Leh

The original name of the town was not sLel, as it is nowadays spelled, but sLes, which signifies an "encampment of nomads" (pastureland). These [Tibetan] nomads probably visited the Leh valley at when it began to be irrigated by Dard colonisers. The most ancient part of the ruins, atop rNam-rgyal-rtse-mo hill, are called 'aBrog-pal-mkhar (Dard castle).Francke (1914), p. 68. See also, ibid, p. 45.

{{See also|Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh}}

File:Beautiful Leh Couple In Traditional Dress (202673443).jpeg

Leh was for centuries an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet, Kashmir, India and China. The main goods carried were salt, grain, pashm or cashmere wool, charas or cannabis resin from the Tarim Basin, indigo, silk yarn and Banaras brocade.

Although there are a few indications that the Chinese knew of a trade route through Ladakh to India as early as the Kushan period (1st to 3rd centuries AD),Hill (2009), pp. 200-204. and certainly by the Tang dynasty,Francke (1977 edition), pp. 76-78 little is actually known of the history of the region before the end of the 10th century, when Tibetan prince Skyid lde nyima gon (or Nyima gon), a grandson of the anti-Buddhist Tibetan king, Langdarma (r. c. 838 to 841), founded the kingdom. He conquered Western Tibet, although his army originally numbered only 300 men.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} Several towns and castles are said to have been founded by Nyima gon, and he apparently ordered the construction of the primary sculptures at Shey. "In an inscription, he says he had them made for the religious benefit of the Tsanpo (the dynastical name of his father and ancestors), and of all the people of Ngaris (Western Tibet). This shows that already in this generation Langdarma's opposition to Buddhism had disappeared."Francke (1914), pp. 89-90. Shey, 15 km east of modern Leh, was the ancient seat of the Ladakhi kings.

During the reign of Delegs Namgyal (1660–1685),Francke (1977 edition), p. 20. the nawab of Kashmir, then a province in the Mughal Empire, arranged for the Mongol army to temporarily leave Ladakh, though it returned later. As payment for assisting Delegs Namgyal in the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–1684, the nawab made a number of onerous demands. One of the least was construction of a large Sunni Muslim mosque in Leh, at the upper end of the bazaar in Leh below Leh Palace. The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and can accommodate more than 500 people. This was apparently not the first mosque in Leh; there are two smaller ones that are said to be older.Francke (1977 edition), pp. 120-123.

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) is in charge of governance in Leh. It has 30 councillors, 4 nominated and 26 elected. The Chief Executive Councillor heads and chairs this council. The Deputy Commissioner of Leh also holds the power of chief executive officer of the LAHDC. The current Deputy Commissioner of Leh district is Santosh Sukhdeve. {{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

{{see also | Geography of Ladakh}}

File:Leh overview.jpg

{{climate chart

| Leh

|-14.4|-2.0|9.5

|-11.0|1.5|8.1

|-5.9|6.5|11.0

|-1.1|12.3|9.1

|3.2|16.2|9.0

|7.4|21.8|3.5

|10.5|25.0|15.2

|10.0|25.3|15.4

|5.8|21.7|9.0

|-1.0|14.6|7.5

|-6.7|7.9|3.6

|-11.8|2.3|4.6

|float =

|clear =

|units = metric

|source = {{Cite web |url=http://www.imd.gov.in/section/climate/extreme/leh2.htm |title=Leh |access-date=2017-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225132218/http://www.imd.gov.in/section/climate/extreme/leh2.htm |archive-date=2018-02-25 |url-status=dead }}}}

===Topography===

The city is located on the bank of the Indus River. The mountains dominate the landscape around the Leh, as it is at an altitude of {{convert|3,500|m|ft|-2|disp=or}}. Peaks such as Nanga Sago can reach well above {{convert|5,500|m|ft|-2|disp=or}}. The principal access roads include the {{convert|434|km|mi|0}} Srinagar-Leh highway and the {{convert|428|km|mi|0}} Leh-Manali Highway. Both roads are only open on a seasonal basis.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jktourism.org/cities/ladakh/getting/index.htm|title=jktourism.org|website=www.jktourism.org}} Although the roads from Srinagar and Manali are often blocked by snow in winter, the local roads in the Indus Valley usually remain open due to the low levels of snowfall.

