India Travel Itinerary Day 6: Staying at the Grand Dragon Ladakh and Checking out Leh’s Attractions such as Shanti Stupa, Tsemo Gompa, Leh Palace and the Himalayan Mountain Range (Stok Kangri)

Flying over the Himalayan Mountain Range from Leh to Delhi

On day 6 of our India Travels, we headed to Leh after visiting the breath-taking Taj Mahal in Agra. Ladakh is a region in northern India that is known for the scenic mountainous views and Leh was a former capital of the Ladakh region and is now the largest city in the region. At 6:40am, our Jet Airways flight departed from Delhi to Leh…

Jet Airways flight from Delhi to Leh India
Jet Airways flight from Delhi to Leh India
2bearbear on Jet Airways flight from Delhi to Leh
2bearbear on Jet Airways flight from Delhi to Leh
Breakfast aboard Jet Airways from Delhi to Leh
Breakfast aboard Jet Airways from Delhi to Leh

Breakfast choice from Delhi to Leh aboard Jet Airways was decent, with choice of either a sandwich or an omelette. Choose the omelette 😛

The flight from Delhi to Leh takes about 1 hour 40 minutes and soon we were able to the Himalayan mountain range in the distance…

Seeing the Himalayan mountain range in the distance on flight from Delhi to Leh
Seeing the Himalayan mountain range in the distance on flight from Delhi to Leh

Views of Himalayan Mountain Range on Flight from Delhi to Leh

Then all of a sudden, passengers on the flight started to move to windows seats. As the flight was not full, almost everyone was able to be seated at a window seat or next to one. This was because we were flying over the Himalayan mountain range! While we were in Alaska, we also did toy with the idea of taking the sea planes to enjoy the mountain views. As it was too expensive, we decided not to. Thankfully, we were able to enjoy these amazing mountain views of the Himalayan mountain range…

Lower Himalayan Mountain Ranges
Lower Himalayan Mountain Ranges
Lake in the Himalayan Mountain Range
Lake in the Himalayan Mountain Range
First view of the snow-capped Himalayan Mountain Range
First view of the snow-capped Himalayan Mountain Range
Flying over the snow-capped Himalayan Mountains
Flying over the snow-capped Himalayan Mountains
The Himalayan Mountain Range
The Himalayan Mountain Range
Vast Himalayan Mountain Range
Vast Himalayan Mountain Range
Approaching Leh with views of the river streams and mountain range
Approaching Leh with views of the river streams and mountain range
Close up of the rivers close to Leh
Close up of the rivers close to Leh
Aerial view of remote villages in Leh Ladakh
Aerial view of remote villages in Leh Ladakh
Ladakh mountain range and rivers
Ladakh mountain range and rivers
River confluence in Ladakh Leh
River confluence in Ladakh Leh
Another view of river confluence in Ladakh Leh
Another view of river confluence in Ladakh Leh
Arriving at Leh Airport (also known as the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport)
Arriving at Leh Airport (also known as the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport)

The Grand Dragon Ladakh Review

Leh airport is located at 3,500 metres above sea level. Just before arrival, the pilot warned passengers through the PA system that it would be common to experience altitude sickness such as nausea, headache and sleepiness. Upon arrival, we picked up our luggage and exited the airport. Immediately, we experienced 2 sensations. Firstly, it was relatively cold, at about 5 degrees Celsius. Thankfully, we remembered to layer up. Standing in the sun helped. Secondly, we could feel that the air was relatively “thin”. This translated to slight difficulty in breathing…*huff and puff*. We also observed that there were many armed military personnel around, carrying machine guns, patrolling the vicinity. Very safe.

The transport was arranged directly with The Grand Dragon Ladakh via email. We waited for about 20 minutes before our driver picked us up. The return transfer costs 1000rupees ($20SGD) – a little expensive for a 5 minutes ride, but it gave us some form of assurance.

The Grand Dragon Ladakh Review
The Grand Dragon Ladakh Review

Upon arrival at the Grand Dragon Ladakh, we were ushered to the waiting area of the lobby and given a little sachet. Within, contained camphor, which we were told to smell if we experienced altitude sickness. It helped. ALOT. Throughout our stay in Leh (Ladakh), the camphor never left us 😛

Then, we were led up to our room and were greeted by this amazing view…

View of Stok Kangri (Himalayan Mountain Range) as seen from room of the Grand Dragon Ladakh
View of Stok Kangri (Himalayan Mountain Range) as seen from room of the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Our room faces the Himalayan mountain range! Stok Kangri peak to be exact! We were ecstatic and delighted to have such a view right from our room! Special thanks to the team at the Grand Dragon Ladakh for this arrangement! Here’s the rest of our deluxe room at the Grand Dragon Ladakh…

