Best Things To Do in Leh, India

Are you looking for what to do in Leh?

The previous Palace of the King of Ladakh was built in the 17th century. If you want to see Buddhist temples, stop at Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Soma Gompa and Karma Dupgyud Choeling all active temples with various sects calling this home. Finally, Pangong Tso is a gorgeous lake, surrounded by lofty mountain peaks and with deep blue waters.

Nightlife: There is not much in terms of conventional nightlife in Leh, but you can try ‘The Garden Restaurants & Bars’ which are all open air. Hotels will serve drinks and you can make your own party.

Below we have a list of things to do in Leh and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Leh getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Leh with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Leh

Here is the list of things to do in Leh and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Thiksey Monastery

    4.7 (7028 Votes)
    Thiksey Monastery

    Art And Culture, Religious Site, Landmark, Architecture

    Famous for it’s architecture and location, and also as the location for the Satrangi Re music video from the critically acclaimed movie, Dil Se, the Thiksey Monastery in the Indus valley is renowned for being the largest among all of the gomphas located in the provinces of Ladakh and Leh. Managed by the Gelighpa sect, it’s extensive architecture is said to imitate the style of the Pal...Read more
  2. Pangong Lake

    4.8 (6077 Votes)
    Pangong Lake

    Waterfront, Lake, Nature

    The Pangong Lake is an exquisite and worldwide famous closed drainage lake spread across a vast area in the Himalayas. The major portion of the lake falls in the territory of Tibet. The lake has been categorized under the protocol of the Ramsar Convention as a great wetland reserve with a recognized global importance. Consequently, the lake has attained the status of the inaugural international...Read more
  3. Nubra Valley

    4.7 (609 Votes)
    Nubra Valley

    Trail, River, Valley, Nature

    150 kilometres north of Leh, where the Shyok and Siachan rivers meet, in between of Leh and the Karakoram range and the Siachen Glacier, lies Nubra Valley. Made famous by traders and travellers of the Silk Route, the valley is popular for the huge mountain faces, the many trails, the briskly flowing water of the rivers, bactrian camels and Diskit Gompas. Some of the most famous bits of the vall...Read more
  4. Leh Palace

    4.3 (6219 Votes)
    Leh Palace

    Palace, Architecture

    A lonely, proud structure, the Leh Palace was built by King Sengge Namgyal of Tibet in the 17th century. Once, it was the world’s highest building; now it’s in abandoned disrepair. It’s nine floors, once exotically furnished and decorated are now a dark maze that you must navigate to reach the top. The upper stories were used as the residence for the royal families and were ex...Read more
  5. Hall Of Fame

    4.7 (786 Votes)
    Hall Of Fame

    Museum, Military Museum

    Right outside the Air Force Base, this two-floor museum explores various themes related to Indian army’s role and presence in Ladakh. Most of it focuses on India-Pakistan conflicts in the 20th century. There are artefacts from the wars, a short film about the Kargil War, the role the army has played in various relief missions, an exhibit on extreme cold military wear, a commemorative wall...Read more
  6. Shanti Stupa

    4.7 (6567 Votes)
    Shanti Stupa

    Art And Culture, Religious Site, Architecture

    Twilight is divine from this elevated spot, three miles from Leh. Whether sunrise or sunset, the changing light brings mystic beauty to the panorama of mountains surrounding the Stupa. The striking structure owes its remarkability to both; it’s isolation and its design. It was designed by a Japanese, and thus is greatly different from the orthodox Ladakhi structures. This relatively new S...Read more
  7. Lamayuru Monastery

    4.6 (5332 Votes)
    Lamayuru Monastery

    Religious Site, Monastery

    A hundred and thirty kilometres from Leh, the thousand-year-old Lamayuru Monastery is a famous traditional Tibetan Gompha following Buddhism, and is situated at an altitude of 3500 meters. The land surrounding the monastery is famously known as The Moonscape, as it strikingly resembles lunar landscapes. The monastery is regarded as the first ever monastery following the customary traditions of ...Read more
  8. Hemis Monastery

    Religious Site, Monastery , Festival

    This affluent monastery, the largest in Ladakh, has been around for almost a thousand years, and is only an hour away from Leh by road. It would at times fall into disuse, but King Sengge Namgyain restored it completely in the seventeenth century. The Bropka sects, who are thought to be some of the purest descendants of the original Indo-European stock, manage it. The monastery is particularly ...Read more
  9. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib

    4.8 (609 Votes)
    Gurudwara Pathar Sahib

    Religious Site, Gurudwara

    25 miles west of Leh is a 16th century Gurudwara built to commemorate the visit of Sikh saint and founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nakak to Ladakh. Legend says a demon attacked the saint here with a rock while he was meditating, and upon contact, the rock melted, forming a depression in the shape of the meditating mystic. The rock was discovered by lamas in 1970 during the construction of the ...Read more
  10. Diskit

    Religious Site, Monastery

    The Dishkit is more famously known as the Dishkit Gompa or monastery, precisely situated in the Nubra valley of Leh. The sect of the Gelugpa is followed in the Tibetan monastery under the religion of Tibetan Buddhism. The founder of Dishkit was Changzem Tserab Zangpo, who was a follower of the founder of Gelugpa sect- Tsong Khapa. The interior of the monastery features the idol of the Maitreya ...Read more
  11. Khardung La

    4.8 (5067 Votes)
    Khardung  La

    View Point, Nature

    The Khardung La is a famous mountain pass at the junction of the valleys of the Shyok and Nubra. At a height of more than 5300 meters, the Khardung La is one of the highest pass capable of motorized transport for recreational and prioritized functions. The pass is regarded as a heritage also because of the historical caravan route connecting Leh with the province of Kashgar of the Central Asia....Read more
  12. Zanskar River

    4.6 (152 Votes)
    Zanskar River

    Outdoors, River

    About 5 kilometres south of Nimmoo Village is the point of confluence of the waters of two differently colored rivers - Indus and Zanskar. The waters of Zanskar are tinged blue; the Indus, green. The point is a four-hour drive by jeep from Leh. If you’re here in the summer (recommended), Zanskar will be flowing swiftly and the Indus, slowly. It’s the opposite in winter. There is not...Read more
  13. Tsomoriri

    4.8 (4609 Votes)
    Tsomoriri

    Waterfront, Lake, Valley, Nature

    The breathtaking Rushpu Valley cradles the wintery oasis that is Tsomoriri Saltwater Lake. Though the trip from Leh is long and arduous, the sheer majesty of the Ladakh landscape will keep you invested in the ride. Following the river, you’ll know you’re close when the water suddenly widens, delivering you into a green and clue paradise. High peaks loom over the cold, marshy wetland...Read more
  14. Alchi Monastery

    4.5 (188 Votes)
    Alchi Monastery

    Religious Site, Monument, Monastery

    Locals say Buddhist leader Guru Rinchen Zangpo built the monastery in the 11th century, but the monuments record Tibetan Kal-dan Shes-rab doing so in the 12th. This is not any one building but a complex of structures, of which the main ones are: The Dukhang (Assembly and worship hall): See the frescoes of 1000 buddhas in the main passage, the paintings of Buddhas and other divinities, and the ...Read more
  15. Stok Palace Museum

    Museum, Palace, Specialty Museum

    Home to the erstwhile Royal Family of Ladakh, the structure has been extensively renovated and extended to suit its new function as a museum of royal history. Artefacts crowns, photos, coins, official articles and jewelry are exhibited. Thankas (Buddhist paintings on silk), representing the teachings and ideologies of Buddha, are also displayed. The palace boasts exquisite gardens within the pr...Read more