Leh

Getting to Leh

1. 01
   Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport
2. 02
   Leh Bus Terminal

   The Leh bus station is chaotic and poorly organised.

Worth seeing

For such a historic site and popular tourist destination, Leh has surprisingly few tourist sights (though a great number more are accessible as day trips):

1. 01
   Donkey Sanctuary

   Just off the road leading to Khardung-La.

2. 02
   Shanti Stupa
3. 03
   Leh Palace

   Many use Leh as a base to visit the numerous gompas, the Buddhist monasteries of Ladakh.

4. 04
   Karma Dupgyud Choeling

   Not much to see here, unless you are interested in Buddhism, but it is opposite the street of one of the Dalai Lama residencies.

5. 05
   Namgyal Tsemo Gompa
6. 06
   Soma Monastery

   Just around the corner from Main Bazaar, it's a large modern gompa.

Things to do

White-water rafting – On the Zaskar and Indus rivers, and their steep gorges. The Indus rafting route from Nimmu towards the Pakistani border has rapids of increasing severity of grades of 4, 4+, and 5; the latter two grades being not for the faint of heart. Yak and Camel safari – Explore the town and its surroundings. Skiing and Cycling – On routes such as Panikhar to Kanji.

1. 01
   Chhamkang Ri

   A 2-hr hike (3 km) with a great view of Leh and the valley.

2. 02
   Unnamed Peak

   Another 2-hr hike, which give you a view of the airport of Leh, the valley, and the Stok mountain and its range around.

3. 03
   Phyang-Leh

   If you take an early morning bus (8AM?) to Phyang village (3,600 m) in the parallel valley west of Leh, this trail leads you by the Gyamche La Pass and back into Leh from the north.

4. 04
   Stok Gompa Hike

   This is an easy full day hike of 12 km (loop) going from 3,500–3,950 m just west of Stok.

5. 05
   Stok

   12.5 km (one-way), 1,200 m altitude gain—it's the pass that leads to Markha Valley.

6. 06
   Stok Kangri

   A proper mountain for a 2-3 days hike from Stok.

Where to eat

Main Bazaar has a few sweet shops selling samosas, chana dhal with puri, and other Indian food in addition to the sweets. However, they are ridiculously overpriced, as are the German bakeries, which sell stale pastries. The shopping areas of the old town and the area around the bus station are good for Tibetan styled restaurants, although few offer more than thukpa (noodle soup) and momos (dumplings).

1. 01
   Zomsa Restaurant

   Inexpensive mutton chowmein, tupka and momos.

2. 02
   National Restaurant

   Another mutton place popular with locals serving thali style dishes and chai.

3. 03
   Gurudwara

   As everywhere in India, the Gurudwara serves mostly rice and dal throughout the day, but often chai is served as well.

4. 04
   Gurudwara Pathar Sahib

   This Gurudwara has one of the better Langars in India, delicious curry with Pakora or tofu.

Getting around Leh the local way

Everything in Leh runs through two systems: the Ladakh Taxi Union rate card, which fixes every fare and keeps app cabs and non-Ladakh vehicles out, and a thin grid of government village buses that reach Nubra and Pangong two or three mornings a week. Roads in from Manali and Srinagar open around late May and shut in October, and for the rest of the year the only way in is the plane.

1. 01
   Ladakh Taxi Union taxiprivate hire

   Leh town, airport, and every sightseeing route in Ladakh (Khardung La, Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri)

   Where

   Taxi stands on Main Bazaar and near the post office, plus the airport prepaid counter. Ask any stand for the printed union rate booklet, which lists every route; Wikivoyage says the fare booklet costs about ₹20. Rates are not negotiable and the same card applies whether you book through a hotel, an agency or a driver directly.

