Ladakh is a haven for all the people who come to see this magical place. Ladakh is very popular for amazing landscapes, clear skies, traditional food, and a different culture. The place has a totally different kind of vibe with its beautiful terrain and people, spirituality, culture, bliss and more. The experience that you will have in Ladakh will not be like any other place you visit.
People who've visited once will want to come back here every time. The place is extremely tourist-friendly. Some of the frequent travelers include the soul searchers, backpackers, adventure freaks, and tourists who explore the place around. There are many markets in Ladakh from where you can buy souvenirs to take back home. From luxury pieces to home decor items and other pocket-friendly items, there is a wide variety of things you can buy in Ladakh.
Some of the best quality goods are found in the markets of Ladakh. The hottest item that can be bought from Leh is the famous pashmina shawl. Other garments made of pashmina wool are also sold such as sweaters, caps, gloves, and socks, etc. There is a great Tibetan influence on Ladakh which can be seen in the markets here that sell handicrafts such as the prayer wheels, choktse (Tibetan tables) and the Buddhist masks.
You can buy gifts such as the thangka paintings made on silk with delicate embroidery or the Tibetan silver jewelry. Ladakhi women commonly wear turquoise jewelry. Beautiful hand-woven rugs and carpets, wall hangings that are woven with the floral or geometric designs, the colorful dragon motif and many other handicraft items, as well as souvenirs, make for a great buy to take back home and remember Ladakh.
Plenty of apricots grow in this region and you can buy them from the famous Ladag Apricot Store where you will also find the freshest apricots, jams, apricot oil and other organic products.
There are a few markets where you can visit and shop the beautiful handicrafts as well as various other stuff to take back home and remember the beauty of Ladakh. We have a list of the top five markets in Ladakh;
The Main Bazaar Road
The Main Bazaar Road is a shopper’s paradise of Ladakh. It is situated in the Old Town of Ladakh. You can find many small shops in the bazaar that sell popular items such as the Pashmina shawls, jewelry, handicrafts, and other small souvenirs. The famous Ladakh Art Palace and the Tibetan Handicraft Emporium for handicrafts and Buddhist Thangka House for Thangkas as well as other items are worth checking out. It is a popular street with various shops and is always buzzing with tourists and locals. Tibetan souvenirs, handicrafts, antiques and woolens, and Ladakhi jewelry are some of the items that can be bought from this place. The famous pashmina shawls are also available at competitive prices.
Location of the main bazaar road: Old Town Leh
Moti Market
The best place to buy beautiful jewelry in Ladakh is the Moti Market. Moti means pearls and the markets are well known for the jewelry made of pearls and semi-precious stones and hence the name. Moti market has authentic silver jewelry and the traditional Turquoise jewelry worn by the Ladakhi women is also sold here. Moti Market is one of the oldest markets in the area. You can go home with good quality items and souvenirs at bargain prices. The prices of this market are not fixed unlike those of the Ladakh Art Palace. You can buy gems, pearls(moti), and precious stones from here. Lamo Pearls is an old and famous shop in the Moti Market where you can easily find authentic pearls and stones.
Location of the Moti Market: Near The bus stand in Leh
Tibetan Market
The Tibetan Market of Ladakh is very famous for its antiques and handicrafts. There are several stores and stalls that sell a variety of Tibetan handicrafts such as the shawls, hand-spun rugs, carpets, precious and semi-precious gems too. You can use your bargaining skills to get the best prices as the prices here are not really fixed. Keep an eye on the fake antiques too.
Most of the amazing Handicraft shops in the markets of Leh and Ladakh are run by the Tibetan refugees and this market is the best for the handicrafts and other antique items that can be bought at the best prices. Tibetan handicrafts and wares, authentic jewelry of Ladakh available in silver and stone, and beautiful gift items are found in this market.
Location of the Tibetan Market: Off Leh Road
Shar Market
The Shar Market is located near the Main Bazaar Road. You can find the best traditional Ladakhi dresses in this market. However, you will also find stalls and other small shops that sell the handicrafts and antique gift items. But, the specialty of this market is the Ladakhi dress. The name of the Ladakhi dress is Goncha which is a thick woolen robe that comes with a colorful cummerbund tied at the waist. Tourists are always finding the Ladakhi dress to be very attractive. The women in Ladakh wear a Perak, which is a lambskin headgear studded with semi-precious turquoise stones and it looks beautiful.
Location of the Shar Market: Opposite Main Bazaar Road, Old Town Leh
Changspa Road
The Changspa Road has a line of small shops that sell handicrafts and souvenirs. Besides the shops, this road has a lot of eateries as well as hotels. Cottage Industries Exposition and Women’s Alliance are the shops famous for their good quality clothes. Venture Ladakh is a shop from where you can get the Mountaineering outfits and can rent the climbing gear as well. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation has also opened a small office on the Changspa road which you can check out if you make up your mind for some trekking. You can find the handicrafts, shawls, hand-woven garments, carpets and rugs and much more at the Cottage Industries Exposition.
Location of the Changspa Market: Changspa Road
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image source-YouTube, Discover Ladakh Tour Packages, Tripshelf, Simply Offbeat, Veena World
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