Leh has a cold desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWk) with long, cold winters from late November to early March, with minimum temperatures well below freezing for most of the winter. The city gets occasional snowfall during winter, which is very cold by Indian standards, mainly due to its high elevation. The weather in the remaining months is generally fine and warm during the day. Average annual rainfall is only 35 mm (1.37 inches), with summer months seeing the most precipitation due to rare residual monsoon systems that enter the Himalayas. In 2010, the city experienced flash floods that killed more than 100 people.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/world/asia/07kashmir.html |title=Mudslides Kill 125 in Kashmir |last=Polgreen |first=Lydia |date=6 August 2010 |work=The New York Times |access-date=6 August 2010}}

{{Weather box

|location=Leh, India (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1883-2020)

|metric first=Yes

|single line=Yes

|Jan record high C= 9.0

|Feb record high C= 13.4

|Mar record high C= 19.4

|Apr record high C= 23.9

|May record high C= 28.9

|Jun record high C= 34.8

|Jul record high C= 36.6

|Aug record high C= 35.4

|Sep record high C= 31.8

|Oct record high C= 27.0

|Nov record high C= 20.0

|Dec record high C= 13.6

|Jan high C= 1.5

|Feb high C= 4.2

|Mar high C= 9.7

|Apr high C= 15.3

|May high C= 20.0

|Jun high C= 24.4

|Jul high C= 28.5

|Aug high C =28.1

|Sep high C= 23.4

|Oct high C= 16.7

|Nov high C= 10.6

|Dec high C= 4.5

|Jan mean C= -5.8

|Feb mean C= -2.5

|Mar mean C= 3.0

|Apr mean C= 8.5

|May mean C= 13.1

|Jun mean C= 17.9

|Jul mean C= 22.2

|Aug mean C= 21.6

|Sep mean C= 16.3

|Oct mean C= 8.5

|Nov mean C= 1.7

|Dec mean C= -3.6

|Jan low C= -13.1

|Feb low C= -9.2

|Mar low C= -3.7

|Apr low C= 1.6

|May low C= 6.2

|Jun low C= 11.3

|Jul low C= 15.9

|Aug low C= 15.1

|Sep low C= 9.2

|Oct low C= 0.3

|Nov low C= -7.2

|Dec low C= -11.7

|Jan record low C= -28.3

|Feb record low C= -28.6

|Mar record low C= -19.4

|Apr record low C= -12.8

|May record low C= -7.7

|Jun record low C= -1.1

|Jul record low C= 0.6

|Aug record low C= 1.5

|Sep record low C= -4.4

|Oct record low C= -9.6

|Nov record low C= -18.6

|Dec record low C= -25.6

|Jan rain mm= 4.3

|Feb rain mm= 2.5

|Mar rain mm= 1.5

|Apr rain mm= 1.7

|May rain mm= 0.6

|Jun rain mm= 2.9

|Jul rain mm= 6.8

|Aug rain mm= 6.2

|Sep rain mm= 4.4

|Oct rain mm= 2.3

|Nov rain mm= 0.7

|Dec rain mm= 1.0

|year rain mm= 34.8

|unit precipitation days = 0.3 mm

|Jan precipitation days= 1.4

|Feb precipitation days= 1.2

|Mar precipitation days= 0.9

|Apr precipitation days= 1.1

|May precipitation days= 0.6

|Jun precipitation days= 1.5

|Jul precipitation days= 1.9

|Aug precipitation days= 2.2

|Sep precipitation days= 1.6

|Oct precipitation days= 0.3

|Nov precipitation days= 0.3

|Dec precipitation days= 0.4

|year precipitation days=

|time day=17:30 IST

|Jan humidity=51

|Feb humidity=51

|Mar humidity=46

|Apr humidity=36

|May humidity=30

|Jun humidity=26

|Jul humidity=33

|Aug humidity=34

|Sep humidity=31

|Oct humidity=27

|Nov humidity=40

|Dec humidity=46

|year humidity=

|source 1= India Meteorological Department (humidity 1951-1980){{cite web

| url = https://www.imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf

| title = Climatological Normals 1991-2020

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| access-date = February 25, 2023