King Sized Bed of Deluxe Room @ the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
King Sized Bed of Deluxe Room @ the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Complimentary water at the Grand Dragon Ladakh
Complimentary water at the Grand Dragon Ladakh
Bathroom amenities in Grand Dragon Ladakh Deluxe Room
Bathroom amenities in Grand Dragon Ladakh Deluxe Room
Rain shower of The Grand Dragon Ladakh Leh
Rain shower of The Grand Dragon Ladakh Leh
Bathroom of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Deluxe Room
Bathroom of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Deluxe Room
In-room dining menu of the Grand Dragon Ladakh
In-room dining menu of the Grand Dragon Ladakh

After the initial staff left, the next staff entered our room this time, with tea and biscuits as welcome refreshments…

Tea and biscuits as welcome refreshments at the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel
Tea and biscuits as welcome refreshments at the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel

We were able to replenish water and tea/biscuits the next day and that was great. After the light snacking, we started to feel the full effects of the altitude sickness. Not only were we tired, the head start to feel heavy and a light headache set in. Hence, we were knocked out for the next couple of hours. By the time we woke up, we realised that we had slept for 3 hours (from 10am to 1pm)! In order catch up on lost time, we headed to the in-house restaurant – Zasgyath, for lunch

In-house restaurant Zasgyath of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel in Leh
In-house restaurant Zasgyath of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel in Leh
Bread and crisp snack as starters at restaurant of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel
Bread and crisp snack as starters at restaurant of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel

This time, we ordered the mixed curry vegetables (740 rupees – $14.5), lamb punjabi curry (850 rupees – $16), cheese naan (80 rupees – $1.5) and jeera rice (340 rupees – $6.5). The total bill came up to 2400 rupees ($45) and because of the price of the cheese naan, it became our staple for the rest of our stay 🙂

While we waited for our food, we headed outdoors to enjoy this unblocked views of the Himalayan Mountain Range of Stok Kangri!

Stok Kangri Himalayan Mountain Range as seen from the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel in Leh
Stok Kangri Himalayan Mountain Range as seen from the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel in Leh
Lunch at Zasgyath restaurant of The Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel
Lunch at Zasgyath restaurant of The Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel
The lamb at the Grand Dragon Ladakh was so tender! Yum!
The lamb at the Grand Dragon Ladakh was so tender! Yum!

The meal was SOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo satisfying! Not only were we full, the curries (different taste and textures) complimented both the jeera rice and naan perfectly! Having fueled up, we decided to check out some of the things to do and attractions in Leh. Before the tour, we also took some time to wander around the hotel to check out the facilities of the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Lift Lobby of The Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Lift Lobby of The Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Seating areas in lobby of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel
Seating areas in lobby of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel
Mini Library in Lobby of Grand Dragon Leh Hotel
Mini Library in Lobby of Grand Dragon Leh Hotel
Souvenir shop in The Grand Dragon Ladakh
Souvenir shop in The Grand Dragon Ladakh
Traditional chair in lobby of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Leh
Traditional chair in lobby of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Leh
Garden of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Garden of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Gym of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Leh
Gym of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Leh
The Grand Dragon Ladakh Gym Facilities
The Grand Dragon Ladakh Gym Facilities
Foot reflexology path in the Grand Dragon Ladakh
Foot reflexology path in the Grand Dragon Ladakh
Futsal and air hockey in the games room of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Futsal and air hockey in the games room of the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel Leh
Carrom where we spent quite some time at :P
Carrom where we spent quite some time at 😛
A game of table tennis?
A game of table tennis?

There’s also a pool and billiards table in the Grand Dragon Ladakh. Kept in pretty good conditions as well. Unfortunately, though luxurious as it is, there’s no swimming pool at the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel in Leh. Fortunately, there’s carrom. Where, Kate won Tom several times 😅

Leh Attractions and Things to do in Ladakh

We headed over to the concierge to learn about what are some of the tours that we could participate in…

Tours available at The Grand Dragon Ladakh - Leh Tours
Tours available at The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Leh Tours

Initially, we had the idea of doing an overnight trip to Pangong Lake – made famous by the Bollywood movie, 3 Idiots. However, due to the long drive (7 hours) and ascend to a higher altitude (4250 metres above sea level, going through passes up to 5,000 metres!), we decided not to go with that option. Especially when we were already feeling the effects of altitude sickness. Really didn’t want to take further risks at higher altitude. This turned out to be a wise choice. If you’re considering a trip to Pangong lake, do cater for a couple of days more (probably 4 to 5 days in total) so as to acclimatise to the high altitudes here. The trip to and back from Pangong lake would have taken 7000 rupees + taxes ($150SGD).

