Outside the town of Leh you can travel up and down Ladakh’s windswept terrin and encounter little human life. The 150000 residents in this part of the disputed region of Kashmir appear in the most surprising places, generally alongside the reminders of Buddhist culture that sprinkle the countryside. On the most deserted stretch of road you will find stones stacked into little chorten like piles and mani (walls of beautifully engraved stones) that the inhabitants have erected to pro­tect the land from demons and evil spirits. The walls are enticing, but don't touch or remove the stones because they are sacred to the people who put them there.

The Government of India oversees a number of specified tour circuits in this region. Foreign tourists in groups of four, sponsored by recog­nized tour operators, are allowed to visit the Khaltse (Drokhpa area), Nubra, and Nyoma subdivisions after obtaining a permit from the Dis­trict Directorate in Leh. If you're planning a trip here, take all precautions against high-altitude sickness (us- Health in Smart Travel Tips A to Z) and try to bring a flashlight for viewing poorly lit gompas. Ladakh gets crowded in July and August, but June and September are excellent months for touring this mountain state. The trekking season lasts from late May, after most of the snow has melted, until mid-October; rafting is best from early July to mid-September. Winter, when many ac­commodations are.closed, will probably confine you to Leh and its vicinity.