Things to do in Leh — the palace, the monasteries and the passes
Things to do in Leh: Leh Palace and the Shanti Stupa, the monasteries along the Indus, Alchi and the Zanskar confluence, Khardung La and the war museum.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-14
Best time to visit Leh — season, roads and temperatures
When to visit Leh: roads open from June to October, summer days are warm and dry, and winter is very cold. Month-by-month temperatures from Wikipedia's table.
The season at Leh is set by the roads and the cold. Wikipedia describes a cold desert, with winters that run from late November into early March, and little rain at any time. The monthly figures below come from its table of normals for 1951–2020.
June to September
The warm months. Daytime highs run from 24.4 °C in June to 28.5 °C in July and 28.1 °C in August. September is cooler, at 23.4 °C. Nights are cool, with lows of 11.3 °C in June and 9.2 °C in September. The Manali road opens in June, and both highways run through the summer. This is the busiest season.
October
Highs ease to 16.7 °C and the low reaches 0.3 °C. The Manali highway is open until late October, and the crowds thin.
November to March
Winter. Highs stay below 11 °C and lows drop to minus 13.1 °C in January. Snow often shuts the Srinagar and Manali roads, so flights are the way in, and Wikivoyage says many shops, hotels and trekking companies close. The Dosmoche festival is held around February at Leh Palace.
April and May
Highs climb from 15.3 °C in April to 20.0 °C in May, but the highways have not yet opened, by the sources above.
Plans for the season
The first-day plan and the monastery day work in any month the roads or flights allow. Read how to reach Leh and things to do in Leh.
Places around Leh
The Leh guide →
Leh Palace — the nine-storey royal palace above the old town
Shanti Stupa — the white stupa on the ridge above Leh
Spituk Monastery — the hilltop gompa near Leh's airport
Shey Palace — the old royal hill complex and its great Buddha
Stok Palace — the royal summer home across the Indus
Thiksey Monastery — the hilltop Gelug monastery with the great Maitreya
Magnetic Hill — the roadside illusion on the Leh–Srinagar highway
Zanskar–Indus confluence — where two rivers meet near Nimmu
More stories to read
All stories →
How to reach Leh — flights, and the Manali and Srinagar roads
How to reach Leh: flights all year, the seasonal Manali and Srinagar highways, bus options, measured road distances, and why there is no railway.
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Questions people ask
What is the best time to visit Leh?
June to September for most visitors, when the Manali and Srinagar roads are open and daytime highs reach about 24 to 28 °C, by Wikipedia's table. Wikivoyage says winters are very cold and that many shops, hotels and trekking companies close then. Flights run all year, so winter is possible with planning.
How cold does Leh get in winter?
Wikipedia's table gives a January average low of minus 13.1 °C and a high of 1.5 °C, and describes winters that run from late November into early March, with occasional snow. Check heating and hot water with your hotel before booking, and carry proper layers.
Does it rain in Leh?
Rarely. Wikipedia calls Leh a cold desert, with only a few millimetres of rain a month in the table, and the wettest months are July and August. It also records flash floods in 2010 that killed more than 100 people, so check the weather for the day before driving on the highways.