   When

   On demand, all day. Most multi-day hires leave Leh between 06:00 and 09:00

   Fare (2025)

   Airport to town centre ₹550 prepaid. Union card rates in the Innova/XUV column: Nubra 2 days ₹11,807, Pangong 1 day ₹10,470, Pangong 2 days ₹12,464, Tso Moriri 2 days ₹14,276. The Khardung La day return is priced by vehicle class instead, ₹2,541 for a Sumo or Eeco up to ₹3,097 for an Innova Crysta, with the Innova/XUV class at ₹2,816. These are whole-vehicle prices, not per seat, and a tempo traveller is a separate higher column

   Takes

   Airport to town about 15 minutes; Nubra or Pangong is a full day each way

   Season

   Year-round in Leh town. Khardung La, Chang La and the Pangong and Nubra roads are cleared through most of the year but close for days after snowfall

   Booking

   No app. Ola and Uber do not operate anywhere in Ladakh, and taxis registered outside Ladakh, including self-drive rentals brought over from Manali or Srinagar, may drop you in Leh but may not do sightseeing to Khardung La, Nubra, Turtuk, Pangong, Chang La, Tso Moriri or Hanle. Book at a stand, through your guesthouse, or through a Leh agency.

   Sources: discoverwithdheeraj.com (2025) · discoverlehladakh.in (2024-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · confidence high

2. 02
   Seat in a shared taxi to Nubra and Pangongshare taxi

   Leh to Diskit and Hunder via Khardung La; Leh to Spangmik and Merak via Chang La; often the two joined as a three-day loop

   Where

   The union rate is per vehicle, so travellers split it. Agencies on Changspa Lane and the Main Bazaar keep lists of people looking for seats and post notices on cafe and hostel boards; ask a day or two ahead. For Nubra you can also find drivers directly the evening before at the east end of the polo ground, the taxi stand near the post office, and the bus station at Mane Tselding. Pangong groups are usually easier to join through an agency than off the street.

   When

   Daily in season once a group of five or six fills a vehicle; Tso Moriri and Tso Kar groups form roughly every other day

   Fare (2026)

   Roughly ₹1,800–2,200 per seat one way on the main routes. Packaged shared departures quoted about ₹2,950 per person for a Leh–Nubra–Leh run and about ₹6,000 for Leh–Nubra–Pangong–Leh

   Takes

   Leh to Diskit 5–6 hours; Leh to Spangmik 6–7 hours

   Season

   Mid-May to early October is when groups fill quickly. Outside that you will usually have to pay for the whole vehicle

   Booking

   Walk into an agency the day before. You need the Ladakh environment and wildlife permit for Nubra and Pangong, bought online at lahdclehpermit.in or at the DC office in Leh; foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit arranged through a registered Leh agent

   Sources: ancienttracks.com (2026) · himalayanshepherd.in (2026) · lahdclehpermit.in (2025) · confidence medium

3. 03
   Village bus to Nubra valleyminibus

   Leh to Diskit, Hunder and Skuroo, Turtuk, Sumur and Charasa, Panamik, Tongsted, all over Khardung La

   Where

   Leh Bus Stand, the northern local section. The printed board at the stand is the real timetable; buy the ticket at the counter the evening before because seats sell out. There is no online booking.

   When

   Diskit Tue, Thu, Sat; Skuroo via Hunder Tue and Thu; Turtuk Sat; Charasa via Sumur Sat; Panamik Tue. Departures 06:00–08:00. The bus that reaches Nubra returns the following morning, so this is a two-night trip minimum

   Fare (2026)

   Diskit ₹200, Skuroo ₹256, Charasa ₹282, Panamik ₹287, Turtuk ₹316. A separate 2026 listing gives Charasa ₹363 and Tongsted ₹370, so check the board

   Takes

   6–7 hours to Diskit

   Season

   Roughly April to October. Khardung La closes for a day or two after heavy snow and the service stops with it

   Booking

   Counter at Leh Bus Stand only. Carry the environment and wildlife permit for Nubra

   Sources: discoverwithdheeraj.com (2026) · lifeontheplanetladakh.com (2026-08) · vargiskhan.com (2024) · confidence medium

4. 04
   Village bus to Pangong Tso and Changthangminibus

   Leh to Tangtse, Lukung, Spangmik, Man and Merak over Chang La; separate buses to Chushul, Hanle, Koyul and Korzok on Tso Moriri

   Where

   Same northern local section of Leh Bus Stand. These are village buses carrying Changthang residents, not tourist coaches; they stop everywhere and there is no fixed tourist stop at the lake, so tell the conductor which hamlet you want.

