About this book

This new, thoroughly revised third edition of Bradt’s Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley remains the only standalone English-language guide available to this stunning region of mountain wilderness and lush valleys. Although Ladakh is becoming an ever more popular destination, Zanskar, the Kashmir Valley and Jammu are still off the beaten path, attracting only  the more adventurous foreign tourist, so their treasure trove of natural and cultural wonders awaits your discovery.

Ladakh, Zanskar and the Kashmir Valley have long astounded intrepid visitors with their epic Himalayan beauty. Thousands of years of history sit side by side with vibrant modern communities; spectacular natural landscapes ripe for exploration are dotted with all manner of architectural curiosities. This guidebook is the ideal companion to these contrasting and spellbinding regions, where mountains, pilgrimage destinations, cultural sites and exciting wildlife – notably the chance of seeing the formerly near-mythical snow leopard – vie for your attention.

Here you can gasp at the views from the roof of the world at the breathless Khardung La mountain pass, stroll through Eden-like Shalimar Gardens (where the early-morning mist rises eerily off the lawns and channels), trek remote mountain trails through Ladakh and Zanskar (with this edition featuring several new suggested routes), admire the monkeys that have colonised the 19th-century palace of Mubarak Mandi, take a shikara ride across the lotus-strewn lakes of Srinagar, marvel at the Buddhas of Kargil (cut from rock in the 7th and 8th centuries), relax on a houseboat at Srinagar or join the Buddhist monks at Thiksey Monastery for early-morning prayers by candlelight.

And if that is not enough, you can white-water raft on the Indus, travel by jeep along nerve-wracking mountain roads, follow millions of Hindu faithful to the Armanath Cave and enjoy superb powder skiing in amid true wilderness. Whatever your interests, and wherever they lead you in this fascinating and rewarding region, let Bradt’s Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley illuminate your way.

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About the Author

Sophie Ibbotson first arrived in central Asia in 2008 when her auto-rickshaw (tuk-tuk) got snowed in en route from Darjeeling, India, to London. Forced to overwinter, she fell in love with the region and became excited by the opportunities it offered, opening the Kyrgyz office of her investment promotion company, Maximum Exposure Productions (MEP), the following year. Sophie now runs Maximum Exposure Ltd, providing tourism and culture consultancy and PR services, and is the co-founder and managing editor of Panorama: The Journal of Intelligent Travel. She is also a member of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs (rsaa.org.uk).

Maria Oleynik has been updating guides for Bradt for more than ten years. She is a freelance translator fluent in ten languages, including Arabic and Persian, and has been living in Iran for the past six years. She has a BA in Persian Literature from the University of Shiraz, which she calls her greatest academic honour, and has also completed a BA in the University of Copenhagen and an MLitt in Trinity College Dublin. With love for everything Iranian, she has a particular interest in Kashmir, and while being an avid hiker, could not but take interest in Ladakh. She hikes and skis a great deal in Iran and her native Russia.

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