'Little Tibet', 'The Last Shangri-la' are names that have been applied to Ladakh, all with a bit of truth. Ladakh is a high-altitude plateau, north of the Himalayas situated geographically in Tibet. It's a miniature version of Tibet, the people are Tibetan in their culture and religion. The Himalayas are a very effective barrier to rain. Few clouds creep across their awesome height and as a result Ladakh is barren beyond belief. Only where rivers, running from faraway glaciers or melting snow, carry water to habitation do you find plant life, hence the moonland label, since Ladakh is as dry as the Sahara. It's strategic isolation is matched by its physical isolation. A flight to Ladakh is one of the most spectacular in the world.

Ladakh is well worth the effort involved in getting there. It's an otherworldly place-strange gompas perched on soaring hilltops, ancient places clinging to sheer rock walls, and shattered-looking landscape splashed with small but brilliant patches of green, but above all are the delightful Ladakhis, friendly and immensely colourful. The people follow Tibetan Tantric Buddhism which has more emphasis on magic and demons. All around Ladakh are gompas, the Buddhist monasteries. They are fascinating to visit, try the unusual butter tea and take photographs. Handwoven carpets with designs of dragons, silver and copper trinkets set with turquoise and thankas inspired from the original paintings are exclusive buys. Finely executed paintings of the Buddha in water colour and dragon paintings executed in clay can be bought from the Handicrafts Centre. Local woodcrafts, metal crafts and precious stones can also be purchased.