"Leh La Daeng" - a name that resonates with many, a place that beckons to be explored. For countless individuals, it stands as a must-visit destination, a dream to be realized before life's journey ends. And I, too, find myself drawn to its allure.

Leh is one of the most worthwhile places to visit. If you don't go, you'll regret it! Some of the highlights of this place include the most beautiful view from an airplane (book a seat on the left side only), the coldest weather, the most stunning and natural scenery, even on the roadside. However, despite all these superlatives, the bathrooms here offer the most beautiful view but are also the most ***.

This 10-day, 9-night trip is a leisurely itinerary that allows ample time to explore the main attractions.

Day 1:

• Take an overnight flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Delhi.
• Connect to a morning flight from Delhi to Leh, arriving around 7 am.
• Visit Leh Palace.
• Explore Namgyal Tsemo Monastery.

Day 2: Southern City Tour

• Stakna Monastery
• Hemis Museum
• Matho Monastery
• Stok Museum

Day 3: Travel to Nubra Valley and spend the night. l The world's highest road l Diskit Gompa l Hunder Sand Dunes for camel riding

Day 4: Turtuk Village

Day 5: Return to the city and visit Samstanling Monastery.

Day 6: Exploring the Enchanting Environs of Basgo Gompa, Alchi Monastery, and Spituk

This itinerary takes you on a captivating journey through the cultural and historical treasures surrounding Leh.

• Basgo Gompa: Nestled amidst the picturesque landscape, Basgo Gompa is an ancient monastery renowned for its towering whitewashed structure and intricate murals.
• Alchi Monastery: Step back in time at the Alchi Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where centuries-old frescoes and sculptures narrate tales of Buddhist mythology.
• Spituk Monastery: Perched atop a hill, Spituk Monastery offers breathtaking views of the Indus Valley and houses a fascinating collection of religious artifacts.

Prepare to be captivated by the rich history, stunning architecture, and serene atmosphere of these remarkable landmarks.

Day 7: Visit Pangong Lake and Thiksey Monastery with an overnight stay at Pangong.

Day 8: Return to the city and visit Takthok Monastery, Chemrey Monastery, and Shey Palace.

Day 9: City Tour

Day 10: Return flight

This is a great, easy-going plan that won't leave you feeling overwhelmed or exhausted. If you're thinking about heading to Leh, feel free to adapt this plan to your own needs.

The following information is essential for anyone planning a trip to Leh. While it may be lengthy, we encourage you to read it carefully.

• Flight booking -

We booked a Thai Airways flight to Delhi and then a Jet Airways flight to Leh. The advice for boarding the plane is to be prepared with inhalers, lozenges, balm, or a nose mask because the smell of guests is present from the moment you enter the gate. As for the Jet Airways connecting flight, from our research, there are frequent flight cancellations and overbookings. To avoid wasting time, we should check in online and choose our seats in advance, which can be done 24 hours before the flight. For our trip, our flight was moved up and we checked in online because we were afraid of not being able to fly. However, when we arrived in Leh, our luggage was delayed by one day. There were 8 of us, but only 2 people received their luggage. Therefore, what we can do is to purchase travel insurance and keep receipts if we need to buy personal items on that day.

- Visa application -

We learned from this link http://www.scratchdaworld.com/?p=1107 that the information is quite complete. And now the visa price has increased to 4000 baht, which is quite brutal.

The photo shop recommends the photocopying shop in front, which is Double A. The shop is located just before the visa building. You will have to walk past it anyway. It's a simple photo shoot using a mobile phone camera.

The backdrop was a futuristic board, but the photos turned out great and were delivered quickly!

• Medicine -

A crucial aspect of visiting Leh is taking Diamox, a medication that should be consumed a day before arrival. This drug functions as a pressure regulator, essential due to Leh's high altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level. Some tourist destinations reach even greater heights of 5,000 meters, where oxygen levels are significantly reduced. Neglecting Diamox can lead to dizziness, headaches, and shortness of breath, potentially requiring hospitalization for oxygen administration. However, Diamox does come with side effects, including frequent urination, potential fingertip numbness, and altered taste perception.

Other medications you should bring include motion sickness medication, anti-diarrheal medication, paracetamol, allergy medication, and any medications for pre-existing conditions.

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• Items to bring -

1. Medicine

2. Face mask, because there will be a lot of dust.

3. Sunglasses are essential, especially at high altitudes with snow, as the sun's glare is intensified by reflection.

4. Dried food: Crispy fish, shredded pork, pork slices, small portable chili paste from 7-Eleven, or instant noodles are all excellent choices. This is because most of the food will be vegetarian, and meat is very difficult to find, and all of it will be chicken.

