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Stargazing & Astrophotography in Ladakh

Nature

Stargazing & Astrophotography in Ladakh

Some of the darkest, driest skies on Earth, centred on the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve.

Where
Hanle, Pangong, Tso Moriri, Nubra
Best time
October to May for the clearest skies; the summer Milky Way core runs May to August
Duration
1–3 nights
Difficulty
Easy
Photo: Ashwin Kumar from Bangalore, India · CC BY-SA 2.0

Hanle hosts the Indian Astronomical Observatory and India’s first dark sky reserve, where local “astro-ambassadors” run telescope sessions from their homestays. Pangong and Tso Moriri add lakes to your foreground.

We schedule trips around the new moon on request.

Good to know

  • Plan around the new moon
  • Night temperatures fall below freezing even in summer
  • Use red light only near the observatory

Cost

Guided sessions indicative ₹1,000–2,500 per person. We include it in packages or book it as a stand-alone add-on.

Packages featuring stargazing & astrophotography

Hanle Dark Sky & Umling La: Leh – Pangong – Hanle – Umling La – Tso Moriri – LehPhoto: Deepank Ranka · CC BY-SA 4.0
7N / 8D · Moderate

Hanle Dark Sky & Umling La

Night skies at the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, home of the Indian Astronomical Observatory, and a drive toward Umling La, among the highest motorable roads in the world.

  • Leh – Pangong – Hanle – Umling La – Tso Moriri – Leh
  • May–Oct
max 4,520 m

from ₹46,900 / person

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