oth er drivers often lack caution. Things to note 1. In most sections of the journey, the road are in a bad condition but in certa in conditions the roads are literally non-existant. Bottom line is that BRO (Bor der Roads Organisation) has done a good job, with what ever little resources tha t are available, in making these difficult terrains accessible to vehicular traf fic.

2. Though there are many mechanics in Leh who deal with many bikes, the availabi lity of spares is limited. So before you leave please be sure to get your bike s erviced (also get all cables checked/ changed, set chain, get oils topped up, br akes inspected etc.) and also carry all necessary spares (cables, chain link, bu lbs etc.) 3. Make sure to carry the originals of all your bike's documents. 4. Glaciers tend to melt as the day progresses and flow (at some places across r oads). So be sure to plan to reach and cross these glacier melts commonly known as Nalas (for example Pagal nala, Khooni nala, Whiskey nala, Brandy nala etc.) d uring the earlier part of the day, when the flow is low and the depth of the wat er is still easily passable. 5. When you encounter a Military convoy, always pull over and let them pass. It might be a good idea to find out from the locals as to when the convoy goes uphi ll and downhill and try to time your trip accordingly. By bicycle The scenery would be magnificent at the pace of a bicycle, however one would nee d to be well prepared with full camping equipment. There is a bit less than 1000 km of paved roads in Ladakh. The Manali-Leh-Srinagar road makes up about half o f that, the remainder being spurs off it. As such it's not possible to string to gether a loop, and the only route that would avoid backtracking would be to foll ow the Manali-Leh-Srinagar road. You would need to check the current situation a nd think carefully to decide if travling in Kashmir at bicycle pace is more of a risk than you want to take. In addition to the paved roads there are some trekking routes that would be poss ible to ride a lightly loaded sturdy mountain bike on, perhaps hiring a horse an d handler to take your baggage. Padam to Darcha, via Shingo La (pass) would be a good route for this, though you would still need to push your bike over the pas s itself. Ask trekkers in Ladakh for more options. By foot For the traveler with a number of months it is possible to trek from one end of Ladakh to the other, or even from places in Himachal Pradesh . The large number of trails and the limited number of roads allows you to string together routes t hat have road access often enough to restock supplies, but almost entirely avoid walking on motor roads. See below in the Do section for more info. NOTE: If you plan to drive/ ride in to the Ladakh region in your own car/ bike, 1. Carry enough spares and all the required tools. 2. Try and learn basic vehicle maintainence before you start on the trip. 3. Carry spare fuel. (There is a 380km strech on the Leh - Manali highway which has no petrol pumps). 4. You will need to get permits to visit certain places (For example Khardung La ) The main tourist sites relate to Tibetan Buddhism, and to the stunning landscape . Ladakh is not only home to some of the most beautiful and serene monasteries you 'll ever see, but it also a land of rich natural beauty - and it's this natural beauty that hits you so hard, because it's a barren beauty. Many travelers find themselves at a loss to understand how something so barren can yet be so beautif

