Travel to Ladakh, Ladakh Travel, Ladakh Travel Tips

Best time to visit Ladakh
Ladakh is open for tourist throughout the year, while the best period for tour and trek is from June to October. Most of the trekking routes are closed after November due to heavy snowfall at high passes except the Liker to Kahltsey (Sham) trek. The best period for Chadar trek is from January to Mid-March.

Clothing in Ladakh
In Zanskar, the days are pretty warm and hot and the evenings are quite chilly thus requiring additional clothing. It is advisable to be prepared for this situation with shirt and shorts during the daytime and Jacket and pullover in the evening. While trekking above 4000 m, you need warm cloth. Sometimes there is a rain or snow in early June therefore you need Wind sheeter or raincoat. Other essential items include a good sleeping bag, and a pair of woolen socks or some thick cotton socks. Good

Travel to Ladakh

waterproof shoes are needed while trekking and extra pair of shoes and Sandal is always handy. It is also essential to bring a quality tent or a warm sleeping Bag if the intention is to travel or trek around on your own, and a good quality rucksack for back packing. It is also important to carry your provisions from Srinagar or Kargil, if a longer tour of the adjoining villages is intended.

Climate in Ladakh
In Summers from June to September, the temperature is about 30 degree Celsius and in late December and January it is about minus 20 degree Celsius. Annual rainfall is 6 mm. Zanskar experiences drastic fluctuations in the daily temperature even during the height of summer. While the days are pretty warm, even hot at times due to the desertic effect, the evenings can become quite chilly thus requiring additional clothing.

Permit and Passport in Ladakh
Tourist don't require permit for Leh. However, all foreign tourists are required to register at Drass, Rumtse and Sarchu if they are traveling by road. Those traveling by air get themselves registered at the airport. The tourist are required to get a permit for restricted areas like Tsomoriri, Tsokar, Pangong Lake, Dhahanu and Nubra Valley, which can be obtained through registered

travel agencies. Make sure to carry six photocopies of the permit while traveling, to submit at the Checking points.

Credit Cards in Ladakh
Credit Cards are not accepted by most of the hotels and travel agents except some antique shops.

Post and Telecommunication in Ladakh
Telephone, Fax and post facilities are available in Leh, Padum, Kargil and Nubra valley. Kargil has world wide direct dialing telephone facility, besides post and telegraph offices. In addition J&K Tourism operates its own wireless Radio phone network with field stations at Kargil, Padum and Leh which are connected with controlling stations at Srinagar, Delhi and Jammu. During the tourist season mobile wireless stations are also established in key places in the remote areas.

Internet Services in Ladakh
Internet, Email services are available in Leh only.

Banks in Ladakh
The State bank of India (with money changing facility) and J&K bank have a branch each in Kargil.

Health Facilities in Ladakh
The District hospital in Kargil is fairly well equipped and staffed with a team of specialist and general practitioners. In

addition there are Medical Dispensaries at Drass, Mulbek, Trespone, Sankoo, Panikhar and Padum each headed by a qualified doctor and equipped with basic health care paraphernalia.

Precautions while Travelling in Ladakh
Acute mountain sickness can occur to any one at an altitude above 10,000 ft. from the sea level. The most common symptoms of acute mountain sickness are headache, disturb sleep, loss of appetite, nausea, cough, irregular breathing, breathlessness, and lack of concentration. Since Leh Town is situated at an altitude of 11,500 ft. above sea level, it is advisable to take the following precautions, so as to acclimatize your body properly.

1. Take complete rest for the first 36 hours of your arrival at Leh. However, this period may vary with different people.

2. Your body should get used to the lower oxygen levels.

3. In case you develop any of the above-mentioned symptoms, please consult a Doctor.

Tourists undertaking mountaineering and trekking in Ladakh should take some precautions. There is no private aerial rescue agency in Ladakh and only as a life saving measure; engaging the Indian Air Force help in evacuation.

Do's and Don'ts
Photograhy
Take permission before you click a photograph of any one. Don't take photo if they ask for money.

Water purification:
Take water purification piles with you. And you can use boiled fresh water during the trek. Dzomsa Laundry sells high pressure boiled water for Rs.7 per liter. Bring you own water container.

Plastic Bags:
Do not use plastic bag since plastic is officially banned in Ladakh. Always separate and properly dispose off litter burns burnable, bury biodegradable materials while trekking.

National Parks:
Don't disturb wild life during the trek. Be aware of the highly sensitive ecology and the economy of the geographical and cultural landscape.

Trekking in Ladakh
The Tourist office in Ladakh regularly updates its store of information on the region. Tourists undertaking mountaineering expedition on hard and difficult routes are well advised to inform the Tourist Office at Kargil about their routes and proposed program so as to monitor their welfare.