Ladakh in winter: frozen Leh, snow leopards and Losar
Plan Ladakh in winter: flights to Leh, temperatures, acclimatisation, snow leopard trips in Hemis and Ulley, Losar festival, what stays open and costs.
By the Agrima Holidays Team · Updated October 2026 · 2 min read
Why winter Ladakh
From December to February, Ladakh empties of tourists. Leh is cold and quiet, monasteries hold winter festivals and snow leopards come down into the valleys. Flights are the only way in, since the roads from Manali and Srinagar close.
Cold and acclimatisation
Day temperatures sit near −5°C to 0°C, nights fall to −20°C. Rest for the first 36 to 48 hours in Leh at about 3,500 m. Avoid alcohol and drink plenty of water. Hotels that stay open in winter have heating.
Snow leopards
Hemis National Park, the Rumbak valley and Ulley are the main areas. Trips of five to seven days with experienced spotters give good chances but no guarantee. You spend long hours scanning slopes in the cold.
Festivals
Losar, the Ladakhi new year, falls in December or January. Monastery festivals such as Spituk Gustor and Likir Dosmochey bring masked cham dances.
What stays open
Leh town, Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Thiksey, Hemis and other monasteries near Leh. Pangong is reachable on many days, though the lake freezes and nights there are extreme. Nubra opens when Khardung La is clear.
What it costs
Our Ladakh packages start from the prices on their package pages. Winter trips and snow leopard expeditions are quoted on request.
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