Ladakh Hill Stations

Set in an enormous and spectacular environment, Ladakh is a land that abounds in awesome physical features. This 'Little Tibet' is bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Karakoram in the north and the Great Himalayas in the south. Besides, it is also traversed by two other parallel chains, the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range. Ladakh being the highest altitude plateau region in India offers a number of hill stations.

Kargil
It is the second town of Ladakh and is situated on the Suru River. This popular hill station, being the main halt between Srinagar and Leh, proves to be the gateway to the Suru valley and Zanskar.

Suru Valley
Located about 140 km from Kargil up to the base of the Penzi-la pass into Zanskar, the Suru Valley is inaccessible in winters because of heavy snowfall. Rich crops of wheat and barely are produced in a major part of this valley. The lower portion of the valley offers spectacular views of the Nun-Kun peaks. The Suru villages serves as a base for long treks in the direction of Kashmir and Kishtwar.

Zanskar
The village and the valley is named after the Zanskar river that flows off northwards through a gorge in the Zanskar range, to meet the Indus at Nimo. The valley was opened to tourists in 1980 when a road was built over the Penzi-la via the Suru Valley and Rangdum. Zanskar is not only a popular hill station but also a trekkers' paradise. The region is still unaffected by the forces of modernisation, therefore offers a unique holiday destination far away from the hustle and bustle of the urban life. The region is popular for its monasteries. People visit the place in the charm of the Sani, Karsha, Stongde, Bardan and Phugtal monasteries.