Duration : 13 Days /
12 Nights
Destinations Covered : Delhi - Leh - Foot of Stokla - Yurutse
- Ganda La - Skiu - Markha - Tchatchutse - Nimaling - Kongmaru La - Shang Sumdo
- Hemis - Leh - Delhi
Day 1: Delhi to Pathankot
Day at leisure in Delhi. Evening transfer to Railway Station to board overnight
train for Pathankot. Overnight on board.
Day 2: Arrive Pathankot – transfer to Dharamsala
Meeting on arrival at Pathankot and drive to Dharamsala in around 3 hours time.
Arrive and check into self booked hotel.
Day 3: At Dharamsala
Day at leisure. Overnight at self booked hotel.
Day 4: At Dharamsala
Day at leisure. Overnight at self booked hotel.
Day 5: At Dharamsala
Day at leisure. Overnight at self booked hotel.
Day 6: Dharamsala to Manali
Morning drive to Manali to reach in around 6 to 7 hours time. Arrive and check
into Ambassador Resort (Now name changed to Manu Allaya) for overnight stay.
Day 7: At Manali
Day at leisure in Manali to tour Manali. Overnight at the resort.
Day 8: MANALI TO KEYLONG
We start early from the Solang Valley Camp Retreat and after crossing the 13,050
ft high Rohtang Pass enter the valley of Lahaul. Our drive is along the River
Chandra with views of towering mountains and glaciers. By late afternoon we
arrive at Keylong a small town, which is also the district headquarters. Check
into our camps and then spend the evening walking around this quaint little
town with its excellent views of the Pir Panjal range of mountains. Overnight
at Keylong.
Day 9: AT KEYLONG
Morning after breakfast leisurely proceed to visit GURU GHANTAL This monastery
is situated on a hill above the Tupchiling village at the confluence of the
rivers Chandra and Bhaga. This gompa was founded by Padma Sambhava and is more
than 800 years old. The peculiar feature of the gompa is the wooden idols as
distinguished from the clay idols found in other monasteries. The Guru Ghantal
white marble head was installed by its founder, but now the same is kept under
lock and key for fear of theft.
This monastery has idols of Guru Padma Sambhava, Brijeshwari Devi and several
other lamas. On the 15th lunar day (mid June) a festival called Ghantal was
celeberated at which the visiting lamas and Thakurs used to feast for one day.
The festival is no longer celeberated, There is one blackstone statue of a goddess
identified as kali in the innermost chamber which gives credence to the theory
that this was once a Hindu temple like the Trilokinath temple at Udaipur, The
wall paintings are in stone colours. Because of lack of care colours have washed
away. There is lot of seepage in the monastery. Another reason for lack of care
is that most of the valuables have been transported to the Tupchiling gompa
which is easily accessible and the caretaker also hails from this village only.
The workmanship in the gompa is certainly superior to all other gompas.
SHA-SHUR Sha-shur in the local parlance means in the blue pines.
This is very apt as good patches of blue pine can still be seen around the monastery,
This gompa was founded in the 17th C. AD by Lama Deva Gyatsho of Zangskar who
was a missionary of Nawang Namgyal, the king of Bhutan. The lamas of the gompa
are of the Drugpa sect (red hat sect). Namgyal founded this sect and the name
originated from Dug which in the Bhoti language means Bhutan. Before Deva Gyatsho
renovated the present monastery, there existed a small gompa. Deva Gyatsho stayed
at the monastery till his death. When he was being cremated, this is said, his
heart did not burn and was enclosed in a black image of Gyatsho. A statue of
Namgyal is also present in the gompa.
This gompa has the biggest Thanka paintings, over fifteen feet, and invalueable
wall paintings depicting all the 84 siddhas of Buddhism. In the month of June/July
Chham is performed in the monastery which is the most popular Chham in Lahaul
and KARDANG Village which was once the capital of Lahaul has the most popular
and the biggest monastery of the area. The monastery is situated on the left
bank of the river Bhaga just above the village of Kardang. This was founded
about 900 years ago and stood in ruins uptill 1912 when Lama Norbu of Kardang
renovated it. This gompa is located against the backdrop of the bare mountains
of the Rangcha massif which "rises above the valley like a giant cobra
standing on its tail with hood outspread, ready to strike". The monastery
is perched on a ridge below the 15000 feet high Rangcha peak. The valley is
so placed that Kardang gets maximum sunshine in winters.
