Leh-Ladakh: The one mystic place in India which is on everyone's bucket list.
How many times have we heard our friends planning that trip to Ladakh?
Numerous, I bet! But it seldom happens
So yeah, this time around, I said "F**k it, I'm doing it solo."
If you're reading this post to know about the usual touristy places in Leh Ladakh, then you're going to be disappointed.
BUT, if solo travel to a village in Leh without an itinerary interests you, then read on.
Reaching Leh
I took a short five day trip to Leh which included to and fro air travel.
Taking a flight was my obvious choice, because of the lack of time. However, there are plenty of options available, if you want to go by road. There is a bus service from Delhi to Leh too!
But the key thing to remember is that the tourist season is from May to October post which it is cut-off from the rest of India by road. However, the flight options still remain open.
I had booked a homestay in the Likir village which lies in the Leh district and is a little off the Kargil highway, about an hour and half drive away from the Leh airport (roughly 50 km outside the Leh city). I had booked a cab to reach Likir. However, if you can, take a bus as it gives you a chance to travel the local way and is also light on the pocket. (One thing that you will realize about travel to Leh is that travel in the city is considerably heavy on the pocket and if you are on a limited budget, things can get difficult.) There is a bus to Likir monastery everyday at 4:00 PM that runs from the Leh bus stand. In winters, the timings change to 3:00 PM. So check in advance before you make those arrangements.
This was the only planned event I had.
Likir itinerary
I spent most of my time in and around the Likir village. The idea was to get to know the locals better:
Day 1: Complete day's rest to acclimatize yourself.
This is extremely important. Please do not, I repeat, DO NOT make the mistake of exerting yourself on the first day, especially if you are coming by flight. The height at which Leh is situated, warrants a day's rest in order to get used to the difference in climate. The host of the homestay told me various stories of people who ignored this and ultimately had to be hospitalized.
I had booked my stay at a homestay in Likir called as the Old Likkir guesthouse. You could look them up on Airbnb. I would highly recommend them. If you get a chance, do visit this family. They will treat you as your own. I actually felt emotional the day that I had to leave. And oh, did I mention, authentic Ladakhi food (breakfast and dinner) is included in the room fare? :)
Day 2: Sham valley trek
This was a short trek which took about 5.5 hours to complete. We had packed up our lunch from the homestay and found a nice spot near a water stream to have that lunch during the trek.
Stanzin, the host, also doubles up as a trek guide and he accompanied me on this trek. Depending upon the route and whether overnight stay is involved, his charges are anywhere from INR 1500 to 3000.
To be honest, this trek is not difficult and could be done by oneself. But I would not recommend that because the route has multiple criss-crossing paths and it could be quite easy for anyone to get lost if they don't know their way.
Stanzin gave me an extremely wise piece of advice: "Never travel in the mountains alone. You never know what you will face." If something goes wrong, there is atleast a second person to get help or to notify.
Our trek ended at Yangthang and from there we took a cab to visit Ulley village. Ulley is home to the Snow Leopard. I went in May, during which time it is extremely difficult to spot it. Snow Leopards come out when there is plenty of snow which is peak winters. Needless to say, we could not spot the Leopard but what we did spot was a brown Yak. I was informed that black yaks were common but the brown ones were a rarity to be found in the wild. I had some compensation there :)
After this, Stanzin invited me to a local Ladakhi wedding of one his relatives. The warmth and hospitality just blew me away. I felt so welcomed despite being an uninvited guest. There could not have been a better opportunity to get a glimpse into the local Ladakhi culture - the wedding dance from the groom's side and from the bride's, local Ladakhi dishes which I could not have savoured anywhere else (my favourite was the Chhang, a local home made wine. I enjoyed the festivities till late at night and headed back home to reflect back on the day in my bed on such a well-spent day.
