Kargil

Kargil, the headquarter of Kargil district, is around 204 Kms. to the east of Srinagar and 234 Kms. to the west of Leh.It was a transit point of caravans on their way to and from China, Tibet, Yarken and Kashmir till 1949, but since 1974 with the influx of tourists the region has been replaced as centre for tourism related activities. Tourists traveling between Zangskar, Leh and Srinagar have to make a night halt here, before starting for the second day of their journey. Kargil is located on the bank of the Suru River which flows at around 10,000 ft. high. Here people were followers of Buddhist religion till the 14th century AD.

Presently, Kargil is inhabited by Muslims of Shia sect. Kargil is indeed a heaven for the adventure seekers. In fact the entire Himalayan region offers excellent opportunities for adventure activities. Kargil itself acts as a base for the trekking tours. You may take up trekking, mountaineering, camping, river rafting et al. The kaleidoscopic Kargil is the entry point to the wondrous Zanskar Valley. At a distance of 204 kms from the capital city of Srinagar and 234-km from Leh Kargil is the perfect night stop for the tourists traveling between Srinagar and Leh. Kargil hosts the popular archery contest in the month of May every year.

The less adventurous of you may take resting walks along the riverbank and up the hillside. The local market of Kargil offers a variety of products ranging from raw sugar, to exotic spices and other trinkets. Though for souvenirs the best bet is the easily available dry apricot. As it is the apricot jam is a delicacy. Pashmina shawls, local carpets and woolen handicrafts also make good bargains. The fine quality and the abundance of the woolens available at Kargil can be attributed to the long fleeced mountain goats in the area.