Magnificent Leh & Ladakh

When you arrive in Leh in the morning by plane, we’ll take you straight to your hotel. There, you’ll be greeted with a refreshing welcome drink. It’s important to relax and rest a bit when you first get there, to get used to Leh’s high height (3500 meters above sea level). Later in the afternoon, we’ll go for a stroll through the local markets for a quick look around the city. We’ll also visit the peaceful Shanti Stupa and the historic Leh Palace. Your day will end with a tasty dinner, followed by a good night’s sleep at the hotel.

• After breakfast, start your day with a scenic drive along the River Indus on the Leh – Kargil Road. First, visit the Hall of Fame, a museum set up by the Indian Army that displays important artefacts. Then, move on to Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, located about 22 kilometres from Leh at an elevation of 3600 meters, built in honour of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
• Next, experience the wonder of Magnetic Hill, where it looks like cars can go uphill on their own. After that, before reaching Nimmu Village, see the amazing sight where two rivers meet – the Indus coming from Tibet and the Zanskar from Zanskar Valley.
• Continue to Alchi Gompa, a group of temples in a village from the 11th century, known as one of Ladakh’s most famous monasteries. On your way back to Leh, stop at Likir Monastery, which dates back to the 11th century but was rebuilt in the 18th century. It features a stunning 25 feet statue of Lord Buddha covered in gold. Finish your day back in Leh for dinner and stay overnight at your hotel.

• After our morning meal, we head to Nubra Valley. The journey from Leh to Nubra takes us over the Khardung La pass, known as the world’s second-highest road you can drive on, sitting at a height of about 18,390 feet and around 39 kilometres from Leh. At the top, you get to see amazing views. Looking south, you can see the Indus Valley and the mountains of the Zanskar range stretching far into the distance. To the north, the tall peaks of the Saser massif stand proudly.
• Nubra Valley, or Ldumra, meaning the Valley of Flowers, lies in the north of Ladakh between the Karakoram and Ladakh mountain ranges. It’s quite high, about 10,000 feet above sea level. When we arrive in Nubra, we’ll check into our camp or hotel in Hunder for the night. In the evening, there’s time to wander through the small, beautiful villages nearby. This is a great chance to see and learn about the local life in this special place. We’ll spend the night comfortably at our camp or hotel in Nubra.

Today, after breakfast, we’re heading to an exciting and less-known place called Turtuk Village, which is the last village you can visit before reaching the Pakistan border. It’s a hidden gem in Ladakh and was taken over by India from Pakistan during the 1971 war. The people here have a culture and language similar to Ladakhi, and most follow the Nurbakshi Muslim religion, with some from the Shia community. As you travel, you’ll be amazed by the mountains’ colours changing around you – from various shades of brown to hints of green on the rocks. The journey from Hunder to Turtuk, with its curvy roads, the green Shayok River, and colourful mountains, is going to be one of the highlights of our trip, especially the views near Changmar village. We’ll spend the night in Nubra Valley.

• After an early breakfast, we leave our camp or hotel and head to Hunder. This place offers you a rare chance to ride a double-humped Bactrian camel through the sand dunes, with beautiful snow-covered mountains in the background. On our way back, we’ll visit Diskit, the main town of Nubra Valley. Here, you can wander through the market, see the local shops, and watch the people go about their day.
• Next, we head towards Pangong Tso, passing through Agham and the Shyok Valley. The road on the Nubra side might be a bit rough, but the views you’ll see are worth it. After the adventurous part of the trip, we’ll move on towards Durbuk and Tangtse until we reach Pangong. On the way, we’ll go through some small villages in Changthang, and suddenly, the amazing view of Pangong Lake appears. This lake is high up, at 14,000 feet. When we arrive, we’ll check into our camp or hotel by the lake. Enjoy your dinner and stay overnight at the hotel.

• Start your morning with a relaxing visit to the peaceful Pangong Lake. Then, begin your trip back to Leh, crossing the high Changla Pass at 5486 meters. On the way, stop to see important places like Hemis Gompa, the biggest monastery of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Next, head to Thiksey to see its stunning monastery built layer by layer up a hill. Just 5 kilometres further, you’ll find Shey Palace, the old capital of Ladakh, and the famous school from the movie “3 Idiots.”
• Finish your journey back to Leh, where you can enjoy dinner and a good night’s sleep at your hotel.

After your breakfast, pack up and get ready to leave for the airport. Your unforgettable trip is coming to an end, but we’ll make sure you get to the domestic airport on time for your flight back home or to your next place. We hope you had a fantastic time discovering new things and we wish you a safe journey ahead.