}}{{cite web |url=http://www.mausam.gov.in/WEBIMD/ClimatologicalAction.do?function=getStationDetails&actionParam=1¶m=2&station=Leh |title=Leh Climatological Table Period: 1951–1980 |publisher=India Meteorological Department |access-date=4 April 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721172646/http://www.mausam.gov.in/WEBIMD/ClimatologicalAction.do?function=getStationDetails&actionParam=1¶m=2&station=Leh |archive-date=21 July 2011}}

}}

File:Leh old market.jpg

As of the 2011 India census,{{cite web |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/0103_PART_B_DCHB_LEH%20(LADAKH).pdf |title=District Census Handbook Leh (Ladakh) |publisher=Directorate of Census Operations (Jammu & Kashmir) |pages=112–113 |work=Census of India 2011}} Leh had a population of 30,870. Males constituted 70% of the population and females 30%, due to a large presence of transient labourers, traders and government employees. The child sex ratio was 987. Leh had an average literacy rate of 90%, higher than the national average of 74.04%; male literacy was 94.89%, and female literacy was 78.85%. In Leh, 5.5% of the population was under 6 years of age.

The people of Leh are ethnic Tibetans who speak Ladakhi, a Tibetic language.

The Muslim presence dates back to the annexation of Ladakh by Kashmir, after the Fifth Dalai Lama came to Ladakh from Tibet. Since then, there has been further migration from the Kashmir Valley, due to trade and recently to the transfer of tourism from the Kashmir Valley to Ladakh.

Buddhism is the largest religion in Leh, followed by over 77.30% of people. Hinduism is the second-largest religion with 13.78% adherents. Islam and Sikhism form 8.16% and 2.7% of the population respectively.{{Cite web |title=Demography {{!}} District Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh, India |url=https://leh.nic.in/about-district/demography/#:~:text=The%20biggest%20ethnic%20group%20is,%25%20and%20Hindus%20with%208.16%25. |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=State of India |language=en-US}}

{{Pie chart

| thumb = right

| caption = Religion in Leh City (2025)

| label1 = Buddhism

| value1 = 77.30

| color1 = Gold

| label2 = Hinduism

| value2 = 13.78

| color2 = DarkOrange

| label3 = Islam

| value3 = 8.16

| color3 = Green

| label4 = Sikhism

| value4 = 2.16

| color4 = Yellow

| label5 = Christianity

| value5 = 0.88

| color5 = Blue

| label6 = Jainism

| value6 = 0.05

| color6 = Maroon

| label7 = Others

| value7 = 0.17

| color7 = Grey

| label8 = Not Stated

| value8 = 1.84

| color8 = Black

}}

Since the 8th century, people of different religions, particularly Buddhism and Islam, have lived in Leh. They co-inhabited the region from the early Namgyal dynasty and there are no records of any conflict between them. Meer Izzut-oollah wrote in the early 19th century:

This mosque was built by Ibraheem Khan (in the mid 17th century), who was a man of noble family in the service of the descendants of Timoor. In his time the Kalimaks (Calmuck Tartars), having invaded and obtained possession of the greater portion of Thibet [Ladakh], the Raja of that country claimed protection from the Emperor of Hindoostan. Ibraheem Khan was accordingly deputed by that monarch to his assistance, and in a short time succeeded in expelling the invaders and placing the Raja once more on his throne. The Raja embraced the Mahomedan faith, and formally acknowledged himself as a feudatory of the Emperor, who honored him with the title of Raja Akibut Muhmood Khan, which title to the present day is borne by the Ruler of Cashmere.Travels in Central Asia by Meer Izzut-oollah in the Years 1812-13. Translated by Captain Henderson. Calcutta, 1872, p. 12.