Day 10: KEYLONG TO JISPA
Morning after breakfast drive to Jispa, enroute visit another monastery called
Gemur. Late arrive at Jispa, walk around the village & visit the dalai lama's
monastery. overnight at Hotel / camp.
Day 11: JISPA TO SARCHU
Morning proceed for Sarchu (the border of Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir States).
Serchu (4253 m) is inhabited by a Himalayan clan, GADDI, and a few lonely soldiers
at an army out-post. Enroute stop for a while at Baralacha La (4891 m). The
word Barhlacha-la means " a pass with cross roads". On arrival check
in fix camp, rest of the time explore the windy place evening time this place
is very windy & cold. Overnight at camp enjoy with dinner.
Day 12: SARCHU TO LEH
After breakfast commence the early start for Leh. Through the second highest
motorable pass Tanglang-La (5330m) From the pass one can see the Karakoram Range
& back glance Salt Lake (Tsokar) en route stop at Pang for lunch on arrival
by late afternoon check into the hotel for overnight.
Day 13: AT LEH
Full day sightseeing of Shey, Thiksey, Hemis, Shey was the old capital and the
home of the kings of Ladakh before the new capital became established in Leh
the palace sits in a strategic position on a spur jutting out into the Indus
valley. The main temple contains a large Buddha statue sculpted by Nepalese
craftsmen. Thiksey, this large gompa is an impressive sight, situated on top
of a craggy hill while the rest of the complex sprawls down beneath it. It was
founded in the 15th century by Gelukpa monks. Hemis is the most reaches monastery
in the valley, this is famous for his annual mosque dance festival, Later drive
back to Leh rest of the time walk in the local market. Overnight at hotel.
Day 14: LEH TO PANGONG LAKE
Morning after relaxed breakfast at the hotel, leave for Pangong Lake that is
reached by a steep climb up the Changla Pass perched at 5486 m. Lunch at Tsoltak.
Later, arrive at Durbuk and drive to the western shore of Pangong Lake, one
of the must visit sites in Ladakh. It is around 6 km wide, over 144 km long
and one half of the lake runs through the other side of Indo-China Border. Enjoy
the panoramic landscapes around the lake. Overnight at the camp.
Day 15: AT PANGONG LAKE
Full day at leisure at Pangong to enjoy the lake and its surroundings. Ovenght
at the camp.
Day 16: PANGONG TO LEH
Morning after breakfast drive to reach Leh and check into the hotel on arrival.
Rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Day 17: LEH TO HUNDER
Drive from Leh to the Nubra Valley over the Khardung La pass (5606 Mts.), the
highest road in the world. Part of the drive is over a glacier. There are great
views of the Karakoram Mountains from the top. Camp at Hunder.
Day 18: Hunder-Diskit-Panamik
Visit Hunder and Diskit Gompas and then drive to Panamik, crossing the River
Shyok and then driving along the River Nubra to Panamik. Panamik is the last
village on the old Silk Route and was favored for its hot water springs. Overnight
at the camp.
Day 19: Nubra - Basgo
Morning breakfast at the camp. Drive to Basgo. Visit the ruins of a Fort at
Basgo and Ser Zung Temple known for its great frescoes and an enormous gold
and copper statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Have dinner and local wine with a
local family along with an entertainment program of local folk dance and song.
Overnight stay at the camp.
Day 20: Basgo - Alchi - Lamayuru
Breakfast at the camp. Drive to Alchi village. Visit the 11th century Alchi
Gompa known for a massive Buddha statue. Later drive to Lamayuru, the gateway
to the Zanskar valley. Visit the oldest known gompa in Ladakh, dating back to
the10th century or even before. Observe the evening pray in the gompa.Overnight
stay near the monastery.
Day 21: At Lamayuru
Full day at Lamayuru to explore monastery.Overnight stay at camp.
Day 22: Lamayuru - Ney
Breakfast at the camp. Drive to enroute visit the beautiful Rizong Gompa Monastery.
Continue drive to Ney. Stay overnight at camp.Day
23: Ney to Leh
Morning after breakfast proceed drive to Leh and check into the hotel on arrival.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 24: At Leh
Full day free for independent activities. Overnight at the hotel
.
Day 25: Leh to Delhi
Morning transfer to the airport in time to board flight for Delhi. Meeting on
arrival at Delhi airport and transfer to Hotel The Oberoi. Rest of the time
at leisure.
Day 26: At Leh
Full day at leisure in Delhi. Transfer from Hotel The Oberoi to Airport hotel.
Day 27 : Depart Delhi
Transfer to the airport in time to board homebound flight.
