
Best Time :Mid June to September.
Red Tape :Need innerline permission
(please contact us for details).
Day 1
Assistance on arrival at Delhi airport and transfer to the pre-booked hotel.
Morning free. Afternoon, sightseeing to Old Delhi - visiting the Red Fort
and the Jama Masjid, built in the 17th century by the Great Mughals.
Overnight in the hotel.
Day 2 : Delhi-Leh:
Early morning transfer to domestic airport for flight to Leh. The
spectacular, one-hour, mountain flight over the mighty Himalayas brings you
to Leh, the capital of the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Ladakh. Transfer to
Ladakhi style hotel. A day of complete rest to acclimatize to the arid high
altitude of Leh (3100 mts). Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day
3 : Leh: After breakfast, set off on a half-day sightseeing trip to
the 200 years old Shankar monastery, which contains a plethora of impressive
images, wall paintings and a huge statue of Aloketesvara - with 1000 arm &
heads. Next stop is the Japanese built peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa); crowned
with a massive dome, this stupa is a reminiscent of Nalanda and Rajgir
stupas. Our last stop is the ruined Leh Palace, a replica of the Patola
Palace of Lhasa. The palace was strategically built on the hilltop in the
18th century and offers fabulous views of the Indus valley below. Afternoon,
visit a Ladakhi Buddhist family and share a cup of butter tea, tsampa
(roasted barley) and tschang (fermented barley beer), and see their way of
living. Evening free. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day
4 : Leh-Hemis (45 kms.): Full day of sightseeing, visiting the
three most important monasteries of Ladakh - Hemis Gompa, Thiksey Gompa and
Shey Palace. Hemis is one of the largest and wealthiest monasteries in
Ladakh and houses about 150 monks; it also stages the annual Hemis festival.
The Gompa, nestled in a gorge and surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery,
was built in the 18th century and houses a wide range of beautiful frescoes,
thankas, Buddha statues and an excellent library. On the way back to Leh, we
visit the superbly situated, 16th century, Thiksey Gompa, which is perched
on a hill top. The Gompa houses an important collection of Tibetan-style
books, a huge Buddha statue and some excellent works of art. Last stop is
the ruined Shey Palace, once the summer palace of the pre-Tibetan kings. The
palace monastery houses a large, bronze, blue haired Buddha statue. Back to
Leh hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day
5 : Leh-Nubra (6 hrs. drive): After breakfast, drive to the
mystical Nubra Valley over the exhilarating Khardungla Pass (5600m.), the
highest point of our journey. The views from the top are spectacular;
extending, to the south, across the Indus Valley to the seemingly endless
peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range. To the north, the views of the mighty
peaks of the Saser Massif are amazing. We continue driving over the fairly
rough road to Tirith, where we will spend the next three nights in
comfortable camp. Evening free.
Day 6 :
Tirith-Diskit-Hunder: After breakfast drive to Diskit, the starting
point of our 5 hour camel trek to Hunder. Diskit is home to a small
population of Bactrain camels; these shaggy, double humped animals, were
once used as pack animals on the central Asian trade routes. On camel back,
we pass through this dramatic high altitude desert, with its rolling sand
dune and barren landscape, dotted with lush, green, river valleys. From
Hunder, we drive back to our camp at Tirith.
Day
7 : Tirith - Samur - Samstaling Panamik: After breakfast, we set
off on a full day of sightseeing to Samstaling monastery and the village of
Samur. This is part of the old silk route and was used by trade caravans on
their way to Panamik, the last village on this circuit. Panamik, now a
sleepy village, was once a major trade centre for merchants. Here we will
visit hot springs and the tiny Ensa Gompa before driving back to our camp at
Tirith.
Day 8 : Nubra - Leh (6 hrs. drive):
Drive back to Leh, over the Khardungla Pass. Overnight in hotel. Evening
free.
Day 9 : Leh. A free day. Rest,
visit a Ladakhi family, explore the colourful bazaar, or wander around the
dusty back streets of Leh. Overnight in hotel.
Day
10 : Leh - Delhi Agra: Say farewell to this magical land. Transfer
to Leh airport for another breathtaking mountain flight back to Delhi.
Arrive in Delhi and drive to Agra (5hrs), to visit the magnificent Taj
Mahal, set within the 'paradise gardens', and the Red Fort. Overnight in
hotel.
Day 11 : Agra - Delhi. Morning
free. Afternoon drive back to Delhi. Enroute visit to Mathura, birth place
of the famous Hindu god, Lord Krishna. Arrive in Delhi and check in to the
hotel.
Day 12 Early morning transfer to
airport for return flight.