Ladakh
Around 2km south of the palace, Stok's small monastery has some crumbling old stupas, but the dominant feature, 200m above, is its huge 21m-tall gilded…
Must-see attractions in Kashmir & Ladakh
Ladakh Rocks & Minerals Museum
Leh
This sweet one-room museum outside Sankar Gompa presents labelled examples of Ladakh's geological curiosities, including a natural lingam (phallic image…
Leh
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa consists of two little 15th-century temple buildings directly beneath the Tsemo Fort ruins. One enshrines an 8m-tall gold-faced…
Srinagar & the Kashmir Valley
This vast, hillside shrine complex is devoted to 15th-century sufi holy man, Zainalabddin Wali. The humid main shrine, accessed by 272 steps, is inside a…
Nubra Valley
The long-abandoned former residence of the kings of Nubra is in an advanced state of ruin, but it offers fine views over the valley, alongside many…
Nubra Valley
In the heart of Turtuk Youl, the Old Mosque's distinctive feature is a wooden minaret with a spiral staircase only partly encased by timber slats. Locals…
Leh
This group of ancient stupas is an old town landmark reached from the northeastern corner of the polo ground. Join the pilgrims on a kora (clockwise walk)…
Srinagar
This beautifully proportioned if uncoloured 17th-century shrine was built in Himachal Pradesh style, with alternating layers of wood and brick to…
Ladakh
The extensive ruins of Sakti's old stone dzong (fortress) add a touch of intrigue to the landscape as you drive past en route to the Chang La and Pangong…
Kashmir & Ladakh
While not exactly a major attraction, this typical Buddhist nunnery gives day trippers an extra destination to head for while wandering through pretty…
Srinagar
Less formal and not quite as busy as many of the older Mughal gardens, the Botanical Gardens have some well-maintained lawns and a wide variety of tree…
Ladakh
Just by the roadside, as you round a sharp corner, a group of five ancient carved Dhyani Buddhas stand carved into the rock, 200m before the palace…
Kashmir & Ladakh
This monastery just behind Padum makes for a nice hour-long (5km) hike from the centre and offers fine views over the valley towards Pibiting and beyond.
Ladakh
Though best known for its cameo role in the popular Bollywood film 3 Idiots, this school of more than 700 students has an interesting campus of prize…
Srinagar
En route to Pari Mahal you'll pass the small Cheshmashahi Garden, folded amid the wooded mountain foothills. Its central feature is a square fountain pool…
Ladakh
Although there are numerous places to gaze at the ever-changing lake-scapes, one particular sand spit enclosing a mini-lagoon draws numerous Indian…
Ladakh
Across from Stok Palace, a short alley leads to the 350-year-old Stok Abagon, the decrepit former home of the royal physician, with a few dusty displays…
Leh
Till the 1950s, this temple was Leh's main Buddhist place of public worship. It features internal murals celebrating the pantheon of 1000 Buddhas, of…
Naagar-Nagar Interpretation Centre
Srinagar
Beside the Makhdoom Ropeway, this empty hall has a few boards explaining the Mughal history of the Hari Parbat ('Naagar-Nagar') walled city.
