Timeless Ladakh

Various air routes to Delhi are possible, including direct flights from the United States. You may wish to arrive one day early to reduce the impact of jetlag. We can arrange accommodations, transfers, and extra sightseeing according to your individual preference. Overnight at the Ashok Guesthouse.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer to the domestic airport and fly from Delhi to Leh. This principal town of Ladakh is situated among the hills on the north side of the Indus Valley. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and assist in the transfer to your hotel. You will also have an afternoon orientation with your guide. Take it easy today to begin your altitude acclimatization. Overnight at the Snow Lion Guesthouse.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you will travel by van to upper Ladakh to see some of the most sacred Buddhist artifacts in India. Begin by visiting the largest gompa in Ladakh, the 15th century Thikse Monastery. Situated atop a craggy hill, Thikse is reminiscent of the Potala in Lhasa Tibet because the same architect built them both. The monastery holds an important collection of Tibetan books and some excellent artwork. Afterwards, drive to Hemis and visit the gompa Chang-Chub-Sam-Ling (or Lone Place of the Compassionate Person). The Hemis Gompa was founded in the early 17th century and belongs to the Brokpa order. It contains well-preserved frescoes showing Kashmiri influence, as well as the largest thangka (sacred painting) in Ladakh. Return to Snow Lion Guesthouse in Leh for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The drive today takes you to Temisgam (4 hours), one of our favorite villages in Ladakh. On the way, visit Likir and Alchi Gompas in the company of Lama Paldan, who will offer an excellent and easily comprehensible interpretation of Buddhist symbolism in the monasteries and sacred paintings you’ll see.
Your camp is set up in a beautiful apricot grove beneath an ancient palace and monastery with a cold rushing stream nearby. This village is off the main roads and trails and is therefore seldom visited by Westerners. The climb to the monastery and old palace, as well as the nights here at 10,000 feet, will aid in acclimating you to the high altitude. You will have several days to explore the extensive fields and villages in the surrounding area. You may even be invited into several houses for tea or the local beer, which is called chang. Your remarkable cultural experience will continue to unfold as you visit the homes of your guides’ relatives. You will be impressed by the spacious and expansive Ladakhi homes that are made of indigenous materials, yet also incorporate innovative passive solar designs. Camp for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today drive to Lamayuru Monastery and spend time exploring the extensive buildings of this ancient Buddhist sanctuary. The rugged, twisting ride to the monastery will lead to a commanding view of Ladakh. This extraordinary gompa is perched atop a beautifully eroded crag above the Indus, complete with rock pinnacles and caves. Dating back to the 11th Century, this is Ladakh’s oldest and largest monastery. Return to Temisgam for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast drive to Hemishakpatchan, stopping along the way at Ridzong Moanstery, a favorite Buddhist site of Ladakh visitors. The monastery will take us back to an era when Buddhist Canons ruled the affairs of men and religious scholarship was society’s most important task.
Hemishakpatachan is the home village of many of our staff, and they will certainly invite you to visit their families and homes. There is a very interesting monastery here and participants on JOURNEYS treks have started a public library at the monastery and built a nunnery as well. We also support other ongoing projects through our Earth Preservation Fund, such as the large water-driven prayer wheel, which has been restored through the contributions of previous JOURNEYS travelers. There are excellent views here of snowy mountains, and wild sheep are usually seen grazing on a nearby slope. Overnight at the camp on the grounds of the Hemis Library.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive back to Leh, visiting Spituk Gompa en route. This is another 11th century institution that is considered a benchmark in Ladakh’s 1000-year-old unbroken Buddhist spiritual lineage. In the evening meet with an astrologer, who is responsible for predicting the festival and other important community event dates.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll have some time to relax in the lovely gardens of the Snow Lion Guest House until it’s time for the Ladakh Festival. This festival revives and promotes the richness, depth, and pageantry of Ladakh’s centuries-old culture, and also displays the area’s traditions and folk heritage for worldwide appreciation and enjoyment. The inaugural function is held on a grand scale at Leh; it is a spectacular procession where various cultural troupes and village contingents participate in full ceremonial costumes, singing songs and performing dances to the tune of the traditional orchestra. At the Polo ground, where the procession ends, the participants break into a variety of folk and popular dances, presenting the finest examples of the region’s performing arts. Although the festival was originally created to preserve Ladakhi traditions and offer a forum for visitors to learn about Ladakh, the Ladakhis themselves are the most numerous and enthusiastic attendees.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today begins with a trip to Nubra Valley, via the highest driveable road in the world at 18,883 feet. It is a rugged ride and your ability to cross the pass and reach the Nubra Valley will be dependent on weather conditions. Sometimes the pass is blocked by snow, even in late summer. Upon reaching Nubra Valley, you can savor the lovely views of snow-covered peaks and the Tibetan Plateau from the top of the pass. Descend to the lovely village of Sumur, where you will spend the night. In the afternoon visit Samstanling monastery, which is a branch of the Ridzong Gompa. The day is complete after a relaxing trip to the nearby hot springs, which are famous for their treatment of joints pains and gastric ills.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After crossing the Shayok River, take in the camels and sand dunes that dot the area’s scenery. Visit Diskit Gompa, which has an elevated cupola in its center decorated with beautiful frescoes. Then return to Leh, and enjoy the friendly and relaxing atmosphere and relative comforts of the Snow Lion Guest House.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive to Pangong Lake in the Durbuk area of Ladakh, crossing over several passes on the way. This is a very remote area of Ladakh, which has only recently been opened to tourists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangong_Tso. Two thirds of the lake is in Tibet, with the remaining area lying outside Tibet’s boundaries. Pangong Lake can only be reached by crossing the third-highest pass in the world, the formidable Changla Pass. The lake is being considered for international protection as a Ramsar Wetland of global significance. It is a favorite stop for many migratory birds in late summer. Overnight in a camp beside the lake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll take a beautiful drive along the Indus River, stopping at several small villages on the way to the Chumathang Hot Spring Resort, which is famous for its healing hot sulfur springs. Overnight at the rustic Chumathang Hot Spring Resort.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After leaving the resort you’ll travel to Tsomori Lake, visiting Tibetan refugee camps en route. Tibetans were driven out of their homeland in 1959, and these camps provide housing and medical care for people who returned after their exile to a Tibet that is very different from the one they left behind. Upon arrival at Korzok village you'll see many species of Tibetan biome birds both on and around the lake. You’ll also visit some of the area’s nomad camps.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On the way back to Leh stop at Tsokar Lake for lunch, enjoying the songs of the area’s colorful birds while you eat. This is an extremely scenic area of Ladakh and should offer excellent mountainscape meditation and photography. Return to the Snow Lion Guest House for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will return to Delhi on an early morning flight, where JOURNEYS services end. Due to unpredictable weather in Leh and frequent flight delays, we recommend two overnights in Delhi before departing on your international flight. We can assist with accommodations and extensions, such as a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner