Ladakh, the Land of High Passes
A World Above Everything Else, a Land Beyond Expectations
I’ve been long intrigued by Ladakh, a territory of India high in the Western Himalayas. Sitting at around 3500 to 5800 metres above sea-level, Ladakh seems at once elusive and alluring. It’s a land which sees a confluence of many cultures and traditions, peopled by the Ladakhi who draw their heritage from ancient empires and high altitude tribes and clans. Primarily Buddhist, Ladakh is a place of monasteries and gompas perched on rocky hills and high ledges, soaring above clouds and presiding over green valleys and rugged precipices.
The opportunity to research and scout Ladakh with the view of running a photography tour here in 2026 with my good friend, Shivam Pandey, was an offer too good to miss. So with trusty cameras and my good mate and fellow West Aussie, Bruce (aka Westy), in tow, I headed for this Land of High Passes (which is what Ladakh means in Tibetan).
In our time in Ladakh, we ventured into stark, mountainous regions, marvelling at the incredible age and ruggedness of mountains within the Nubra Valley; spent time with the Brokpa people of the Aryan Valley who live surrounded by the mountains of the Indus Valley; gazed across the pristine blue waters of high altitude lakes (Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri) to the cloud-crowned peaks beyond; walked with the Changpa nomad herders of Changthangi goats, the source of wool from which pashmina is made; and strolled and shopped in the colourful and characterful streets and lanes of Leh, the capital of Ladakh.
Below is a selection of images from this journey. If you’re keen for information about our August 2026 expedition to Ladakh, get in touch.
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