Trekking
With Himalayan Mountains, high altitude lakes and remote valleys, Ladakh is a popular trekking destination. It isn’t as spectacular as Nepal, but it is far less crowded and with monastery-to-monastery treks available, more interesting.
There are dozens of trekking routes in Ladakh, but among the most popular are the Marka Valley trek (10 days), Spitok to Hemis ( days) Nubra Valley trek, Rupshu Valley, Suru Valley Trek and the Lamayuru to Alchi (3 days) or Hemis (12 days) trek.
Most of the treks range from three days to two weeks, depending upon your time and budgetary limit. In case walking is not your style, ponies can also be hired. For those short on time and seeking some level of comfort, Jeep safaris are the way to go. First timers ought to stick to groups and experienced guides. See Touring for guides and outfitters.
Note: If intending to trek in Ladakh or Zanskar, please carry out a complete health check first. People have died on treks due to lack of timely medical attention and there are no choppers to fly you out.

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Rafting
Rafting expeditions on the Zanskar and Indus rivers, though the activity has still not widely caught on and the waters can be unpredictable. For rafting tour operators, see below.

Jeep Safaris
Jeep safaris to the remote lakes of the eastern regions of Ladakh are also available. The journey takes almost a day one-way. A reasonable price for a three-day all-inclusive package for four people.

Hemis Festival
Held on the 10th and 11th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar, i.e, in late June or early July, the Hemis festival begins with the unfurling and display of the large thangka, which is hung from the second story of the monastery. The masked dances begin shortly thereafter.

Matho Festivals
In Matho, the festivals are still held in the winter months. The two-day Nagrang Festival is held during Losar ( the Tibetan New Year) usually in February, and the one-day Nispetsergyat is held in March.
During the Nagrang festival, two lamas or monks are selected by monastery’s elders to embody the two oracles called Rongzam, for a period of three years. The chosen monks then go into a trance, and adorned with old weapons, run over the nearby mountain ridges and the monasteries roofs. On the first day, they act very aggressively, lashing out at all around, but the following day they passively make various divinations and answer to peoples’ questions.

Other Monastery Festivals
The festivals at Shey and Thikse are held within weeks of each other. In July, the Metukba Festival lasts at Shey for a day and consists of prayers for universal well-being. During the August harvest festival, called Shey Shublas, the Shey oracle is invoked for divinations. The Thikse Festival revolves around a fair held below the monastery.

Ladakh Festival
The week-long government-organized Ladakh Festival in August highlights the various aspects of Ladakhi life and the cultures of its various ethnic groups. Beginning with a colorful procession on the main street of Leh, the ensuing day’s festivities include displays of traditional sports like archery and polo, as well as various arts, dances and traditional dresses of the different Ladakhi communities.

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Ladakh is open year-round for tourists. However, with winter temperatures well below zero, it remains a destination for specialist travelers only during the winter months. Temperatures hover between 85 and 35 degrees F from April to September, the main tourist season. Nights can be chilly and warm clothing is necessary. Stock up generously on sunscreen as the mid- day sun can cause very severe burns. Despite being a desert, summers can have pouring rains lasting for weeks. An umbrella and decent waterproofing are advisable.

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By Road:
There are two road routes to Leh: one from the state capital, Srinagar, which passes through the Zoji La mountain pass and Kargil; the other is from Manali in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. The first is comparatively easier, but due to a decade of terrorism by Kashmiri separatists, it is the least advisable one. The Manali to Leh highway is open for only six months from late May to October and considerably more arduous, entailing crossing of five mountain passes, the tallest the Tanglang La at over 18,000 feet. Both the routes take the better part of two days and are plied by taxis and a regular bus service.

Permits, which are provided only to a group of four (or for one, provided you pay for four and your application is accompanied by Xeroxes of three other passports–travel agencies are good at providing these "extra" passports), are required to visit Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso lakes. Similar passes are required for Nubra Valley across the Khardung La (considered to be the world’s highest motorable road at 18,380 feet) and for visiting the Hemis High Altitude National Park.

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Slight bouts of Mountain sickness or High Altitude Sickness may occur above 3000 meters. Symptoms include shortness of breath, headache and dizziness. Normally, it goes away with acclimatization that takes 2 or 3 days. In case of a severe attack resulting in nosebleed and acute nausea, the patient should immediately be brought to lower elevation e.g. Choglamsar, if in Leh. Though rare, deaths from HAF are known in the region. Alcohol does not help during HAF and is known to aggravate conditions. Gastric problems are also widespread. Oral contraception is also not advisable in higher elevations.

The altitude is also known to cause teeth to ache because of change of atmospheric pressure. Stocking up on anti-inflammatory analgesics is advisable for people with dental problems, as there is next to no dental care in Ladakh