Leh Palace

Set on the Tibetan plateau, Ladakh is one of the most staggeringly beautiful provinces of India. The capital city of Leh offers a rare insight into what Tibet was like before the Chinese invaded the country. It also boasts the highest golf course in the world at the Indian army base (at about 3,200m). Permission can be sort to play a round. Similar to the Gulf, you carry a piece of artificial turf around and aim for the "greens", which are actually brown - a mix of oil and sand which offers a seriously challenging putting surface.

The palace was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century, but was later abandoned when Dogra forces took control of Ladakh in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved to Stok Palace. Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, the stables and store rooms were in the lower floors.

The palace, a ruin, is currently being restored by the Archeaological Survey of India. The palace is open to the public and the roof provides panoramic views of Leh and the surrounding areas. The mountain of Stok Kangri in the Zangskar mountain range is visible across the Indus valley to the south, with the Ladakh mountain range rising behind the palace to the north.