6 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Ladakh

Ladakh is located in the state of Jammu & Kashmir in India.  My first stop during my trip to India was to Ladakh. I had not made any research on the city other than places I’d like to see. As usual, I wing it!

Here are a few things you should know before visiting Ladakh:

1. Phone & Internet Coverage – There isn’t any internet or phone coverage from the Indian telecom provider. If you need to make any calls, you’ll have to borrow a local’s phone.

2. Highest Plateau in Jammu & Kashmir – It is located 11,500 feet above sea level hence it is highly advised to take 1-day rest prior to exploring the city. You will find this sign as soon as you walk in the airport and automated audio will be played on the safety precautions.

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3. Inner Line Permit – Ladakh shares borders with  Tibet and China, hence many of the locations are restricted and requires a permit. Some locations requires at least 2 tourists and certain nationalities such as Chinese, Pakistani and Bangladeshi are strictly not allowed and is not likely to get a permit. It’s always best to check in advance.

4. Accommodation – Ladakh has many family guest houses and it is the best type of accommodation.

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5. Report to the Police – As soon as you walk in the airport, there is a police who will hand out a form for foreigners to fill in and report to the police of your visit and duration. I walked right past him and out of the airport but no one noticed me as a foreigner as I look Ladakhi to them. So make sure to go to the police stand in case they miss you.

6. Transportation – Because it is a mountainous area, there isn’t any public transportation system. It is best to hire a driver for an entire day and they have a set price at a counter by the airport. You can still bargain for less if you will hire him for an entire day.

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Personal Experience: I had not known on any of the above, I learned them as I went along. I had only 2 days in Ladakh hence I did not have time to rest. Instead of resting, I went to an even higher altitude which was Khardung La 😀

Not having researched on the permits, I had to miss on going to Pangong Lake because I was not able to acquire the permit in such a short time. I was lucky that the driver pulled out some strings to get the permit for Khardung La and for a single person. The agency who issued the permit faked another person’s details 😛