If you are an adventure lover, then Leh is the apt place for you. Many sports like trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing, river rafting etc. can be enjoyed in the snow clad peaks of Leh. River rafting in the Indus and Zanskar rivers, mountaineering in the Great Himalayan Range, the Zanskar Mountains and the Karakoram Range are the raging favorites. Leh is well known for exciting activities like hiking, trekking, river rafting, polo and archery. Leh is single amongst a small number of trekking places in north India that offer magnificent trekking trails. June to October is considered to be the perfect time for trekking in Leh. But it is essential to acclimatize before you take out your trekking gear. During summer, Polo is one more popular sport in Leh. The mountains and the rivers offer plenty of opportunities for river rafting, mountaineering and trekking. Be warned that all these sports are to be done under professional guidance.
River Rafting
Indus and its tributaries offer challenging rafting opportunities. The stretch between Spituk and Nimu or Saspol rates 2 to 3 in the international river grading scale and is good for first-timers. Upstream is the Karu, which is ideal for basic training. But the real challenge is negotiating the unruly Zanskar River. It is the most difficult and requires expedition-like arrangements.
Mountain Climbing
The most popular and the easiest is the Nun-Kun in the Himalayas. Other options are the Stok-Khangri south of Leh or the Karakoram Range north of Leh, which requires subject permission from the Government of India. The climbing season extends from mid-May to mid-October. However, the ideal period is June to September when the monsoons do not dominate the Himalayas. Non-Indians need to get permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation for climbing all listed peaks. It takes a minimum of six months for processing and granting of permission.
