Best time to visit Ladakh

The wonderful thing about trekking in Ladakh is that you have super elevated terrain – which doesn’t require super elevated climbing skills. Just good fitness and a head for heights. And you really hit the heights here – Himalayan ones no less, trekking the Markha Valley in around eight days, or the easier Likir or Sham Trek in three days. Aim even higher and trek to Stok Kangri peak at just over 6,000m. If conquering one Himalayan summit isn't enough, try three peaks and five mountain passes in 18 days.

Visitors looking to imbibe Ladakh’s culture usually head east to explore the Buddhist traditions that the region is famous for, although half the population of Ladakh is Muslim. But it is the Buddhist, Tibetan-influenced gompas or monasteries, and stupas or shrines that are scattered throughout the mountains that most tourists are drawn to. Such as Shanti stupa in the Leh or, in contrast, Rizong monastery, Ladakh’s most remote place of worship north of Alchi. The heritage is also tied up in Silk Road traditions, and travelling along the iconic Khardung La Pass takes you through this ancient world of caravan trading.

For wildlife watching, Hemis National Park’s mountains are home to the elusive and spectacular snow leopard, as well as ibex, wolf, blue sheep and lynx. Trek with local experts, who have the gift of spotting snow leopard as descend from the peaks in the height of winter in search of food. February/March is the best time to see these beauties.

Expect luxury. Holidays in Ladakh are about trekking, wild camping and staying in welcoming homestays with a few remote hotels as well. Cocktails? Forget it. Sundown over the Himalayas sipping hot toddies out of a flask, that’s more like it. Swap fluffy robes for the comfort of a traditional yurt, and transcendental meditation replaces digital communication. As for organic food – not a problem. It’s always been the way to do things in Ladakh, which is all about the natural.

Just go in summer. So few people travel here outside July-September, that you will have the place to yourself. Stay in homestays, trek with expert guides, track snow leopard in February and March and enjoy totally untouristy monastery festivals such as in Stok when the brightly robed monks perform ritual masked dances. Flights are much cheaper during winter months too. Skies are clear and blue, so it is also a great time for photography.

Go it alone. Not only are roads inaccessible outside summer, there are always issues, such as glaciers melting and roads becoming impassable, or encountering a slow-moving military convoy on a mountain pass where overtaking is not possible. Local holiday companies know the ins and outs of road travel as well as trekking, and have support networks if you need help of some kind.

This isn’t like the rest of India, so don’t expect people to speak English or Hindi. Ladakhi is the language, and you can buy a phrasebook in Leh, or learn a few key phrases online before you go. An easy one is ‘Jullay’, pronounced joo-lay, which covers all bases for hello, goodbye and thank you.

At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.

We have selected some of the most useful Ladakh travel advice that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.

“Listen to your leader and drink plenty of water to avoid altitude sickness. Don't do too much when you first get to Leh in order to acclimatise properly. Enjoy the views!!!... The cultural elements were great too and a brilliant way to acclimatise safely… Leh is a lovely town to start in and you feel you learn about the culture, particularly Buddhism. Don't expect lots of snow peaked mountains… but gorgeous none the less!” – Ellie Hawksley, trekking in the Markha Valley

“This was a trip of a lifetime for me as I had wanted to visit this area for a long time. The holiday surpassed all expectations by far! … Be prepared for different temperatures and aware of the effect of the high altitude on your wellbeing.” – Irene Nicoll

Make sure you have good telescope, binoculars and camera lenses. Even if you don't see snow leopards, they are needed for the birdlife. Suggest getting a solar powered charger for electrical equipment - they don't weigh much and work really well. Have a care if you suffer from vertigo - you will be climbing up the side of mountains and walking along narrow trails in order to get good vantage points! My most memorable part? Actually being able to watch snow leopards in the wild - the main aim of the trip. We spent nearly 50 hours watching interaction between several different cats including hunting and mating – Liz Cooke on our Snow Leopard tracking in the Himalayas holiday