If Kashmiri traders and the clicking of tourists' cameras get to be too much, you can seek refuge in one of the many gompas and deserted mountain trails near the city. Some of these follow low the same routes used for centuries by traders hauling goods from Western Tibet over the Chang La (5547m) and Khardung La (5602m) into the bustling bazaars of the ancient city.

Flights:
Airport 4km from Leh, down Fort Rd. Jet Airways, main bazaar has daily flights to Delhi. Book a few weeks in advance during the summer. Indian Airlines, Fort Rd. , flies to more destinations, but you must still book ahead. Flights are often delayed or canceled due to bad weather. To: Chandigarh , Delhi; Jammu; Srina-gar. Security is tight on flights to Jammu or Srinagar. Persons under 25 are eligible for a discount.

The main bazaar marks the western edge of the Old City. Running west from the-center of the main bazaar is Fort Road, which is lined with restaurants, travel agents, and carpet shops. Zangsty Road, beginning at the north end of the main bazaar, connects to Fort Rd. via Library Road, and then runs north into two lanes, Changspa and Karroo, which pass several small guest houses. Buses arrive in the south on Airport Road, a 10 min. walk from the bazaar.

Food
With authentic Tibetan and Indian restaurants, not-so-authentic Italian ones, and Punjabi dhabas in the bazaar, Leh can satisfy most cravings. Head to Dzomsa, on Zangsty Rd., for eco-safe drinking water. Although there are more "German" bakeries in town than you can shake a striidel at, the tastiest bread is the Kashmiri naan sold in the bakeries behind the mosque.

Summer Harvest Restaurant
just above Dreamland Trek&Tour on Fort Rd. Delicious Tibetan, Kashmiri, and Chinese food. In the middle of the Main Bazaar, 3rd fl. The Darjeeling cooks seem to have mastered the culinary arts of Tibet and China. Great views of the bazaar. Most dishes in economical prices

Tibetan Kitchen, 5min. down Fort Rd., just before the White House. Clean tablecloths and artistic decor. Tibetan specialties like shaba-gleb is their specialty.

Pumpernickel German Bakery
Between Fort Rd. and Zangsty Rd. As much an expat community center as an eatery. Board posts bulletins about taxis to Manali and ads for trekking partners. Their speciality Excellent yak-cheese and tomato sandwiches huge breakfasts, and a range of breads.

SENGGE NAMGYAL PALACE
Towering above the Old Town, this nine-story palace was built during the 1630s to show Leh's ascendancy over Shey as the Ladakhi j capital. It is said to have inspired the Potala Palace in Lhasa. The opening of the I East Gate used to be marked by the roar of a caged lion; nowadays the gate serves as the entrance.

SHANTI STUPA
Referred to by locals as the Japan Stupa, the Shanti Stupa in Changspa village sits at the top of 560 steps. Feast your eyes on the legacy of fujii Guraji, a Japanese Buddhist who moved to India in 1931. One of many Japanese-built stupas in the region, this Peace Pagoda, built in 1983, features gilt panels depicting episodes from the life of the Buddha.

NAMGYAL TSEMO GOMPA.
High above the palace, the red Namgyal Tsemo Gompa is distinguished by its gon-khang, which features sculptures of wrathful deities and wall-paintings of benign Bodhisattvas.

OTHER SIGHTS.
The imposing mosque at the end of the main bazaar was built in 1666 by the Ladakhi king Deldan Namgyal as an offering to the Mughal emperor. The mosque is built in a style more Ladakhi than Islamic, but the namaaz prayer calls can be heard five times a day from every corner of Leh. The polo grounds above the Old Town see annual tournaments and occasional games between locals and soldiers. The Sankar Gotnpa, the official local residence of the reformist Gelug-pa ("Yellow Hat") sect, houses a hundred-headed, thousand-armed image of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

Shopping
There are many opportunities to shop in Leh; masks, carpets, jewelry, shawls, and so-called "antiques" fill the shops along Fort Rd., but prices are often higher than those in Delhi or Dharamsala. The Tibetan Children's Village Handicrafts Centre, on the road toward Choglamsar, sells crafts made at the Tibetan Children's Village. (Open M-Sa 9:30arn-5pm.) The Tibetan Handicraft Emporium, in the main market, is approved by the Dalai Lama. (Open M-Sa 9am-lpm and 2-7pm.) The Ecology Centre handicraft store sells local Ladakhi goods (open M-Sa llam-5pm), and the Co­operative store, in the Galdan Hotel complex just off Fort Rd., sells similar items. These places support the local community and have fixed prices. Cashmere Ladakh Arts, on Zangsty Rd., is a private shop that prides itself on its fixed prices and no-hassle salesmanship. Kpleasure Arts, on Fort Rd., specializes in pashmina and in Ladakhi art Shopping elsewhere is much like a sophisticated mugging.

Volunteer Opportunities
Travelers who would like to volunteer either with the Leh Women's Alliance or the Ecology Centre, or those wishing to arrange homestays at a Ladakhi farm (1 month minimum) should contact The International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC), Apple Bam, Week, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6JP, UK—preferably a year ahead. The center has ongoing projects that need volunteers, and can also refer would-be volunteers to other local organizations. The Student Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), at the Rid-zong Labrang Complex in Old Leh, between the bazaar and the polo grounds, has volunteer positions at its camp for Ladakhi youth in Choglamsar.

Daytrips from leh
Fifteen kilometers up the main road from Leh is the ancient Ladakhi capital of Shey. The hillsides are home to the famous giant twin images of Sakyamuni. The one of gilt copper is a part of a palace temple; the other is in a temple past a group of chortens 300m from the palace. Four kilometers farther up the road, on a craggy bluff, is Tlkse, the most photographed gompa, in Ladakh. A few kilometers above Tikse, you can get off the bus and cross the Indus to reach the Stakma Gompa, which rises dramatically on a 60m high rock from the flat Indus Valley. The gompa's three temples are small but well maintained, and the views from their windows are superb.
From Stakma, you can make out the Matho Gompa to the southwest, set on a hill at the foot of the mountain. Separated from (he Stakma gompa by 7km of meadows and barley fields, Matho, the only monastery in Ladakh that belongs to the Saskya-pa sect, is famous for the oracles delivered here. Lamas are chosen every three years and then spend several months fasting and praying until they are able to deliver prophecies and perform miraculous feats. The tiny gon-khang at the top of the gompa contains fierce images of deities. Unlike in most other gon-khangs, the ferocious faces are not covered.
From Matho, descend to the left and follow the path at the foot of the ridge for 12km until you reach Stok, the residence of the Namgyal dynasty. There is a museum displaying family heirlooms; the turquoise-inlaid crown once belonged to a Chinese princess of the Tang dynasty who married a Tibetan king. Curiously enough, this is China's oldest claim to Tibet.

Four kilometers from Saspol (up the Indus Valley from Leh) and across the river is Ladakh's oldest and most precious gompa, Alchl, a village founded in the 11th century. Bring a strong flashlight; the gompa is unlit. Lotsava Guest House ,50m to

Trekking around leh
Set between the world's two highest mountain ranges, Ladakh is a favorite destination for trekkers, who come, for the scenery and for the (relatively) reliable weather. During the trekking season (June-Oct), the days are hot and the nights, bitterly cold. You should not attempt treks deep into the mountains with fewer than three people, and you may want to hire a guide. You can rent and buy equipment in the White House, Fort Road.