Ladakh or “Little Tibet” lies as a separated area in the Himalayans of northern India at the Tibetan plateau, at the frontier of karakoram. It hardly rains in this region, that is why a spectacular moon landscape is created where surrealistic colors like earth-red gold and deep dark purple twinkle at the rocks. Everywhere there is water you will probably find the Ladakhs famous apricot orchards, like at the base of a glacier or in a valley at a river. Ladakh has a rich cultural and religious heritage that you can see in the very old monasteries that still witness the Tibetan Buddhism in the original state! You walk an average of 4hours per day, your luggage is carried by packed animals, and you are accompanied by local guide and stay the night in 2-person tents.
The itinerary can be changed in another order depending on the composition of an international group, flighschedule, and /or a most efficient execution by the local companies. According to your number of days to spent at destination you can extend or shorten your program per day. We travel to Leh overland or fly in or vice versa. One domestic flight is obligatory. Passes are open first week of July and are closed as from 15 September. Otherwise we will fly in /out. It is possible to skip the walktrek and instead of this you can make a combination with for example golden triangle.
ALL LAHAKH
Total 22 days
Day 1/2/3 Arrival at New Delhi—where you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to our hotel. You can enjoy this day to visit the part of New Delhi. Sherpa steps International will introduce here by briefing of the program. You will learn more about tradition and history by visiting, for example, the Red Fort and jamma Masjid. The last evening we will take the nighttrain at 22.45 to Kalka, we overnight in the special sleeping compartments.
Day 4 around sunrise you arrive at Kalka—where you will enter a real British steam – train; from which you can experience Himalayan Mountains for the first time. In Shimala you will enjoy the quiet atmosphere of this former British holiday resort. Overnight Hotel.
Day 5/6 you drive in coaches through the many characteristic mountain villages and apple orchards to end up in the cozy little village of Manali in the kullu area. Here you have the possibility of excursions to among other the Hadimba Devi Temple with four pagodas roof, the Tibetan monastery. We walk on the bank of the river to Vashist Rishi, Lord Rama and Overnight in Hotel Manali.
Day 7/8 with a rourist van we take a ride for sensational trip over High Mountain passes. After we have crossed the first pass, you will leave the clouds behind you and bright blue sky is surrounded by the mighty Himalayan Mountains. To assure a good acclimatization we stay two nights at lower altitudes in our comfortable hotel at jispa 3100m. Where we will have our first acquaintance with the Bhuddist culture and everey year on 15th August the colorful tribal fair is held hear.
Day 9 we drive further on the spectacular road as we pass the mighty canyons. We stay the night in a fixed tentcamp in sarchu 4100m. with all the comfort we would never expect in this wild landscape.
Day 10 we really enjoy this overland safari as the climbs all the way up and we cross the Taglangla pass. The second highest pass of the world you are at a higher altitude as the base camp of the Mount Everest at 5360m. We continue our way past beautiful aquarelle lakes and unforgettable views to end up in Leh late in the afternoon. Overnight in Leh Hotel.
Day 11/12/13 Sightseeing: Leh city and the medieval Buddhist Gompa shey, followed by a visit to Thiksey monastry that is build on a high rock and looks like the potala palaces of Lhasa in Tibet. From here you have a beautiful view over the Indus valley. We visit Hemis Monastery, which has a mysteriours atmosphere where monks mumble their parchment praying rolls surrounded by very old statues of Buddha, scarcely lit by butter lights. Everey time you overnight in Leh and or visit Stok Palace and overnight here.
Day 14/17 WALKTREK Likir-Tingmosgang From likir you will start the walking tour. This route seldom goes higher then 4000m. Where you walk through a beautiful,almost unreal landscape. From a far distance you can spot fresh green nature: an oasis where the people of Ladakh live and survive in this overwhelming nature. We pass breathtaking canyons, and enjoy the views at the pastel Colour Mountains of which the peaks are covered with snow. You will be surprised by the sudden fertile landscape of apple, pear and nut trees. We stay the nights in hospitable little villages like sumdo, Hemis shukpanchan and Tingsmogang. On our tour we visit several Buddhists monasteries/ gompas. We overnight in tents in the shadow of the apricot trees. You will be picked up and via sightseeing in Alchi we drive back to leh. Where we overnight in the Hotel.
