Ladakh is popularly known as ''The land of Numerous Passes', 'The Land of Mystic Lamas', 'The Broken Moon', and 'The Last Shangri-La'.
It is a land like no other. Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges: the Greater Himalaya and the Karakoram, it lies between two others: the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range. Leh, Ladakh's largest town and administrative centre, is located in the northernmost part of India some seven kilometers from the Indus River and its extensive valley. It is a favourite tourist destination with a wide range of shopping opportunities, including many antique stores.
Cradled amidst the snow-covered ridges and peaks of the Great Himalayas, Leh lies at the crossroads of the ancient trading routes between Kashmir, Tibet, Central Asia and the Indian Plains. Moreover, Leh has been a Buddhist centre since at least the 3rd century AD |