A young Buddhist monk carries tea for elder monks during morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery

Buddhist monks pray during morning prayers at the Thikse Monastery.

The mountains of Ladakh are seen shrouded in clouds near Leh, Ladakh, India. Ladakh, nestled between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, was once an ancient Buddhist Kingdom and for over half a century now, a strategic military outpost for India. Ladakh, sharing borders with both China and Pakistan, has seen an increase in tourism over the last few years, an alternative to Nepali Himalayan treks.