Day 3: Exploring the Likir village
Third day was dedicated to exploring the Likir village. My first stop was the Likir monastery. I reached the monastery at a time when they were holding a 3 day ceremony for a Lama who had passed away in the south. I first visited the temple in the monastery. I had gone in with the intention of just clicking a few pictures and then coming out. But the place was so serene that I just sat there without any sound. The fact that there wasn't anyone else there also helped. Infact, it was so silent that the monks at the monastery didn't even realise that I was sitting inside. I was about to be locked in the temple when I screamed "I am still in!"
Later, I visited the museum in the monastery and it was incredible! There were antiques, some even 800 years old! It was so different to look at those items and think "somebody used these all those years ago!" I saw a letter which was written by the king at that time asking for donation for maintaining the monastery.
While I was still admiring the antiques, I heard a gong ring outside the museum, but within the monastery premises. I would like to describe my day as extremely lucky as I got to see some unique practices which I am 100% sure a regular tourist would not be able to see. The day I visited the Likir Gompa or the Likir monastery, there was a three day service that was being held in order to honour the Lama who had passed away. The gong had been rung to call all the monks out for lunch and there was an extensive prayer to be said before the lunch started. I went to the prayer hall and asked for permission to shoot while the prayer was going on. And oh how amazing the experience was! To this day, that prayer rings in my head.
A glimpse of the prayer:
After staying at the monastery for a while, I stepped outside and found a school run by the same monastery. The school was open to all and you could take a tour while enjoying a cup of tea. I walked in and met a monk there who told me that exams were going on. I sat there and chatted for quite a while about the Ladakhi way of life. It would have easily been a couple of hours before the monk invited me to take a tour of the kitchen. At this kitchen, food is prepared for the kids who study at the school. All the kids were out to the monastery for the prayer mentioned before, but I did get a chance to interact with a few locals who were out there working on a school project. The warmth of the Ladakhi people is inspiring. They were about to have lunch when I entered the kitchen and invited me to join them. They would just not take no for an answer. :) Trust me, that humble meal gave me an experience far greater than what any 5 star reservation could give.
Post lunch, I moved out to take a walk and just hiked ahead to wherever the road took me. I could hear sound of water rushing nearby and I stepped down the hill following that sound. And lo and behold! I was face to face with snow and a gushing river! There was also a herd of cattle grazing nearby and one of them with big horns looked ready to attack me.
I guess she wasn't used to strangers intruding in there. I found a safe spot where she couldn't reach me, moved slowly to that spot and did not move till the cattle moved away and disappeared. I would have stood there for atleast an hour and this is what I would like to call a near-death experience! I thought to myself, this is it, This is where I am going to die and none will ever know (the phone had no network and the hosts didn't know where I was).
Anyhow, I climbed back up when I felt it was safe to do so. and rushed back home. and so ended an adventurous Day 3.
Day 4: Exploring the Leh city.
Next day was dedicated to visiting the Leh city to explore some of its local view points - Shanti stupa, Leh market, Leh palace, and the Hall of Fame. This was also my birthday so I spent some time treating myself to lunch at a restaurant in the Leh market and shopping for some souvenirs.
Day 5: Return to Delhi.
On the last day, I had a hearty breakfast with Stanzin's family and bade an emotional goodbye to them, caught my flight and reached back home.
Needless to say that I will be going back. There are so many more villages like these left to be explored :)
This trip was important to me in so many ways. This was the first time I was stepping out without an itinerary and I wanted to do something to remember it by. I literally had nothing planned! People have told me that being a solo female traveler is not easy, but this trip taught me that as long as you trust your instincts and have some with faith in people, everything turns out to be fine.
I am glad I made this decision and would definitely do it again!
How many times have we heard our friends planning that trip to Ladakh?
Numerous, I bet! But it seldom happens
So yeah, this time around, I said "F**k it, I'm doing it solo."
If you're reading this post to know about the usual touristy places in Leh Ladakh, then you're going to be disappointed.
BUT, if solo travel to a village in Leh without an itinerary interests you, then read on.
Reaching Leh
I took a short five day trip to Leh which included to and fro air travel.
