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They are trekkers and seekers, backpackers and Buddhist followers, and they come here for both spiritual sustenance and for rugged hikes amid ancient monasteries and snowcapped mountains.

This northern region of India known as Ladakh is a cold desert plateau, a western extension of the Tibetan Plateau in the great Himalayas, on the frontier with China. Local residents include Tibetan refugees who crossed into the Indian Himalayas through what is known as "the roof of the world" and settled into an area now known as Little Tibet.

Monasteries perched atop small hills above the valley attract surprisingly large groups of Western tourists, including Europeans, North and South Americans, and a steady stream of young Israelis looking to decompress after completing their military service.

These visitors come both to immerse themselves in Buddhist teachings and to master the rugged terrain. But hiking in the region and reaching the temples is far easier for the locals, who are acclimated to high altitudes that range from 3,500 to 7,100 metres above sea level.

The tourists are easy to spot, clad in Bermuda shorts and toting cameras, sunglasses, colourful hats and water bottles as they fight the punishing sun while thronging to admire the marvels of craftsmanship on display at the monasteries, known as gompas.

In contrast, the locals' attire includes traditional outfits crafted from yak wool, long gowns or jackets adorned with turquoise jewellery.

The most revered contemporary lama in Ladakh, known as Drukpa, draws a large following (both Western and local). He is believed to be the 12th reincarnation of Naropa, a revered Buddhist scholar from the 10th century, who is credited with introducing Buddhism to the region.

This summer, the Hemis monastery near the town of Leh hosted an extravaganza held once every 12 years: The unveiling of a tanka, a tall building-size traditional religious painting on silk.

The painting is dedicated to a reincarnation of the 11th Gyalwang Drukpa. The tanka was accompanied by masked monks representing Buddhist deities performing tantric dances.

But the Hemis event was just one of many annual religious festivals that draw both tourists and the Buddhist faithful, who take part in rituals -- known as puyas -- with great fervour. These religious adherents include khampa nomads, who are believed to be the area's original settlers; the Brokpas, the last Buddhist Indo-Iranian tribe left in the world; and the Tibetan immigrants who now populate the area.

Ladakh is also considered to be safe for travellers, having been spared the violence that routinely mars the peace in the nearby insurgency-affected Kashmir Valley. (Ladakh is part of the Jammu-Kashmir state, but is far removed from the Kashmir Valley, the hub of the insurgency.)

Pack your bags

GETTING THERE

You can reach the regional airport in Leh via flights from Delhi, Srinigar and Chandigarh. From the Leh airport, take a taxi into town, where hotels and tour outfitters abound.

THINGS TO DO

Hotel staff and local outfitters can arrange such excursions as mountaineering trips led by sherpas and whitewater rafting on the Indrus River.

MORE INFORMATION

India's Tourism Office in Toronto: 416-962-6279; tourisminindia.com.