In recent times, Muslim migration to Leh from neighbouring Kargil and Kashmir has increased due to better opportunities, and relations between the Buddhist and Muslim communities have soured due to socio-political conflicts.{{cite news |date=15 September 2017 |title=Why Buddhist women are marrying Muslim men in Ladakh |newspaper=Business Standard India |url=https://wap.business-standard.com/article/politics/why-buddhist-women-are-marrying-muslim-men-in-ladakh-117091500689_1.html}}

Other religions such as Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism do exist in Leh. The small Christian community in Leh descend from Tibetan Buddhists converted by German Moravian missionaries, who established a church at Keylong in Lahaul in the 1860s, and were allowed to open another mission in Leh in 1885 and had a sub-branch in Khalatse. They stayed until Indian Independence in 1947. In spite of their successful medical and educational activities, they were able to make only a few converts.Rizvi (1996), p. 212.

File:Grow More Food (2560125708).jpg

Leh is located at an average elevation of about 3500 metres, which means that only one crop a year can be grown there, while two can be grown at Khalatse. By the time crops are being sown at Leh in late May, they are already half-grown at Khalatse. The main crop is grim (naked barley, Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f., an ancient form of domesticated barley with an easier-to-remove hull. Tsampa, the staple food in Ladakh, is made from this barley.Rizvi (1996), p. 38. The water for agriculture of Ladakh comes from the Indus, which runs low in March and April when barley-fields have the greatest need for irrigation.{{Cite news |url=http://www.peacekashmir.org/jammu-kashmir/geography.htm |title=Jammu & Kashmir – Geography & Geology |work=Peace kashmir |access-date=28 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809222459/http://www.peacekashmir.org/jammu-kashmir/geography.htm |archive-date=9 August 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{unreliable source?|date=February 2023}} Grapes, apricots, currants, walnuts, and apples are also grown in the arid temperate climate.{{cite book | title = Know Your State Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh | first1= Abdul | last1 = Rashid | first2 = Farah | last2 = Sultan | year = 2021 | publisher = Arihant Publications India | isbn = 978-93-257-9092-6}}

List of functioning banks in Leh

• State Bank of India, Leh{{cite web |last1=leh Branch |first1=state bank of india |title=state bank of india leh Branch IFSC Code, address & location and |url=https://ifscbankcodes.com/state-bank-of-india/jammu-and-kashmir/leh/leh}}
• HDFC Bank, Leh{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/ifsccode/bank-hdfc-bank,state-jammu-and-kashmir,district-,branch-true,ifsccode-HDFC0002369.cms|title=HDFC BANK LEH Branch IFSC Code, MICR Code, Address & Phone Number|website=The Economic Times}}
• Axis Bank, Leh{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/ifsccode/bank-axis-bank,state-jammu-and-kashmir,district-,branch-true,ifsccode-UTIB0001611.cms|title=AXIS BANK LEH LADAKH Branch IFSC Code, MICR Code, Address & Phone Number|website=The Economic Times}}
• IDBI Bank, Leh{{Cite web|url=https://bankifsccode.com/IDBI_BANK_LTD/JAMMU_&_KASHMIR/LADAKH/LEH|title=IDBI BANK LTD, Leh Branch, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, BankIFSCcode.com|website=bankifsccode.com}}