Taking a flight was my obvious choice, because of the lack of time. However, there are plenty of options available, if you want to go by road. There is a bus service from Delhi to Leh too!
But the key thing to remember is that the tourist season is from May to October post which it is cut-off from the rest of India by road. However, the flight options still remain open.
I had booked a homestay in the Likir village which lies in the Leh district and is a little off the Kargil highway, about an hour and half drive away from the Leh airport (roughly 50 km outside the Leh city). I had booked a cab to reach Likir. However, if you can, take a bus as it gives you a chance to travel the local way and is also light on the pocket. (One thing that you will realize about travel to Leh is that travel in the city is considerably heavy on the pocket and if you are on a limited budget, things can get difficult.) There is a bus to Likir monastery everyday at 4:00 PM that runs from the Leh bus stand. In winters, the timings change to 3:00 PM. So check in advance before you make those arrangements.
This was the only planned event I had.
 |
| View of Sangam, the merger of the Indus and Zanskar river, on the way to Likir |
 |
| Magnetic Hill - on the way to Likir |
Likir itinerary
I spent most of my time in and around the Likir village. The idea was to get to know the locals better:
Day 1: Complete day's rest to acclimatize yourself.
This is extremely important. Please do not, I repeat, DO NOT make the mistake of exerting yourself on the first day, especially if you are coming by flight. The height at which Leh is situated, warrants a day's rest in order to get used to the difference in climate. The host of the homestay told me various stories of people who ignored this and ultimately had to be hospitalized.
I had booked my stay at a homestay in Likir called as the Old Likkir guesthouse. You could look them up on Airbnb. I would highly recommend them. If you get a chance, do visit this family. They will treat you as your own. I actually felt emotional the day that I had to leave. And oh, did I mention, authentic Ladakhi food (breakfast and dinner) is included in the room fare? :)
 |
| Old Likkir Guesthouse |
 |
| View of the entrance to my room. Almost looked like a wallpaper we used to have as kids on our desktop. |
 |
| View from inside my room - the best views ever! |
Day 2: Sham valley trek
This was a short trek which took about 5.5 hours to complete. We had packed up our lunch from the homestay and found a nice spot near a water stream to have that lunch during the trek.
Stanzin, the host, also doubles up as a trek guide and he accompanied me on this trek. Depending upon the route and whether overnight stay is involved, his charges are anywhere from INR 1500 to 3000.
To be honest, this trek is not difficult and could be done by oneself. But I would not recommend that because the route has multiple criss-crossing paths and it could be quite easy for anyone to get lost if they don't know their way.
Stanzin gave me an extremely wise piece of advice: "Never travel in the mountains alone. You never know what you will face." If something goes wrong, there is atleast a second person to get help or to notify.
 |
| Enroute the trek. Thanks to Stanzin for this wonderful photo :) |
Our trek ended at Yangthang and from there we took a cab to visit Ulley village. Ulley is home to the Snow Leopard. I went in May, during which time it is extremely difficult to spot it. Snow Leopards come out when there is plenty of snow which is peak winters. Needless to say, we could not spot the Leopard but what we did spot was a brown Yak. I was informed that black yaks were common but the brown ones were a rarity to be found in the wild. I had some compensation there :)
 |
| The brown yak on the way to Ulley |
After this, Stanzin invited me to a local Ladakhi wedding of one his relatives. The warmth and hospitality just blew me away. I felt so welcomed despite being an uninvited guest. There could not have been a better opportunity to get a glimpse into the local Ladakhi culture - the wedding dance from the groom's side and from the bride's, local Ladakhi dishes which I could not have savoured anywhere else (my favourite was the Chhang, a local home made wine. I enjoyed the festivities till late at night and headed back home to reflect back on the day in my bed on such a well-spent day.
