Leh 2N, Nubra Valley 1N, Pangong 1N, Leh 2N
Day 1 – Arrival at Leh
Arrive at Leh Kushok Bakula Airport. (This must be one of the Most Sensational Flights in the World. On a clear day from one side of the aircraft can be seen in the distance the peaks of K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum and on the other side of the aircraft, so close that you feel you could reach out and touch it, is the Nun Kun massif).
Upon arrival you will be met by our representative and transfer to Hotel for check-in. Complete day for rest and leisure to acclimatize to the higher altitude.
Day 2 – Half Day Excursion to Sham Valley
After breakfast drive downstream along the River Indus on Leh – Kargil Highway and start sightseeing with:
Hall of Fame: The Hall of Fame, located near the Leh Airfield, is a museum constructed as well as maintained by the Indian Army in the memory of the soldiers who had lost their lives during the Indo-Pak wars. It is also termed as a memorial for the war heros. This building consists of two floors. While on the ground floor, there is information about the brave soldiers and a souvenir shop but on the first floor, there are artifacts of various wars (mainly Kargil war) such as the weapons used during the war and some important documents, related to the same. There is another section dedicated to the Siachen glacier.
Gurudwara Patthar Sahib: Situated 25 miles from Leh in Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib stands at the place where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion and the first guru, is believed to have vanquished a demon. Though the region is predominantly Buddhist, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is also worshipped and venerated by Buddhists. Tibetan Buddhists venerate Guru Nanak as Guru Gompka Maharaj and as Nanak Lama.
Magnetic Hill: The popular Magnetic Hill of Ladakh is said to be a gravity hill where vehicles defy the force of gravity and move upwards on the hill when parked at the marked location. The hill lies at a distance of 30 km from the town of Leh, at an elevation of around 14,000 feet above sea level. To the eastern side of the hill flows the Sindhu River, originating in Tibet and is an almost essential stopover for all those who travel to Ladakh. An optical illusion or actuality, the Magnetic Hill in Ladakh has mysterious magnetic properties that draw tourists from across the globe.
Confluence Of The Indus And Zanskar River: Nimmu is a beautiful valley that marks the confluence of the Indus River and Zanskar River. The Indus River drains the dry and deserted terrains of Ladakh’s landlocked valley and serves as its lifeline. Zanskar, on the other hand, is a tributary of this river and merges into it from the north-eastern direction. On its way to the meeting point, the river passes through the spectacular Zanskar Gorge, which is a dream destination for trekkers.
After visiting above places we drive back to Leh enroute visiting Spituk Monastery. Spituk is an interesting monastery, on the hill top near Indus about 18 kms from Leh on Srinagar road. The Spituk monastery offers a commanding view of Indus. It has a totally new Gompa within the monastery as well as the old Gompa has also been restored meanwhile. It is constructed in a series of tiers with courtyards and steps. Higher up in the hill is a chamber which houses the enormous statue of goddess. Its face is covered and uncovered only once in a year during the festival time. The Spituk Gompa was founded in 11th century by Od-De, the elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub-od. The Gompa was named Spituk (exemplary) by Rinchen Zangpo, a translator came to that place and said that exemplary religious community would rise. Initially the Gompa was run according to the Kadampa school then during the reign of king Gragspa Bumide he converted it to Gayluk Pa order. Many icons of Buddha and 5 thangkas can be visited in this 15th century monastery. The Dukhang Hall is the largest building and has two rows of seats running the length of the walls to a throne at the far end. Sculptures and miniature chortens are displayed on the altar. There is also a collection of ancient masks, antique arms and fine thangkas. Higher up the hill is the Mahakal Temple, containing the shrine of Vajrabhairava. The terrifying face of Vajrabhairva is unveiled only at the annual festival in January.
Evening at leisure and Overnight at Hotel in Leh.
