The Leh palace complex includes four temples that reside just below the palace itself, running along the ridge that overlooks the crumbling old town. Access to all of them is extremely difficult, they are rarely open but your best chance is to get there early in the morning […]
Located 57 miles from Leh and 2 miles off the highway from Nura, Temisgang was once a capital of western Ladakh. There’s little to suggest that these days, except for a ruined castle dating back to the 15th century and three old temples. The setting for the gompa […]
Located high up on the crest of a ridge overlooking Leh Palace, the imposing red building of Namgyal Tsemo Gompa can be seen from just about anywhere in Leh town. There are three ways to reach the gompa : A zip-zag path from Leh Palace. This is quite […]
Spitok Gompa is perhaps one of the most beautifully sited monasteries in the whole of Ladakh, possibly only bettered by Chemde Gompa. Despite being located so close to Leh airport, it’s perched on a craggy hill which is best viewed from the south side – multiple tiers of monastic […]
Built by the ‘Peace Sect’, an association of Japanese Buddhists, the Shanti Stupa crowns a hill on the western edge of the Leh valley. A total of 157 steps take you to the summit just off of Changspa, or alternatively there is a road that will take you […]
Having attended Day 1 of the Hemis Festival I was a little unsure what to expect from the second day. I arrived early again, and it soon became clear that it was going to be far less crowded than the previous day. This is probably not that surprising as […]
According to the Tibetan calendar, the great annual festivals held in the villages of Ladakh takes place in winter, with the exception of thseshu held at Hemis in summer. This is one of the most important events of the valley, its chief feature being the presentation of a […]
Pangong Tso in the eastern highlands of Changthang bordering Tibet is one of Ladakh’s most spectacular and popular destinations. When I visited Ladakh last year I had originally intended to visit this lake as well as having a second excursion into the Nubra valley, but with limited time I […]
Kevin Standage 
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