Page 141 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

DELHI & THE NOR TH  139

LADAKH, JAMMU & KASHMIR

Lying across six major mountain ranges, and covering an area of
some 222,000 sq km (85,715 sq miles), Jammu and Kashmir is India’s
northernmost state, bordering Pakistan and China’s Tibetan Plateau. Its
three distinct regions – Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley – offer a
rich diversity of landscapes, religions, and people. The predominantly
Muslim Kashmir Valley is a mosaic of forests, ricefields, lakes and waterways,
its gentle beauty now shattered by armed insurgency (see p158). Jammu,
encompassing plains, mountains and foothills, boasts the famous hilltop
shrine of Vaishno Devi, an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. Sparsely
populated Ladakh, which accounts for two-thirds of the state’s area, is a high-
altitude desert. Its harsh lines are softened by the emerald green of oasis villages,
the crystal light of cloudless blue skies, and the dramatic silhouettes of ancient
Buddhist monasteries, which, for many visitors, are Ladakh’s main attraction.

Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Areas of Natural Beauty Tours
1 Leh 6 Southeast Ladakh 7 Nubra Valley Tour
9 Mulbekh w Rangdum
0 Kargil y Gulmarg
r Jammu u Pahalgam 0 kilometres 100
t Srinagar
0 miles 100
Monasteries & Palaces Rivers & Valleys
2 Stok q Suru Valley
3 Shey e Zanskar Key
4 Matho Monastery National highway
5 Hemis Monastery
8 Alchi Monastery Major road
Minor road
Major railway
International border
Disputed border
State border

Indus Indus

Muzaffarabad Wular Lake NH1D Shayok Nubra Chang Chenmo Range
• Sankhu • Spituk
•
• Panikhar
Avantipora • Spangmik
•
•
Martand
Padum • Pang-gong
Tso
Mirpur NH1A Kishtwar
• Katra NH1B • Indus
PAKISTAN • Karzok Tibet
• Udhampur •
Tso Moriri
Chenab
•Chamba • Keylong
Pathankot • NH20
NH15 NH21
Amritsar Beas CHINA
Lahore • • NH1 • Mandi
Spectacular view of Ladakh, also known as land of the high passes For keys to symbols see back flap
138-139_EW_India.indd 139 26/04/17 11:43 am