Getting Oriented

Getting Oriented

Ladakh, part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, occupies the northernmost part of India's territory. To its south is Himachal Pradesh, which literally means "land of the snowy mountains." A journey to either region is a chance to experience the towering western Himalayas at close quarters. Extremes in elevation here—from just 450 feet to 6,500 feet—lead to vast differences, from dry cold desert to steep lush countryside and snowy peaks. Amritsar, close to the Pakistan border in the breadbasket plains of the Punjab, is best approached as a detour on the way to Himachal Pradesh's peaks.