Adventure tourism in Ladakh has gained much popularity in the recent times. Some of the most popular sports that form a part of the adventure tourism in Leh Ladakh are:

Trekking
Ladakh is quite famous and popular for the numerous trekking options it offers. Trekking possibilities in Ladakh include short, daylong walks to the mountain slopes, isolated villages, simple settlements, or across a ridge. You can also take long trans-mountain treks, spanning weeks. While trekking, you may come across some rare animal species like gazelles, ibex, ammon, shapo etc.




River Rafting
Indus and Zanskar Rivers are the main venues for river rafting in Ladakh. The main season for Rafting expeditions is from July to September. For the professionals, the best stretch is on the Indus River, between Spituk and Saspol. For basic training, you should undertake the stretch upward of Spituk up to Karu.





Mountain Climbing
The mountain climbing season in Ladakh extends from mid-May to mid-October. However, the best time for mountain climbing is from June to September, when Ladakh remains unaffected by the monsoon. Permission from the Indian Mountaineering Federation in Delhi is required before ascending a peak in Ladakh.





Cycling
Cycling is also one of the popular adventure sports in Ladakh, India. A visit to the spectacular Buddhist Gompas, through the fascinating local villages, with the Himalayas forming the background, is enjoyed best with a cycle. However, one needs to be a technically perfect biker to cycle on the zigzag roads in Ladakh. The best time for cycling is from mid June to end of September. Some famous cycling routes in Ladakh are the 64 km Leh-Alchi Road, 45 km Leh-Hemis road, Jispa-Gondla, Marhi-Manali, etc.



Camel Safaris
Camel safaris in Ladakh have the specialty of Bactrian camels, having 2 humps. These safaris are one of its kind in India and are organized across the sand dunes around Hunder in Ladakh.

The 'Ship of desert' camel is certainly not confined to the desert of the plains and Rajasthan but is also one of the chief modes of transportation in the cold deserts of Ladakh since the ancient times. Mostly available from July to September, camel safaris are one of the most memorable experiences as one gets used to the rolling and wobbly movements of the camel while exploring rugged mountain terrains and enjoy the ride through some of the most ancient passes and have first hand experience of the lifestyle of the remote villages of Nubra Valley. The sudden change of fertile and lush green apricot orchards to the frozen desert and snow-capped peaks takes one almost by surprise.

The other thing about camel safari in Nubra that fascinates one is the shaggy double-humped Bactrian camel. In the earlier times, Central Asian traders used these camels as pack animals but since 50 years they have been bred for transport purposes as well. Today, these camels have emerged as the hot favorites of the tourists as the choice of their mode of transportation during camel safaris. Deskit and Hunder are the popular centers for this activity. Camel Safari provides one opportunity to watch and relish the scenic beauty of the Ladakhi valleys, villages, especially the Panamic village, and the colorful Buddhist monasteries or Gompas and have a dip in the famous hot springs of the region, which are said to possess therapeutic qualities.

Polo
Polo is a very popular sport in Ladakh. It is usually played in summers at the Leh polo ground on every Tuesday and Saturday. The Ladakh Festival, held in the first half of September, includes a number of Polo tournaments.

According to legends, the game of Polo came to Central Ladakh from neighbouring Baltistan, where for centuries, it used to be chief amusement. Historians date the introduction of Polo in Ladakh to king Jamyang Namgyal's reign in the 16th century who married Gyal Khatun, a princess from Baltistan. Apart from nobility, the game was popular in all the major villages of Ladakh, particular in Chushot village in the vicinity of Leh. In fact, all the major villages of Ladakh have their own Polo ground called 'SHAGARAN'.

Today in Ladakh, polo is more than a game, it is a part of cultural heritage. Others aver that it was brought by the colony of Baltics, settled at Chushot. Chushot got its own polo ground where every year on March 21st polo is played to celebrate Nauraz, the Persian (and Shia) New Year.