10 Essential Packing Tips For A Trip To Ladakh-Jetsettersush

Packing for a trip to Ladakh can be as daunting as selecting the destination. Ladakh is home to the cold desert in India, temperatures remain subzero for several months at a time and the high altitudes with rarefied oxygen only add to the anxiety of what to carry for a trip to Ladakh. Here are some packing tips to help you in the process.

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What to Wear in Ladakh

Ladakh is known for its freezing temperatures throughout the year. Barring the few summer months, when temperatures range between 15 to 30 degrees Celsius, the temperature in Ladakh hovers below zero. If you want to know more about the weather in Ladakh check out this link – Ladakh weather & best time to visit. Getting to the point, here is the list of things to wear for a trip to Ladakh. I will cover skincare separately further below.

Thermal wear – To feel comfortable in freezing temperatures, please carry woolen thermal wear. Both men and women must wear full-sleeve thermals at all times, whether day or night. So for a trip of 6 to 7 days, you will need at least 3 sets of thermal wear.
Heavy woolen sweaters / Puffer jackets/ leather or fleece jackets – You can team these up based on the months you are traveling in
- From November to March – Heavy woolens or fleece jackets alone will not suffice. The temperatures are freezing, so you will need to wear a feather or cotton-stuffed puffer jacket on top of the woolen sweater.
- From April to July – You can wear woolen sweaters or fleece jackets on top of the thermals. For a visit to Khardung La or Chang La, you can wear leather jackets as well.
- From Aug to September – You can wear woolen sweaters, leather jackets, and fleece jackets on top of the thermals in Leh. For a visit to Nubra Valley or the Khardung La and Chang La passes, you will need puffer jackets.
Mufflers or Woolen Caps – The weather in Ladakh is dry and windy, so if your jacket does not have a hoodie, mufflers or woolen caps can come in handy. Mufflers or woolen stoles will also add that extra fashionista zing to your attire 🙂
Sunglasses or anti-glare glasses – this is another item that you simply cannot do without, especially if you are traveling from November to May months when there is snow. Ladakh has clear skies, and the sun’s rays bounce off the snow making a glare that can be both painful and harmful to the eyes.
Sunscreen – This is a packing tip that very few will give out. Due to the cold temperatures in Ladakh, we do not realize that we tend to gravitate towards staying in the sun for longer than necessary. Also, you won’t find much vegetation in these dry, arid, and barren lands. So sunscreen is a must. Please wear sunscreen that is at least 50 SPF or more.
Gloves – woolen or leather ones – This is a must to protect your nail tips and cuticles tend to become dry in the arid weather. so protecting your hands with woolen or leather gloves is a must.
Woolen socks – the locals in every part of Kashmir believe that wearing woolen socks keeps the feet warm, and warmer feet bring instant relief from the cold when temperatures are freezing.
Sturdy and comfortable footwear – One of the best packing tips that I can share is to carry comfortable footwear. Ladies, Ladakh is no place to flaunt your heels. The terrain is rugged and if you want to make the most of your stay, carry a few pairs of comfortable footwear like sports shoes. Multiple pairs as the snow can get your footwear wet!

Packing Tips - What to Wear in Ladakh — Packing Tips – What to Wear in Ladakh

Skin care regimen for a trip to Ladakh

Ladakh is extremely dry and cold. This with exposure to the sun can be detrimental to our skin. Here is my pro tip on a skincare regime to be followed

Daytime regime – I have already mentioned how important it is to wear sunscreen during the day. Please ensure to wear a cream-based sunscreen or else your skin will feel very dry. For hands, body, and feet carry some light moisturizing lotion with SPF. You can also apply serum before the sunscreen, this will keep your face more hydrated.
Night time regime – please remember to carry a good cream-based night cream, that is hydrating and moisturizing. I will not recommend gel-based creams as they simply are inadequate in the weather.
Soap and facewash – do not carry anything that is oil-free or makes this skin dry. Stick to a hydrating and moisturizing face wash and soap for the best experience.

Packing Tips for your trip to Ladakh

Ladakh is a destination for adventure travel. The dry and cold weather and rarefied oxygen further add to the thrill of this beautiful paradise. Here are some packing tips for an unforgettable trip!

Post-paid sim – Do remember that Prepaid sims do not work in any part of Jammu & Kashmir, which includes Ladakh. So please carry postpaid sims, all operators like Airtel, BSNL, Jio, and Vodafone are operational there.
Remember to carry Print or soft copies of Route Map/ Itinerary/Permits/Travel tickets/Hotel Vouchers etc. While internet connectivity in Leh is seamless, the same is not true for all the passes and popular tourist destinations like Nubra Valley. So do keep a backup in case you cannot connect to the internet
Carry Power bank and chargers – Electricity supply is erratic in the region with frequent power cuts. Keeping power banks handy will ensure your electronic gadgets are up and running, no matter what.
Clothes – please carry comfortable clothing. Ensure you carry a few extra pairs of bottoms like jeans, jeggings, trousers, etc since roaming in the snow means your bottoms get wet and cold at the same time.
Torch/flashlights– these can come in handy in the night when frequent power cuts happen
Telescopes – this is a must for stargazing lovers. Ladakh boasts of skies lit with a plethora of stars and constellations. So grab your telescopes for a better experience. You can also rent the same from Leh market. This is one of my pro-packing tips.
Thermals/woolens as mentioned above.
Sunscreen/moisturizers as mentioned above
Food to carry in Ladakh Trip – Traveling through mountainous terrain can be exhausting, and food options for instant energy like chocolates, glucose biscuits, and dry fruits are your best bet.
Extra pair of footwear – Please carry an extra pair of footwear as mentioned above

A few of the common questions answered

Do we need an Oxygen Cylinder for the Ladakh trip?

Yes, having an oxygen cylinder is often handy to avoid any mountain sickness. You do not need to carry it with you. These are available for rent, at reasonable prices, from Leh market.

How to prevent altitude sickness in Ladakh?

Ensure you stay in Leh for 48 hours to help acclimatize your body. Undertake travel to higher altitudes only after the mandatory 48 hours. also, avoid exerting yourself physically, walk slowly, and avoid any form of fast-paced physical activity.

If you are looking for options in Kashmir, check out my posts on Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Snowfall in Kashmir, and Best time to Visit Kashmir. If you are looking for options in Ladakh, check out Ladakh Weather, Nubra Valley, 5 Days Kashmir Itinerary, Best Packing tips for Ladakh & best tourist places in Ladakh.

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