The roof
Views over Leh.
Neelindra007 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nilza Shanyer — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Deepank Ranka — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kmohankar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Harvinder Chandigarh — CC BY-SA 4.0
Leh Palace, also known as Lachen Palkar Palace, is a former royal palace overlooking the town of Leh in Ladakh, in India's far north, set on a hill above the old town centre. King Sengge Namgyal built it around 1600, and the royal family left it in the mid-19th century, moving to Stok Palace. The palace rises nine storeys: the upper floors housed the royal family, the lower ones stables and storerooms. It is built of mud brick, timber and stone in Tibetan style, with sloping walls and small wooden windows, so it seems to grow out of the brown mountain behind it. From the roof the view takes in Leh, its green valley and the snowy peaks of the Stok range. A small museum inside shows jewellery, ceremonial dress and old paintings. Leh sits at about 3,500 metres, so spend a day or two acclimatising before the climb, take the stairs slowly and carry water.
Views over Leh.
Jewellery and dress.
Sloping walls.
Leh, Ladakh, India
Yes, acclimatise first.
May to September.