Adventure sports

Travel to Ladakh indicates travel to the land of wilderness. The Ladakh Festival organized on a large scale is now a regular tourist event on the tourist calendar. There are several schemes to promote tourism to the Ladakh region. These include opening up of inner line areas such as the beautiful Pangong Tso lake on the Indo-China border, Baima, whose villagers trace their descent to the early Aryan settlers and Nubra Valley which is situated near the strategic Siachen glacier on the Indo-Pak border.

Along with the Ladakh Festival, adventure tourism figures prominently in the tourism package. A white water river rafting expedition along the 26-kilometre stretch from Fhey to Nimo along the mighty Indus River is a thrilling experience. Travelers flock to Ladakh to enjoy the highest point where river rafting is possible in the world. The high altitude and mountains of Ladakh make it an ideal spot for paragliding, mountaineering, trekking and even skiing. The people of Ladakhi are keen sportsmen and archery contests are frequently arranged at the village level, which draws all aspiring marksmen.

Another popular adventure sport of Ladakh is polo. It is played with great gusto reminiscent of the Mongol horsemen. The no holds-barred, robust game is far removed from the watered down version seen in today's polo circuits.