Day 1: Arrive Delhi:
Arrival to Delhi and check in the hotel for overnight stay in Delhi.
Day 2: Delhi - Manali:
Drive to Manali. Check in the hotel and overnight stay in Manali.
Day 3: Manali:
Sightseeing and overnight stay at the hotel in Manali.
Day 4 & Day 5: Manali - Leh: (Manali
to Leh Jeep Safari) :
Two days drive from Manali to reach Leh on Day 5.
Day 4
First day we cross Rohtang Pass (3978 m), Keylong
(3350 m), Baralacha Pass (4890m) with overnight stopover at Sarchu
(4253 m), border of the states of Himachal Pradesh (Lahaul) and
Jammu & Kashmir (Ladakh). In Sarchu, we stay overnight in tented
campsite.
Day 5
On Day 5, the road from Sarchu crosses high mountain Passes of Namika
La and Lachalung La to reach the army camp in the Pang valley. The
dry barren mountains around Pang are eroded in very spectacular
way. They look like giant fortress like structures with spires,
pinnacles and windows. From Pang, the road climbs up and reaches
a different world altogether. Here is the flat high desert of More
Plains, 50-60 km of road bisecting it. This is Rupshu, an extension
of Changthang plateau of Tibet. The road then climbs for Tanglang
Pass (5415 m), the second highest mountain Pass in Ladakh and then
finally reaches Leh. This 475 km Himalayan journey is a visual delight
with not one moment of boredom en route.
Overnight stay in the hotel at Leh.
Day 6: Leh:
After breakfast proceed for Indus Valley monastery tour. We start
with a visit to Shey, the ancient capital of Ladakh. The monastery
here has a huge gold-gilded statue of Buddha Sakyamuni with a large
silve r
lamp burning in front of the statue. Then we visit Thiksey Gompa,
an impressive complex rising tier upon tier on a hill above the
village. The monastery has a beautiful 30 m high gold-plated statue
of Maitreya Buddha, the Buddha of the future. Drive further to visit
the famous Hemis Gompa, founded in 1630's by Stag-tsang-ras-pa under
the royal patronage of Sengge Namgyall. Hemis is one of the largest
and richest gompas of Ladakh. The two-day festival of monastic dance
in June-July has raised the reputation of Hemis particularly high.
The festival is dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known
as second Buddha and responsible for spreading Buddhism in the Tibetan
world. Later we visit the Stok Palace, the Royal residence of the
King of Stok & the Museum that has a rich collection of Ancient
Ladakhi artefacts including old Thangkas, precious stones, arms
and armoury, the Queen’s necklace and the crown of the King
of Ladakh among others. Overnight stay at the hotel in Leh.
Day 07 : Leh - Likir - Yangthang: 2 hrs
drive to Likir / 5 hrs trek
After breakfast drive from Leh to Likir for 2 hours. At Likir you
will meet all your trekking staff and ponies. One can visit Likir
monastery situated on a hill towards the village. Start your trek
through a barley field to cross a small stream and then to village
Sumdo. Then gradually trek to village Yangthang to camp overnight.
Day 08 : Yangthang - Hemis Shukpachan:
5-6 hrs trek
Trek to Wulle valley and then ascent for one hour to Shemchan La
and then descent towards Hemis Shukpachan, the highest village in
this route. It’s a big village and is famous for Cedar trees
found in plenty here, hence the name of village. We will visit a
family house and have some butter tea and Ladakhi chang (the local
beer) There is a small but beautiful monastery just outside the
village that we can visit. Camp for overnight stay.
Day 09 : Hemis Shukpachan - Timosgam -
Khalse - Lamayuru: (5-6 hrs trek & then drive to Lamayuru)
We trek through the Apricot rich village of Ang and reach Timosgam,
the historical village, where one can visit the monastery and the
Palace. This valley has warm weather as compared to Indus valley
and hence conducive to thick vegetation and hence there are plenty
of apricots, apples and nuts making it one of the richest valleys
in Ladakh. Since people are rich they have beautiful houses with
wonderful interior.
