Flying over Ladakh and into Leh, from Delhi. Leh airport is one of the highest in India, and the plane lands here at an altitude of approximately 11, 000 feet above sea level. The Delhi-Leh flight is an early morning one, and often the weather is inappropriate for landing at the other end. One can see the short and narrow run-way air-strip from the window, below in the valley. The plane has to make a rapid descent into the valley and quickly decelerate on the runway, as it is very short.
According to http://goindia.about.com :
"In the furthest far flung corner of northern India, in Ladakh near the Indus Valley, lies the town of Leh at 3,505 meters (11,500 feet) above sea level. This remote place has become a popular tourist destination since Ladakh was opened to foreigners in 1974. It's the most beautiful and most common entry point to the Ladakh region.
Bounded by two of the world's largest mountain ranges and surrounded by alpine desert, Leh's dry barren landscape full of historic Buddhist monasteries makes it an incredible sight to behold.
Getting to Leh:
Flights to Leh operate regularly from Delhi. Flights are also available to Leh from Srinagar and Jammu. Alternatively, the roads to Leh are open for a few months of the year, when the snow has melted. The Manali Leh Highway is open from around June to October each year, and the road from Srinagar to Leh is open from June to November. Bus, jeep, and taxi services are all available. The trip takes around 2 days because of the difficult nature of the terrain. If you have the time and are in good health, do travel by road as the scenery is amazing.
When to Visit Leh:
The best time to visit Leh is between May and September, when the weather is the warmest. Ladakh doesn't experience rain like elsewhere in India, so the monsoon season is the perfect time to travel to Leh.
Leh Attractions:
Leh's Buddhist monasteries and historical monuments are the biggest draw for visitors. The most imposing of these is the Shanti Stupa, located just outside the town. In the heart of the town, on top of a steep mountain, the 800 year old Kali Mandir houses a fascinating collection of masks. You can stop to spin a huge prayer wheel on your way there. The 17th century Leh Palace, built in traditional Tibetan style, offers a captivating view of town. South of Leh, Thiksey Monastery is the place for seeing amazing sunsets. The Hemis Gompa is the wealthiest, oldest, and most important monastery in Ladakh.
Leh Adventure Activities:
Nature and adventure lovers will find excellent hiking and para gliding opportunities around Leh. There are also many longer trekking trails to choose from, such as the ones from Likir to Temisgam, and Markha Valley from Spituk. Mountain climbing trips can be booked to peaks such as Stok (20,177 feet), Goleb (19,356 feet), Kangyatse (20,997 feet) and Matho West (19,520) in the Zanskar Mountains. White water rafting is also possible in July and August along the Indus River in the Leh area, as well as the Shayok River in the Nubra Valley, and Zanskar River in Zanskar. The Nubra Valley offers camel safaris as well."
Leh district is world's fourth highest settlement area located in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. With an area spanning about 45110 Sq Km, it is the second largest district in India in terms of area. Leh district comprises of Leh town and 112 inhabited villages with barely 1.17 lakhs in population according to latest census recordings. The district of Leh is subdivided into six blockswith just two assembly constituencies at Nobra and Leh.
Some of the remarkable places you can see in Leh are Tsomoriri lake, The ruined Royal Palace, Shanti Stupa, Leh Mosque and The old town of Leh.
This footage is part of the professionally-shot stock footage archive of Wilderness Films India Ltd., the largest collection of imagery from South Asia. The Wilderness Films India collection comprises of thousands of hours of high quality broadcast imagery, mostly shot on HDCAM 1080i High Definition, HDV and Digital Betacam. Write to us for licensing this footage on a broadcast format, for use in your production! We pride ourselves in bringing the best of India and South Asia to the world...reach us at wfi @ vsnl.com and admin@wildfilmsindia.com.
