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Day 01:
Fly
into
Leh;
3505 meters / 11567
feet.
Arrive
at Leh
Airport.
Take the first whiff of this spectacular mountain city as you step out
into 10000 feet plus terrain.
You are received
and welcomed
by our local representative at the airport and transferred to hotel and
you
rest
for
acclimatization.
In the late afternoon,
you visit
Shanti Stupa,
Leh Palace, Namgyal Shemo
Gompa
and then stroll through
Leh Bazaar.
This is
a four hour trip.
Overnight in
Hotel
at Leh.
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The spectacular
mountain
landscape of Leh |
Leh, a
historic town that served as the royal capital of the Old Kingdom.
It is
dominated by the nine-storey Leh Palace built in the 17th century
in the grand tradition of Tibetan architecture.
However, it is now
dilapidated but being restored.
Shanti Stupa:
3 km
from Fort Road, Leh, it is a magnificent white-domed structure and
located on the hilltop at Changspa.
Very serene and tranquil.
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa: It stands atop the
crag behind Leh Palace and offers the most splendid visuals of Leh town.
One of the most treasured possessions of the monastery is a three-story
high solid gold idol of Maitrieya Buddha.
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Day 02:
Today
your Leh tour takes you
for
a full day
Indus Valley monastery tour
to get a flavour of the history and culture of Ladakh India.
With a
visit
to
Thiksey, Shey
and
Hemis
you cover the best known monuments around Leh.
You also pass Sindhu Ghat by the Indus River.
Thiksey onwards is a pleasant drive through a tree lined road, small
village houses, the Stok Kangri Range forming a beautiful backdrop.
After Stakna the drive is along the Indus – which is really lovely with
the sparkling water flowing steadily, green poplars along the banks,
lending a soft character to the otherwise grey, desolate mountains
rising above, with a solitary snow peak peeping up from behind.
Overnight in
Hotel
at Leh.
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Hemis
Monastery, 40 kms south-east of Leh |
Thiksey Gompa
was built 600 years ago, consists of 12 levels
ascending a hillside, 10 temples
and a large Buddha statue.
Shey
Palace,
situated on a hillock was built in 1645 as a summer residence for the
kings of Ladakh. It is the oldest palace in Ladakh.
Hemis
Monastery,
40 km
southeast of Leh, was established at the instance of King Singge Namgyal,
in 1672 AD. It is the biggest 'Gompa'
of Ladakh and is near Hemis National Park.
This monastery houses a beautiful museum with many interesting
relics and ancient artifacts.
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Day 03:
Drive west of Leh to
Likir
and back, 125 kms round trip.
A different perspective of Leh Ladakh.
After breakfast, drive along the Indus river visiting Hall of Fame
and Pathar Sahib Gurdwara and
going down to
the
Sangam
of Zanskar and Indus rivers near Nimu and
crossing
Magnetic Hill
and
further on to
Likir
in
Sham Valley of West Ladakh.
Magnetic Hill:
Located 30 kms west of Leh on the Leh-Kargil Highway. It attracts
metallic objects and even moves heavy vehicles up (defying gravity)
while their engines are switched off.
Overnight in
Hotel
at Leh. |
Sangam (confluence) of Indus and Zanskar rivers
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Sangam of
Indus and Zanskar:
Driving through a picturesque landscape, about 30 kms west of Leh, one
reaches the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar river 4 km before Nimmu
village. The confluence is a magnificent view of the two rivers having
different colours and force. It is at an altitude of 10,823 ft.
Likir
Gompa
is set on an isolated ridge. Numerous thankas hang from the columns and
walls in the Assembly Hall.
The view from the terrace of the village below and the mountains beyond
is awesome.
Also interesting is the huge statue of Buddha in the open, behind the
monastery.
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Day 04:
On your Ladakh travel, today make an early start and
drive
east of Leh via Chang-la Mountain Pass
(18,000 ft / 5,475 m) to Pangong Lake,
(4267m
/
14000 ft.), 145 kms / 5 hours one way.
Mesmerizing vistas with the changing hues of the waters of the lovely
Pangong lake.
You go up to the shore of Pangong Lake till Lukung Village.
Drive back to reach Leh by evening.
Overnight in
Hotel
at Leh.
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Pangong
Lake across Chang La Pass |
Pangong Lake,
is 6 kms (4.5 miles) at its widest point, and over 130 kms (80 miles) long, and
is divided by the international border between India and China.
Pangong
Tso presents a spectacular
view of the mountains, their reflections shimmering in the
ever-changing blues and greens of the lake’s brackish waters.
You get to see marmots on the way and the Kiang if lucky. |
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Day 05:
On this leg of the Ladakh tour package
drive north of Leh upto
Khardung La, 39 kms one way.
(Mountain Pass at 5570
m / 18380 ft.).
Here is supposed to be the highest motorable road
not only in India but
in the world.
Travel back to Leh by afternoon.
Drop to hotel.
Later
in
the afternoon / evening take a walking tour
for
a last minute shopping stint for curios in Leh Bazaar and perhaps checking
out the evening Leh café’ life.
Overnight in
Hotel
at Leh.
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Khardungla Pass (Gateway
to the Nubra Valley)
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Khardung-la
(Ladakh):
From
Khardongla Top, one can see all the way south over the Indus valley
to the seemingly endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range, and
north to the giants of the Saser massif.
It is
the gateway to the Nubra Valley and used to lie on the ancient caravan
trade route to Central Asia. |
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Day 06:
Check
out
from Leh hotel and transfer to airport to board
the
morning flight to New Delhi
or onward destination,
feeling blessed for the stolen moments spent in Ladakh
India.
A Ladakh tour can also be tailor made. |
