Ladakh is a place where you can find the purest form of nature and its natural beauty is unmatched. The huge arid mountains, the white desert, the sky in the hues of blue, which you will never see anywhere else. Aesthetically embraced by the snow-capped Himalayas, the Karakoram mountain ranges and spangled with lakes, Ladakh is like a fallen piece of heaven on earth. It is the reality of our childhood imaginations where the river flows out of the mountains and the sun shines just above it. From the scenic beauty of the Himalayas to the delicious momos, one can neither fall short of things to do in Ladakh nor of places to visit in Ladakh. But you need to go there to see what I really mean and visiting Ladakh must certainly be on the top of your bucket list. Here are some reasons why you should travel to Ladakh once in your life and feel the warm welcome when the locals say ‘Jullay’.

1. For the spellbinding scenic beauty

Call it a place where the time stops or the place where the mind freezes. The unparalleled beauty of this place will make your heart skip a beat. Amidst the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges, the Ladakh region is a highland with clear blue skies, beautiful water bodies, and enchanting roads. The Leh place surrounded by the alpine desert and beautiful landscape is a sight to cherish for a lifetime. You can’t miss a chance to visit this heavenly place, surrounded by the snowcapped mountains and gifted with a rich culture.

The Pangong Lake is one the magnet destinations of Ladakh which draws tourists from all over the world for its crystal clear blue water which keeps changing its colour from light green, azure to grey. It's fame rocketed high after becoming the shooting location of the Blockbuster movie "3 Idiots". Along with the Pangong Lake, the Tso Moriri Lake is also very scenic and appears almost unreal. Ladakh is brimming with such breathtaking lakes where you can find tranquillity away from the commotion of city life.

• Suggested to Read: 11 Best Treks To Do in Ladakh

2. Get lost to find yourself
Ever imagined a world without Facebook or Snapchat? Yes, it exists. The surreal beauty of this place will make you forget all the gadgets and succumb to its alluring surrounding. The lakes, the monasteries and the valleys, they make you just sit back and tune into nature. Especially the Indus valley, built around the Indus river which is considered as the place from where civilisation in India began, gives you a glimpse of the pre-historic aeon. Moreover, the Zanskar Valley which rests in the interior area of Ladakh is famed for its high mountains and beautiful landscapes. Ladakh is the place where you actually discover yourself or complete those unfinished conversations with your partner, friends or kids while taking long walks or just sitting beside the lake.

3. Where else you get to ride a double-humped camel?

Hunder sand dunes are one of the high-altitude deserts of the world. This white desert is situated in the Nubra valley and is the home to double-humped Bactrian camels. Take a ride across the desert on a Bactrian camel and enjoy the beautiful surrounding. While you are there, you can also visit the Hunder Gompa which is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh.

4. For the local cuisines

Food is always the best thing to travel for. If you are a foodie, then the place will offer you some mouthwatering local cuisines. The local cafes serve some delicious momos. The cold weather and bowl of Thukpa(soup and noodles) is also a perfect combination. The typical drinks of Ladakh include tea, coffee, beer and chang, a festival special alcoholic beverage. Chutagi is one of the signature dishes of Ladakh. It is a dumpling soup consisting of veggies like potatoes, carrot and spinach, it makes for a super healthy and appetizing dish. Butter tea and diverse dishes of mutton are amongst the popular culinary serving of Ladakh. If you are lucky to get a homestay with a local family, then share a cup of yak-butter tea with them and listen to their stories. See, a lot can happen over a cup of tea!

5. If you want to ride to one of the highest motorable roads in the world!

Situated at an altitude of 5,359 m, Khardung La is one of the highest motorable roads in the world. Driving to the top, on the roads, which can hardly be considered a road is a challenge and definitely going to be one of your unforgettable Ladakh moments. The exhilarating feel of driving through one of the highest roads is something those with zeal for adventure must certainly experience for once. Make sure to take the Khardung La road during a favourable time when the risks of landslides and avalanches are minimal.

