14 Nights /15 Days
Delhi >> Leh >> Shey >> Thiksey >> Hemis >> Spituk >> MAGNETIC HILL >> Alchi >> Uleytokpo >> Kargil >> Srinagar >> Gulmarg >> Pahalgam >> Delhi
Part fantasy, part reality…Ladakh, is where, the forces of nature conspired to render a magical unrealistic landscape…a landscape of extremes….desert and blue waters….burning sun abd freezing winds….glaciers and sand dunes….a primeval battle ground of the titanic forces which gave birth to the Himalayas. Ladakh means “The Land of High Passes” – the Coldest Desert in the World, with rich traditions of Mahayana Buddhism still flourish in the purest form in the region, which has often been referred to as LITTLE TIBET.
Day 01 : Arrive Delhi
Meet/Assist on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon, sightseeingof New Delhi visiting Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, orientation drive through New Delhi’s Diplomatic Areas, India Gate, Parliament House, President’s House, Connaught Place the heart and central commercial district of the city. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02 : Delhi
Morning sightseeing of Old Delhi visiting Red Fort, Jama Mosque, Chandni Chowk, Raj Ghat .
Afternoon free for your independent activities / leisure / Shopping. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 : Delhi – Leh
Early morning, transfer to airport in time to connect flight for Leh.
Meet upon arrival and transfer to Hotel. Check-in.
Rest of the whole day total relxation and rest to acclimatise with the high altitude of the place – 3500 mtrs above the Sea level.
In the evening, a light stroll in the local market just to feel the pulse of the nature.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 04 : Leh – Shey, Thiksey, Hemis – Leh
Morning, leave for fullday excursion to Shey, Thiksey and Hemis Monasteries. Shey – on the way to Hemis is situated on a hill top and houses the the largest victory stupa with a Golden Top. The statues made of copper and glide with Gold, are worth seeing. Thiksey Monastery lies on the left side of the road to Hemis and one can have a beautiful view of the Indus Valley from this Monastery. Wall paintings here are very interesting. From Thiksey, drive to Hemis, which is the oldest, wealthiest and largest Monastery in Leh with beautifully painted Stupas.
In the evening, drive back to Leh. Overnight at hotel.
Day 05 : Leh – Stock Palace, Mattho, Stakhna – Leh
Morning, excursion to Stock Palace, located on the opposite side of the Indus River, is now converted into a museum, which is worth seeing. Post sightseeing, continue your drive to arrive Mattho and Stakhna, located on the hilltop, which commands a magnificent view of the Indus River and its suyrrounding villages.
In the evening, drive back to Leh. Overnight at hotel.
Day 06 : Leh – Tsemo Monastery, Shankar Gompa – Leh
Morning, excursion to Tsemo Monasteries, which commands an fantastic and panoramic open view of the whole Leh Town and also a magnificent view of the snow capped mountains. After the sightseeing, on way back to Leh, visit the King’s Palace, which is located at the foot of Tsemo Monatery.
Afternoon, visit Shanker Gompa and the Shanti Stupa (Stupa of Peace), built nby the Japanese Government and it’s the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful view of the sunset against the backdrop of the Leh Town.
After the sunset, drive back to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 07 : Leh – Chemrey, Takhtok – Leh
Morning, excursion to Chemrey Monastery or Chemrey Gompa is a 1664 Buddhist monastery, approximately 45 kilometres east of Leh, Ladakh, northern India. It belongs to the Drugpa monastic order. It was founded in 1664 by the Lama Tagsang Raschen and dedicated to King Sengge Namgyal. The monastery has a notable high Padmasambhava statue.
Post visit, continue your drive for another 10kms to reach Takthok Monastery (also known as Thag Thog or Thak Thak) is a Buddhist monastery in Sakti village in Ladakh, northern India, located approximately 46 kilometres east of Leh.[1] The name Takthok, literally meaning ‘rock-roof’ was named because both its roof as well as walls are made up of rock. It belongs to the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and approximately 55 lamas reside there. It is the only Nyingma monastery in Ladakh. The monastery was founded around the mid-16th century during the reign of Tshewang Namgyal on a mountainside around a cave in which Padmasambhava is said to have meditated in the 8th century. Every year on the 9th and 10th day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar, celebrations which include sacred dances are held.
After the sightseeing, drive back to Leh. Overnight at hotel.
Day 08 : Leh – Spituk – MAGNETIC HILL – Alchi – Uleytokpo (75 kms)
Morning, leave for Alchi Gompa, about 65 kms from Leh Town, enroute visiting Spituk Gompa and one of the most exciting sight in your travels around Leh-Ladakh, when you come across MAGNETIC HILL which will arouse your curiosity to no end, the place where gravity takes a backseat. Lying at a distance of around 30 km from Leh, the Magnetic Hill is marked by a yellow signboard which reads “The Phenomenon That Defies Gravity”. It also instructs you to park your vehicles in the box marked with a white point on the road, which is known as the Magnetic Road. When parked at the indicated spot, vehicles begin moving forward at a speed of almost 20km/h.
Magnetic Hill lies on the Leh-Kargil-Srinagar National Highway in the Trans-Himalayan region. To the east of the Magnetic Hill flows the Sindhu River, making the surroundings a photographer’s delight.