5. Sunscreen is a must, even in cold weather, as the sun's rays are still strong.

6. Skin creams, facial creams, body creams, and lip balms are all essential. You can also buy them in the city from the Himalaya brand, which is inexpensive and excellent. It's worth buying for yourself or as a gift.

8. Dry and wet wipes are essential for bathroom use. Women, in particular, should have wipes specifically designed for their intimate areas. These wipes are a lifesaver and will be used frequently.

9. Tupperware for storing food and bread, a lifesaver in times of need.

10. Essential oil inhaler: Effective for relieving car sickness and unpleasant odors.

11. A thermos flask is essential because the water we buy or have will become cold as the weather gets colder. Keeping warm water in a thermos is highly recommended.

• Must-buy souvenirs -

Most of them are affordable, handmade, and incredibly beautiful. You could easily spend all your money on them. Here are some of my recommendations:

1. The magic flags come in various sizes, dimensions, and prices. We once encountered a tiny one, the cheapest at 25 rupees. It was incredibly inexpensive.

2. There is a wide variety of fabrics available, with different styles, patterns, and prices. They are all beautiful.

3. Affordable handmade bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

4. Himalaya moisturizing cream and lip balm

5. Leather goods, including bags and notebook covers, are all beautiful and have unique designs.

6. Dalai Lama's quotes for home decoration

• Food -

The majority of the food is vegetarian, with up to 80% consisting of dried food. Essential survival meals include fried rice and fried noodles, known as "showmien," or "maggie" if they are Indian instant noodles.

In urban areas, the food scene becomes more diverse, with Italian cuisine being particularly abundant. Pizzerias are ubiquitous, and the quality of the pizza is consistently high, especially the dough. This is likely due to India's expertise in making naan and roti, which translates well to pizza dough.

The recommended drink is Honey Ginger.

The lemon tea has a sweet and sour taste, with a hint of honey and ginger. It is a refreshing drink that is perfect for a hot day. Some shops may not have lemon, but they will still have ginger tea available.

A must-try is definitely the naan bread and curry, with an incredibly wide variety to choose from.

• Total cost -

The more people there are, the cheaper it is to share the cost. When we went for ten days, we spent 40,000 baht. If we hadn't shopped so much, we would have spent less. But the stuff here is so tempting! Whoever said there's nothing to buy in India is wrong.

• Time and temperature -

The time in India is 1.5 hours behind Thailand. The temperature is around 5 degrees cooler, but the sun is very strong (especially in early May). Internet access is very limited, and only Line works reliably. If you want to use Facebook or Instagram, you'll need to use a VPN.

*** The most important thing when you arrive is to take it easy on the first day and let your body adjust to the altitude, as you will tire easily and may experience shortness of breath. It is also important to sip water frequently. ***

Let's go on a trip if you're ready! ^^

Let's show off our dipping sauces first, shall we?

This trip, I drew many pictures, but I will show you the ones I like the most first, starting with:

• Top left: Stok Monastery

- Bottom left: Delicious food and adorable animals on the trip

- Top right: Thiksey Monastery

• Lower right: Turtuk Village

For those who enjoy our drawings and photographs, please follow us here: https://www.facebook.com/theforgetfulman/

Let's begin with a drawing. ^ ^

A breathtaking view from the airplane (recommended to sit on the left side).

The accommodation was freezing, but the delicious cookies and tea helped to warm us up. We enjoyed them every day.

After this, we will sleep for about 4 hours to allow our bodies to adjust, and then we will wake up to explore the city.

After a good night's sleep, we decided to do some drawing. This is the view from our accommodation.

After a nap, it's time to refuel and recharge.

This bowl contains stir-fried vegetarian noodles, a staple dish served at every meal here.

This bowl is a vegetarian stir-fried rice, a staple dish here as well.

After lunch, we headed straight to our first destination.

Leh Palace

Cityscape of Leh from Leh Palace

The view of Leh city from Leh Palace, surrounded by mountains.

Namgyal Tsemo Monastery

Another photo with perfect timing.

A distant view of the Namgyal Tsemo Monastery. The light is incredibly beautiful. I spoke with a Westerner who was also taking photos nearby.

They said they came to wait for the evening light specifically to capture this angle. It's so beautiful that they want everyone to see it with their own eyes.

The last Shanti Stupa of the day.

After returning home and falling asleep quickly yesterday, I woke up early today to draw the accommodation. The left side shows the patterns that are often found on every house.

The view is stunning and can be enjoyed at all times. On the right side is our accommodation, Padma Guesthouse.

Excellent service, affordable price, walking distance to the city center market. Highly recommended.

A photo of flowers taken at the accommodation, which look very similar to cherry blossoms. Does anyone know what kind of flowers they are? Please let me know.

After a delicious meal and completing our artwork, we will embark on a captivating tour of the city.

First, let's pay our respects at the temple.

I like this picture.

Stok Monastery

A colossal statue of Maitreya Buddha stands near Stok Monastery.

