Best of Leh-Ladakh
- Tour Package -
(7 days)

Fly from Delhi to the Himalayan city of Leh. During the flight, enjoy the incredible aerial views of the snow-capped peaks and the beautiful mountains of “Little Tibet”. When you reach Leh, the capital of Ladakh, transfer to your hotel. The elevation of Leh is 3,500 metres above sea level. At this altitude, you need to give time to your body to acclimate to the thin air. There are many eating options in town, you can have lunch at the restaurant of your choice.

Start the afternoon with the visit to the picturesque old town of Leh, a labyrinth of small streets flanked by tall traditional houses with intricate wood carvings. If you are interested in learning more about the history of this place, you could take part in the guided heritage walk arranged by LAMO (Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation). Dominating the old town, the Leh Palace is a nine-storey mud-brick edifice built by the king Sengge Namgyal 400 years ago. Its design was inspired by the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Inside, a museum displays a fine collection of ceremonial dresses, crowns and jewellery. Above the palace, there is a steep trail to Namgyal Tsemo gompa. This Buddhist monastery surrounded by hundreds of fluttering Tibetan prayer flags is located on a hillock overlooking the city. Then, head to the Shanti Stupa, a large white chorten perched atop a rocky peak. The stupa was built 30 years ago by Japanese monks to promote world peace and harmony. It has two levels decorated with colourful paintings and carvings representing episodes of the Buddha's life. From here, you can enjoy a fabulous panoramic view of Leh and the Indus valley. As you walk down towards the Main Bazar, you could stop for a cup of Ladakhi butter tea (salted tea with yak butter) on Changspa Road. In the vicinity of Gompa Soma and the Jama Masjid mosque, take a stroll in the buzzing market where villagers in traditional attire sell homegrown vegetables.

During the next 2 days, you will explore the “Sham” region, the west part of the Indus valley. After breakfast, leave Leh for Lamayuru. The first stop is at the Phyang monastery where 90 monks from the Drikung Kagyu order reside. Then, you reach the Magnetic Hill. Here, you can witness a baffling phenomenon when you see your vehicle with the engine turned off and the transmission in neutral starting moving uphill against gravity. Magnetic force pulling the car upwards or optical illusion? Near the village of Nimmu, you can admire the natural wonder known as Sangam (“confluence” in Sanskrit) where the Zanskar river flows into the Indus river. Then, stop at Basgo monastery built on a hill overlooking the village. The main temple has beautiful murals depicting guardian deities of the royal family who used to live in the adjoining ruined fortress until 1470. Drive to Alchi where you can have lunch in one of the garden restaurants near the gompa. The Alchi monastery dates back to the 11th century. It is a five-temple gompa complex that houses the oldest and most refined wall paintings in Ladakh. From Alchi, head west to Lamayuru, stopping at Ulley Tokpo en route. Situated halfway between Leh and Kargil, Lamayuru is one of the most charming Ladakhi villages. It has approximately 100 homes with a medieval gompa spectacularly perched atop an eroded cliff. The moonlike landscape around the village is really impressive and the area is often called “moonland”. If you want to experience the ways of life of the villagers, you should stay in a homestay with a Ladakhi family. Your driver will help you to find the best homestays.

If you get up early, go to the Dukhang (the main prayer hall) where Buddhist monks recite sutras and chant prayers every morning. The Lamayuru monastery is one of the oldest gompas in Ladakh with the one in Alchi. It was established in the eleventh century by Rinchen Zangpo. In the Dukhang, there is a small cave in which the Indian scholar Naropa meditated. On the way back to Leh, take the small road along a narrow gorge leading to the remote Rizong monastery that was founded in 1831. There are 40 resident monks and the gompa is known for its strict rules and standards. Next, drive to Likir, a picturesque village dominated by the Likir monastery. It is one of the most important Gelugpa gompas. The main building is backed by a 22m-high golden statue of the Maitreya Buddha. On the way back to Leh, stop at Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, a highly revered place of worship for Sikhs which was built in the 16th century in homage to Guru Nanak Dev, the founder Guru of Sikhism who visited Ladakh and Tibet at that time. Visit the 15th-century Spituk monastery before reaching Leh. If you wish to visit the Hall of Fame museum too, just ask your driver.

This morning, drive to the Khardung La pass, the world's highest motorable road at an altitude of 5,602 metres above sea level. From the top, there is a stunning panorama of the Karakoram mountain range. The dramatic Nubra valley (“the valley of flowers” in Ladakhi language) actually comprises two parts: one part along the Nubra river (Sumur, Panamik) and another part along the Shayok river (Diskit, Hunder, Turtuk). Rising above the village, the Diskit monastery is was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo in the 15th century. It is the largest and oldest gompa in the Nubra valley. A few hundred metres away, the impressive 32-metre-high statue of Maitreya Buddha was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 2010. From Diskit, follow the Shayok river for 10 km to reach Hunder village where you can spend the night.

After breakfast, ride on a camel’s back through the rolling Hunder sand dunes. The double-humped Bactrian camels were brought from the Gobi desert in Mongolia when the Nubra valley was a stopping point for the caravans travelling on the Silk Road between Central Asia and India. Then, drive to Sumur village and visit the Samstanling monastery. From Sumur, head to Pangong lake via Shayok, a scenic drive through isolated valleys. The breathtaking Pangong lake is located at an elevation 4,250m. It is 140 km in length and 70% of it lies in Tibet. This is where the final scene of the movie “3 Idiots” with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor was shot. Pangong lake is an important breeding ground for migratory birds such as brahmini ducks, seagulls and bar-headed geese.

Walk along the shore of Pangong lake and enjoy the surreal beauty of the shimmering blue water surrounded by barren mountains in the morning light. Then, start driving back towards Leh. Cross one of the highest drivable mountain passes in the world, Chang La (5,360m), before dropping down into the Indus valley. Stop at the little-visited Chemrey monastery that rises above the village and the barley fields. Next, head to Hemis located 43 km from Leh on the left bank of the Indus river. Hemis monastery is the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh, it belongs to the Drukpa order. The gompa houses numerous shrines and an 8-metre-high statue of Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. From Hemis, follow the Indus river towards Leh and stop at Thiksey monastery. Built on the side of a rocky hill, the monastery resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet. One of the temples enshrines an enthralling 14-metre-high statue of Maitreya Buddha with a finely-decorated headdress. The last visit before reaching Leh is the Shey palace, located just 5 km from Thiksey. The Shey palace was used as a summer palace until the middle of the 19th century by the royal family of Ladakh. Inside, there is a beautiful temple with a 12-metre-tall copper statue of Shakyamuni Buddha gilded with approximately 5 kilograms of gold.

Take the morning flight from Leh to Delhi. From the window, contemplate once more the beautiful Himalayan mountains.