   When

   Pangong (Spangmik) Sat and Sun at 06:00 on the most recently updated source; Chushul Wed; Hanle Wed and Sat at 08:00; Koyul Tue at 08:00; Korzok on Tso Moriri on the 10th, 20th and 30th of the month at 06:30. Buses turn around the next morning. Older listings give different days, so check the board at the stand

   Fare (2026)

   Pangong/Spangmik ₹270–348, Tangtse ₹186, Chushul ₹394–410, Hanle ₹492–633, Koyul ₹610, Korzok on Tso Moriri ₹370

   Takes

   7–8 hours Leh to Spangmik; 2 days to Hanle in practice

   Season

   Runs year-round on paper. Chang La closes after snowfall and the Changthang routes are the first to be cut

   Booking

   Counter at Leh Bus Stand, the evening before. Permit required for all of these

   Sources: discoverwithdheeraj.com (2026-07) · lifeontheplanetladakh.com (2026-08) · vargiskhan.com (2024) · confidence medium

5. 05
   Manali – Leh HRTC bus and HPTDC coachminibus

   Manali to Leh, 473 km via the Atal Tunnel, Keylong, Baralacha La, Sarchu, Pang and Tanglang La

   Where

   HRTC leaves from Manali bus stand; the HPTDC tourist coach leaves from the HPTDC office on The Mall, Manali (+91-1902-253531). In Leh both use the western and northern sections of Leh Bus Stand. HRTC's direct run is a single 13–14 hour day; the cheaper option is to take the Manali–Keylong bus and pick up the Keylong–Leh bus the next morning at 05:00, which is sold at the Keylong counter only.

   When

   HRTC direct from about 04:00, daily in season; Manali–Keylong around 08:00; HPTDC coach 10:00–11:00 with an overnight halt, returning from Leh at 05:00

   Fare (2026)

   HRTC direct ₹833–900. Split ticket: Manali–Keylong ₹150–174 plus Keylong–Leh ₹550–800. HPTDC coach ₹2,900 including dormitory bed, dinner and breakfast at Hotel Chandrabhaga in Keylong

   Takes

   HRTC direct 13–14 hours; the two-day versions overnight at Keylong

   Season

   HRTC roughly June to September or October; HPTDC July to September. As a guide to when the road opens, BRO began clearing the Darcha–Sarchu stretch on 21 March 2025, broke through for emergency traffic by 5 May and finished on 10 May 2025. It shuts again with the first heavy snow on Baralacha La, usually in October

   Booking

   HRTC online at online.hrtchp.com, sixty days ahead, but the Keylong leg is counter only. HPTDC through its own offices

   Sources: discoverwithdheeraj.com (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · voiceofladakh.in (2025-05) · confidence medium

6. 06
   Manali – Leh shared taxi or tempo travellershare taxi

   Manali to Leh in one push, or with a night at Jispa, Sarchu or Keylong

   Where

   Manali taxi stand, where drivers collect passengers for the overnight run, and guesthouses in Old Manali and Vashisht that sell seats. Book the day before in July and August. Wikivoyage warns against taking the boot seat in a 4WD and recommends a front seat.

   When

   Daily in season, leaving Manali late afternoon or very early morning and running through the night

   Fare (2025)

   About ₹2,000–2,500 per seat by shared taxi. Tempo traveller seat prices on this route were not found published anywhere

   Takes

   About 14 hours non-stop by shared taxi; 18–20 hours is common in practice. Two days with a halt

   Season

   Late May or June to early October only

   Booking

   On the spot at the Manali taxi stand, or through a guesthouse. No permit needed for the highway itself, but you need the Ladakh permit before going on to Nubra or Pangong

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · vargiskhan.com (2025) · vargiskhan.com (2025) · confidence medium

7. 07
   Srinagar and Kargil bus, and the Kargil Sumo relayminibus

   Leh to Kargil and Srinagar, 434 km over Fotu La and Zoji La

   Where

   Western section of Leh Bus Stand for the state bus; the Sumo share taxis use the #1 taxi stand. The relay version is a seat in a Sumo to Kargil, a night there, then a second seat on to Srinagar or Leh. Wikivoyage is blunt that this is more trouble than it is worth and that Kargil rooms are poor value.