Notes: All entrance fees to Monastries and Monuments are on Direct Payment Basis, payable by the customer
Day 3 – Trasfer from Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardung La
After breakfast, check-out from the hotel and we drive to the ‘valley of flowers’ Nubra Valley (120 kms/4-5 hrs). After you hit the road, your journey to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La (5602 mts, 18,390 ft, 39 km from Leh) – the highest motorable road in the world. From the pass, one can expect stunning views of Indus valley and the seemingly endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range, and the giants of the Saser massif to the north. Nubra Valley is situated in the north of Ladakh between the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas.
Upon arrival in Nubra, check in to your hotel/camp in Hunder. In the evening, take a walk around the tiny villages to get an idea of the way locals live. A visit to a Ladakhi home can also be arranged (subjected to availbality at extra cost if applicable). Overnight stay at camp / Hotel.
Day 4 – Transfer from Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake via Shyok
After an early breakfast, we check-out from camp/hotel and drive towards Hunder where you have opportunity to ride on a Bacterian Camel (double humped) (on direct payment basis by the customer) amidst the sand dunes of this high altitude desert with snowcapped mountains on the horizon. Between Hunder and Diskit you come across sand dunes besides the road. Seen in isolation you could well be amongst the sand dunes of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. It is indeed a strange sight since immediately on the left of the road is Rocky Mountains that characterize the Ladakhi landscape and in the distance can be seen snow-capped mountains.
On the return, stop at Diskit which is the headquarter town of Nubra Valley. Stroll around the bazaar observing the shops and local people going about their daily chores. Diskit is famous for 515 years old Buddhist Monastery, lying magnificently situated on a hilltop, facing the entire Valley.
Diskit monastery also known as Diskit Gompa is situated in the Nubra valley of Ladakh. This Buddhist center is one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Leh Ladakh. The Diskit monastery was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo in the 14th century. The prime attraction of the Diskit monastery is 100 foot high Maitreya Buddha statue, which was inaugurated by the holy Dalai Lama. From the top of the Gompa, where the divine statue is settled, one can have a panoramic view of the Nubra valley.
Later we drive towards Pangong Tso via Agham & Shyok Valley. Some of the road patches in areas are extremely tough (towards nubra side) in terms of road conditions but no doubt the journey is very scenic! Later after crossing this adventurous part we drive further towards Durbuk & Tangtse for Pangong you pass through few small villages of Changthang and finally you can have a sudden view of the Pangong Lake situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 m). This famous blue brackish Lake of Pangong is 5/6 Kms wide and over 133 Kms long with half of its running the other side of the “Indo China Border”. One rarely feels so close to nature and environment and the scenery is unforgettable. After the success of hindi movie 3 Idiots, this beautiful natural location has attracted more tourists from all over the world.
Upon arrival we check in at our Camp Near Pangong lake. Dinner & Overnight at the Camp.
Notes:
- All entrance fees to Monastries and Monuments are on Direct Payment Basis, payable by the customer
Day 5 – Transfer from Pangong Lake to Leh
After a morning of leisure and relaxation exploring the beauty of Pangong Lake, hit the road to Leh. Tibetan for ‘high grassland lake’, Pangong Tso is one of the largest brackish lakes in Asia. You may recognize its timeless beauty from its feature in Bollywood film 3 IDIOTS (2009). This disputed territory and saline water lake is in the process of being identified as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. It will be a first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under convention! At the first glimpse of the azure, tranquil waters and shaky lakeshore, it is hard to imagine that the lake sprawls over an area.
On your way to Leh, visit Hemis Gompa, the largest monastic foundation of Drukpa Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism.
Hemis Gompa: Hemis Monastery, 40 kms towards the south-east of the main city of Leh is the largest as well as the most well-known monastery (Gompa) in Ladakh. This monastery was built by under the reigns of the King Singge Namgyal, in 1672 AD. This monastery plays host to an annual festival that is held in the month of which is also a major tourist attraction. This colorful day-long festival is called Hemis Tsechu which is also a state holiday. The monastery has beautiful paintings and a statue of Lord Buddha, which are the highlights too.
