Ladakh - The Land of Endless Discovery

Duration: 7 days

Highlights: Delhi, Leh, Likir, Nimu, Nubra

Explore the trans-Himalayan hinterland, its unique culture, and colourful festivals.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive in Delhi

Upon arrival at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your hotel by private vehicle, where you will be assisted with check-in.

Meals: D

Overnight: Delhi

Day 2 – Delhi – Leh

This morning you will be transferred to the airport to board the flight to Leh.

Arrive in Leh and transfer to the hotel.

Rest of the day is free for acclimatisation. In the evening, enjoy a talk with a scholar on Tibetan Buddhism.

Meals: B

Overnight: Leh

Day 3 – Leh

After breakfast, enjoy an excursion to Shey, Thiksey & Hemis.

Thiksey Gompa: Drive to Thiksey monastery for the Morning Prayer ceremony beginning before sunrise. It is also located on a hilltop and the views of the green Indus valley from its rooftop are splendid. Home to around 100 monks, this monastery has many colourful murals in its courtyard and chambers full of statues and stupas. In many respects this imposing structure is a replica of Potala Palace in Lhasa.

Shey Palace: Situated on a hilltop outside of Leh, the Shey Monastery was once the summer palace of the royal family and it is believed that the Kings of Leh were born here. The monastery is also home to an impressive two-story high-seated image of Buddha cast from copper and covered with gold leaf.

Hemis Monastery - Around 40 km from Leh, Hemis monastery was established in the 17^th century. Built in Tibetan style, the monastery belongs to the Dugpa Kargyutpa order (Red Sect of Buddhism). The beautiful paintings and Buddha statues are a must-see here.

Meals: B

Overnight: Leh

[Optional extra day in Leh - Hemis Festival – Only for the month of June]

After breakfast, you will be driven to Hemis Monastery. Here, witness the celebrations of the Hemis Festival, which commemorates the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, who is said to have brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet. Revered throughout the Himalayan ranges and considered the second Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava was invited from India in the 8th century to conquer the dark forces and transform them into guardians and protectors of the pure dharma. In the process, the guru brought Vajrayana Buddhism, a revelation of the complete and perfect path to awakening. Followers believe that their path is the purest form of Buddhism – practised by Buddha himself - with the goal of liberation from suffering and the attainment of enlightenment.

At 9 am the birthday celebrations of the revered Guru begin in the courtyard, filled with local Ladakhis and Buddhist pilgrims. The highlight of the whole festival is the gathering of the lamas around the central flagpole, performing the mystic masked dances (Chams) and sacred plays. Chams are essentially a part of Tantric tradition, performed only in the gompas that follow the Tantric Vajrayana teachings and where the monks perform tantric worship. Dressed in colourful bright brocades with vibrantly decorated and richly adorned papier mâché masks (some extending over 1 metre in height) the masked dancers simulate combat between good spirits and evil demons to the cacophony of drums, cymbals and long horns. The crowd unites in uproarious song and dance when the dough idol of evil is destroyed by the leader of black hat dancers signifying that good has prevailed.

Meals: B

Overnight: Leh

Day 3 – Leh – Likir – Nimu  

After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a shory drive of 15-20 minutes to River Rafting point, and partake in white river rafting (subject to weather conditions) for a couple of hours on the Indus River.

Later, proceed for your excursions to Alchi and Likir.

Alchi - Visit the 12th century Alchi Monastery on the banks of the mighty River Indus. The monastery retains vestiges of the bygone centuries preserved through wall paintings, wood carvings and other artwork.

Likir – Likir is situated 55 Kms west of Leh. The region is famous for its stunning mountainscape and monastery.

Later, enjoy a picturesque drive to Nimu.

Upon arrival, check-in at your hotel.

Meals: B

Overnight: Nimu

Day 4 – Nimu – Nubra

After breakfast, enjoy a 6-hours’ drive to Nubra.

Upon arrival, check-in at your hotel.

Later, enjoy a drive to Hunder village in the Nubra Valley via the incredibly scenic Wari La pass. Visit the Hunder Sand Dunes, home to Bactrian camels and Pashmina Goats. You can indulge in a safari on these Bactrian camels.

Meals: B

Overnight: Nubra Valley

Day 5 – Nubra  

After breakfast, enjoy an excursion to Diskit & Hunder Gompha (monastery).

After lunch, continue to the picturesque Yarab Tso Lake in Sumur village after a short hike from Panamik.

Later visit Samstanling Gompa, a beautiful 19^th century Buddhist monastery in Sumur.

Meals: B

Overnight: Nubra Valley

Day 6 – Nubra – Leh

After breakfast, enjoy a drive back to Leh.

This afternoon, enjoy a walking tour of Leh, starting off at the majestic 16^th century Leh Palace. Next, visit LAMO (Ladakh Arts & Media Organisation) that exhibits Ladakh’s artistic traditions in the form of paintings, ethnic costumes, Ladakhi textiles among other things of equal value.

Then, stop by Sankar Gompa to view the image of Avalokitesvara, inset with turquoise and shown with a thousand heads, arms and feet and one hundred thousand eyes. Next up is Shanti Stupa, which was built to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism and inaugurated by his holiness the Dalai Lama in 1985. Thereafter head to the Leh Bazaar where you'll find Jokhang – a Buddhist temple built in the 1980s by the Ladakh Buddhist association, and an imposing 17th century mosque – which reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and accommodates more than 500 worshippers that sit opposite each other.

Later, visit Choglamsar village and Tibetan Children’s Village.

Meals: B

Overnight: Leh

Day 7 – Leh

Transfer to Leh airport to catch your onward flight.

Meals: B