Want a Himalayan trek minus the red tape? Consider ‘Little Tibet’

Peering out the window during the flight from Delhi to Leh, the plane seems to barely clear the soaring, snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas. Although only an hour from Delhi by air, Ladakh and its capital, Leh, are worlds away from the chaos that is usually part of the India experience. Here the landscape is harsh, barren, silent and lonely. The otherworldly terrain prompts frequent comparisons to Mars, and this alien-like quality is further enhanced by its elevation, some 3500 metres above sea level.

Warnings of altitude and mountain sickness are broadcast as we land, and in the arrivals hall the tell-tale headaches and giddiness hit me: Leh can, quite literally, take your breath away.

It’s the 50 or so sacred mountains that comprise the Himalayas that are Leh’s major drawcard. The area abounds with opportunities for summit-seekers to scale peaks, for cyclists to ride some of the highest roads on earth, and for hikers to embark on multi-day trails through the Markha Valley.

Endowed with the moniker “Little Tibet”, Ladakh is where tourists can experience authentic Tibetan culture firsthand. While Tibet itself has numerous tourist restrictions, Leh has no such red tape. Tibetan refugees have made this region their home and the area’s inaccessibility has helped preserve traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture, making it a time capsule of Tibet as it once was.

Unlike the rest of India, where Hinduism is the predominant religion, the bulk of the population here are Buddhists. Ubiquitous prayer flags are strung up throughout the city like makeshift washing lines, stupas pepper the landscape, Buddhist burial grounds border the edges of the town, and whitewashed monasteries cling precariously to hillsides.

There are around 35 of these monasteries, or gompas, spread across the entire region, the bulk of them lying along the Indus River. These spiritual centres are divided across the five sects of Buddhism and each has its own quirks and appeal. I visit three of them, and though the pantheon of deities and demons, spirit-filled mythology and intricate symbolism, is mostly lost on me, I find it completely engrossing.

Much of Leh’s charm rests in its medieval old town, where flat, mud-brick buildings housing cute cafes and restaurants line the laneways. The main bazaar is the epicentre of the action and is where visitors can pick up any number of artisan goods and trinkets. Pashmina shawls are a speciality of the region, as are Tibetan handicrafts including wooden masks, mantra-inscribed prayer stones, singing bowls, silver jewellery, prayer wheels and, of course, prayer flags. As with any market in India, be prepared to flex your bargaining prowess.

Come nighttime, the high altitude coupled with a lack of light pollution make it one of the planet’s best places to stargaze. Unsurprisingly, Leh is home to the Indian Astronomical Observatory – the second-highest on Earth.