State-owned All India Radio Leh has a local station in Leh, which transmits various programs of mass interest. Leh head post office owned by India Post also serves as a major means of communications. On 14 December 2021, the first FM radio station in Ladakh was established in Leh{{Cite news |title=Ladakh gets its first-ever FM radio station |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ladakh-first-ever-fm-radio-station-7673285/ |date=2021-12-14 |access-date=2021-12-15 |work=The Indian Express}} making the total FM stations 4 and one medium wave station as of February 2024.{{Cite web |title=Frequencies for Leh |url=https://fmscan.org/main.php?l=77.584722&b=34.164167&csave=2&qth=leh |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=fmlist.org}}

{{see also | Tourism in Ladakh}}

Ladakh receives very large numbers of tourists for its size. Visitor numbers have swelled rapidly in the 21st century through 2010, increasing 77% from 2005 to 2010 (77,800 tourists), largely caused by an increase in domestic Indian travellers.{{Cite web |url=http://leh.nic.in/pages/leh.pdf |title=History |access-date=18 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724092852/http://leh.nic.in/pages/leh.pdf |archive-date=24 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}

Tourism has continued to increase, exceeding 500,000 people in 2022 and 2023 in Ladakh. The sharpest growth began after 2010 when the Bollywood film 3 Idiots —filmed in part on the Pangong Lake in Ladakh — became a big hit in India. This is a contrast to the population of Leh, 31,000. This increase adds to the economy but it is having negative effects on the land due to the increase in waste and increasing water scarcity.{{cite journal |url=https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/05/10/tourism-in-indias-ladakh-border-region-reaches-tipping-point/ |title=Tourism in India’s Ladakh border region reaches tipping point |journal=East Asia Forum |first=Le Hoang Ngoc |last=Yen |date=May 10, 2025 |access-date=May 26, 2025 |doi=10.59425/eabc.1746878400 |quote=While only 527 visitors arrived in Ladakh when it first opened for tourism in 1974, the number of inbound tourists exceeded 500,000 in 2022 and 2023. Ladakh’s dramatic hike in the number of inbound tourists has driven economic growth, boosted the local service industry, raised the local standard of living and created many jobs in the community. }}

file:Old palace, Leh.jpg

The first recorded royal residence in Ladakh, built at the top of the high Namgyal ('Victory') Peak overlooking the present palace and town, is the now-ruined fort and gon-khang (Temple of the Guardian Divinities) built by King Tashi Namgyal. Tashi Namgyal ruled in the final quarter of the 16th century CE.Rizvi (1996), p. 64.

The Royal Palace, known as Leh Palace, was built by King Sengge Namgyal (1612–1642),{{Cite web |title=Incredible India {{!}} Leh Palace |url=https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/leh-ladakh/leh-palace.html |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=incredibleindia.org}} presumably between the period when the Portuguese Jesuit priest Francisco de Azevedo visited Leh in 1631, and made no mention of it, and Sengge Namgyal's death in 1642.Rizvi (1996), pp. 69, 290. The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, and the stables and storerooms are located on the lower floors. The palace was 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 River.

File:Lehpalace5.jpg and Leh Palace]]

The old town of Leh was added to the World Monuments Fund's list of 100 most endangered sites due to increased rainfall, due to climate change among other reasons.{{cite news |url=http://news.sawf.org/Travel/41309.aspx |title=Tourist Boom Brings Threat to Leh's Tibetan Architecture |publisher=AFP |date=19 August 2007}} Neglect and changing settlement patterns in the old town have also threatened the long-term preservation of the site.{{cite news |url=http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/007682.html |title=Ethnic Leh Houses Falling Apart |author=Tripti Lahiri |publisher=AFP |date=23 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706022236/http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/007682.html |archive-date=6 July 2008}}

