Best Time :Mid June to September.
Red Tape :Need
innerline permission (please contact us for details).
Day
1Assistance 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 12Early
morning transfer to airport for return flight.
House
Boat