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Leh


India City: Leh

Leh is the capital of the Ladakh district. Leh is ocated in the eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir . Leh is one of the favorite tourist destinations located in the northernmost parts of the country.

Lapped in the snow-covered fringes of the Himalayas is Leh. Leh has been the center of Tibeto-Buddhist culture since ages. Its colorful gompas have attracted the devout Buddhists from all over the globe. It is also a favorite hiking locale and is known for some of the best hikes in the country.

Place Of Interest
Leh Palace
The Leh Palace is one of the major attractions here. A miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa, the palace was built in the 17th century and is now dilapidated and deserted. It was the home of the royal family until they were exiled to Stok in the 1830s. Above the palace, at the top of the Namgyal hill, is the Victory Tower, built to commemorate Ladakh 's victory over the Balti Kashmir armies in the early 16th century.

The Namgyal Tsemo Gompa
The Namgyal Tsemo Gompa was built in 1430 and contains a three-story high Buddha image and ancient manuscripts and frescoes. The fort above this gompa is ruined, but the views of Leh from here are breathtakingly beautiful.

Sankar Gompa
The Sankar gompa is located a couple of kilometers north of the town center. The gompa belongs to the Gelukpa order and has an impressive impression of the Buddhist deity Avalokiteshwara Padmahari or Chenresig, with 1,000 arms and an equal number of heads.

Shanti Stupa
The Shanti Stupa was built by a Japanese order and was opened by the Dalai Lama in 1985. From the top, one can view the exotic locales nearby. The stupa is located at a distance of 3 km from the Fort Road. Alchi Gompa Seventy kilometers from Leh, on the banks of river Indus, is the

Alchi gompa
Dating back to the 11th century, Alchi gompa is one of the largest and a famous monastery with a widely renowned collection of paintings.

Hemis Gompa
At a distance of 45 km south of Leh, Hemis is one of the biggest gompas in Ladakh . Built in 1630, it belongs to the red sect, Brokpa. Matho Gompa Situated on the opposite bank of the Indus across Thikse, the Matho gompa was established in the first half of the 16th century and has a valuable collection of old and beautiful thangkas, some in the form of 'mandalas.' Its annual festival of oracles in early March is an important event in the Ladakh i religious calendar.

Shey Gompa
Until the 16th century, the Shey gompa was the royal residence. It is located at a distance of 15 km south of Leh. This Palace Monastery has the largest statue of Maitreya Buddha (the Buddha to come) in Ladakh .

Spituk Gompa
At a distance of 8 km from Leh, standing majestically on top of a hillock overlooking the Indus Valley, lies the Spituk Gompa. It was built in the 15th century and houses a collection of ancient masks, antique arms, icons and thangkas. Higher up the hill is the Mahakal Temple, containing the shrine of Vajrabhairava.

By Air
There are regular flights from Delhi to Leh that are run by the Indian Airlines. There are direct flights once a week from Leh to Srinagar and twice a week to Jammu. The Delhi flights are overbooked throughout the year.

By Road
There are two overland routes to Leh-the roads from Srinagar and Manali . The Leh- Srinagar road is usually open from June to October, while the Leh- Manali route is open from July to September.