Thankfully, we still had the remaining attractions in Leh to visit, including Tsemo Gompa, Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace and Leh Market. This tour takes about 2 hours and costs 1500 rupees ($30) per person.

Leh Attractions – Shanti Stupa

Shanti Stupa - Leh Attractions
Shanti Stupa – Leh Attractions
Description of Shanti Stupa Leh Ladakh
Description of Shanti Stupa Leh Ladakh
Colourful symbol at Shanti Stupa - Things to do and Attractions in Leh Ladakh
Colourful symbol at Shanti Stupa – Things to do and Attractions in Leh Ladakh

At our first stop, our breath was taken away – literally. The altitude sickness was REAL! We were literally huffing and puffing as we walked up a slope (slope not steps) towards Shanti Stupa. Thankfully, we were blessed with clear blue skies and this amazing views of Leh town…

View of Leh from Shanti Stupa
View of Leh from Shanti Stupa
Enjoying the views of Leh town from Shanti Stupa
Enjoying the views of Leh town from Shanti Stupa

As the highest attraction in Leh, the vantage point from Shanti Stupa offered expansive and unblocked views of Leh town. We also managed to catch some local dogs (extra furry ones) lazing around as well as our long shadows…

Furry Dogs in Leh Ladakh
Furry Dogs in Leh Ladakh
2bearbear shadows at Shanti Stupa
2bearbear shadows at Shanti Stupa

Leh Attractions – Tsemo Gompa

Next stop, Tsemo Gompa

Climbing the stairs to Tsemo Gompa
Climbing the stairs to Tsemo Gompa
Traditional prayer flags at Tsemo Gompa
Traditional prayer flags at Tsemo Gompa
Tsemo Gompa Leh Ladakh
Tsemo Gompa Leh Ladakh
Description of Tsemo Gompa Leh Ladakh
Description of Tsemo Gompa Leh Ladakh
Leh Attraction - Tsemo Gompa
Leh Attraction – Tsemo Gompa

There were several flight of stairs that we had to climb to reach Tsemo Gompa. This was when the altitude really hit us. So much so that Kate decided not to climb anymore. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Tom (who wanted to continue climbing), some other visitors shouted out that Tsemo Gompa was closed. Hence, we only climbed halfway and took photos of the structure itself.

Leh Attractions – Leh Palace

Before our “shopping stop” at Leh Market, we stopped by Leh Palace – a former royal palace that overlooks Leh town

Leh Palace Ladakh
Leh Palace Ladakh
Leh Attraction - Leh Palace Ladakh Attraction
Leh Attraction – Leh Palace Ladakh Attraction
2bearbear at Leh Palace - Things to do in Ladakh
2bearbear at Leh Palace – Things to do in Ladakh
Description of Leh Palace
Description of Leh Palace
Description of Leh Ladakh
Description of Leh Ladakh
Entrance of Leh Palace
Entrance of Leh Palace
Entrance fee to Leh Palace
Entrance fee to Leh Palace

We found out that the entrance to Leh Palace cost 300 rupees ($6SGD) for foreigners but only 25 rupees for locals and visitors from buddhist countries (such as Myanmar and Thailand). The following is a short extract of the Leh Palace description…

The construction of nine storied Palace on the Tsemo hill was initaited by Tsewang Namgyal, founder of the Namgyal Dynasty (A.D. 1533 – 1834) in A.D. 1553 and completed by Tsewang’s nephew, Senge Namgyal, the most illustrious King of Ladakh. The material used in the construction of the Palace is stone, mud bricks, poplar wood, mud mortar and wood rafter’s. The mud plaster utilised is locally known as Mar-kalak.”

View of Leh Town from inside Leh Palace
View of Leh Town from inside Leh Palace
Arty shot of Leh Town
Arty shot of Leh Town
Courtyard inside Leh Palace
Courtyard inside Leh Palace
Using branches stacked together as building material of Leh Palace
Using branches stacked together as building material of Leh Palace
Close up of stacked branches as material used in Leh Palace
Close up of stacked branches as material used in Leh Palace
Stairs leading up to top of Leh Palace
Stairs leading up to top of Leh Palace
Door leading to inner room of royals in Leh Palace
Door leading to inner room of royals in Leh Palace

Inside Leh Palace, we saw a mini exhibition that featured all the attractions of India – several of which we’ve visited during this trip, including the Taj Mahal. As Leh Palace was undergoing renovation, some parts of our path up to the top of Leh Palace were rather dark. Nonetheless, Kate was able to take these unbelievably beautiful scenes…

View from top of Leh Palace
View from top of Leh Palace
Sunset and blue skies as seen from the top of Leh Palace Ladakh
Sunset and blue skies as seen from the top of Leh Palace Ladakh

It was the perfect place to catch the sunset over the Himalayan mountain range and a perfect way to round off the visit to the attractions of Leh. Soon, it was time to visit Leh Market!

