General travel advice on Ladakh (Little Tibet)

Visa:

Citizens of many Western countries do need a visa for India, please check with the Indian Embassy in your country.

Currency:

The Indian Rupee (INR) is the local currency, for exchange rates use a converter program like www.oanda.com/converter. You may not bring Rupees to India. Change your money upon arrival at the International Airport (and keep the receipt in case you want to change some money back at the end of your journey). Euro and US-Dollars are accepted at all banks and exchange offices. We recommend credit cards for bigger purchases like carpets, jewellery or pieces of art). In Leh you find two ATM (State Bank of India and J&K bank), however, you can not get high amounts of money there and they are not always working. It is a bit complicated and time-consuming to cash traveller’s cheques. Better bring your money in 100 Euro/Dollar-notes and hide it at different places in your luggage.

Travel security:

The websites of your Embassy in India will give valuable travel advice and security information.

Travel insurance:

No matter how carefully you prepare your journey, there might be an accident or an illness.
So make sure your health insurance does cover costs abroad and a necessary transport back home. If not a separate travel insurance is highly recommend.

Health:

If you have never stayed at such an altitude (3.500m and higher), ask your doctor before you book a journey to Ladakh. Try to avoid excessive stress and efforts as well as colds during the days before leaving for Ladakh.
Good health is a condition for a pleasant stay and if you plan a trekking tour you must have a good fitness level. People who are not so sporty find nice walks in the valley of the retreat, with rewarding views and interesting encounters with the people.
We recommend to spend a few restful days in the retreat at the beginning of your stay in Ladakh, it is more peaceful here than in Leh.Vaccinations/medicaments/high altitude medicine:
Please ask your doctor which vaccinations should be renewed.
Advice for medicaments, first aid-kit and high-altitude medicine at www.high-altitude-medicine.com or at www.bexmed.de (in German only).

Drinking water:

Do only drink boiled, filtered or chemically disinfected water and use this water for toothbrushing, too. Bottled water is available in Leh and places next to the main-roads.

Telephone/Internet/Email:

Cell phones: The service for mobile phones has been extended in Leh and all over Ladakh during the last years. However, many areas are still not reachable, especially during treks. At the retreat there are a national land-line and a mobile phone for emergencies. SMS are usually blocked throughout the country. Foreign cell phones can not be reached and it is complicated to obtain an Indian SIM-card. However, there are international phones in most hotels and in one of the many call shops you can make cheap calls home.
Emails/Internet: In Leh you will find many internet cafes with rather good equipment, however, they are not always in working order and the transmission is slow. Cost is moderate.
At the retreat there is no internet access.

Climate/best time to travel:

Summer: max. 25°C, intensive sun, very dry air, min. 8°C
Winter: daytime -10°C to – 0°C when the sun shines, at night – 30°C to -10°C, depends on whether the sky is covered.
As everywhere global warming is affecting Ladakh too. There is more rainfall in summer, as a consequence temperatures fall and landslides might block roads and trekking routes.

The retreat is open from mid-May to mid-October.
Most tourist visit Ladakh from June to September.
Nights in September can already by rather cold.

Trekking should be scheduled between July and mid-September, depending on the altitude. In July and August days can be very hot below 4.000m. From September onwards rivers are lower and better fordable, however, there might already be snowfall above 4.500m.