Ladakh group trip May 2024
Let us introduce you our absolutely epic tour to Ladakh! The kingdom of high passes also known as Little Tibet is undoubtedly the true secret gem of the very north of India. Hidden in its highest plateau makes it one of the highest regions in the world. This stunning, very unique, undiscovered location, unknown to many, certainly offers some truly extraordinary experiences.
One of the oldest surviving civilisations in India with numerous archeological sites spread across its landscape, nestled in the Himalayas between the Kashmir Valley and Tibet, has a truly rich historical heritage as it was a part of the ancient Silk Route.This stunning region with a unique blend of Buddhist and Tibetan cultures, characterised by its special geography of high-altitude deserts, glacial lakes, fascinating mountain ranges and barren hills and valleys. The region is located at an incredible altitude between 2450 to 4600 meters above sea level, with peaks rising to a majestic height of 7620 meters.
Experience a fantastic tour through this wonderful destination, visit the monasteries and have a chat with their monks, meet the Ladakh locals and talk about their life. Learn about the history. Explore the region and its absolutely stunning nature and culture. Enjoy fun camel ride in a high-altitude desert and a stay by stunning Pangong lake. Our team is also ready for some extraordinary hot air ballon and helicopter scenic flights with you. Last but not least, the region is a real trekking paradise. Therefore we’ve prepared several absolutely unforgettable trekking options (for a day or several days in case you’d be interested).
With a help of our expert guides and team which will take 24/7 care of you and a high-quality 3-4* accommodation in all visited areas, the location is suitable for everyone, including your children. No special training or gear needed.
With the help of our team of photographers and videographers, we are also ready to convert your memories from this trip into digital form.
The trip is also excellently combinable with our trip to Nepal in May 2024! See the Nepal 4* 5/24 itinerary
Date: May 16th - 24th 2024
Price: 1350 Usd/pax
Max. capacity: 10 pax
Accommodation: hand picked 3-4* hotels, double/twin rooms (family or single rooms on request)
Leh: Gyalpo Residency 4*
Nubra valley: La Shayok resort 4*
Pangong: Misty hills cabins Pangong 3*
Meals: half board
The price includes all activities from the itinerary, overland transportation, guides and all fees and taxes.
The price does not include flights to and from Ladakh (we can help you to find the ideal one, optionally you can start and/or finish your trip in Delhi), visa to India, facultative activities and extra meals.
Itinerary:
May 16th - Arrival at Leh . On arrival at Leh Kushok Bakula Rinpochey airport, you will be welcome by our representative and transfer to our hotel. Our travel expert recommends taking rest complete day for acclimatization. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
May 17th - Breakfast. Leh - Magnetic Hill - confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers - Basgo - Alchi – Leh. 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 start moving uphill completely against gravity. To understand what’s really going on, don’t forget to bring your spirit level ;-) . A few kilometres further on the Leh-Srinagar highway, we arrive to 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 stunning wall paintings representing guardian deities of the royal family who used to live in the adjoining (nowadays ruined) fortress around 600 years ago. Quick stop for our lunch in Alchi, village where several pleasant garden restaurants can be found. Then we visit beautiful Alchi monastery, built in 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. Back to Leh. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
May 18th - Leh local Sightseeing (Shey, Thiksey, Hemis and Stok). After early breakfast full day sightseeing of Shey, Thiksey & Hemis. Shey which was the summer palace of Ladakhi kings, offers a stunning view of 11m tall copper statue of Buddha, covered in pure gold. The twelve storied monastery of Thicksey is situated in the most prominent of positions on a mountain. Hemis, the farthest away from Leh, is the wealthiest Monastery in Ladakh belonging to the Red clan. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
May 19th - Leh - Nubra Valley via Khardung La 5,602 m above sea level (120 Kms / 4 – 5 hrs) .Post breakfast we drive to Nubra Valley. The road journey from Leh to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La (the Highest motorable road in the world) at 5,602 m / 18,390 ft, around 39 km from Leh. From the pass, one can see all the way south over the Indus valley to seemingly endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range, and north to the giants of the Saser massif. Nubra Valley is also popularly known as Ldumra or ,,the Valley of flowers”. It is situated in the north of Ladakh between the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas. The average altitude of the valley is 3,050 m above sea level. Upon arrival in Nubra we check in at our hotel, for a quick refresh and maybe little exploration of the location. In the evening we drive to Hunder where you have a unique opportunity to ride on a double humped camel amidst the sand dunes of this high altitude desert with snowcapped mountains on the horizon. Between Hunder and Diskit you come across sand dunes besides the road. On the return stop at Diskit which is the headquarter town of Nubra Valley, we’ll stroll around the bazaar to observe the shops and local people going about their daily chores. Diskit is famous for its 515 years old Buddhist Monastery, lying magnificently on a hilltop, facing the entire valley. Later we drive back to hotel for our dinner & overnight stay.
May 20th - Hunder - Turtuk - Hunder (82 kms - 3hrs one way). After an early breakfast we drive to Turtuk and many other small villages, which were brought under Indian control after the 1971 war, when the Indian army pushed the Pakistani soldiers past the mountains towering the Nubra Valley. Turtuk lies at the very end of the Indian border, and hence its accessibility is quite challenging. Due to the quality of roads and sensitive army base camps, permits were not issued to Indian civilians until late 2010. Luckily the situation is very different now and therefore the location is an amazing place to visit. Although the roads are still not smooth, the 3 hour drive from Hunder to Turtuk is nothing less than exceptional! After visting we drive back to our hotel in Hunder for dinner and overnight stay.
May 21st - Nubra valley to Pangong lake (170 kms and 7 hrs). Post breakfast we drive towards Pangong Tso via Agham & Shyok Valley. Some of the road patches in areas are pretty tough (towards Nubra side) in terms of road conditions but no doubt the journey is very scenic! Later after crossing this adventurous part we drive further towards Durbuk & Tangtse for Pangong, where we pass through few small villages of Changthang and finally we enjoy a gorgeous view of the Pangong lake situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 m). This famous blue brackish Lake of Pangong is 5/6 kms wide and over 133 mms long with half of its running the other side of the "Indo China Border". One rarely you can feel this close to nature! The environment and the scenery are simply unforgettable. Upon arrival we check in at our camp right by Pangong lake. Dinner & overnight at the camp.
May 22nd - Pangong lake to Leh via Changla (140 kms / 6hrs). Morning at leisure to relax and explore the majestic beauty of the lake. Later we start our journey back to Leh via Changla Pass 5,486 mtrs, with a stop at Thiksey - an impressive hill complex. Then we drive through a picturesque landscape to reach the beautiful Shey Palace and after that we finish our trip back at Leh. Check in at our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
May 23rd - Leh at leisure. Full day at leisure to explore the destination on your own and to enjoy magnificent Saga Dawa cultural festival! Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
May 24th - Time to say good bye to this mesmerizing location and our amazing Ladakh experience! Breakfast at the hotel, flights to Delhi and to our next destinations (optionally 1 extra night in Delhi & a city tour).
In case you’d prefer to start and/or finish your trip with us in Delhi, we’re ready to offer suitable accommodation for your extra night or nights, transportation to ad from the hotel as well as flights Delhi - Leh - Delhi and a Delhi city tour. The approximate price of 2 extra nights with a city tour + flights Delhi - Leh - Delhi is 660 Usd.
