The sheer beauty of Ladakh, an ex-Buddhist kingdom has been taking everyone’s breath away lately. From the next ‘it’ film destination to a trekker’s delight, Ladakh has been basking in the spotlight across media and social media platforms as the youth hike up to visit ‘Little Tibet’.

A Buddhist monastery in Leh. Leh was the former capital of the Buddhist kingdom of Ladakh. The scenic place currently has 35 monasteries such as this.

Noting the trend, Milind Bhide, managing director and CEO of travel group Countryside Adventure Holidays, says, “The mystique of a high altitude dessert with snow-covered peaks and the famed monasteries have always been a big draw.” Karan Anand, head of relationships, Cox & Kings, notes, “Leh is the most common entry point to India’s far northern region of Ladakh. It has always been a popular tourist destination amongst foreign travellers since 1974.”