Ladakh was an independent kingdom for nine centuries, influenced by Tibet and the neighbouring Muslim region. Linguistically, Ladakhi is very closely related to Tibetan. Tibet had long been where Ladakhi Buddhists would go for higher religious education, but since the incorporation of Tibet into China, Ladakhis have made the much shorter trip to the Tibetan monasteries in India. The architecture of Ladakh is almost identical to that of Tibet, both of residential buildings and of the monasteries. The class structure, or more precisely the lack of a sharply defined class structure, is common to Tibet and Ladakh and is in sharp contrast to the rest of India. Related to this is the relatively high status, freedom and outspokenness of Buddhist women in Ladakh and Tibet.

Common to both cultures are a set of cultural practices that keep the population from growing larger than the land can support, and prevent a farm from being divided up and thus being unable to support a family. These are:

• Monasteries would take large numbers of monks and nuns and thus keep the population at a stable level.
• Polyandry, a practice in which one woman marries all the brothers of a family to prevent the family's land from being divided, was common in both Ladakh and Tibet until into the 20th century.
• Primogeniture, a system where the inheritance after a man's death (primarily the land) would pass to his oldest son in order to keep farms large enough to support a family.
• Khangbu, the little house to which the father and mother would retire once their eldest son married and took over the management of the farm, inheriting the main house along with it.

However, Tibet was far from the only influence on Ladakh. Whereas Tibet was largely closed off to outside influence, Ladakh was a nation where caravan trade played an important role. Traders from the neighbouring Muslim lands, both Kashmir and East Turkestan, which is now the Xinjiang region of China were a common sight in Leh's bazaar until the 20th century. The folk music is based on the styles of the Muslim parts of the Western Himalayas. Polo was imported from these lands and enjoys popularity to this day with Ladakhis, regardless of faith.

Over the decades, the relationship between Buddhists and Muslims in Ladakh has deteriorated. This is possibly due to the complex roles of the communities as minorities relative to each other in the years before Ladakh was separated from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. At the time, Muslims were a minority in Leh, a majority in J&K, and a minority in India; Buddhists were the majority in Leh, but a minority in J&K to Muslims and in India to Hindus. The importation of identity politics from the rest of India may also have contributed. Whatever the true reason, it has never erupted into the kind of violence seen elsewhere in India at times. It may, however, take the sheen out of a place that seems remarkably idyllic, when a new friend says something that's hard not to hear as racist.

The Indus valley is the Ladakhi heartland, with the highest population density, and large amounts of agricultural land. Running parallel with it, roughly north-east south-west, are a series of valleys and mountain ranges. North of the Indus valley is the Ladakh range, on the other side of which is the Shyok, and Nubra valleys. South of the Indus is the Stok range, clearly visible from Leh. On the other side is the Markha valley is a popular trekking destination. Farther south-west is a series of minor ranges and uninhabited valleys before we come to Zangskar. The Kargyak and the Stod rivers join at Padum, to form the Zangskar river which bucks the trend and flows north through a narrow gorge to join the Indus. To the south of Zanskar is the Grand Himal range marking the southern limit of Ladakh.

To the east of this series of ranges is the Changtang, a high plateau home to nomads. It is known as Kharnak in the west, Samad Rokchen in the north east and Korzok in the south east. Not a true plateau, it has a chaotic assortment of minor mountains ranges not much higher than the wide valleys between them. With no drainage leading out of this area, there are a number of beautiful salt water lakes that make popular destinations for tourists.

The animals of Ladakh have much in common with the animals of Central Asia generally, and especially those of the Tibetan Plateau.

Leh's many excellent bookshops offer a wide variety of books on Ladakh, Buddhism and Islamic history; general reading. They are worth visiting, and have many titles not available outside India. Some recommended titles on Ladakh are:

• Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia, by Janet Rizvi. An entirely enjoyable, meticulously researched overview of Ladakhi culture, history, economy and geography. Its precision and accuracy do not hinder its approachability and personalness.

• Ancient Futures, by Helena Norberg-Hodge. A passionate explanation of, and plea for, the preservation of the traditional values of Ladakh. Impressive and influential, despite its occasional lack of balance.

By bus, by taxi, by motorbike, or by hitch-hiking are the options by road.

Leh's Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL ^IATA) has at least 4-6 connections from Delhi into Ladakh daily.

