Culture · Leh, Ladakh
Leh old town and palace morning walk
A slow walk from Main Bazaar through the mud-brick lanes of the old town to Leh Palace, finishing on the palace roof. It is short enough for your second day in Leh, and it explains how the caravan town was built.
Photo: KennyOMG · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsStart at the Jama Masjid end of Main Bazaar, where the street was laid out wide enough for pack animals heading to Yarkand and Lhasa. Behind the bazaar, narrow lanes rise through the old town: flat-roofed houses of sun-dried brick, wooden balconies, small chortens at the junctions and drains carved into the lane edges to carry the village water channels.
The path ends at Leh Palace, built around 1600 by Sengge Namgyal. Nine storeys stand on the rock, with the royal rooms at the top and stores and stables below. Much of the interior is bare, but a small prayer room and museum hold thangkas, jewellery and ceremonial costume, and the Archaeological Survey of India is restoring the structure.
Walk up to the roof terraces for the view south over the town to the Indus and the Stok range. On the way down, look for the Chamba Lhakhang and the Chenrezig temple between the inner and outer walls, with fragments of old murals. Walk slowly; on your second day at 3,500 m even gentle stairs will make you breathe hard.
Good for
Also in Leh
More days here
Photo: Vinay Goyal, Ludhiana · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Shanti Stupa sunset over the Leh valley
A white peace stupa above Chanspa, completed in 1991 and reached by 555 steps or a road. Sunset lights the palace, the …
Photo: Aksveer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Morning prayers at Thiksey Monastery
Leave Leh at 6 am for the 19 km drive to Thiksey, where monks gather for morning prayers on the roof and in the assembl…
Trips through Leh
Do this on a trip
Each of these trips stops in Leh. Tell us and we keep a slot for this day.
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Comfort
Leh, Nubra and Pangong with a private car
Private Ladakh Taxi Union SUV with driver
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Comfort
Leh to Zanskar and out to Srinagar by car
Private SUV with driver; local car in Padum where required
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Saver
Leh, Nubra and Pangong by bus and shared jeep
State bus over Khardung La, shared taxis to Nubra and Pangong, local buses in the Indus valley
Photo: Saurabh Lall · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Saver
Srinagar road to Leh and Turtuk on a budget
Shared Sumo taxis, state buses and local shared cars
Sleep nearby
Stays in Leh
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Budget
Zostel Leh
Zostel's Leh hostel offers dorm beds and private rooms within walking distance of Main Bazaar, with a common area …
Photo: Bernard Gagnon Canon EOS REBEL T4i · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid
Stok Palace Heritage Hotel
Rooms inside part of Stok Palace, the home of Ladakh's former royal family since the 19th century, and in the orch…
Photo: Bernard Gagnon Canon EOS REBEL T4i · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
The Grand Dragon Ladakh
Leh's largest full-service hotel, open all year, with heated rooms, a restaurant serving Ladakhi and international…
Questions
Before you book
How long does the Leh Palace walk take?
Allow about three hours, including an hour inside the palace and on its roof. The climb from Main Bazaar through the old town is only about 1 km, but it is steep, and at 3,500 m most people stop often. If you are on your first day in Leh, take a taxi to the palace gate and walk down instead.
What are Leh Palace's opening hours and fees?
The palace is usually open from around 8 or 9 am until late afternoon, managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. Indians pay a small fee of roughly ₹25–50, foreign nationals more. Timings and fees change, so check current status before you travel and carry small notes or UPI.
Is the old town walk suitable for seniors?
Yes, if done slowly and not on the arrival day. The lanes are uneven with steps, so wear proper shoes and carry water. Seniors can take a taxi up to the palace and walk the gentler descent through the old town. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should talk to their doctor before travelling to this altitude.