Sponbo Guest House, Leh

Perched in Leh's old quarter at 3,500 metres above sea level, Sponbo Guest House draws repeat visitors for its rooftop views across the Stok Kangri range and the Namgyal Tsemo fort ridge directly to the north.

Rooms are simply furnished in the Ladakhi style — whitewashed walls, wooden beam ceilings, and wool blankets suited to the cold nights even in July. The family-run kitchen serves butter tea and thukpa to order, drawing on local barley and dried apricot from the Indus valley orchards below.

Leh's main bazaar and the Jokhang temple fall within a ten-minute walk. Altitude acclimatisation is advisable for the first two nights before any trekking; the guesthouse staff are practised at advising new arrivals on pacing.