India
Ladakh
High-altitude desert and Himalayan blue
Why go
Ladakh is the most dramatic landscape in India — a cold desert plateau ringed by the Himalaya and Karakoram, dotted with centuries-old Buddhist monasteries. You'll need a day or two in Leh to acclimatise before driving out to the Nubra Valley over Khardung La, and on to Pangong Tso, the lake that changes colour by the hour. Go June to September; carry layers for every season in a single day.
Trip highlights
- Thiksey and Hemis monasteries
- Khardung La and the Nubra Valley dunes
- Camping beside Pangong Tso
- Rafting the Zanskar (season permitting)
Ways to travel Ladakh
Leh and the lakes
Acclimatise in Leh, then Nubra and Pangong with an experienced mountain driver.
Monastery trail
A slower loop of the Indus Valley gompas timed for a masked festival dance.
All-India Himalaya
Fly into Srinagar and drive the full Manali–Leh or Srinagar–Leh highway.
Ladakh itineraries to start from
Ready-made routes you can tweak — change hotels, add nights, combine with another destination.
Let's build your Ladakh trip
Send us a rough idea — a destination, a month, a budget — and we'll come back with a plan you can actually picture yourself on.