Ladakh translated as "Land of high passes" is a land like no other, it is bound to exceed every expectation that one can muster. A synonym for heaven, solace and nirvana. Bounded by the Great Himalayas on one side and the Karakoram on the other, this is the highest plateau (over 3000 mts) and houses the largest district in India, Leh.

Jungle Lore organizes road trips, trekking expeditions, specialized high altitude wildlife trips and customized trips to Ladakh.

Ladakh is also known as "Little Tibet" as it is heavily influenced by Tibetan culture. Over the years, Ladakh has gained strategic importance being at the crossroads of several trade routes, though the Chinese closed this route off in 1960s. A high altitude desert created by the Great Himalayas - which provide a rain shadow- meaning they prohibit the entry of rain bearing clouds.

Ladakh is a Landscape photographer's fantasy land. It spreads over an altitude ranging from 9000ft at Kargil to 25,170 ft at Saser Kangri in the Karokoram. At this altitude the mountains take an aggressive form and the barren rocks stare right at you so as to shape your very imagination. The mountain ranges in this region were formed over a period of 45 million years by the folding of the Indian plate into the more stationary Eurasian Plate. The drift continues, causing frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region.

Ladakh as they say is the Land of high passes and it lives up to the tag as the three of the highest motor-able passes - Khardungla, Tanglangla and Changla lie in Ladakh. Khardungla- the highest of them all, at 18360 ft gives way to the Nubra valley - the land of sand dunes. The Pensi la at 14436 ft is the gateway to Zanskar, one of the most unexplored destinations. The inaccessibility of this unique region can be attributed to it being blocked by snowfall for 8 months of the year.

Ladakh goes well with the tagline "All that's special", as everything here is unique and cannot be witnessed else where in the world. If you have been disappointed with something that hasn't lived upto the hype and more, try Ladakh.