OR
Day 14/17 WALKTREK STOK-LA From stok we start the walktrek and cross-sparkling streams and open fields. Slowly we climb to the stok-la pass. On 4900. We have a spectacular view over Ladakh and snowcapped summits rise in the distance as far as the border of Tibet and the karakorams in Pakistan. The total area is a study in contrasts. With rocky bleak desert land green oasis where the Ladakhi’s live. We will stay for the night in Rumbeck. Zingchen and spituk. Where you visit the monastery. We arrive in leh for the overnight in Hotel.
Day 18 you will discover the capital of ladakh. Leh is the link of the legendary. Silk route between the old cathay. Which was the name of china in times of the great kublai khan. And India. It is the palace on its granite ridge above the city that gives distinction to the little town of Leh. Fitting it for its role as capital of mountain kingdom. The palace dates from the 1630s. mad Os the wprl pf the greatest of the ladakhi kings. Sengge Namgyal.
Day 19 In leh we take a flight over the Himalayas back to New Delhi you have time for your last souvenir-shopping. You have been on of the few who have discovered this district in all of its beauty. All of Ladakh… Transfer airport for return flight to Euroupe
OR
Itinerary: it as from day 1 until day 11
Day 12 till 18 walktrek Markha valley This area is known for the most popular hiking route because of its beauty. After a visit to stok palace. Where you can admire the old thankas, jewelry and religious objects. We start our hike with our guide and our Crew including pack animals. The first part we walk is the same as stok-la walktrek. Then we go up in the direction of Stok-la. We have beautiful views at the dry and arid landscape. Near Rumbek we stay the night to maintain our walk through little settlements like Yuruntse and Skiu. Sloping landscapes both rolling creeks and dry valleys, but always the view to the purple, gold and carmine mountains. After we have passed the Ganda-la 4900m. we arrive at the beautiful Markha village that merges with its natural surronding. You will certainly gain respect for the Ladhakhies, living their sober lifestyle in pour harmony the nature. In Humlung we spend some time to visit the monastry then we walk on to tsatchuse. After the gorges we walk past a little take and enter the most beautiful valley of Ladakh 4700m. With the kang yazee dominant in the background 6400m. At the foot of the kongmaru-la we spend the night. With a feeling of satisfaction about our result we camp in the shdow of the little forest in Shang. The last day leads us past the river and we pass a few chortens before we arrive at Hemis. Hemis has one of the most beautiful gompa.
Day 19 In Leh we take a flight over the Himalayas back to New Delhi.
Day 20 sightseeing in New Delhi
Day 21 Transfer airport for Departure.
LADAKH PLUS RESTRICTED AREA NUBRA VALLEY 21 DAYS.
Itinerary: same as from Day 1 till 10
Day 11/14 Walktrek
Day 15/16/17 Nubra: restricted area LadakhSituated at the old caravan rout the Nubra valley in Ladakh has just recently opened for tourism 1994. You are one of the few pioneers who are allowed to explore this untouched area.
We leave Leh to drive on the highest motorable way in the world. We pass the khrdung-la 5602m. and enter the forbidden valley.
Our first overnight is in the recently built Hotel Yarab Tso in Tegar. We drive to panamik, which is locally known for the hot sulphure waterspring. Of course you can take a refreshing bath which has a curing effect. For our overnight we drive to the opposite valley and arrive in Hotel Dun n sand in Diskit. We drive further to the utmost corner foreign tourists are allowed to visit. Many chortens sprinkle the landscape and at the backdrop you can see the karakoram range of Pakistan. By Hunder the environment changes in to a dry plateau: little whirlwinds blow the sand of the dessertland while we pass grazing camels. Another phennomenon in the Himalayas. From Hunder back to Diskit we can make on special request a camelsafari. Back in Disit we visit the oldest buddisht monastry of Nubra of 500 years old, Perched on a high rock overlooking the beautiful valley. As we drive back the historical traderout through the hidden villages khalsar en kardong. We become aware that this valley of Nubra is isolated from the outside world by high mountainpasses. In the warm summermoths everything seems to come alive in the highest oasis in the world.
We leave the forbidden valley and say goodbye to the people of Nubra who are working on their land or heard their famous Pashmina goats. We can only respect them for there simple way of life which is so in harmony with this overwhelming nature. Arrive in Leh for Hotel overnight.
Day 18 Sightseeing , Shey, Thiksey, Hemis Hotel over night.
Day 19 Flight over the Himalaya Back to New Delhi
Day 20 sightseeing in Delhi
Day 21 Departure.