Drive further until you reach Leh. Check in to your hotel and get comfortable. In the evening, take an indulgent stroll around the marketplace for last minute souvenir shopping, if you wish.
Hemis Monastery is also covered on Day 6 (Full Day Excursion to Monasteries)
Notes:
- All entrance fees to Monastries and Monuments are on Direct Payment Basis, payable by the customer
Day 6 – Full Day Excursion to Monasteries
After breakfast, we proceed to visit Indus Valley Monasteries starting with Hemis Gompa, Thiksey Monastery, Shey Palace, 3 Idiots Rancho School & Sindhu Ghat.
Hemis Gompa: Hemis Monastery, 40 kms towards the south-east of the main city of Leh, is the largest as well as the most well-known monastery (Gompa) in Ladakh. This monastery was built by under the reigns of the King Singge Namgyal, in 1672 AD. This monastery plays host to an annual festival that is held in the month of June, which is also a major tourist attraction. This colorful day-long festival is called Hemis Tsechu which is also a state holiday. The monastery has beautiful paintings and a statue of Lord Buddha, which are the highlights too.
Thiksey Monastery: Thikse Gompa is around 19 kms to the East of the main city of Leh. The architecture of the largest monastery in central region of Ladakh, is similar to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This 12-storey building complex consists of a number of things related to Buddhist art such as Thangka paintings, statues, stupas, swords, and so on. The building also has a nunnery. A major tourist attraction is the Maitreya temple installed in 1970. The statue of future Lord Buddha in this temple of 49 feet high, which is also the largest in the region.
Shey Palace: Shey palace is located near Leh city. The palace is comes under archaeological survey of India and mostly ruins now. It was constructed in 1650 by the king Deldan Namgyal of Ladakh which was used as a summer retreat. The palace has the largest CHANGCHUP (Chorten stupa) in Ladakh, the top of which is made of pure gold. Later on, king also constructed Shey monastery in the memory of his father. The Royal palace and monastery built in sixteenth centrury A.D. enshrines the DU-KHANG with the copper gilded statue of Lord Buddha rising to a height of three storeys. Later on the royal family of Ladakh shifted to Stok Palace in 1834. The three storeyed palace has 7.5 meters statue of seated Sakyamuni Buddha made of from copper and brass plated with gold silver and studded with gems and precious stones.
3 Idiots Rancho School: This school became famous after the Aamir Khan’s movie Three Idiots. The name of this school is Druk Padma Karpo School , this is also known as Druk White Lotus school. The clean and eco friendly structures of the school are designed to withstand seismic disturbances. This school was conferred one of the most beautiful schools in the world by BBC London in the year 2016. On arrival here you will be taken inside the campus with a guide and can visit different parts of the school. You are not allowed to disturb students or take any photographs of them. There is a café and one souvenir shop available inside the campus. Minimum time required is 15 to 20 minutes to visit this beautiful school campus.
Sindhu Ghat: Sindhu Ghat is a river bank near Shey Monastery in Leh. Located 10 Km upstream the Indus river, it originates from the Mansarovar Lake and Mount Kailash in Tibet. The scenic landscape of this attraction near Leh seems surreal. The barren mountains, rocky terrain, and river traversing the region is a sight to behold. Visit this ghat during the Sindhu Darshan Festival in June to experience the cultural extravaganza that Leh has to offer.
After visiting the above places we drive back to Leh. Evening is at Leisure to explore the city on your own. Overnight at the Hotel.
Notes:
- All entrance fees to Monastries and Monuments are on Direct Payment Basis, payable by the customer
Day 7 – Departure from Leh
We thank you for your patronage and ensures a punctual transfer to Domestic Airport to catch the flight for your onward Destination with a lifetime memory.