Mighty Mountains & Valleys of Ladakh
Day by Day Itinerary

July 13 Arrive Delhi
Friday
Arrive Delhi by international flight. Welcome to India! Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel.

Delhi portrays the new face of contemporary Indian society, where the glorious past is intertwined to the fabrics of modernism. Delhi is a depository of varied cultural rudiments that has been engrossed into the every day life of the city. Among the archaeological ramparts of ancient and medieval India, this seven times destroyed city proudly stands as a living monument of the bygone glory.

Overnight in Delhi at The Radisson Blu

July 14 Delhi – Leh
Saturday Likir – Alchi Themisgam
Early this morning transfer to airport to board flight to Leh. Leave for Leh by one of the early morning flights (all flights to/from Leh are early in the morning). Meeting on arrival and drive to Themisgam.

Ladakh is the largest province within the North Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, covering approximately 60,0

00 square miles (100,000 sq. km). It is surrounded and bisected by some of the highest mountain ranges in the world. Running in a generally northwest to southeast direction through Ladakh, the great Himalayan Range separates the Valley of Kashmir from Ladakh.

Adjusting to the Altitude The itinerary is designed to adjust to the altitude gradually. You may experience some degree of altitude sickness at the higher elevations on this tour. For many, this can be minimized by taking a low dose of aspirin often. Others may require medication as prescribed by their physician. Oxygen will be available at the higher elevations.

Enroute visit the Likir and Alchi monasteries (approx. 6 to 7 hrs including visits and stop for lunch). Liki monastery is perhaps most famous for the nearby Klu-kkhyil (meaning “water spirits”) Gompa. The monastery was first built in the 14th century and was rebuilt in the 18th century, and currently has a twenty-five foot tall gold-covered Buddha statue. It is occupied by monks of the Gelukpa order.

On the bank of the Indus is the village and religious sanctuary of Alchi, one of the oldest of monasteries in Ladakh. As per the historians, the monastery was founded in the 11th century by Kal-dan Shes-rab, a nobleman of Tibet who moved to this region to resist the tides of Hinduism and Islam. Its unique art forms have a distinctive Tibetan flavor. Paintings cover every available inch of space.

Upon arrival in Themisgam the rest of the day free for acclimatization to the 10,500 ft elevation. This is important to slowly adjust to the altitudes without exertion, as we will be going even higher in a few days. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Themisgam at Hotel Namra

July 15 Themisgam
Sunday Lamaruyu
Themisgam
After breakfast take an excursion to Lamayuru monastery. This afternoon visit the village of Themisgam. Lamayuru is a Tibetan Buddhist Gompa (monastery). Founded by the Indian scholar. Mahasiddhacarya Naropa in the 11th century (allegedly on the site of a dried-up lake) after spending many years meditating, Lamayuru is the one of the largest and also one of the oldest gompa in Ladakh with a population of around 150 permanent monks resident. It has, in the past, housed up to 400 monks, many of which are now based in gompas in surrounding villages. This evening visit the village of Themisgam. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Themisgam at Hotel Namra

July 16 Themisgam
Monday Ridzong – Chulichan
Basgo - Leh
Depart for Leh. Enroute visit the Ridzong monastery, the Chulichan nunnery and the Basgo Palace (approx. 7 to 8 hrs including visits and stop for lunch).

Rezong “Yuma Changchubling” is around 45 miles west of Leh and to the north of Indus River from Uleytokpo village. It is beautifully set in a gorge in the valley and is the most isolated monastery in Ladakh. About 137 years ago this Gompa was founded by Lama Tsultim Nima and a monastic community was introduced with strict rules and regulations.

Basgo “Basgoo Rabtan Chartsekher” West of Leh was built by king Jamyang Namgyal and Singey Namgyal in 16th Century AD. Singey Namgyal made a three storey copper guild of Maitriya Buddha, as a memorial to his father Jamyang Namgyal. The elevation of Leh is 11,529 feet. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Leh at Namgyal Palace