   When

   Bus daily at 14:00 in both directions; Sumos leave in the morning when full

   Fare (2026)

   Leh–Srinagar ₹980 on the SIDCO schedule, the same figure a traveller paid in 2023. JKRTC's own fare table varies by coach type, from ₹638 semi-deluxe to ₹1,076 for higher categories, so ask which service you are buying. Sumo seat Srinagar–Kargil about ₹500 and Kargil–Leh about ₹400. No separate Leh–Kargil bus fare was found published

   Takes

   Two days with a night in Kargil; the bus reaches Kargil the same afternoon

   Season

   Zoji La is the obstacle on this side and the through service runs roughly June to mid-October. No source was found giving the pass's usual opening date, so do not plan a shoulder-season crossing on it

   Booking

   Counter at Leh Bus Stand or Srinagar's TRC. No advance online sale

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · lifeontheplanetladakh.com (2026-08) · confidence medium

8. 08
   Truck and pickup liftshitchhiking

   Anywhere along the Indus valley and the Nubra and Changthang roads

   Where

   Walk out past the last houses on the road you want and flag down trucks and pickups. It works best on stretches with local traffic between villages rather than on the tourist runs, where drivers are already carrying paying passengers. Wikivoyage's Leh article recommends buses and hitchhiking as the way to see Ladakh on your own.

   When

   Whenever there is traffic; thin on the Changthang and Nubra roads outside the season

   Fare (2026)

   Truck drivers usually expect about half the bus fare, and it can be haggled down; short hops are often free

   Takes

   Unpredictable

   Season

   Year-round on the Indus valley road; only when the passes are open elsewhere

   Booking

   none

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026) · confidence medium

Not yet confirmed: The Ladakh Taxi Union's own site (ladakhtaxiunion.com/rate list.html) would not resolve on any attempt, so it is not cited here. The 2025–26 figures come from operators reproducing the card. Ask for the printed booklet at any Leh stand to confirm.; No published fare was found for the Leh–Kargil leg on its own, as opposed to the through Leh–Srinagar fare. Ask at the Leh Bus Stand counter.; Zoji La's usual opening date could not be sourced. Claims that it clears in February or March appear in general travel writing but not in any BRO or administration notice found, and the through bus season is the safer guide.; Per-seat prices for a tempo traveller seat on the Manali–Leh run are not published by any operator found; only whole-vehicle tempo rates appear on the Ladakh union card.; Leh Bus Stand's board changes every season and no operator publishes it online. Days and times for Nubra, Pangong, Hanle and Korzok should be checked at the stand a day or two before travel; two recent sources disagree on the Nubra departure time (06:00 versus 08:00), on Charasa's fare, and on whether the Pangong bus runs at weekends only or on alternate days. The weekend-only version is from the more recently updated page and is what is given here.; It is not clear whether the Nubra and Changthang village buses are run by the Ladakh UT transport department, by SIDCO, or by a bus operators' cooperative; tickets and boards still carry JKSRTC branding. No official Ladakh administration timetable page was found.; No official notification was found stating that app-based cabs are barred in Ladakh. Every source says Ola and Uber simply do not operate there and that the union enforces fixed rates, but the legal basis was not confirmed.; LAMO in Leh is the Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation, a cultural centre, not a bus operator. No transport service of that name was found.; Exact per-seat prices for shared Nubra and Pangong departures vary by agency and were not confirmed against a published rate; treat the ₹1,800–2,200 range as indicative. The TripAdvisor forum thread it came from could not be reopened, so it is no longer cited.; Pass opening and closing dates change every year. Check the Ladakh administration and BRO notices at leh.nic.in before planning around May or October travel..

The field note on Leh reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.