Incredible Leh-Ladakh
- Tour Package -
(6 days)

This morning, soar to the “roof of the world” on an amazing flight over the Himalayas. After an hour and a half, you reach Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Transfer to your hotel and proceed with the check-in. Leh is located at an altitude of 3,500 metres above sea level so you need to take it easy at the beginning to give time to your body to adjust to this altitude. Drinking plenty of water and walking at a slow pace are the two important recommendations to remember. Stroll the main market and have lunch where you like. There are many eating options and you could try local dishes too.

Start exploring Leh with the visit to the Leh palace. This nine-storey edifice rising above the old town was built by the king of Ladakh during the first half of the 17th century. Inside, a museum exhibits a collection of jewellery and ornaments belonging to the royal family. From the palace, a winding path leads to Namgyal Tsemo gompa. This Buddhist mud-brick monastery dominating the city of Leh was founded in 1430 and it houses a three-storey-high statue of the Future Buddha. Thousands of fluttering prayer flags connect to the nearby Victory Peak. The next destination is the white-domed chorten known as Shanti Stupa. The monument was constructed by Japanese monks at the summit of a rocky peak and it is the best place in Leh for sunset. From here, you can contemplate magnificent views of the whole of city and the surrounding villages. After sunset, go back down to the city centre and spend some time in the Main Bazar, a bustling market where women in traditional Ladakhi dress sell fruits and vegetable. You should also visit the Jama Masjid mosque for its interesting mix of Islamic art and Buddhist influences as well as Gompa Soma which is the headquarters of the Ladakh Buddhist Association.

This 1-day tour in the Indus valley takes you to the “Sham” region which means “West” in Ladakhi. A half-an-hour drive from Leh brings you to the strange Magnetic Hill where you can see the car with engine turned off and in neutral starting moving uphill against gravity… To understand what’s really going on, don’t forget to bring a spirit level ;-) A few kilometres further on the Leh-Srinagar highway, you arrive at the famous photo spot of Sangam, the confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers. Then, stop at Basgo gompa which is perched atop a rocky peak. The main temple has beautiful wall paintings representing guardian deities of the royal family who used to live in the adjoining ruined fortress 600 years ago. You can have your lunch in Alchi village where several pleasant garden restaurants can be found. Then, visit the Alchi monastery which was built during the 11th century. The monastic complex contains some of the best-preserved frescoes and sculptures that constitute an exceptional example of Ladakh’s Indo-Tibetan art. Cross the Indus river and head to the Likir monastery. The 22m-high statue of Maitreya Buddha next to the monastery’s main building is a prominent landmark of the village. Then, visit Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, a small shrine devoted to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. Stop at Spituk monastery before going back to Leh.

Leaving Leh early, head north to the Nubra valley, crossing the world’s highest drivable pass - Khardung La - at 5,602 metres above sea level. From the top, the view on the surrounding mountains is spectacular. Descend into the beautiful Nubra Valley (“the valley of flowers” in Ladakhi) 2,500 metres below towards the confluence of the Nubra and Shayok rivers. Diskit is the largest village in the Nubra valley. The main attraction is the Diskit monastery which was established in the 15th century by the Gelugpa order. The winding road leading to the gompa is dotted with 108 whitewashed stupas. At the top of a nearby hill, there is a gigantic 32-metre-high statue of Maitreya Buddha. Next, head to Hunder for the night. This small and quiet village with farmhouses and green fields has several accommodation options for all budgets (hotels, guesthouses, homestays).

After breakfast, experience a camel ride across the Hunder sand dunes. The Bactrian camels were brought to Ladakh when Hunder was a stopping point for caravans travelling on the Silk Route. Nowadays, there are approximately 200 Bactrian camels in the Nubra valley. Later, drive to Sumur, a quiet village on the bank of the Nubra river. Here, you can visit the Samstanling monastery before heading back to Leh.

There is no better way to end this trip in Ladakh than with the visit to the stunning Pangong lake where the final part of the Bollywood movie "3 idiots" with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor was shot. The lake is located 150 km east of Leh and you should start driving early. Follow the Indus valley up to Kharu, then take the road heading north towards Chang La, one of the highest mountain passes in the world at 5,360m altitude. After crossing Chang La pass, you will reach Tangtse village where you can stop for tea and snacks. From Tangtse, there is another 35 km to reach the lake. Pangong lake (or Pangong Tso, "tso" means "lake" in Ladakhi) is a brackish lake situated at 4,250m altitude. It is 140 km in length and only a quarter of it lies in India, the other part lies in Tibet. The picture-perfect Pangong lake has crystal clear waters spanning over the Indo-China border and it is surrounded by colourful Himalayan mountains. The visit to Pangong lake is definitely a highlight of any trip to Ladakh. On the way back to Leh, stop at Thiksey monastery, one of the most beautiful and interesting gompas in Ladakh whose architecture reminds of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. The monastery was built on a hilltop in the 15th century and 80 Buddhist monks live here currently. There are many temples and shrines within the complex, one of them houses an impressive 14m gold-faced Buddha statue seated in the lotus position. The monastery roof offers a stunning panoramic view of the Indus valley, the villages surrounded by barley fields and fringed by the Stok mountain range.

As your mind is filled with wonderful travel memories, bid farewell to this beautiful region of Ladakh and catch your flight back to Delhi.