Accommodation facilities across Ladakh, except in Leh city, are not very well developed. However, if you are not too fussy about your rooms and toilets, finding a place to stay is not really a problem. It must be kept in mind that the further you get away from Leh, the more infrequent are the places you come across that are inhabited by humans. This is one of the most desolate and beautiful landscapes. Do not be surprised if you travel up to a couple of hundred kilometers between two signs of human civilization.

If you are driving up to Leh from the Manali side, there are quite a few locations one can stay at for the night. The favourite locations of most travellers to the region however are Keylong, Jispa, Darcha, Sarchu, Bharatpur City(do not get fooled by that name! This city consists of 6 large tents), Pang and Rumtse. Keylong and Jispa, which are in the state of Himachal Pradesh offer excellent accommodation facilities in proper hotels. The rest of the locations offer basic tented facilities with food and tea.

The only place in Ladakh where you'll find high quality accommodation is Leh

For those daring enough to take on the route from the Srinagar side, the main overnight halt is at Kargil. Other locations passed along the way are Drass, Mulbek, Lamayuru, Khalsey, Basgo, Alchi and Nimo.

In Leh city itself, accommodation is not a problem at all. No matter what your preferences are and also what your budget is, the probability of finding something to match your requirements is extremely high. The Changspa area is a favourite with most budget travellers as it is dotted with guest houses offering rooms that can be had at rates ranging from rupees 100 - 750 per room per night. This area also has many cafes and open-air restaurants that give it a popular hangout atmosphere. A favourite with the medium and higher budget travellers is the Fort road area. The hotels here offer better facilities and rates range from 1000 - 4000 rupees per room per night. During the main tourist season, almost every building you see will either be a guest house, a hotel or a shop.

Although others will advise you contrary to this, we feel that you need to make prior bookings when visiting Leh only if you are keen on staying at a particular property. Finding a room on arrival is mostly never a problem.