 |
| Festivities at the wedding - dance by the bride and groom's side |
 |
| Festivities at the wedding - some traditional music |
 |
| Chhang - the local home made wine |
Day 3: Exploring the Likir village
Third day was dedicated to exploring the Likir village. My first stop was the Likir monastery. I reached the monastery at a time when they were holding a 3 day ceremony for a Lama who had passed away in the south. I first visited the temple in the monastery. I had gone in with the intention of just clicking a few pictures and then coming out. But the place was so serene that I just sat there without any sound. The fact that there wasn't anyone else there also helped. Infact, it was so silent that the monks at the monastery didn't even realise that I was sitting inside. I was about to be locked in the temple when I screamed "I am still in!"
 |
| Likir Gompa |
Later, I visited the museum in the monastery and it was incredible! There were antiques, some even 800 years old! It was so different to look at those items and think "somebody used these all those years ago!" I saw a letter which was written by the king at that time asking for donation for maintaining the monastery.
While I was still admiring the antiques, I heard a gong ring outside the museum, but within the monastery premises. I would like to describe my day as extremely lucky as I got to see some unique practices which I am 100% sure a regular tourist would not be able to see. The day I visited the Likir Gompa or the Likir monastery, there was a three day service that was being held in order to honour the Lama who had passed away. The gong had been rung to call all the monks out for lunch and there was an extensive prayer to be said before the lunch started. I went to the prayer hall and asked for permission to shoot while the prayer was going on. And oh how amazing the experience was! To this day, that prayer rings in my head.
A glimpse of the prayer:
After staying at the monastery for a while, I stepped outside and found a school run by the same monastery. The school was open to all and you could take a tour while enjoying a cup of tea. I walked in and met a monk there who told me that exams were going on. I sat there and chatted for quite a while about the Ladakhi way of life. It would have easily been a couple of hours before the monk invited me to take a tour of the kitchen. At this kitchen, food is prepared for the kids who study at the school. All the kids were out to the monastery for the prayer mentioned before, but I did get a chance to interact with a few locals who were out there working on a school project. The warmth of the Ladakhi people is inspiring. They were about to have lunch when I entered the kitchen and invited me to join them. They would just not take no for an answer. :) Trust me, that humble meal gave me an experience far greater than what any 5 star reservation could give.
 |
| View of the monastery from the school grounds |
 |
| Lunch with the locals in the school kitchen. Sitting next to me is Stanzin's lovely wife Tsomo |
Post lunch, I moved out to take a walk and just hiked ahead to wherever the road took me. I could hear sound of water rushing nearby and I stepped down the hill following that sound. And lo and behold! I was face to face with snow and a gushing river! There was also a herd of cattle grazing nearby and one of them with big horns looked ready to attack me.
I guess she wasn't used to strangers intruding in there. I found a safe spot where she couldn't reach me, moved slowly to that spot and did not move till the cattle moved away and disappeared. I would have stood there for atleast an hour and this is what I would like to call a near-death experience! I thought to myself, this is it, This is where I am going to die and none will ever know (the phone had no network and the hosts didn't know where I was).
Anyhow, I climbed back up when I felt it was safe to do so. and rushed back home. and so ended an adventurous Day 3.
Day 4: Exploring the Leh city.
Next day was dedicated to visiting the Leh city to explore some of its local view points - Shanti stupa, Leh market, Leh palace, and the Hall of Fame. This was also my birthday so I spent some time treating myself to lunch at a restaurant in the Leh market and shopping for some souvenirs.
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| Shanti Stupa |
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| View from Castle Tsemo |
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| Leh Palace |
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| Artist at work in the Leh market |
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| Hall of Fame |
Day 5: Return to Delhi.
On the last day, I had a hearty breakfast with Stanzin's family and bade an emotional goodbye to them, caught my flight and reached back home.
Needless to say that I will be going back. There are so many more villages like these left to be explored :)
 |
| ...and the sun sets on this trip |
This trip was important to me in so many ways. This was the first time I was stepping out without an itinerary and I wanted to do something to remember it by. I literally had nothing planned! People have told me that being a solo female traveler is not easy, but this trip taught me that as long as you trust your instincts and have some with faith in people, everything turns out to be fine.
I am glad I made this decision and would definitely do it again!