After stopping at Magnetic Hill, continue drive to reach Alchi Gompa, a Buddhist monastery, known more as a monastic complex (chos-‘khor) of temples in Alchi village in the Leh District, under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of the Ladakh Union Territory. The complex comprises four separate settlements in the Alchi village in the lower Ladakh region with monuments dated to different periods. Of these four hamlets, Alchi monastery is said to be the oldest and most famous. It is administered by the Likir Monastery.
After the visit, continue your drive to reach Uleytokpo, an enchanting village located 70 kms west to Leh on the Leh – Srinagar Highway. The altitude of Uletokpo is 10, 000ft (3040m). Uletokpo is an ideal stopover for acclimatizing to Ladakh’s climate and altitude. Uletokpo is a central hub in the city and an ideal camping ground to visit the close by regions which includes Pang Gong Lake, Lamayuru Monastery, Nubra Valley etc..
On reaching Uleytokpo, check-in at your Camping Resort and rest of the day is free to explore the area.
Overnight at the camps.
Day 09 : Uleytokpo – Kargil (170 kms)
Morning, drive to Kargil, enroute visiting Lamayuru Monastery, the oldest and spectacularly set monastery, was founded in the 10th century.
After the visit, continue your drive to reach Kargil, a town in Kargil district and the joint capital of the Indian union territory of Ladakh. Kargil is the second largest town in Ladakh after Leh. It is located 204 km to the east of Srinagar and 234 km west of Leh to the east. Kargil is the centre of the Suru River valley, historically known as Purig. The name Kargil is said to derive from the words Khar, meaning castle, and rKil meaning “centre”. “Kargil denotes a place between many forts, a central place where people could stay”. It appears to be a fitting description for a place that is equidistant from Srinagar, Leh and Skardu (the capitals of the Kashmir Valley, Ladakh and Baltistan respectively).
On arrival, check-in at hotel. Rest of the day free to explore the area.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 : Kargil – Srinagar(205 kms)
Morning, leave Kargil and drive down to Srinagar, enroute visiting Sonmarg, one of the major attraction spot in Drass Valley in Kashmiat House Boat.r, crossing over the Zojila Pass, 3530 mtrs above sea level and and the second highest motorable pass in the world. Drass Valley also happens to be the second coldest inhabited place after Siberia.
On arrival Srinagar, Check-in at your House Boat on Dal Lake. Rest of the day is free to relax and take a Shikara Ride on the pristine Dal Lake – the most famous spot in Srinagar. Overnight
Day 11 : Srinagar – Gulmarg – Srinagar
Morning, fullday excursion to Gulmarg, Situated at an altitude of 2730 m above sea level, Gulmarg is a popular skiing destination located in Pir Panjal Range of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Surrounded by snow-covered lofty Himalayas, meadows of flowers, deep ravines, evergreen forested valleys, Gulmarg also has the world’s second-highest Gondola ride. Among one of the top honeymoon destinations in India, Gulmarg boasts of being a beautiful town without the crowd like Manali and Shimla. Gulmarg has also been developed as an adventure hub with all the desired facility and infrastructure for Skiing and Mountaineering activities, with the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering is also located here. This place attracts tourists from all over the world to enjoy their holiday and interested in Skiing, Mountaineering, Trekking, Snowboarding etc. Known for its scenic beauty, Gulmarg has also been a popular destination for shooting of various Bollywood films.
Drive back to Srinagar in the evening and overnight at hotel.
Day 12 : Srinagar
Morning, city tour of Srinagar city visiting the Jama Mosque, Shahi Hamadan Mosque and the world famous Mughal Gardens – Nishat and Shalimar Gardens, founded during the Mughal era. If your visit to Srinagar happens to be in April, you will come across a Tulip Garden which will remind you of the same garden in Holland. Also visit the Shankaracharya Temple, perched on top of a stiff hill, also called the Shankaracharya Hill.
In the late afternoon, another round of Shikara Ride on the picturesque Dal Lake, also called the Jewel in Crown of Kashmir, visting some interesting spots on the lake like Char Chinar, Chashme Sahi, Nehru Garden etc..
Overnight at House Boat.
Day 13 : Srinagar – Pahalgam – Srinagar
Morning, fullday excursion to Pahalgam, Situated in the Anantnag district of Jammu & Kashmir Valley, Pahalgam is a beautiful hill station and a popular tourist attraction. With untouched and gorgeous natural beauty, Pahalgam is a feast to the eyes and senses. Submerged in lush greenery and alluring Himalayan ranges, Pahalgam is situated on the banks of the Liddar River and is popular for adventure activities like hiking, trekking, fishing. This small Hill Station also serves as the starting point for the world famous hindu Pilgrimage – AMARNATH YATRA – the cave temple where during a particular month (August) a natural SHIVA LINGA is formed by the snow – a marvel and wonder of nature for which, Hindus from all over the world are ready trek difficult terrains for almost 20kms for an audience of the NATURE’S WONDER, considered to be one of the most auspicious pilgrimage for Hindus like a devout Muslim considers the pilgrimage to Makka. This place also famous for Tout fishing and off-course for BOLLYWOOD shooting.
Drive back to Srinagar in the evening and overnight at House Boat.
Day 14 : Srinagar – Delhi
Morning, transfer to airport in time to connect flight for Delhi.
Meet on arrival and transfer to hotel. Check-in.
Rest of the day free to relax / shopping (.) Overnight at hotel.
Day 15 : Departure Delhi
Morning, transfer to airport in time to connect flight for journey back home / onward destination.
