Ladakh, Jammu & the Kashmir Valley

This new, thoroughly revised third edition of Bradt’s Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley remains the only standalone English-language guide available to this stunning region of mountain wilderness and lush valleys. Although Ladakh is becoming an ever more popular destination, Zanskar, the Kashmir Valley and Jammu are still off the beaten path, attracting only the more adventurous foreign tourist, so their treasure trove of natural and cultural wonders awaits your discovery.

Ladakh, Zanskar and the Kashmir Valley have long astounded intrepid visitors with their epic Himalayan beauty. Thousands of years of history sit side by side with vibrant modern communities; spectacular natural landscapes ripe for exploration are dotted with all manner of architectural curiosities. This guidebook is the ideal companion to these contrasting and spellbinding regions, where mountains, pilgrimage destinations, cultural sites and exciting wildlife - notably the chance of seeing the formerly near-mythical snow leopard - vie for your attention.

Here you can gasp at the views from the roof of the world at the breathless Khardung La mountain pass, stroll through Eden-like Shalimar Gardens (where the early-morning mist rises eerily off the lawns and channels), trek remote mountain trails through Ladakh and Zanskar (with this edition featuring several new suggested routes), admire the monkeys that have colonised the 19th-century palace of Mubarak Mandi, take a shikara ride across the lotus-strewn lakes of Srinagar, marvel at the Buddhas of Kargil (cut from rock in the 7th and 8th centuries), relax on a houseboat at Srinagar or join the Buddhist monks at Thiksey Monastery for early-morning prayers by candlelight.

And if that is not enough, you can white-water raft on the Indus, travel by jeep along nerve-wracking mountain roads, follow millions of Hindu faithful to the Amarnath Cave and enjoy superb powder skiing in amid true wilderness. Whatever your interests, and wherever they lead you in this fascinating and rewarding region, let Bradt’s Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley illuminate your way.

Sophie Ibbotson (maximumexposure.co) read Oriental Studies at Clare College, Cambridge, and has a particular interest in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2008 when her auto-rickshaw got snowed in en route from India to London. Overwintering unexpectedly, she fell in love with the region and became excited by the opportunities it offered. She has travelled extensively in Uzbekistan and is the country’s Tourism Ambassador to the UK. An experienced travel writer, Ibbotson has authored or co-authored six Bradt guides, including three others to Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Karakalpakstan), and has written for The Financial Times, The Economist and The Telegraph. Ibbotson is the founder of Maximum Exposure Ltd (which provides tourism and culture consultancy, and PR services), the co-founder and managing editor of Panorama: The Journal of Intelligent Travel, a consultant for the World Bank, and a council member of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs.