Union Territory · North India

Ladakh travel guide

ལ་དྭགས།

Every district of Ladakh and what it is known for — 28 places to visit across 8 districts, with how to reach each one, the best time to go and where to stay.

  • Capital Leh / Kargil
  • 8 districts
  • 28 places
Open Ladakh on the mapRead the Ladakh chapter

Before you go

Five districts were notified on 27 April 2026 and Sankoo on 16 October 2026. Sights are placed in the new districts by location (estimate).

Several areas need inner line or protected area permits; acclimatise on arrival. No stays are listed.

Top places to visit in Ladakh

One place from each district that our guide covers in depth.

  1. Tso Moriri

    Changthang district · Lakes, valleys and wildlife

    High-altitude lake at about 4,000 m in the Rupshu valley, roughly 29 km long and up to 8 km wide, under 250 km south-east of Leh (Incredible India).

  2. Kargil War Memorial (Dras)

    Drass district · Memorials and other sights

    Indian Army memorial to those killed in the 1999 Kargil War, below Tololing in the Dras valley (Incredible India).

  3. Mulbekh Monastery and Maitreya Buddha

    Kargil district · Monasteries, mosques and gurdwaras

    Hilltop monastery above the old Kashmir-Ladakh route, with a rock-cut Maitreya Buddha that Incredible India dates to the 8th century.

  4. Leh Palace

    Leh district · Palaces and towns

    Nine-storey palace built in the 17th century by King Sengge Namgyal as the Namgyal royal residence (Incredible India).

  5. Diskit Monastery

    Nubra district · Monasteries, mosques and gurdwaras

    Monastery in Nubra founded by Changsem Sherab Zangpo in the 15th century (Incredible India).

  6. Suru Valley (Sankoo)

    Sankoo district · Lakes, valleys and wildlife

    Green valley about 40 km from Kargil town; base for treks towards Shargole (Kargil district portal).

  7. Lamayuru Monastery

    Sham district · Monasteries, mosques and gurdwaras

    Monastery (Yuru Gompa) about 127 km from Leh (Incredible India).

  8. Stongdey Monastery

    Zanskar district · Monasteries, mosques and gurdwaras

    11th-century Gelug gompa in Zanskar (Incredible India).

Districts of Ladakh 8

8 (6 created in 2026) — Five districts notified 27 Apr 2026 (Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar, Drass); Sankoo notified 16 Oct 2026 as the 8th. Guides live for all 8.

Festivals and dates to plan around

  • Hemis festival — Hemis Monastery, Leh: June-July by the Tibetan calendar; dates to confirm (estimate)
  • Ladakh Festival — Leh: September; dates to confirm (estimate)