The rapid and poorly planned urbanisation of Leh has increased the risk of flash floods in some areas, while other areas, according to research by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, suffer from the less dramatic, gradual effects of 'invisible disasters', which often go unreported.[http://cdkn.org/2014/06/harmonising-climate-adaptation-and-disaster-risk-reduction-india Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction: Lessons from India, Anshu Sharma, Sahba Chauhan and Sunny Kumar, the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2014] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707145104/http://cdkn.org/2014/06/harmonising-climate-adaptation-and-disaster-risk-reduction-india/ |date=7 July 2014 }} cdkn.org

1. Leh Palace
2. Namgyal Tsemo Gompa
3. Shanti Stupa
4. Cho Khang Gompa
5. Chamba Temple
6. Jama Masjid
7. Gurdwara Pathar Sahib
8. Sankar Gompa and village
9. War Museum
10. The Victory Tower
11. Zorawar Fort
12. Ladakh Marathon
13. Datun Sahib
14. Ice Stupa

Lehpalace1.jpg|Leh Palace View from Leh Market

Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Leh.jpg|Namgyal Tsemo Gompa

Shanti Stupa ( Winters).jpg|Shanti Stupa

Diskit Monastery, Leh.jpg|Sankar Gompa and village

Zorawerfort.jpg|Zorawar Fort

Datun Sahib tree in Leh, 2009.jpg|Datun Sahib

• Namgyal Gompa (also called "Tsemo Gompa" (Red Gompa), or dGon-pa-so-ma (New Monastery),Francke (1914), p. 70. a temple, is the main Buddhist centre in Leh.Rizvi (1996), pp. 41, 64, 225-226. There are some older walls of fortifications behind it which Francke reported were once known as the "Dard Castle." If it was indeed built by Dards, it must pre-date the establishment of Tibetan rulers in Ladakh over a thousand years ago.Rizvi (1996), pp. 226-227.

• Sankar Labrang (Bsam dkar bla brang) is a small, two-storeyed building owned by Sankar monastery. "Sankar monastery is the seat of Bakula Rinpoche, immediately to the northwest of Leh. The monastery's Labrang building is located in the old town of Leh, in the Manikhang neighbourhood. Manikhang is the area between the main bazaar of Leh and the historic Stalam path that leads up to the royal palace. Four huge stūpas standing at this point mark the beginning of historic Leh. In recent memory, the Sankar Labrang had a metalsmith's workshop downstairs, while upstairs lived the monk caretaker of the White Maitreya Temple (Byams khang dkar po), also known locally as "Street Maitreya". The White Maitreya Temple dates back to the reign of King Drakpa Bumd´e (Grags pa 'bum lde, r. ca 1410–1435), following the arrival of a mission sent to Ladakh by the Tibetan lama Tsongkhapa".Alexander, André, and Van Shaik, Sam. (2011).

• Chamba monasteries (Byams-pa, i.e., Maitreya) and Chenresi (sPyan-ras-gzigs, i.e. Avalokiteshvara) monasteries which are of uncertain date.

• Stone Maitreya of Leh:The Rediscovery and Recovery of an Early Tibetan Monument. JRAS, Series 3, 21, 4(2011), p. 421.

Every year Sindhu Darshan Festival is held at Shey, 15 km from town, to promote religious harmony and the glory of the Sindhu river. Many tourists come to Leh for this.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fountainheadindia.com/festivals_details.php|title=Sindhu Darshan Festival|access-date=22 January 2011|archive-date=30 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930201832/http://www.fountainheadindia.com/festivals_details.php|url-status=dead}}

{{wide image|Indus Valley near Leh.jpg|1250px|The Indus River in Leh|center}}

File:Leh, Ladakh Festival, Ladakh, India.jpg

File:National Highway 1D near Leh.jpg near Leh]]

Trade routes have traditionally converged on Leh from all four directions. The modern-day highway follows the most direct route from the Punjab via Mandi, the Kulu valley, the Rohtang Pass, and Lahaul to the Indus Valley, then downriver to Leh. The route from Srinagar was roughly the same as the road that today crosses the Zoji La (pass) to Kargil, then up the Indus Valley to Leh. From Baltistan there were two difficult routes: the main one ran up the Shyok Valley from the Indus, over a pass and then down the Hanu River to the Indus again below Khalsi (Khalatse). The other ran from Skardu straight up the Indus to Kargil and on to Leh. Both summer and winter routes ran from Leh to Yarkand via the Karakoram Pass and Xaidulla. A couple of possible routes also ran from Leh to Lhasa.Rizvi (1996), pp. 109-111.