Matho Monastery

After a crazy tour, we are starving. Today's meal will be the usual vegetarian fried rice, or maybe noodles.

Hemis Monastery

This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, and it has been beautifully restored.

Hemis Museum: The dogs here are quite funny.

Collection of the Hemis Museum

Next, we stopped by Stakna Monastery. The view from the road was breathtaking.

A view from above Stakna Monastery. The water is incredibly blue. This photo was taken after the tour was finished.

We will head back to the city for some shopping and dinner, but we will include that in the final day's summary.

We've spent the last two days acclimating to the climate. Next, we're heading to the highest road! Let's go!

The next day, we went to Nubra Valley. The road here is the most thrilling, the most beautiful, the most prone to motion sickness, and the most terrifying!

We were stuck at the border crossing for over an hour. We didn't realize we had to arrive before noon.

We had a lot of fun exploring and taking pictures here. If you're planning to visit Nubra Valley, I recommend leaving early in the morning.

One of my favorite photos from this trip was taken at a border shop.

Let's take a quick photo before crossing the border. The sky is incredibly blue, the sun is strong, but it's also surprisingly cold. It's quite a confusing combination.

Roadside view

The highest road sign, let's take a souvenir photo.

Stop for lunch at a rest stop where everyone must stop. The food is very cheap and the view is as beautiful as ever.

Surroundings

Like : )

After that, we stopped by several places before finally arriving at Diskit Gompa.

The surrounding view is breathtaking.

Diskit Gompa

We have arrived! Let's take a look inside.

Lob Sang, our driver, drove very well. We were very impressed.

Take a picture with the car.

Our next stop, after taking some memorable photos, will be the most significant destination of the day.

Seeing the desert means we're about to meet the camels!

Hunder Sand Dunes

Come find me.

Next, we have drawings of the children. Haha.

Mission accomplished for the day. We found the U-shaped valley. Time to head back and rest. Tonight, we'll be staying in Nubra.

The view from the Nubra accommodation is so stunning, words fail to describe it. This is the view from Leh Ladakh!

Crossing the bridge from Nubra to Turtuk village takes you directly to the India-Pakistan border.

The route will take you past numerous mountains, military camps, and checkpoints. Remember to bring your passport with you.

Turtuk village

The first impression upon entering the village is its pristine beauty. The water delivery system and the use of natural materials in the buildings are particularly noteworthy. The walls are made of stone, while the beams are made of wooden logs. In more modern houses, concrete pillars are used, but the walls remain stone, preserving a classic aesthetic. The narrow pathways and the water channels that run alongside them are charming, but it's easy to get lost while taking photos. Another interesting feature is the stone walls used for fences and terraced rice paddies, which are arranged beautifully.

After walking through the community houses for a while, we came across the monastery, which is located very high up. With the strong sun, it is a good idea to bring a cloth that can be wrapped around your neck or head. By the time we reached the top, we were quite out of breath, perhaps because of the altitude that we had not yet adjusted to. However, the view that we saw was truly amazing, making it worth the tiring climb.

The food remains the same.

There is curry.

This Honey Lemon is good.

After resting and recovering from our fatigue, we continued on to the museum. We had to walk back to the bridge we crossed and pass through the community to reach our destination. It was actually a palace that had been partially destroyed, but the descendants had been taking care of it for many generations. The person who explained it to us was also a descendant of this family.

This provides us with insights into the history and events that have shaped this place, making it a captivating subject of exploration.

Along the way

I met a cute dog on the way and took photos of it until I got lost from my friends.

I want to draw a picture of the village to keep as a souvenir. This is my favorite picture from the trip. I really enjoyed my time here.

Initially, I planned to return to my accommodation. However, I had ample time remaining, so the driver suggested visiting a nearby show.

For 100 rupees, you can see all 5 songs in the show.

After the show, we went to see the camels again. The driver was very kind.

Negotiate with the gatekeeper to allow us free entry, as we entered yesterday but had to leave shortly due to the approaching darkness.

This time, I was able to take pictures to my heart's content and even ride a camel. The price was very reasonable, only 100 rupees!

It's time for us to leave Nubra Valley now. This is what the journey will be like.

On the way back, we encountered an avalanche.

The journey felt like we were soaring through the sky.

Visit Samstanling Monastery.

Crossing the world's highest road again, this time I've acclimated and stopped for a cup of tea.

After crossing the world's highest road again, this time I was able to adjust and stopped for a cup of tea.

After finishing, we returned to the city to walk around and then died in our sleep.

Our Nubra Valley is as beautiful as this, but this trip is not over yet. Stay tuned for more!^^

Day 6 of the trip. This is the place we wanted to see the most.

The confluence of two rivers, the Indus and the Zanskar, is depicted in the image, with contrasting hues of blue and brown.

