Monasteries above the Indus, lakes the colour of turquoise and desert valleys caught between the Karakoram and the Great Himalaya.
Ladakh lies on a high plateau between the Karakoram and the Great Himalayan ranges, most of it above 3,000 metres. Little rain crosses the mountains, so the landscape is a desert of bare ochre slopes, broken by green oases wherever a glacier stream reaches a village.
Its culture is largely Tibetan Buddhist in the centre and east, with Balti and Shia Muslim communities towards Kargil and Turtuk. Monasteries such as Hemis, Thiksey, Alchi and Lamayuru have anchored village life for centuries.
Travel here is shaped by altitude and season. Most visitors fly into Leh at 3,500 m, so the first two days are always for rest. The high passes open from late spring to autumn, while winter brings frozen lakes, snow leopards and an entirely quieter Ladakh.
Private and small-group routes, each planned around the season and the altitude.
Leh · Zingchen · Rumbak · Husing · Tarbung
Twin sharing · 5 nights in Rumbak · GST extra
View rideLeh · Nubra · Pangong · Hanle · Leh
Per person, 2 travellers · Private SUV · GST extra
View rideLeh · Shingra Koma · Tibb · Nerak
Twin-share tents · Permits included · GST extra
View rideLeh · Nubra · Turtuk · Pangong · Hanle · Tso Moriri
Per person, 2 travellers · Private SUV · GST extra
View rideLeh · Lamayuru · Kargil · Rangdum · Padum · Phuktal
Twin sharing · Leh to Leh · GST extra
View rideLeh · Hemis · Thiksey · Alchi · Lamayuru
Twin sharing · Festival days included · GST extra
View rideA few of the places we return to again and again.
A long, high lake that shifts from turquoise to deep blue through the day, freezing solid in winter.
Sand dunes, double-humped camels and the Balti village of Turtuk among apricot orchards.
A herding village and observatory under some of the darkest skies in Asia.
A remote lake ringed by mountains, with herders' camps along its shores.
One of Ladakh's oldest monasteries, perched above eroded 'moonland' hills.
A village of orchards and an 11th-century temple complex with remarkable murals.
Conditions vary from year to year — we check roads and weather before every departure.
Fully supported treks with local guides and crews.
Barley fields, village homestays and the crossing of Kongmaru La.
Low passes between apricot villages, with nights in family homes.
At least seven days for Leh, Nubra and Pangong; ten to fourteen if you'd like to add the Changthang lakes or Zanskar.
Please don't. Spend at least two nights resting in Leh first — going high too fast is the most common cause of altitude sickness here.
Yes, for Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri, Hanle and other border areas. We apply for them once we have copies of your ID.
Often, yes — with a gentle itinerary and full acclimatisation. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should speak to a doctor before travelling.
Tell us your dates and interests and we'll suggest a route that suits the season and your pace.
