The previous night, we had contemplated whether to take rest and spend a day in Leh or to skip sightseeing in Leh locally and proceed to Khardung la Pass. Ultimately we decided that we needed a mini break and also it would be a good idea to get our bikes checked up and serviced in Leh. It was a good decision as the journey henceforth was tougher and we needed a mental break from riding as well.
ADVICE: Start taking one pill of Dimox daily in the morning for preventing AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). We all barely experienced any AMS effects throughout the trip and it may have to do with the fact that we took Dimox starting from Dras itself!
There are no crops or anything grown in Leh. Everything is procured from the nearby big towns. It is no wonder that almost all the hotels/homestays etc have their own mini garden within their premises, where they grow a variety of vegetables.
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| Leh native boy |
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| Crops grown at our homestay |
Leh is a paradise on earth with its mesmerizing scenic beauty. This is the place which makes you enter a whole new world where you can relax, rejuvenate and give a treat to your senses. It attracts millions of tourists not only from India but from the across the world because of its incomparable, breathtaking natural beauty.
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| Beautiful flowers in full bloom |
Things to do / visit in Leh locally:
- The Khar – Leh Palace, Tsemo Castle, Namgyal Gompa
- Shanti Stupa
- Hall of Fame
- Leh Main Bazaar / Leh Main Market
- Sankar Gompa / Monastery
- Zorawar Fort
- Datun Sahib
- Sindhu Ghaat
- Spituk Monastery
- Phyang Monastery
- Sham Valley Tour
(Gurdwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Zanskar and Indus River Confluence at Nimmu, Ruins of Basgo Palace and Basgo Plains, Alchi Monastery and Likir Monastery) - Monastery Tour
(Shey Palace, Thicksey Monastery, Hemis Monastery and Stakna Monatsery)
We had hardly a day in Leh so could not cover even a fraction of the spots. Even then it became quite late at night by the time we headed back to our homestay. If you do plan to cover all the spots, make sure you have atleast 3 days in hand to really soak in the beauty of each place.
We first gave some of our bikes for servicing at a local service station. There are plenty of local mechanics who are good at servicing Enfields for the journey ahead. They will check your brakes, oil, engine etc and get it up to shape at a very reasonable price. If you have a lower powered bike, you might have difficulty climbing up Khardung la pass. The mechanics have a quick jugaad for this by inserting a thin wire in the carburetor!
ADVICE: For one of the best mechanics for any bike in Leh contact Tashi 9419242643! He is simply outstanding!
ADVICE: For one of the best mechanics for any bike in Leh contact Tashi 9419242643! He is simply outstanding!
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| Bike checkup and service at Leh |
The first spot we covered was the Spituk Gompa near the Indian Air Force Air Base.
VIEW FROM SPITUK GOMPA
The site of Spituk was blessed by the Arhat Nyimagung.The monastery contains 100 monks and a giant statue of Kali (unveiled during the annual Spitok festival). Every year the Gustor Festival is held at Spituk from the 27th to 29th day in the eleventh month of the Tibetan calendar.
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| NitroJains pose at Spituk Gompa |
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| 7 balancing rocks found everywhere |
VR view from Spituk Gompa
A time for Prayer
Next up was the Hall of Fame. Worth a visit for every Indian, to get a feeling of undue respect and salute to the spirit of heroes of the Kargil War, especially if you have not been to Kargil War Memorial on Srinagar – Leh Highway. On one section, you can see and get an idea of various things that forms the rough life of our brave soldiers at Siachen viz. the shoes used by soldiers, the food they eat and how they heat them using Hexamycin tablets etc. We were full of pride and emotions for our motherland when we walked out of the place.
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| Feeling humbled at the Hall of Fame |
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| Our impressive artilery |
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| Guns on display at the Hall of Fame |
The Khar. The Khar is the so called landmark of Leh almost since 17th century. Being in Leh and missing a sight of this mega structure (almost and comparatively), seems something has horribly gone wrong with your planning or you were somewhere else in Ladakh but not in Leh. It houses Leh Palace, Tsemo Castle and Namgyal Gompa on the same hills which houses this complex. The museum houses collection of ornaments, jewellery, thangkas and paintings about 450 year old but still look as new as it can.
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| Leh Palace |
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| Praveen posting at Leh Palace |
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| Beat that Shah Rukh Khan! |
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| Strike a pose! |
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| Short trek to Tsemo Castle |
As you can see, Leh is really beautiful and there are lots of things to see and do in Leh. Do remember that it is on the warmer side in Leh, atleast during the day, so dress accordingly.
Our last stop for the day was the famous Shanti Stupa. On the way up to the stupa, you will feel that you have been teleported to Goa! There are dozens of restaurants with a variety of cuisine like Thai, French, Italian, Mongolian, Mexican just to name a few. You will also find many foreigners just lazying around the in numerous lounges, restaurants, cafes and shops.
The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama.The stupa has become a tourist attraction not only due to its religious significance but also due to its location which provides panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
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| The famous Shanti Stupa at Leh |
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| Buddha statue |
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| Golden peaks just before sunset at the Stupa |
Panoramic view from Shanti Stupa
Lastly we headed to the Leh local market to pickup some souvenirs for our family and friends back home. You get these really nice embroidered Tshirts with innovative quotes like "My dad was in Leh and all I got was this cool tshirt" etc. Its highly recommend buying them as a remembrance.
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| Leh main market |
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| Zorawar fort all lit up |
ADVICE: Fill up your tanks and spare petrol jars at Leh. Its difficult to get petrol ahead so its wise to carry petrol with you.