6. For that one road trip, you always wanted to go on

Ladakh is the place for that one road trip you have been planning since your college days. Driving in the Ladakh valley is like taking stairs to the heaven. But beware and brace yourself cause this stairwell is very risky. Ladakh offers a perfect opportunity for a bike trip strictly for the super audacious ones. The road trip to Ladakh will take you through many of the surreal spots but only if you are willing to traverse through the narrow roads with steep curves, unpaved roads and the high terrains in the erratic weather. If off-roading is your thing, you must certainly go riding to Ladakh.

• Also Read: Things To Keep In Mind For Ladakh Road Trip

7. Photographer’s delight

Switch on to your photographer mood, as Ladakh offers you beautiful mountainscapes, desertscapes and riverscapes, altogether. The place is extremely beautiful, full of awe-inspiring panoramic views. When you are on a trip to Leh Ladakh and you happen to be a wildlife photographer, you ought not miss the chance of photographing the snow leopards camouflage with the brownish terrains in the Rumbak Valley. Do not to miss to capture the heavenly horizons and the unplugged landscapes. As you enter Ladakh almost any place you capture here is so beautiful, it will make you look like a photographer. Also, the place is a bliss for astrophotographers as it provides clear night skies to complement the scenic beauty.

8. To experience the magnetic hills!

Is your car alive? Or it's all magic? Or just a natural phenomenon? The Magnetic Hill located 30 kilometers from Leh on the way to Alchi and Kargil. A sign at this spot invites you to stop your car over a white square marked on the road, switch it off and leave it in neutral. You do this and your car actually starts moving uphill slowly on its own at a speed of 10-20 km per hour. This route lies between the Srinagar-Leh highway which will let you experience something as mystifying as your vehicle moving uphill even without the engine turned on. So as you hit this road, don't forget to turn off the ignition and let the mountains play their magic.

9. For some memorable treks

Ladakh is a trekker’s paradise. It has many trekking routes to choose from. If you’re not a regular trekker, you can still do some easy treks like Spituk- Stok trek and if you are up for some enthralling experience, then tough treks like Chadar and Stok Kangri trek are also available. But let me tell you the chadar trek is not for the faint-hearted. Ladakh has been sighted as a hub of exhilarating activities like whitewater river rafting, mountaineering, jeep safaris, camping, and trekking. Markha Valley trek, Snow leopard trek, Lamayuru to Chilling trek, Kashmir Great Lakes Trek, Lamayuru to Darcha trek, Ripchar Valley trek, Padum to Darcha trek and Lamayuru to Alchi trek are some of the prominent trekking trails in Ladakh. The erratic weather of Ladakh adds to the difficulty of the already challenging treks.

10. For the cultural extravaganza

Ladakh is all about the scenic beauty, the adventurous treks and the road trips. Yes. But you cannot neglect the cultural beauty of the this. The place is influenced by the Tibetan culture, you will find a lot of similarity in the two. Visit the gorgeous monasteries– Hemis, Thiksey, Spituk and so much more. The Thicksey Monastery is one of the largest structures in Ladakh and has 12 levels. The monastery also provides a wonderful view of the floodplains of the Indus Valley. Almost every monastery of Ladakh is situated at a higher altitude and is a blend of the Buddhist and Tibetian culture.

The Hemis Tse Chu is a distinguished two-day festival in Ladakh. It is a chain of mask dances ob the old and young lamas concluding with the annihilation of Storma on the final day.It is a treat to the eyes to watch the lamas wrapped in colourful attires and masks match their feet to the beats. The Lamayuru Monastery is well known for its rich wall paintings, murals, scripture and statues of Buddha. Plan your trip according to the festive season and cherish the vibrant and colourful festivals of the region, like the Hemis Festival or Dosmochey.

• Check out: Backpacking Guide to Leh-Ladakh Trip