Leh (གླེ gle or སླེ sle), the main capital of Ladakh, India, is on the Indus River Valley, at a crossroads of the old trading routes from Xinjiang, Tibet and Kashmir.
There is a pass that links Leh directly to Khotan. The city's importance as a trading town slowed down with the partition of India, and ended with the closure of the border in 1962 during the Sino-Indian War. Since opening to tourists in 1974, it has become a bustling tourist town, with many Kashmiri traders. It is a small town, so it is easy to get most places on foot. The old town is a compact area of mud brick houses and narrow lanes directly to the east of Main Bazaar.
Leh is so small that you can cover enough places with the town by just walking. Also local public buses call at the main bus station of Leh—the airport and close by destinations like Choglamsar or Spituk go for ₹20. Here are some connections (as of Sep 2023): Choglamsar – Every 15-20 min from dawn till dusk Spituk – Every 30 min from dawn till dusk Alchi (government bus) – Leave from Leh at 8AM and 2PM. Leave from Alchi at 10AM and 4PM. Kharu/Sakti (government bus) – Leave from Leh at 8AM and 1PM.
For such a historic site and popular tourist destination, Leh has surprisingly few tourist sights (though a great number more are accessible as day trips): 1 Donkey Sanctuary (Home for helpless donkeys). Just off the road leading to Khardung-La. The public is encouraged to visit the sanctuary and friendly signs will direct you to the sanctuary from the centre of Leh. It is no more than a pleasant 5 to 10 minute stroll from the main road to the Sanctuary and the artistic surprise awaiting you is well worth the effort.
White-water rafting – On the Zaskar and Indus rivers, and their steep gorges. The Indus rafting route from Nimmu towards the Pakistani border has rapids of increasing severity of grades of 4, 4+, and 5; the latter two grades being not for the faint of heart. Yak and Camel safari – Explore the town and its surroundings. Skiing and Cycling – On routes such as Panikhar to Kanji. Trekking in Ladakh offers a huge number of trekking opportunities with prices for low comfort camps in Markha Valley of ₹2,000 not uncommon. From Leh itself there are some interesting half-day or 2 day hikes, in case you are not into several days treks with lot of equipment requirements. 1 Chhamkang Ri (4,133 m).
Main Bazaar has a few sweet shops selling samosas, chana dhal with puri, and other Indian food in addition to the sweets. However, they are ridiculously overpriced, as are the German bakeries, which sell stale pastries. The shopping areas of the old town and the area around the bus station are good for Tibetan styled restaurants, although few offer more than thukpa (noodle soup) and momos (dumplings). There are several Punjabi thali shops in the "old city bazar" on the corner of the main bazar where you can get thali for around ₹100. Budget places are mostly located in the back alleys of the center. 1 Zomsa Restaurant. Inexpensive mutton chowmein, tupka and momos. No chai, just coffee.
There is little in the way of nightlife in Leh. You can have a beer at many of the restaurants, but they close fairly early. For a more adventurous alternative, ask around the old town (or your guest house owner) for Chang the local home brewed beer, which costs about ₹15 for a litre; bring your own bottle. Being a mountain area, clean water (not boiled) is available in restaurants and accommodations. There are a few springs scattered around Leh that provide a natural and plastic free alternative to using bottled water. The amount of tea stall east of the main bazaar in notable, try the following: 1 Tololing Tea Stall.
Leh is one of the safest places in India. Carry a torch at night, as there is next to no street lighting, and there are some very deep drainage ditches. Beware of the stray dogs which rule streets during the night, especially in the inner alleys and around eateries. Ladakh was struck with serious floods and mud slides in August 2010. The airport was operational within days, and the major roads and bridges after a few weeks, and Manali-Leh was re-routed temporarily, until October after Rumtse, making it more than a hundred kilometres longer. The road was fully operational in October 2010.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Oct, Leh typically sees ~11°C daytime highs and 7 rainy days.
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