Backing onto the Himalayas creates a majestic backdrop to the tourist town of Leh. The town is set up to control the high volume of travellers that visit with souvenir shops, travel agencies and tour guides, but that doesn’t reduce the impact of its natural surroundings.

Leh Palace from Leh

Leh sits snuggly in the mountains at 3524m above sea level and houses the ruined shell of Leh Palace. The Leh palace was the former home of the royal family of Ladakh, nine stories high and a dominant structure overlooking Leh.

The town used to be an important stop in the travel between Tibet and Kashmir and also China for traders. Goods carried along this trade route included salt, cashmere wool, indigo, grain and cannabis resin. These roads have been maintained and improved allowing Leh to be easy, accessible destination today.