Markets of Ladakh are loaded with ethnic and exceptional goods. The handicrafts are better than everywhere. Pashmina shawls, vintage goods, dry fruits in bulks, musk itr, and other natural perfumes are just the starters in this super stretched market area. From prices to quality and from worth to weight, everything is to the point, a real treat to tourists and buyers with heavy bargaining and dealings. I still have my household decorated with 3 year old Walnut wood artifacts and God! They have a quality to last.
Why Visit Ladakh?
Ladakh is one of the best tourist spots in India famous for Bike Tours and the Mountainous region. The scenic beauty, the piquant delicacies, and the fun and sport this place has to offer are exceptionally fabulous. Visiting Ladakh at least once in a lifetime is a must for every individual for the experiences are unimaginable. I after uncountable recommendations, set my flight in the direction of Ladakh, and MY WORD! The place is even better than what they said.
Take a Little Something With You To Remember Ladakh, The markets of Ladakh are super friendly with wide jaunts and enthusiasm. From delicious eateries to attires, from local handicrafts to designer woolen carpets, this place has a lot to offer. Try picking on souvenirs while enjoying the road rides and quality pieces of stuff to last for a lifetime.
Moving on, my second best investment was storming my luggage with fresh almonds and walnut which grew around like leaves and flowers. The grazing creamy taste is unforgettable and is on my must-to-buy list when I visit there next time.
Artifacts of Ladakh & Artisanal Gifts
Apart from eateries and wearable goodnesses, try your luck at artifacts and handicraft materials. Include junkie and vintage jewelry alongside this list. Prayer Bells, Thangka Paintings, Tibetan Trinkets, Singing Bowls, Choktse (carved wooden tables painted in colors), Prayer Flags, Tibetan handicrafts like Buddha statues, Prayer Wheel Ladakh, Pashmina Wool Products are some of the other specialties that you must bag in while touring in this Eden.
Souvenirs
Art and culture know no bounds in Ladakh. The place is full of classic histories and artworks. Baskets & Bamboo Baby Cradles, Beads, Tibetan Masks, and jewelry are the publicity of the art and craft of Ladakh. Boutiques too can temp your interests if you have got a soft side for them. Metalworks and sculptures are yet another distinguished art that boasts in the heart of the Artisans in Ladakh.
Best Shopping Areas In Ladakh
Leh Main Bazaar
The chief street overflowing with shops, blending with tourists and local buyers with excessive bargaining and cheap rates. All sorts of goodnesses from perfumes to attires and from handicrafts to eateries etc can be found here.
Ladakh Art Palace
Jewelry lovers must visit this grand hub where Tibetan jewelry, handmade jewelry, silver works, and all sorts of other varieties flood the area with affordable rates and quality assurances.
Ladakh Apricot Store
I missed out on my love for apricots at Main Bazar so Ladakh Apricot Store was at my rescue. All the derivatives of Apricots, from dried to jams and bars to oil, everything were available in ample varieties and at affordable prices. Don’t miss out on the natural treat while being in Ladakh.
Tibetan Market
The Tibetan refugees have marked their territories everywhere. From New Delhi to West Bengal, they have their styles covered. The Tibetan market in Ladakh is yet another super-stretch where imported goods, authentic Ladakh jewelry, sculptures, fashionable winter wear, stone gifts, and handicrafts own the hearts of tourists. The reasonable prices are yet another bonus that these kind hearts have to offer.
Other places to visit for shopping in Ladakh are:
Himalayan Pashmina Shawls
Zanskar Arts
Dalai Lama Charitable Trust
Handicraft Emporium
Women’s Alliance of Ladakh Shopping Hub.
Must Try!
I started by bagging in ample grams of fresh saffron from the local market. The pungent heavenly aroma still swirls in my 5-year-old Rucksack and just the mere addition of a strand or two worked marvelously in my Turkish delights and black teas which I by the way call my Kahwa (another delish discovery of Kashmiri people).
Moving on, my second best investment was storming my luggage with fresh almonds and walnut which grew around like leaves and flowers. The grazing creamy taste is unforgettable and is on my must-to-buy list when I visit there next time.
The third grab was plumpy Apricot products. I am listing a few of my personal favorites and trying your tongues over them is a must for you. They are Quick Apricot Jam, French Apricot Jam, Mary Berry Apricot Jam, Refrigerator Apricot Jam & famous Grandma’s Apricot Jams.
Next was the plush pursing, which is getting all luxurious with cheap rates and quality products. I had a beautiful Pashmina shawl which by the way is so good that even after multiple washes, it is as good as new. Embroidered Kurtis, Juttis, woven jacquard bags, Hats, and caps made of sheep wool were among the gorgeous goodnesses. My best grab was the set of three pure cotton towels and two gigantic wall carpets with vibrant shades, made of Yak and sheep wool. Ladakh is good for both travel souls and shopping freaks.
Things to Remember While Shopping At Ladakh:
Before you go and just unleash the shopping beast you have been holding so bad, you must remember a few things while shopping at Ladakh market. First is, that the prices are super flexible. The shopkeeper might mug up the sentence “price is fixed” but these markets are known for their super bargaining techniques. So, juggle and haggle, try the persuasion tactics and get your favorites at a lower and better price. Trust me, once you know your way in the market and the style to get concessions, you’ll be bagging in more than you could have imagined. So, it is worth the struggle.
The second is since this place is known for artifacts and pieces of jewelry, don’t get baffled by the smooth talks of sellers. Before you buy silverware, be them jewels or artifacts, do check for the hallmark stamp, and wah-lah! You can bag in as many goodnesses as you like. My personal experience is I returned with a big smile that lasted for like three days and I still get golden glimpses of the memories when I think of them.