Leh Attractions – Leh Market

Alighting area next to Leh Market
Alighting area next to Leh Market
Shops across from Leh Market with Himalayan Mountain Range in the distance
Shops across from Leh Market with Himalayan Mountain Range in the distance
2bearbear at main street of Leh Market
2bearbear at main street of Leh Market
Leh Market Ladakh at Sunset
Leh Market Ladakh at Sunset
Leh Market
Leh Market

It was indeed an unique experience to walk the main street of Leh Market. There were shops, restaurants and quite a few sweet shops. Definitely not as “lost in time” as we’ve imagined. In fact, we saw a couple of cafes that offered wi-fi as well. We took a walk to the end of the street and turned back, soaking in the atmosphere, before boarding our car back to the Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel.

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Check out our video coverage of the top things to do and attractions in Leh Ladakh as well!

The scenes of the Himalayan mountain range from Leh were breath-taking and unbelievably beautiful. You’ve got to see it to imagine it. Clear blue skies, snow capped mountains and deep breaths of fresh high altitude air…ah…

That evening, we slept early at 8am but high altitude sickness still hit us and we felt some form of breathlessness during our sleep. The next morning as first light litted up the Stok Kangri Peak (of the Himalayan Mountain Range), we took a photo that shows the snow-capped mountains with night sky filled with twinkling stars. Thank the Lord for this amazing scene!

Stok Kangri Peak (Himalayan Mountain Range) during dawn
Stok Kangri Peak (Himalayan Mountain Range) during dawn

It was indeed fascinating to visit the attractions of Leh such as Shanti Stupa, Tsemo Gompa, Leh Palace, Leh Market and of course the Himalayan Mountain Ranges (and its snow capped mountain).

Related Posts

You have just completed a post from our 13 days travel in India. Find out more about this trip from our posts below!

India Travel Itinerary Day 1: Singapore to Chennai to Jaipur (Hotel Pearl Palace) via Indigo

India Travel Itinerary Day 2: Exploring Jaipur Attractions of Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal (Water Palace), Step Well, City Palace and Gaitore (King’s Tomb)

India Travel Itinerary Day 3: Experiencing a Relaxing Afternoon Tea at Taj Rambagh Palace Jaipur and Watching an Hindi Movie at the Theatres

India Travel Itinerary Day 4: Train from Jaipur to Agra – Our first views of the Taj Mahal

India Travel Itinerary Day 5: Taj Mahal Sunrise Tour followed by a luxurious stay at the Radisson Blu Agra Taj East Gate (Infinity Pool with Views of Taj Mahal)

India Travel Itinerary Day 6: Staying at the Grand Dragon Ladakh and Checking out Leh’s Attractions such as Shanti Stupa, Tsemo Gompa, Leh Palace and the Himalayan Mountain Range (Stok Kangri)

India Travel Itinerary Day 7: A Relaxing Day at The Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel and having a haircut in Leh Town India

India Travel Itinerary Day 8: Leaving Leh (Ladakh), Chilling at Delhi Lounge and Staying Over at Delhi Airport

India Travel Itinerary Day 9: Arriving at Kochi and visiting the attractions of Munnar (Eravikulam National Park, Tea Museum and The Leaf Munnar Hotel)

India Travel Itinerary Day 10: Checking out the Munnar Spice Garden, Waterfalls and Kerala Backwaters Boathouse Cruise Alleppey

India Travel Itinerary Day 11: Arriving in Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty after Kerala Boat Cruise

Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty Review: Simply the Best Luxury Hotel in Kochi

Thai Soul Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty Review: The Most Authentic Thai Flavours in Kochi India!

Colony Clubhouse & Grill Grand Hyatt Kochi Review: Fine Cuisine in a Modern & Casual Setting

Malabar Cafe @ Grand Hyatt Kochi: Kerala Cuisine at its best!

Top 4 Attractions and Things to do in Munnar

Top 6 Things to do and Attractions in Leh Ladakh India

Top 4 Things to do and attractions in Agra India

Top 8 Jaipur Attractions and Things to do in Pink City

Top 6 Attractions and Things to do of Kochi Kerala

Click here for recommended tours and trips to India!

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2 Comments

  1. What lovely pictures of Leh from air and on ground. You really refreshed my memories. Shanti Stupa pic was the best.

    1. It was indeed a refreshing and relaxing trip to Leh Ladakh!

      Happy Travels!

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