From Timosgam we drive to Khasltse and Lamayuru.
Lamayuru monastery was founded by Rinchen Zangpo
in the 10th century. This gompa is located amidst the massive mountains.
The spectacular setting of this gompa and its renowned collection
of carpets, thangkas and frescoes has been attracting many people
over a long time. It is believed to be the oldest in central Ladakh.
Overnight stay in tented camp in Lamayuru.
Day 10 : Lamayuru - Alchi - Leh:
In the morning we visit the Lamayuru monastery to be part of the
morning religious ceremony. It’s a very soothing and spiritual
experience to be there among these warm and friendly monks.
Then we drive for Alchi and cross the River Indus
and reach Alchi, Ladakh's most loved monastery. Over a century old,
its wall paintings are very similar to those of the Tabo gompa in
Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. Unlike other monasteries which are usually
on a cliff top or cling to a mountainside, Alchi is at ground level
and is nestled in the shade of a garden.
We also have an option to visit the impressive
Ridzong Gompa near Alchi, reached from the road head after a 30-minute
uphill walk. It’s an impressive monastery well hidden in the
lap of the mountains until you’re face to face with it. It
is situated on the mountainside wedged in between 2 ends of a ridge.
It is about 100 years old and the name means 'mountain fort' aptly
describing this isolated gompa. It also has a nunnery of female
monks also.
On our way to Leh we can visit the Basgo monastery
also, famous for its Buddha statue. In Leh overnight stay in the
hotel.
Day 11: Leh - Upshi - Tso Moriri (Karzok
Gompa): 8-9 hrs
After early breakfast, we drive to Karzok (4,572 m) the only village
near Tso Moriri Lake. From Leh we reach Upshi on Leh-Manali road
and then we turn to another valley and drive along the Indus River.
It is one of the most interesting areas and goes through narrow
valleys, sandy deserts, rocky paths, and our vehicle crosses number
of mountain streams. Little before Tso-Moriri Lake we drive past
a small green valley of wild Marmots locally known as Phya. Arrive
at Korzok village and check in at the camps. Situated at 15,000
ft (4,572 m), it is the only permanent settlement in Rupshu region
with an approximate population of 500 people. The few barley fields
at Karzok must be among the highest cultivation in the world. In
the evening we visit Karzok monastery. Overnight stay in the tented
camp.
Day 12: Tso Moriri Lake (Karzok gompa):
Day free
to explore the Lake area and the village. The clear blue Tso Moriri
Lake is one of the most breathtaking lakes in Ladakh. This brackish
water lake is considered sacred by the locals. The Lake is surrounded
by beautiful. The Lake is a breeding ground for numerous species
of birds like Great Crested Grebe, the Brahmini duck, Bar Headed
Geese, etc. This region also has large number of Kiangs, Tibetan
wild ass and it’s not difficult to spot them.
Overnight stay in the tented camp.
Day 13: Tso Moriri Lake - Tso Khar Lake - Tanglang La Pass - Leh:
In the morning we drive to reach Tsokar via Puga by covering 75
km in 3-4 hours. Tso Khar Lake (4485 m) is also called White Lake
because of salt deposits around it. It is approx 45 km northwest
of the Tso Moriri Lake. Tso Khar is so salty that salt extracted
from its margins are still sold all over Ladakh. We continue to
drive and reach Manali-Leh highway and drive down towards Leh via
Tanglang-la (5415 m) the 2nd highest motorable road in Ladakh. En
route, drive pass beautiful villages of Rumtse, Gya, Miru and Lato.
Arrive Leh and check into hotel for overnight stay.
Day 14: Leh - Delhi: FlyM
In the morning transfer to the airport to board the flight to Delhi.
Transfer and check in the hotel in Delhi.
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