Ladakh, located on the roof of India at one of the highest places on earth, is defined by its dramatic landscape and unique culture. On this roller coaster tour of Ladakh for “7 nights and 8 days”, you will be laying eyes on the stark mountains resembling the moonscapes, go driving through one of the world’s highest motor-able road - Khardungla Pass at 17,852 feet, stay at a camp amid the breathtaking high-altitude azure Pangong Lake, enjoy an adventurous ride on a double-humped camel exploring the sand dunes of Nubra Valley, spend time at some of the spectacular monasteries with remarkable Buddhist art on display, explore Turtuk - one of the most remote villages in India with a distinct culture among other experiences. Also part of the package; attend the popular Hemis festival - Ladakh’s grandest religious Buddhist festival featuring the colourful masked dance called Cham celebrated at the 17th century Hemis monastery. To sum it up, Ladakh is a destination that requires a good amount of time to be explored, and once you do, you will forget the rest of the world.
On arrival at Leh Airport, our representative will greet you and assist you in transfer to your hotel in Leh City. Check-in at the hotel, relax and acclimatize. Enjoy lunch, and the rest of the day at leisure.
Note: Acclimatization is essential to get accustomed to such high elevations in Leh and Ladakh, which are located above the altitude of 10,000 feet. It is strongly advised because altitude sickness is a common condition for most tourists flying to Leh.
After a leisurely breakfast, we will drive you to Hemis monastery, where you will experience the Hemis Festival. The festival is dedicated to the birth of the spiritual leader Padmasambhava also known as Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism as well as Tantric Buddhism. Watch and enjoy Cham, a sacred masked dance performed by the Lamas (monks), with the underlying theme of victory of good over evil. Hemis monastery is one of the oldest (built in the 17th century, but its earliest evidence dates back before the 11th century), largest and most popular monasteries in Ladakh. The beautiful Hemis Monastery is filled with the Ladakhis and the tourists to watch this spectacular festival.
Later, proceed for lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, explore twelve-story Thiksey Monastery complex, which houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings, swords and has a huge statue of seated Maitreya Buddha (15m or 49ft) largest in Ladakh. Thiksey monastery also resembles with Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
After breakfast, check-out and we head for Khardungla Pass (17852 Ft), which is the world’s highest motorable pass. It lies north of Leh and is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys. It would take about 6-7 hours from Leh crossing over Khardungla to reach Nubra Valley which is a high-altitude desert. On reaching Nubra, explore Diskit Monastery and nearby areas. Diskit Monastery is the largest and oldest monastery in the Nubra Valley. Then call it a day and head to check-in at Hotel / Luxury Camp and relax for the rest of the evening.
This morning after breakfast, take a journey to Turtuk Village, which is the last village on the Indian side and very close to the Indo-Pak military line of control (LoC). The place is a part of Balistan, which is across the border. The culture here is different from the Tibetan Buddhist dominant region of Ladakh, as we will see a sudden shift to a more Islamic community. After exploring the village and lunch, we will continue back to your hotel in Nubra and then relax at the hotel.
After breakfast in Nubra, proceed to Leh city, but not before experiencing the high altitude cold-desert sand dunes and the double-humped camel rides of the Nubra Valley. Also, keep your cameras handy as you can take some wonderful pictures of this surreal natural wonder.
Have lunch on the way and then try to reach Leh by evening, so that you may also experience the local markets and pick some souvenirs. Arrive at the hotel and relax.
This day we will start our day with an early breakfast, head to Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake - the main attraction of the trip. This is a high altitude lake (at 14,000 Ft), which extends from India to Aksai Chin and is 83 miles in length. The road to Pangong Tso is very scenic. En route, cross wildlife reserve and you might as well sight some rare Himalayan wildlife species too. Go over Changla Pass then stop for lunch.
Later, head to Pangong Tso, this is where the most scenic part of the journey starts. Reach the lake in the evening hours, which is the best time to get a scenic view. Get yourselves comfortable in the camps on the banks of Pangong Tso. Relax for some time; then enjoy dinner.
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Though it can be quite chilly in the morning if you like you can wake up early as morning sunrise could be a great time to go out by the lake and enjoy some breathtaking views and also capturing few stunning photos. Return to the camp for breakfast. After breakfast, enjoy the tranquil ambiance and the breathtaking panorama on the backdrop of this lake. Then drive back to Leh city. Lunch will be done en route.
Check-in at the hotel where you will relax. In the afternoon/evening, visit the marketplace of Leh.
After enjoying a hearty breakfast, our team will transfer you to Leh Airport and from here take a flight to your onward journey/ home. We are sure you’ll have amazing memories to take back from this incredible tour.
| Duration | : | 7 Nights / 8 Days |
| Starting price | : | 895 Per Person |
| Route | : | Leh (Hemis Festival) - Nubra Valley - Turtuk - Pangong Lake - Leh |