July 17 Leh
Tuesday Phyang Tsechu - Leh
After breakfast leave for Phyang to attend the Phyang Tsechu festival at the Phyang monastery. Phyang is one of the two ancient Monasteries in Dringungpa at Ladakh. Here the Phyang Tsechu Festival is held during July-August and continues for two days. The founder of the Dringungpa Monastic Dynasty also known as Skyabje Jigten Gombo was regarded as a saint. In his memory a Thankha was erected, which is at present the site of the famous Phyang Tsechu Festival at Phyang. The Tibetan skill associated with the construction of Thankha came into action from the time of Dalai Lama V. The Thankha artifacts are renowned throughout the world and have been internationally accredited. Similarly the colossal Thankha of Skyabje Gombo is the most renowned Thankha at Jammu and people from all parts of the world visit this place to pay homage to the great soul of Skyabje Jigten Gombo. The festival of Phyang Tsechu is celebrated with a great deal of pomp and gaiety. It is actually a Buddhist ceremony. The Buddhist Lamas participate in the dance drama known as Chhams. This dance drama forms the core ceremony of the Phyang Tsechu festival, apart from the worship of the Thankha of Jigten Gombo. The Buddhist Lamas dress up in colorful costumes and play the various characters of the dance drama. The most interesting part of the dance drama is the mask. The Lamas perform the dance drama wearing colorful masks. An exhibition is also held during the two day festival of the Phyang Tsechu.

This evening visit the Leh Bazaar. You can enjoy shopping for curios and souvenirs in the bazaars and markets of Leh. Popular items with tourists are Pashmina shawls, stoles and other Pashmina wool garments. Locally handmade woolen socks, gloves, caps and sweaters are a favorite of tourists in Ladakh. Tibetan handicraft items including prayer wheels, Buddhist masks and Thangka paintings can also be purchased in Ladakh. Tibetan silver jewelry and traditional Ladakhi jewelry with turquoise are also popular. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Leh at Namgyal Palace

July 18 Leh - Sumoor
Wednesday Land of Nubra
After breakfast leave for Sumoor over the Khardong La pass (approx. 4 to 5 hrs). Khardong La pass is one of the highest motorable passes in world, sitting at 17,582 feet. On arrival in Sumoor, check-in at a Tented Camp (see accommodation section on side bar for description).

Visit the 150-year-old Samstaling monastery situated on the mountainside just above Sumoor Nubra Valley: A full circle of peaks surrounds the flat sea of the central plain dotted with villages.

Here lies a valley cut off from the world -- a hidden secret land of Nubra. Mountains rise on both sides abruptly from the valley in great masses, forming walls of solid rock broken only by narrow side gorges that strike directly into the heart of the range, dividing the facing wall into enormous sections. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Sumoor at Silk Route Camp

July 19 Sumoor - Hunder
Thursday Diskit - Sumoor
Full day excursion to Hunder and Diskit visiting these villages and their monasteries. Diskit has a regular bazaar consisting of a single line of shops, and a gompa. This is situated on a rocky spur above the village with commanding views up and down the valley. Hunder is an area of rolling sand dunes, their contours apparently solid, yet liable to shift with every gale. Here there is a small population of Bactrian camels, shaggy double-humped animals, which in the old days, were used as pack animals on the Central Asian trade routes. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Sumoor at Silk Route Camp

July 20 Sumoor - Leh
Friday
Leave for Leh (approx. 4 to 5 hrs). On arrival in Leh, check-in at the hotel. Rest of the day is free. Late afternoon, visit the Shanti Stupa. The Shanti Stupa was built by a Japanese order and was opened by the Dalai Lama in 1985. From the top, one can view the exotic locales nearby. The stupa is located at a distance of 2 miles from the Fort Road. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Leh at Namgyal Palace

July 21 Leh - Pangong
Saturday
Leave for Pangong over the Chang La pass at 17,585 (a drive of approx. 6 to 7 hrs). Arrive Pangong and visit the beautiful Pangong Tso lake. Afternoon is the best time to see the lake. Later check-in at the Tented Camp. This region is mainly known for the lake that is located here, also called the Pangong Tso. Tso in the local language means ‘Lake’ and this is why the place is called Pangong Tso. The lake is very beautiful. This lake, as most lakes in Ladakh is a salt water lake. The lake is partly in India and partly in Tibet. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Pangong at Watermark Camp

July 22 Pangong - Thaktok
Sunday Hemis - Stok - Leh
Leave for Leh. Enroute visit the Thaktok and Hemis monasteries and the Stok Palace. On arrival in Leh, check-in at hotel. Hemis is the best-known and biggest gompa of Ladakh. It is situated on the banks of the Indus. The monastery, which houses five hundred monks, has beautiful paintings and thankhas. Hemis was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal, an illustrious ruler of Ladakh. It is divided into two, the Assembly Hall on the right and the main temple on the left. The temple is known as Tshogkhang. The verandahs have a surfeit of frescoes, among them the Buddhist “wheel of life” (Kalachakra) and the “Lords of the Four Quarters” besides rows of prayer wheels.

