Hard or closed · Ladakh
Ladakh in December
Mid-winter, but Ladakh celebrates. Ladakhi Losar, the new year, falls on the first day of the 11th Tibetan month, which usually lands in December, two months before Tibetan Losar. Houses are cleaned, fires lit on rooftops and families visit each other for days. Visitors are few; Leh hotels that stay open offer low rates, and the flight-only access makes it a slow, cold, local month.
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsWhere to go
Our picks for December
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Leh
Old caravan town at 3,500 m, and where every Ladakh trip begins
Photo: Bernard Gagnon Canon EOS REBEL T4i · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Hemis
Ladakh's great Drukpa monastery and the snow leopard national park
Photo: Addy6697 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Nubra Valley
The old caravan valley over Khardung La, with dunes and orchards
Festivals
On in December
Trips
Trips at their best in December
No published trip peaks in December
We still plan Ladakh in December where the roads allow. Send your dates and budget and we suggest a route that works this month.
Plan Ladakh in DecemberElsewhere in December
Other hives this month
Questions
Ladakh in December, answered
Is December a good time to visit Ladakh?
Mid-winter, but Ladakh celebrates. Ladakhi Losar, the new year, falls on the first day of the 11th Tibetan month, which usually lands in December, two months before Tibetan Losar. Houses are cleaned, fires lit on rooftops and families visit each other for days. Visitors are few; Leh hotels that stay open offer low rates, and the flight-only access makes it a slow, cold, local month.
What is the weather like in Ladakh in December?
Leh −13 to 1 °C, clear. Conditions differ by altitude and coast, so check the forecast for each stop a week before you travel.
Where should we go in Ladakh in December?
We suggest Leh, Hemis, Nubra Valley. Pack thermal inners for sleeping; few guesthouses heat rooms through the night.