Leh is connected to the rest of India by two high-altitude roads, both of which are subject to landslides and impassable in winter due to snows. The National Highway 1 from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh-Manali Highway can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus. A third road is under construction.

• NH-1 Srinagar-Kargil-Leh Highway:

: The overland approach to Ladakh from the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. National Highway 1 typically remains open for traffic from April/May to October/November. The most dramatic part of this journey is the ascent up the {{convert|3505|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular deluxe and ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route, with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.

• NH-3 Leh-Manali Highway:

: Since 1989, the {{convert|473|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} Leh-Manali Highway has served as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho, whose altitude ranges from {{cvt|3660|m}} to {{cvt|4570|m}}. There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is sometimes incorrectly claimed to be the world's second-highest motorable pass at an altitude of {{convert|5325|m}}Khardung La for a discussion of the world's highest motorable passes.

• Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road:

: As of 2025, this third road to Leh is currently under construction.

File:IXL Front 2010.jpg]]

Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to and from Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar and Chandigarh. Air India, SpiceJet, and IndiGo operate Delhi to Leh daily with multiple flights at peak times.

There is currently no railway service in Ladakh, however two railway routes are proposed: the Bhanupli–Leh line and Srinagar–Kargil–Leh line.[https://www.theweek.in/theweek/current/2025/04/05/bilaspur-manali-leh-rail-project-details.html India’s costliest rail line will change how we view travel], theweek.in, 13 Apr 2025.

• Kashmir
• Dal Lake
• Gangabal
• Gulmarg
• Pahalgam
• Mughal Road
• Sonmarg

• Ladakh
• Zanskar

{{Reflist}}

• Alexander, André, and Van Shaik, Sam. (2011). The Stone Maitreya of Leh: The Rediscovery and Recovery of an Early Tibetan Monument.. JRAS, Series 3, 21, 4(2011), pp. 421–439.
• Janet Rizvi. Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia. Second Edition. (1996). Oxford University Press, Delhi. {{ISBN|978-0-19-564546-0}}.
• Cunningham, Alexander. (1854). LADĀK: Physical, Statistical, and Historical with Notices of the Surrounding Countries. London. Reprint: Sagar Publications (1977).
• Francke, A. H. (1977). A History of Ladakh. (Originally published as, A History of Western Tibet, (1907)). 1977 Edition with critical introduction and annotations by S. S. Gergan & F. M. Hassnain. Sterling Publishers, New Delhi.
• Francke, A. H. (1914). Antiquities of Indian Tibet. Two Volumes. Calcutta. 1972 reprint: S. Chand, New Delhi.
• {{Cite journal |author=Hilary Keating |date=July–August 1993 |title=The Road to Leh |journal=Saudi Aramco World |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=8–17 |publisher=Aramco Services Company |location=Houston, Texas |issn=1530-5821 |url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/199304/the.road.to.leh.htm |access-date=2009-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928193954/http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/199304/the.road.to.leh.htm |archive-date=28 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}

• [https://www.ladakhdaily.in Visit Ladakh Daily website – Ladakh Leading News Website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060601222732/http://leh.nic.in/profile.htm Population Figures]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20030305201121/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0227_030227_tvleh.html City of Leh Thrives as Oasis of Peace in Kashmir]

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Category:Ladakh

Category:Cities and towns in Leh district

Category:Indian union territory capitals

Category:Geography of Ladakh