ul. Be respectful, these are holy places and active monks in most of them. Must-see sites include "Moon-land-view" (the area around Lamayuru) on the Leh-Ka rgil highway; Many places in Ladakh need an inner line permit which is available for free in D C's office in Ladakh. A travel agent can also arrange the permit for Rs 100 per person within an hour on any working day. There are some regular tourist circuits which entail driving 200-400 km round-tr ip out of Ladakh. 1.) Leh-Karu-Chang La-Tangtse-Pangong Tso & Back: This is a popular trip to Pyon gyang Tso Lake and can be done by taxi/bike. Most people do it as a day trip sta rting early in the morning and come back in the evening. However, there are arra ngements for the stay near the lake in Lukung & Spangmik and one can stay overni ght to enjoy this place at a slower pace. Camping is also possible. 2.) Leh-Khardung La-Nubra Valley(Valley of Flowers): This is another popular tri p but difficult to do in one day. Nubra Valley may not be as beautiful as is tou ted to be, and is the second favorite for tourists as a trip out of Leh. Some pe ople return from Khardung La (18380 ft), which is claimed to be the highest moto rable pass in the world. It provides excellent views of Ladakh Range as well as Karakoram Range on the other side. Accommodation is available along the way and in Nubra Valley at various places. 3.) Leh-Upshi-Tso Kar-Tso Moriri: This is another trip which covers two smaller lakes Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. There is accommodation available in Korzok(Tso Mor iri) but camping near the lake is not allowed. 4.) Leh-Lamayuru-Leh: This is an easier drive along Indus river towards Kargil a nd one can also see the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar on the way. Lamayuru is a beautiful place and is home to the oldest monastery and one of the most im portant in Ladakh. One can stay in the monastery or in the surrounding village. 5.) Various monasteries-around Leh: There are 4-5 big monasteries around Leh and can be covered in one day. Most important of them are Thiksey, Hemis, Spituk, S tok and Shey. One needs to acclimatize to the attitude in Leh (3500 m) before heading out as A MS (acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness) can ruin the entire trip. The Hemis Monastery: This is the largest monastery of Ladakh. Tourists can find at least 150 lamas living in the monastery, at any point of time throughout the year. Hemis is famous for a huge painting of Buddha, which is brought to the pub lic or displayed to the public only once in 11 years of the time period. Padum Valley: Padum is located at an altitude of 3505 m from the sea level. It i s the capital of the ancient Zanskar and presently administrative headquarter of the Zanskar region. Podium has a population of around 1500-1600. Padum is a ver y scarcely inhabited valley in the Zanskar. Padum is one of the famous trekking destinations for trekking lovers, Zanskar. Zanskar Valley: Zanskar is one of the remotest regions of the Ladakh. Zanskar is spread in around 300 km of area, which is only accessible through high passes. This valley is higher than any other valley in Ladakh region and located in the inner Himalaya. Here the rainfall is very less and the climates are very harsh. Parang La Trek:

Parang La Trek is one of the most challenging and adventures trekking trail. Thi s trek is located on an isolated route far into the mountains with many rivers t o be crossed. Kang Yatse This trek is located in the south east part of the leg, in the Markha valley. This valley is a dream for every trekker and everyone wish to trek the Markha Valley for at least once. Do Volunteer: There are numerous NGOs in Ladakh, mostly centred on Leh, many of whi ch take foreigners as volunteers if you can commit to a stay of a few months. Meditate: There is a meditation center in Choglamsar, with an office in Leh, tha t offers meditation courses and retreats for various levels of experience. Festivals: In late June and early July, the whole Ladakh region comes alive with festivals. Some are held at the local cricket and polo club in Leh, while other s are held at the monasteries. Reserve a place well in advance as they get very crowded. Some of the festivals are only held every 12 years, (such as one at Hem is) and at that time the monastery will display its greatest treasure, such as a huge thangka (a religious icon painted or embroidered on cloth). Trek: Ladakh is an excellent trekking area for experienced trekkers. The infrast ructure is nowhere near as developed as in Nepal, necessitating greater prepared ness on the part of the trekker. Most trekkers go with a guide and some pack hor ses, which is easy to organise, and if arranged in Leh quite affordable. It is p ossible to trek independently, but this should not be undertaken lightly and wit hout much consultation with locals. People do go missing and die on those trails ! Below are a few selected routes: The Baby Trek Duration: 2-3 days Season: Year round Get In: The trail starts at Likir, there are a few buses from Leh daily. Description Ladakh's one "tea house trek" is, despite the name, hard work becaus e of the steep and frequent assents and descents. Its highest point is 3750 m (u nusually low for Ladakh); it passes through frequent villages, allowing the trav eler to sleep in guest houses or peoples' homes every night, it is a good introd uction to trekking in Ladakh, and way to acclimatize to the altitude. The main a ttraction of this trek is the large villages of beautiful well made houses, amon g good agricultural land; the mountains and views from the passes are relatively unimpressive. Route Likir village - Phobe La (3580 m)- Sumdo village - Chagatse La (3630 m) Yangthang village - Tsermangchen La (3750 m) - Hemis Shukpachen village - Mebtak La (3720 m) - Ang village - Tingmosgam village. The Markha Valley Trek :This trek is among the easily accessible and popular tre k in Ladakh. This trek also leads to a large Diversity of landscapes. Markha Val ley is surrounded by the high altitude mountain Kangyatse which is at the height of 6400 meters from the sea level. Tourists will pass through colourful village s and beautiful valley where they can experience and enjoy the tradition and cul ture of Leh Ladakh. Maps