Hiking in might be possible via Zanskar, and there is the 100-km trail from Kibber (Spiti Valley) to Karzok (at Tso Moriri).

Ladakhi buses run from Leh to the surrounding villages. They are often overcrowded and generally disorganised and poorly run. Daily buses or mini buses run to Alchi, Basgo, Dha-Hanu, Likir, Nimmu, and Saspul; twice daily to Chemray, Hemis, Matho, Stok, and Tak Tok; hourly or more often to Choglamsar, Phyang, Shey, Spituk, Stakna, Thiksay.

Hitch-hiking in Ladakh is considerably easy, especially where there is a lot of local traffic, i.e. between non-tourist villages. (Forget about hitchhiking between Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake—there run mostly tourist vehicles that "cannot" take you along for the ride, especially if the rest are paying passengers.) Also, Ladakhi people are very friendly and have no issues taking people on a ride, especially since one of the mottos of the Dalai Lama is: You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing. You will even encounter Ladakhi women inviting you for a ride—a much different situation to the rest of India.

From Leh it is best to move out of the city a little first by local bus or to walk a little towards one of the main roads leaving the city before trying to catch a ride, since there is a lot of local traffic that remains within Leh.

Also see India#By thumb for more general information and which vehicles to look out for.

Trucks often stop for hitchhikers and expected a payment of about half the bus fare, bargaining may be necessary. For shorter distances they will also take you for free. They are slower than the buses and sometimes stop for long periods to unload cargo, especially on the Leh-Manali and Leh-Srinagar highways. They are however mostly relevant for getting into or out of Ladakh, not so much for getting around—but a ride is a ride, right?

There are loads of taxis that will take you to any of the surrounding sights. While they are much faster and more comfortable than public transport, their rates are fairly steep compared to elsewhere in India.

Exploring the region by motorbike seems to be the new trend among the emerging Indian middle class. Most will book an organised tour with many bikes going at once, exploring the region's highlights, followed by a technical support car and potentially a bus for family members not riding a bike. However, you can also rent a motorbike and explore the region on your own.

In Leh there are a number of shops that will rent motorbikes, mostly the Royal Enfield, still made in India today (350 and 500 cc model). Rentals are fairly cheap, and can be good way to travel around and far cheaper than local taxis. Check your rented bike before you leave so that you don't find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Things to note:

• Carry enough spares and all the required tools.
• Try to learn basic vehicle maintenance before you start on the trip.
• Carry spare fuel. (There is a 380 km stretch on the Leh–Manali highway that has no petrol pumps.)
• You will need to get permits to visit certain places (for example, Khardung La).
• In some sections of the journey the roads are in a bad condition and you will have to handle gravel or even severe, but the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has done a good job, with whatever little resources that are available, in making the difficult terrain accessible to vehicular traffic.
• Though there are many mechanics in Leh who deal with many bikes, the availability of spares is limited. So before leaving be sure to get your bike serviced (get all cables checked/ changed, set chain, get oil topped up, brakes inspected etc.) and also carry all necessary spares (cables, chain link, bulbs etc.)
• Make sure to carry the originals of all your bike's documents.
• Especially on early summer, glaciers tend to melt as the day progresses and flow across roads at some places. Be sure to plan to reach and cross these glacier melts, commonly known as Nalas (for example Pagal nala, Khooni nala, Whisky nala, Brandy nala etc.), during the earlier part of the day, when the flow is low and the depth of the water is still easily passable.
• When you encounter a military convoy, always pull over and let them pass. It might be a good idea to find out from the locals as to when the convoy goes uphill and downhill and try to time your trip accordingly.

Note that many of the places near the Pakistani and Chinese border require a permit.

• Leh-K(h)aru-Chang La-Tangtse-Pangong Lake and back – This is a popular trip to Pangong Lake and can be done by taxi or motorbike. Most people do it as a day trip starting early in the morning and come back by the evening. However, there is accommodation near the lake in Lukung & Spangmik to enjoy this place at a slower pace. Camping is also possible.
• Leh-Khardung La-Nubra Valley – This is another popular trip. Nubra Valley is the second favourite to tourists as a trip from Leh. Some people return directly from Khardung La (5,300 m), which is (falsely) claimed to be the highest motorable pass in the world. It provides excellent views of Ladakh Range as well as Karakoram Range on the other side. Accommodation is available along the way and countless all over Nubra Valley.
• Leh-Lamayuru-Leh – This is an easier drive along Indus river towards Kargil. One can also see the confluence of Indus and Zanskar on the way. Lamayuru is a beautiful place and is home to the oldest monastery and one of the most important ones in Ladakh. One can stay in the monastery or in the surrounding village.
• Leh-Upshi-Tso Kar-Tso Moriri – This is another trip, which covers two picturesque lakes Tso Kar and Tso Moriri, besides two smaller ones and two hot springs. There is accommodation available in Korzok (Tso Moriri), Thukje (Tso Kar) and Chumathang. Camping near Tso Moriri is apparently not allowed.
• Various monasteries around Leh – There are 4 or 5 big monasteries around Leh and can be covered in one day. The most important are Thiksey, Phyang, Spituk, Stok and Shey.

