Ladakh the land of many passes, of freezing
high barren landcapes lying across the lofty Asian tableland
is among the world's highest inhabited plateaus. This trans-Himalayan
land is a store- house of a myriad culture and religious influences
from India, Tibet and Central Asia.
The early history of Ladakh is woven into its mythology. And
though the famed Chinese wanderer Fa-Hien travelled into its
terrain as long back as 399 A.D., it was, till a few decades
ago, what its name suggests "A land of passes" (La - pass, Dakh
- land).
Means of modern communication have brought this hinterland of
traditional Buddhism into the circuit of ordinary tourists.
Ladakh became famous for more than one reason the defiant beauty
of its barren landscapes, its unique flora and fauna, its culture
and a land "where snow never melts and only corn ripens".
Trekking
Trekking possibilities include short, day-long walks up and
down mountain slopes to visit isolated villages or monastic
settlements, or across a ridge to enjoy the sheer beauty of
the lunar-like mountainscape. Or long, trans-mountain treks
involving weeks of walking and camping in the wilderness. The
traditional trekking season extends from early June to mid-
October, though some treks can be undertaken in May, and others
only in late autumn.
River Rafting
A range of rafting options is available on the Indus and its
major tributaries. In recent years, running the Indus has become
an attractive alternative to trekking and features on the itinerary
of most visitors.
MountainClimbing
The area most frequented by foreign climbers is the Nun-Kun
Massif in the Great Himalayan Range. Among its six known peaks
accessible from the Suru Valley, Nun (7,135 m) and Kun (7,077
m) are the highest summits. |