However, ours is a light and dark brown, and they say that if you want to see the two colors like that, you have to come during the winter.

The melting ice caused the water to turn brown.

Basgo Gompa

We stopped for lunch in front of Alchi Monastery. I really liked this restaurant because the menu was very unique.

Indescribably delicious, I want to eat it again and again.

The child is very cute.

Take a picture.

Alchi Monastery

Spituk Gompa before returning

View from Spituk Gompa

Today, we will have a less strenuous journey, giving us a chance to rest before tomorrow's long travel day.

The journey to the third highest road was breathtaking. The scenery was so captivating that no one dared to sleep in the car. However, two people mysteriously disappeared along the way. What happened to them remains a mystery.

Today, we will go to the place we most wanted to visit on this trip, Pangong! But first, let's stop by to buy some fruits.

Thiksey Monastery

Among the restored sites, this one is particularly beautiful and vast, possibly the largest among the temples and palaces.

The Thiksay Monastery: A Hidden Gem in Ladakh

Our journey began with a slightly delayed departure from our accommodation. Our first stop was the Thiksay Monastery, and upon first glance, we were captivated even before stepping inside. The monastery's buildings cascaded down the mountainside, offering a breathtaking sight.

For a mere 30 rupees per person, we entered the monastery and were greeted by a colossal Buddha statue and a chamber housing numerous Buddha figurines. It's important to note that shoes must be removed before entering each chamber. The intricate pathways within the monastery added to the experience, making it a delightful exploration.

The Thiksay Monastery has undergone extensive restoration, resulting in its current state of remarkable beauty and grandeur.

The Buddha statue is very large.

This is the ultimate bathroom experience. The view is incredible, and it's only for men! There's nothing quite like taking care of business while enjoying the scenery.

After visiting the highest road, we warped to the third highest road.

Where is the second place? Can someone tell me? When we came here, there were relatively few people.

The scenery along the way is breathtaking, but the road is challenging. If you are prone to motion sickness, be prepared.

The highlight for us was the abundance of animals we saw along the way, including horses, sheep, goats, and wombats. They were incredibly adorable!

Finding it was quite challenging. Along the way, you'll encounter what appears to be a meadow with adorable little streams.

Everything here is so adorable.

The scenery is so beautiful that I can't sleep.

And then we finally arrived at the lake. From afar, the colors were so beautiful, contrasting with the brown mountains. It was truly magnificent.

However, it was already evening when we arrived, so we could only take a few photos. We decided to check into our accommodation for the night.

Donkey or horse, I can't tell. It's very close to my accommodation.

The tents were situated near the lake, reminding me of camping trips, but on a much grander scale.

Pangong Lake is typically accessible only for six months of the year, from April to September. This is because temperatures plummet to -45 degrees Celsius after September, causing the lake to freeze over so solidly that vehicles can drive across it. The extreme cold also necessitates the annual reconstruction of structures on the lake, as the ice erodes them.

Our tent today has amenities as planned. There is no shower because showering is prohibited!

Electricity is available from 7:30 PM to 11:00 AM. Hot water is available in the morning. Bathing is not allowed, and it is important to keep your body warm at all times.

Essential Items for Your Trip:

Wet wipes, cold-weather gear (gloves, socks, hats), and toiletries (soap and shampoo) are crucial for your trip. Remember, there's no heating here, so staying warm is essential. You won't need your usual shower supplies, so leave those at home.

The cold forced me to sit in the common area, as it was the warmest place.

After enduring a night of frigid temperatures and the incessant hum of generators, sleep was elusive.

As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder why I had come to this place. It was freezing cold! But then I woke up to this view, and I knew it was all worth it.

Pangong Lake is stunningly beautiful.

May I take a picture?

In contrast, today we also encountered million-dollar views, which I loved very much.

Ugh!

The bombardier beetle is very difficult to find. When I returned, I realized that I could have gotten closer. At that time, I didn't know, and I was afraid that the beetle would run away, so I zoomed in.

Stopped by Chemrey Monastery before entering the city. It seems like they are in the process of renovation. There are still many wooden archways waiting to be built.

Chemrey Monastery

Takthok Monastery

Shey Palace

View from Shey Palace

And then came our last day.
Honestly, I didn't want to leave. I was so impressed by the beautiful scenery here.
On the other hand, I also wanted to go back and eat stir-fried pork with basil, northern Thai sausage, and papaya salad with grilled chicken.

Today is a light day, let's go shopping in the city.

In the heart of the city, we walk here every day. We love it.

In the heart of the city market, children gather in the late afternoon to play football, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.

There is also a museum.

Our Leh Ladakh trip has come to an end. We visited many great shops that were perfect for buying fabric. : )

Thank you for reading to the end. You can follow us at:

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Stay tuned for our next trip!