INDIA LEH & LADAKH
In India’s north, high and deep in the Himalayas, sits one of the most enigmatic, remote and beautiful cities on the planet: Leh. The largest city in the region of Ladakh—an area of jagged peaks, spectacular aridity, and moonscape vistas—Leh is a place of adventure and of beauty. But that beauty goes far deeper than the spectacular mountains that surround the city; a rich history also offers visitors an intriguing and varied cultural tapestry to explore.
Buddhism is hard to ignore here. The region is heavily influenced by Tibet, and kaleidoscopic prayer flags stand brightly against intense blue skies and pure white gompas. But Buddhism is not alone in Leh; the city has an Islamic history too. And as you walk down narrow streets lined with whitewashed mudbrick walls and bustling with hawkers, cattle and beeping vehicles, you’ll also have no doubt that you’re in modern-day India.
This is a place that straddles different worlds. You’ll see rows of Kashmiri shops, the attendants selling cashmere and silk. Turn a corner and the merchants specialise in Tibetan-style silver and turquoise. Turn another and you’ll see a mosque. Look down the valley and the Indus River wallows among broad, green fields bordered with tall poplars. Look uphill and you’re confronted with the fortress-like walls of the Himalayas—a bulwark between you and the Roof of the World.
