Souvenirs in Leh-Ladakh are easily available all over the place in every small town and village starting from Leh to Hunder to Pangong Tso to Alchi and any part of Ladakh you go to, you will definitely find them.

Here is a list of a few that are definitely worth considering and planning for and budgeting before you reach Leh. This list will help you plan and decide, so you can bring back the best for your family and friends as memories from Leh-Ladakh.

Dry fruits 

All over Leh market you will find stalls mostly run by locals selling dry fruits. These are apricots to walnuts to berries and even almonds and some of them will have cashews and dates too. Apricots, walnuts and almonds along with the berries are definitely grown and found in the Ladakh region. It is a must buy if you like dry fruits and are looking to pick up something fresh and good.

T-shirt 

Leh town is full of shops selling t-shirts with various phrases on it referring to taglines with the words Leh, Ladakh and Julley. T-shirts make an excellent souvenir to give back to anyone at home – friends, family, etc. You will find t-shirts of all sizes starting with kids as young as three years old and going up to adults of all sizes. You’ll get a t-shirts in all colours and most of them have prices that range anywhere between ₹250 for children and ₹300 to ₹400 for adults depending on the quality and how much you can bargain. Make sure you bargain well for these t-shirt because you can get a good deal if you do.

Kesar (Saffron)

Kashmir Valley is in not far away so kesar is openly sold and freely available all over Leh main market with shops and stalls selling it. Make  sure  you are buying the correct kesar and don’t get into buying something which looks like kesar but isn’t really kesar. 

Kahwah

Kashmiri cinnamon tea which is widely available all over Ladakh. It is one of the most refreshing things that you will have along your Leh-Ladakh road trip. You will be so impressed with it that you will take it home to remember it. A powder mixed with hot water and lot of sugar is what they sell. You will find the powder mixture easily in any of the supermarkets in Leh market. Just check the expiry date and then decide which one you want.

Fridge magnets 

Fridge magnets are available in the Leh market. You will find very good ones that you feel it’s up to international standard. Finally a place in India has understood the importance of souvenir fridge magnets. You’ll find them ranging anywhere from Rs 50 to Rs 300. Please do remember it’s a very good thing to buy and give home to family and friends.

Tibetian cutlery 

This is very popular in Leh. Every shop or second shop will be selling cutlery of various kind which looks really cute. You find it in all sizes from tiny to huge. There are plates with dragons on it, cups which look like they are from a tea party, so if you are some who’s into collecting cutlery and like using different kinds of cutlery, then this is definitely worth taking a look at. It’s good and extremely unique, you wouldn’t have seen anything like this kind of cutlery in any other part of India.

Prayer flags 

You basically don’t return back home from Leh-Ladakh without buying at least five to six prayer flags which then can be given to friends and family or used by you anywhere in your regular life. They are like the theme of Leh-Ladakh Buddhism and you find them everywhere no matter where you go there will definitely be a shop selling it. You most probably will be bumping into people both locals and tourists tying them up at various parts along the journey in Ladakh. Buy some before the start of the trip so that you can use it along the trip and the rest can be taken home. Give it to whoever you want.

Jewellery

Every stall in the Tibetan market will be selling jewellery which is very common. You find chains, necklaces, earrings, bangles and you name it, you will even find unique face masks and wall hangings which can be used at home. But everything comes at the price depending on which time of the season you come in. If it’s early on you may get a better deal, if you are coming during peak season June, July August be prepared to spend. 

Post cards

Yes, postcards are available in Leh market and it’s definitely one of the things you should get when you are in Leh. When was the last time you actually sent a postcard from Leh? The probability of a postcard actually reaching the person sent from here is higher than any other place, since tourism is the main source of income in Leh and the Leh post office will make sure that it gets out of Leh. The rest is dependent on the region where you are sending it to. It is a great way to rollback memories, a blast from the past as postcards are pretty much outdated.  When was the last time somebody actually received one?