20 Photos That Will Make Ladakh your Instagram Favorite Destination

7 Instagrammable Locations in Leh Ladakh

Who doesn’t like to get clicked, or post regular updates on Instagram? And when the location is as beautiful as Leh – Ladakh, it’s natural for both the photographer and model within you to come alive. This post was written back in 2017, when, we were back from an epic 7 Day Trip to Leh Ladakh , and believe me when I say that, all 9 Co Travellers fell in love with Leh Ladakh. It could be seen when everyplace we went, first everyone used to click photos of the amazing scenery and natural beauty and then of each other. The background of the photos were so good that even the people behind the cameras, liked to get clicked every now and then. So, without much delay, follow me as I take you to 7 spots that, are also covered in these Leh Ladakh Tour Packages, and will make Ladakh your Instagram favourite destination.

The high passes – Khardung La, Taglang La, Chang La passes

Khardung La (Khardung Pass, la means pass in Tibetan) is a mountain pass in the Ladakh region of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, also known as the World’s Highest Motorable Pass. The local pronunciation is “Khardong La” or “Khardzong La” but, as with most names in Ladakh, the romanised spelling varies.

The pass on the Ladakh Range lies north of Leh and is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys. The Siachen Glacier lies part way up the latter valley. Built in 1976, it was opened to public motor vehicles in 1988 and has since seen many automobile, motorbike and mountain biking expeditions. Maintained by the Border Roads Organization, the pass is strategically important to India as it is used to carry supplies to the Siachen Glacier.

Nestled at an altitude of 5328 m above the sea level, in the Zanskar range, Taglang La  pass is the second highest mountain pass in the world, the first being Khardungla Pass. It is the residence of the nomadic Changpa herdsman who can be seen herding their cattle and goats. The pass is adjacent to the Leh-Manali highway and is reached via 21 Gata loops. The two nearest settlements to this pass are Sarchu towards Manali and Upshi towards Leh. Upshi is a stopover on the route to Leh where tourists halt for a cup of tea. From Upshi, Leh is just a half an hour drive.

The pass provides for a scenic view as it sways away from the main highway. Ample vegetation on both sides further cools the already chilled air and at times, the sharp bends provide just the adrenaline push adventurists crave.  There is a holy temple and a number of sign boards to help you out where one of the sign boards give details about the altitude of the pass and the other tells that from the pass, Leh is around 111 kms from here.

The Chang La  Pass is a high mountain pass located in Ladakh, India. At an elevation of 5,360 m (17,590 ft) above the sea level, it’s said to be the third highest motorable pass in the world. The pass, guarded and maintained by the Indian Army (due its proximity to Chinese border), it’s covered with snow throughout the year.

The Changla Pass is the main gateway for the Changthang Plateau situated in the Himalayas. The pass is located on the 134 km-long (83 mi) road between the Pangong Lake and Leh.

Shanti Stupa

Shanti Stupa is situated at a height of 4267 meters overlooking the Leh city, it gives a panaoromic view of surrounding snowcapped mountains. Situated at a distance of about 5 km drive able road from the Leh city or one can reach here by climbing 500 steps. The location of Shanti Stupa is such that it is visible from all over Leh city.

It is built as a two level structure, a flight of stairs leads to the first level where a Dharmchakra (as in white strip of Indian national flag) with two deer on each side, features a central image of Lord Buddha in golden colour sitting on a platform turning the Dharmchakra wheel, the second level depicting the birth of Buddha, defeating of devils in meditation and death of Buddha along with many small images of meditating Buddha, all embossed in vibrant colours.

A white dome Stupa (Chorten) built on a Changspa, a steep hill, opposite the Leh Palace different in architecture from the Ladhakhi style gives a magnificent view at sunrise and sunset, it looks more beautiful at night illuminated in the white light. It was built by the Ladakh and Japanese Buddhists, Ladakhis offered voluntary labor, construction started in 1983 and it was inaugurated in August 1991 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. It was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate the 2500 years of Buddhism. Any photo clicked here, will make Ladakh your Instagram favorite destination

Diskit Monastery

Close to the oldest monastery of Nubra valley in Ladakh, Diskit monastery, lies the impressive statue of Jampa Buddha. Along the other attractions of Nubra, this mighty Buddha statue surmounted on top of a monastery, is one of the prime and is deeply appreciated for its architecture. Facing the Shyok River, the statue sits tall with a height of 32 meters and was constructed with the help of the natives of the valley. A photo with the 32 m tall Maitreya Buddha statue in backdrop will make Ladakh your Instagram favorite destination.

The picturesque roads

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Pangong Tso

Pangong Lake also known as Pangong Tso is a beautiful endorheic lake situated in the Himalayas and is 134 km long, extending from India to China. It is situated at a height of 4350 m and is one of the biggest tourist attractions of the country. The beauty and allure of this lake has attracted people from all over the country and beyond. The lake is said to be in the process of being identified as a wetland with international significance under the Ramsar Convention and if everything goes as expected then the Pangong Lake will be the first in South Asia to be a trans-boundary wetland and that too under this convention. The different shades of blue in the lake are surely going to make Ladakh your Instagram favorite destination .

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A post shared by Arnav Mathur | Manali (@theetlrblog)

The one factor that makes this Lake so popular is the fact that it keeps changing colors. Situated in the Himalayan range it is approximately 140 km from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir. One third area of the lake lies within our country and the other two third portion lies with Tibet and is controlled by China.

Moore Plains

Moore plains is crossed by the road from Leh to Manali. This stretch of 40 km falls in between Leh and Sarchu on Leh–Manali Highway. This road has an average elevation of 4800 metres and is flanked by mountain ranges on both sides. At some places the road runs along the Sumkhel Lungpa River featuring some stunning sand and rock natural formations .

A flatland, surrounded by mountains on either sides, and clear blue skies above, make for the perfect frame and make Ladakh your Instagram favorite destination

The plain area starts after covering around 4 km uphill road from Pang towards Taglang La pass. The road is mostly on the plain for around 30–35 km, before it again starts to rise to Taglang La. Flanked by beautiful mountains on both sides, this area is a major attraction to the Bikers heading towards Leh from Manali. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of Indian Army is now in the process of converting the road to two lanes – one in either direction.

The area is uninhabitable and has no construction at all, and also no population.

The Natural Scenery

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So what are you waiting for?

Time to pack your bags, and take the Road Trip of a Lifetime and get Leh’d .

If you like our journey, you should definitely check out the 7 day Leh Ladakh Itinerary .

Also don’t forget to click loads of photos, and make your friends jealous when Ladakh is all over your Instagram and Facebook feeds.

What are you waiting for ? Book your STAY here.

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Arnav Mathur

Hi, I am Arnav Mathur, a hard core foodie and a travel aficionado at heart. Having changed over 8 schools in 6 different cities, every 2 years, since birth, traveling and socializing has been in my DNA. “Follow your Passion and Travel to a new place every 3-4 months and Eat, Travel, Live and REPEAT.” That’s my mantra to live a life without regrets.

Be a part of our Facebook Group – The Eat Travel Live Repeat Community on Facebook, and get inspired to Travel on a daily basis.

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