Leh trip planner: best time, cost and things to do
High-altitude desert town, base for Pangong Tso, Nubra Valley and Himalayan passes. The best time to visit Leh is May to September, and December to February is best avoided (extreme cold, most roads closed). Plan 5 days; on the ground you can expect about ₹1,250 to ₹9,600 per person per day.
Plan your Leh trip and see the full cost
Leh at a glance
- State
- Ladakh
- Best months
- May to September
- Best avoided
- December to February (extreme cold, most roads closed)
- Suggested stay
- 5 days
- Nearest airport
- IXL (in town)
- Nearest railway station
- Srinagar (SINA)
- Good for
- mountains, adventure, nature
- Ground cost per person per day
- ₹1,250 budget, ₹3,600 mid-range, ₹9,600 comfort
How much does a trip to Leh cost?
About ₹1,250 (budget), ₹3,600 (mid-range) or ₹9,600 (comfort) per person per day, two sharing a room and a cab, excluding the journey to Leh.
What to eat in Leh
- Thukpa
- Skyu
- Butter tea
- Apricot jam on everything
Top things to do in Leh
- Shanti Stupa: A white stupa above town. about 1 hour. free entry
- Leh Palace: A nine-storey palace. about 1.5 hours. entry about ₹25
- Thiksey Monastery: Morning prayers at a monastery. about 2 hours. entry about ₹50
- Hemis Monastery: Ladakh's richest monastery. about 2 hours. entry about ₹100
- Pangong Tso: A lake that changes colour, 160 km away. about 24 hours. free entry. Stay a night; don't go on your first two days
- Nubra Valley via Khardung La: A high pass and sand dunes. about 24 hours. free entry
- Magnetic Hill and Sangam: An optical illusion. about 4 hours. free entry
- Alchi Monastery: 11th-century murals. about 4 hours. entry about ₹50
How to get to Leh
To reach Leh, Leh has its own airport (IXL), and the nearest major railway station is Srinagar (SINA), about 420 km away.
Frequently asked questions about Leh
When is the best time to visit Leh?
The best months for Leh are May to September. December to February: extreme cold, most roads closed. Prices for stays and flights rise around holidays and long weekends, so book early for those dates.
How much does a trip to Leh cost?
On the ground in Leh a budget trip costs about ₹1,250 per person per day, a mid-range trip about ₹3,600 and a comfortable one about ₹9,600, assuming two people share a room and a cab. That covers stay, food and local transport but not the journey to Leh. TripRoast works out the full cost per person from your city, including transport.
How many days do you need in Leh?
Plan at least 5 days in Leh. Add a day if travel to get there is long.
What should you eat in Leh?
Try Thukpa, Skyu, Butter tea, Apricot jam on everything.
How do you get to Leh?
To reach Leh, Leh has its own airport (IXL), and the nearest major railway station is Srinagar (SINA), about 420 km away.
Do you need a permit for Leh?
Rest for at least 24 to 48 hours after arriving by air to acclimatise.
Similar places to visit
- Chopta, Uttarakhand
- Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
- Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
- Chikmagalur, Karnataka
- Coorg, Karnataka
- Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
Costs are estimates built from public data, official fares and traveller reports. Always check prices before you book. How TripRoast works.