At the top of a huge moraine of pebbles swept down from the mountains, the elegant four-story Stok Palace stands above barley terraces studded with threshing circles and whitewashed farmhouses. Built early in the nineteenth century by the last ruler of independent Ladakh, it has been the official residence of the Ladakhi royal family since they were ousted from Leh and Shey two hundred years ago. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Leh at Namgyal Palace

July 23 In Leh
Monday
Visit Shey and the Thiksey monastery. Shey is a town in Ladakh that has the old Summer Palace of the kings of Ladakh. It is located 9 miles from Leh towards Hemis. The palace was built more than 555 years ago by Lhachen Palgyigon, the king of Ladakh. The old palace Gompa has the largest golden Buddha statue in Ladakh. Thikse Gompa is a Yellow Hat (Gelugpa) Buddhist monastery in the Indus Valley, 15 miles east of Leh. Noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the main point of interest is the Maitreya (Future Buddha) Temple inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1980 (containing a 49 foot high statue of the Maitreya). It is also noted for its collection of thangkas and other Buddhist wall paintings.

Later visit the Leh Palace. A miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa the Leh Palace was the home of the royal family until they were exiled to Stok. Rest of the day is free. Overnight in Leh at Namgyal Palace. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Leh at Namgyal Palace

July 24 Leh - Delhi
Tuesday
Early this morning transfer to the airport to board our flight to Delhi. Leave for Delhi by one of the early morning flights (all flights to/from Delhi are early in the morning). Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel.

This afternoon enjoy a sightseeing tour of New Delhi driving past India Gate, Presidential Palace and the Government Secretariat. Also visit the Qutab Minar and Humayun’s Tomb

Overnight in Delhi at The Park India Gate. It is located on the Raj Path in New Delhi, one of the most visited destinations in Delhi.

The works on India Gate were commenced by Edwin Lutyens to pay reverence to the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting the World War I and the Afghan War.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official house of the President of India, and is located at the west end of the Rajpath. The Rashtrapati Bhavan boasts of an architectural fashion that is a mixture of Mughal and classical European and is visited by many tourists. The Rashtrapati Bhavan has a gigantic copper dome over a long arcade and 340 bedecked rooms. Qutab Minar is amongst the tallest and the most famous monuments in the world. This beautiful minaret is 234 feet high and is regarded as the tallest individual tower in the world. The Qutab Minar is one of the many masterpieces that depicted the sheer brilliance of the Mughal architects of those times.

The Tomb of Humayun– This is the magnificent structure in red sand stone and white marble and is one of the finest examples of the garden tomb, and a precursor of the Taj Mahal. (B-L-D)

Overnight in Delhi
at The Park India Gate

July 25 In Delhi
Wednesday
Sightseeing tour of Old Delhi visiting Rajghat, the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid. Raj Ghat is the cenotaph built in honor of Mahatma Gandhi. This grave black marble podium marks the spot of Mahatma’s cremation on the 31st of January 1948. An abiding flame at one end, which burns ceaselessly, flanks the platform. A stone alleyway with lawns on either sides leads to the enclosed space that has the memorial with the epitaph Hey Ram, thought to be the last words articulated by Gandhi.

The historic Red Fort - Shah Jehan’s elegant citadel in red sandstone, was built as an octagon measuring 2950 feet by 1800 feet and surrounded by a 30 foot deep moat which was at its inception fed by the waters of the Yamuna river. The fort is entered from the Lahori Gate and leads to a roofed passage called Chatta Chowk. The Naqqar Khana (drum house) at the end of this passage marks the entrance to the royal enclosure. A spacious lawn leads to the Diwan-i-Am - the pillared Hall of Public Audience, Diwan-i-Khas - the Hall of Private Audience where the emperor met select visitors and the Pearl Mosque built by Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangazeb, the last of the “Great Mughals”.

Jama Masjid, was commissioned to be constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It holds the distinction of being one of the biggest and the most well known mosque of Old Delhi.

Take a cycle rickshaw ride through the bazaars of Chandni Chowk. Afternoon is free at leisure. Later, transfer to international airport to board onward flight. Rooms at the hotel will be reserved for use until departure. (B-L-D)

July 26 Depart Delhi
Thursday
Board onward flight and bid farewell to Delhi.