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Ladakh tourism soars as 3.3 lakh visit cold desert in first 7 months this year
Officials said the union territory recorded 3,30,332 tourist arrivals from January to July this year, already reaching 98.35% of the total 3,35,872 tourists recorded during the entire calendar year 2025.
Ladakh is experiencing a tourism boom, drawing two lakh visitors over the past two months alone as it cements its status as one of India’s favorite travel destinations.
Officials said the union territory recorded 3,30,332 tourist arrivals from January to July this year, already reaching 98.35% of the total 3,35,872 tourists recorded during the entire calendar year 2025.
The surge has been particularly noticeable in the months of June and July, when more than 2.12 lakh tourists visited Ladakh, accounting for nearly 65% of the total 3.30 lakh tourist arrivals recorded so far this year.
Officials said that Ladakh received 1,05,046 tourists in July 2026, compared to 67,273 in July 2025, registering a growth of 56.15%.
“The July arrivals comprised 95,416 domestic and 9,630 foreign tourists. June also witnessed a significant increase, with 1,07,740 tourists visiting Ladakh compared to 75,089 in June 2025, representing a growth of 43.48%. Of the June 2026 arrivals, 1,01,060 were domestic and 6,680 foreign tourists,” said an officer, adding that the trend reflects the growing popularity of Ladakh as a destination for adventure, nature, and culture.
Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed the growing tourist footfall, particularly domestic tourism, to the sustained infrastructure development in Ladakh as well as the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to citizens to visit tourist places in India and promote domestic tourism.
“The fact that Ladakh has crossed the one-lakh mark in tourist arrivals for two successive months and has already achieved more than 98% of the entire 2025 footfall by the end of July is a very encouraging milestone. The PM’s appeal to our citizens to explore the beauty and diversity of our own country has given a further impetus to domestic tourism,” said Saxena.
Officials said the surge in tourist arrivals during June and July has also been supported by a vibrant calendar of cultural, spiritual and experiential events organised across Ladakh. Major attractions during the period included the Hemis Festival, Pratham Sindhu Kumbh, Ladakh Astro Week 2026 (held in the last week of May), Phyang Tsedup and several other local monastic festivals, which brought together visitors interested in Ladakh’s rich Buddhist heritage, culture, spirituality and unique high-altitude experiences.
The officials said the composition of tourist arrivals till July also highlights the expanding accessibility of Ladakh through its expanding and improved air and road connectivity. Of the 3,30,332 tourists who visited Ladakh during January–July 2026, 1,57,371 (47.64%) arrived by air, while 1,16,523 (35.27%) entered through the Kashmir route and 56,438 (17.09%) arrived through the Manali route.
“The growth in tourism assumes greater significance and coincides with a major and rapid transformation in Ladakh’s connectivity infrastructure since the formation of the UT. The total road network has increased from 1,799 km in 2019 to over 4,200 km in 2026, while the number of bridges has increased from 19 to 72,” they said.
