Foreign tourists can now stay overnight in Ladakh's high-altitude Hanle village

Until September 15, Hanle was off-limits to foreign tourists. Only domestic tourists were allowed to visit the high-altitude village, home to Hanle observatory.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has now allowed foreign tourists to stay overnight in Hanle, a remote high-altitude village in Ladakh’s Changthang plateau, an official said on Friday. Hanle, known for India's first dark sky reserve, offers excellent stargazing conditions due to its secluded location, high altitude and minimal light pollution.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has granted permission for the night stays of foreign tourists in Hanle. This decision will rejuvenate the tourism sector in the Changthang region and broaden the scope of tourist destinations in the union territory,” Commissioner-Secretary of Tourism Ladakh, Kacho Mehboob said.

Until September 15, Hanle was off-limits to foreign tourists. Only domestic tourists were allowed to visit the high-altitude village, which is also home to the Hanle observatory. This move aligns with the growing interest in ‘Dark Sky’ tourism, they said.

Mehboob said Martsemik and Sko Valley have been opened for tourism and trekking in Ladakh with the approval of the ministry.

Martsemik and Sko Valley are both excellent destinations for trekking, he said. The Union Ministry of Tourism has announced Hemis village, the entry from Ladakh, as the best tourism village of India under the ‘Silver’ category.

This is a testament to Hemis village’s outstanding charm and cultural richness, he said, adding that the Department of Tourism has also been awarded by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) under the category ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ in 2023.