Some tour operators will organise trips that cover all three of the main hotspots in Ladakh, but you can also do them on your own; by bus and thumb, by motorbike or on foot:

• Leh - Nubra Valley - Pangong Lake - Tso Moriri and Tso Kar – It would take you approximately one week if you have your own transport, and 1½ weeks if hitch-hiking. See the according articles for more information.

The scenery is magnificent viewed at the pace of a bicycle, however one would need to be well prepared with full camping equipment if going into more remote places. However, there are many homestays and guesthouses all over Ladakh. It is also important to identify the road conditions, since you don't want to cycle on gravel or worse for long. OsmAnd has the ability to display the surface of the road, which would help you to better plan your trip.

Also, consider that drivers in India are reckless and going along a highly trafficked road can spoil all the fun. However, cycling in a remote place like Pangong Lake or the Changthang Western Lakes can be rewarding.

In addition to the paved roads there are some trekking routes that are possible to ride a lightly loaded, sturdy mountain bike on, perhaps hiring a horse and handler to take your baggage. Padam to Darcha, via Shingo La (pass) would be a good route for this, though you would still need to push your bike over the pass itself. Ask trekkers in Ladakh for more options.

Ladakh is an excellent trekking area for experienced trekkers. For the traveler with a number of months, it is possible to trek from one end of Ladakh to the other, or even from places in Himachal Pradesh. The large number of trails and the limited number of roads allows you to string together routes that have road access often enough to restock supplies, but almost entirely avoid walking on motor roads. The infrastructure is nowhere near as developed as in Nepal, necessitating greater preparedness on the part of the trekker.

Most trekkers go with a guide and some pack horses, which is easy to organise and, if arranged in Leh, quite affordable. You can also trek independently, but this should not be undertaken lightly and without much consultation with locals, especially when on your own. People do go missing and die on these trails.

Contrary to the rest of India, in Ladakh restaurants and shops generally seem to have change for larger notes—may it be due to the higher security of this area or the mentality of Ladakhi people.

Those arriving by air are strongly advised to rest for at least a few days and nights in order to adjust to the high altitude over 3,000 m before venturing to higher altitudes. See article on altitude sickness.

If you feel breathlessness after some exercise, scared of height or any heart problem then avoid visiting Leh. But if you are still desperate to be in Leh then drink lots of water or eat in frequent times while in this beautiful place. Be extra careful while visiting Leh in winter. It is stunningly beautiful but extreme cold weather means a little discomfort for visitors.

This also means not heading directly for the tent camps at Sarchu (4,300 m) or Pang (4,500 m) from Manali, i.e. no longer than Darcha the first night. Consider visiting Alchi first since it is lower than Leh.

All overnight stays cannot be planned—in September 2008 the Air Force had to evacuate those with altitude sickness from Sarchu in after massive snowfall, and landslides are not uncommon. Not allowing your body to acclimatise can result in altitude sickness, which has only one cure: turning back. Stay a minimum of two nights after flying in before going higher, so as both to give your body time to acclimatise and to explore the city.

If you are travelling from Delhi to Leh by road, the route which enables better acclimatisation is via Shimla, and then towards Kinnaur and Spiti, which gives several acclimatisation nights between 2,000 to 3,000 m: Sarahan (2,134 m), Kalpa (2,800 m), Tabo (3,265 m). After Kaza (3,600 m) and the Kunzum La (4,550 m) the road connects with the Manali-Leh highway just north of the Rothang pass.

Diamox is available over the counter in India which can help, with varying success, to speed up acclimatisation. Those that are allergic to sulfa medication can not use Diamox, and it can have side effects: this needs to be discussed with a doctor beforehand.