General traveling maps showing the roads and tourist sites are commonly availabl e in India and abroad. The best quality trekking maps are nowhere near the quality of maps covering tre kking areas of Europe or North America. Note that high quality maps of the borde r regions of India/Pakistan/China are technically illegal in India for security reasons, your map may be confiscated if you allow security personel to see it. ( despite very high quality maps of Indian J&K and the LoC being available from th e Survey of Pakistan in Islamabad!) Survey of India produces a very out of date (early 1980s) trekking map of J&K; i t's cheap, and could be useful for planning a route with an experanced guide. US Army Map Service. (1:250000) - produces out of date (1950s and 60s) topograph ic maps of whole india, easily available on the Internet. Soviet Military Topographic Maps (1:200000 & 1:100000) - maps produced in the 19 70's and 1980's which are now easily available on the internet but expensive. Th ey provide a good information but all the labels are in Cyrillic script limiting their use. Artou (1:300000) - based on satellite imagery. Until recently the best available , it is satifactory for pre-trek route planning, but not good for navigation. A pirated version is available in Leh. Trekking Map of Ladakh by Sonam Tsetan (approx scale 1:600000) is very accurate for what it shows: the trails, village names, and water courses. It lacks topogr aphy but has the most accurate place names of all the maps, making it a very use ful planning tool. It's available in Leh for about 200 Rp. Leomann (1:200000) - may have better scale than the Artou, but it actually conta ins less information and is less accurate; however the series does cover a lot m ore of Ladakh and elsewhere in the Himalayas. Ladakh Zanskar Trekking Map Series by Editions Olizane (1:150000) - recently int roduced, an excellent topographic map, with lots of detail. Eat Ladakhi food has much in common with Tibetan food, the most prominent foods bein g: Thukpa, noodle soup; and Tsampa, known in Ladakhi as Ngamphe, roasted barley flour, eatable without cooking it makes useful, if dull trekking food. A dish that is strictly Ladakhi is skyu, a heavy pasta dish with root vegetables . As Ladakh moves toward a less sustainable, cash based economy, imported Indian f oods are becoming more important. You are likely to be served rice, dal (lentils ) with veggies even in villages without road access, and it's standard in Leh. In leh town you can taste a vaste range of cuisines- which include north Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, Italian and even Korean. Bakeries are plenty in Leh town. Str angely they all claim to be German Bakeries. They serve seasonal fruit pies, tar ts, brownies and a variety of breads. Drink Tea it traditionally made with strong black tea, butter, and salt, it is mixed i n a large churn and known as gurgur cha, due to the sound of mixing it. Similar to tea traditionally drunk elsewhere in Central Asia, it's more like soup than t ea elsewhere, it can be refreshing and invigorating if you can get use to it. Sw eet tea (cha ngarmo) is common now, made Indian style with lots of milk and suga r. Beer (chang) is traditionally made from barley; it has a yeasty taste slightly s

imilar to sake. Stay safe Ladakh is one of the safest parts of India, and the most basic precautions are e nough to keep you and your possessions safe. The locals are very friendly and hu mble. Most of the region is dotted with military cantonments every 50-80 kms, bu t mainly because of its strategic position on international border between India and China. The army plays major part in rescue and aid efforts and that is why you will require to produce identification documents or written permission from local authorities before entering some remote places.. Stay healthy Carry any and every medication (for specific health problems) that you may need. Ensure that you are physically fit if you intend to ride or trek in the Ladakh region. Leh is above 3500 m (over 11,000 feet) and other parts of Ladakh are higher yet. There is risk of altitude sickness due to the rapid shift in altitude.