Cultural Heritage of Ladakh Tour

As you arrive at New Delhi airport, you will be welcomed by our representative to be transferred to pre-booked New Delhi hotel. Rest of the day is free for leisure. Depending on your arrival time, you can rest after your international flight or explore the city at your own pace. Delhi is capital city of India. If you wish to explore the city by yourself, Delhi will be your first contact with India. Have overnight stay in Delhi hotel.

After breakfast, your driver accompanies you to Delhi airport to board your flight to Leh. As you arrive at Ladakh airport, you will be welcomed by our representative to be transferred to pre-booked Leh hotel. Your first day is relatively relaxed. Leh being located at an altitude of 3500 m, it is advisable to observe a period of adaptation to avoid suffering from mountain sickness. Post-lunch, your guide and driver will take you to the monastery of Sankar. This relatively modern gompa is home to about twenty monks from the Gelugpa school, also known as the Yellow Caps. While most Ladakh monasteries are built on top of a hill, the monastery of Sankar hides behind poplars in a labyrinth of lanes lined with traditional houses. The interior of the gompa has beautiful Buddhist frescoes and few rooms of prayers. Later, drive to the Tibetan district of Leh and visit its market. After meandering through the stalls of this lively place, take the road back to your hotel. Overnight stay has been scheduled at Leh hotel.

You devote this day to essential sites near surroundings of Leh. Depending on the schedule of your visits, have lunch in a local restaurant. The first monastery to be visited is the monastery of Shey which was the palace of the kings of Ladakh until the sixteenth century. Located about fifteen kilometers from Leh, this gompa is built on the sides of a hill. It houses a monumental statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. It measures 12 m in height. On each side of the statue, murals represent 16 illustrious figures who have attained enlightenment. They are considered saints and are called Arhats. The Shey Monastery offers a splendid view of the green valley.

Thereafter, continue your drive to the Hemis Monastery. It was built in the 17th century under the reign of a king named Sengge Namgyal. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is probably the most famous among the gompas in Leh's surroundings. Its conception follows the precepts of the cosmic representation of the universe according to the Buddhist faith. This place also features some architectural details unique to Ladakh, as well as sumptuous religious paintings.

Your day ends with a visit to the Royal Palace of Stok. This edifice was the last residence of the king of Ladakh. Now, it houses a museum that includes a beautiful collection of Perak, a traditional turquoise cap and tangkas. Later, in the evening, return to Leh hotel for overnight stay.

This morning leave Leh and move towards the region of Alchi. A stop is scheduled during the day for lunch at a local restaurant. The landscapes you see today have a rare and surreal beauty. The colors of the rocks keep alternating between pink, green, blue or black. At such high altitudes, nature is often inhospitable, and from time to time you pass through the regions bereft of any human presence. Now you are approaching the famous magnetic mountain. The locals explain that its iron content acts as a magnet on vehicles approaching it. Thus, your car keeps climbing even in neutral gear on a slightly ascending road. Continue your way through the mountains and landscapes begin to change as you approach the valley of the Indus. As one crosses more villages and the vegetation resurfaces near the river. Here stop for awhile at the confluence of the Indus and the Zanskar. Afterwards, proceed to visit the palace of Basgo which was the seat of the Namgyal dynasty in the sixteenth century. Thereafter, move for the Likir monastery. This time, get off your vehicle to visit this gompa, completely rebuilt in the eighteenth century as it was devastated in a fire. Here you can admire a beautiful collection of tangkas. Continue your drive to Alchi. On arrival, check in at the hotel for overnight stay.

Your day begins with the visit of Alchi monastery, a building of great beauty. Alchi monastery is among the oldest ones in Ladakh. It was built between the tenth and the eleventh century. Some frescoes of the eleventh century still exist today. Among the remarkable vestiges, superb wooden sculptures can be seen in Alchi gompa. The gompa of Alchi sheltered monks of the Kadampa order, now it belongs to the school Gelugpa. This monastery depends on the gompa of Likir that you visited the day before. After your lunch, your day continues towards Lamayaru. The scenery you pass through throughout the afternoon is breathtaking. They are located in a lunar frame, at an altitude of 3800 m. You are approaching the Giza of Rizong, also called Yuma Changchubling. To reach it, you have to walk for an hour. This site combines several superlatives: it is one of the highest hills, one of the oldest and is home to the largest monastic community in Ladakh. It features many remarkable statues including that of Mahakala, the founder of the monastery, which is preserved in the sacred chamber. Hereinafter, move down on foot in the direction of Ule Topko (if you wish it is possible to embark on a 4x4 vehicle). Then visit the nunnery of Chulichen. It is home to about 20 nuns dependent on the Rizong Monastery. Like monks, some lead a life oriented towards the assiduous practice of religion, while others support the monastery by working in the fields. Later, in the evening, return to Alchi hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, take the road to Leh. On the way to Leh, have at a local restaurant. Ten kilometers from Leh, you will discover the monastery of Spituk. Dating from the 11th century, this monastery stands atop a hill overlooking the entire Leh valley. It is one of the most important Buddhist monasteries of the Gelugpa order. The neighboring monasteries of Stok, Sankar and Saboo are run by the Gompa Spituk. This place is the residence of nearly 100 monks. It features a beautiful collection of tangkas, ancient masks, ancient weapons and statues of Buddhas. A throne reserved for the Dalai Lama is in the main temple. After visiting Spituk monastery, drive to Leh to be transferred to the hotel to have overnight stay.

Early wake up and have breakfast at the hotel. Today, move northward to the Nubra valley. Close to that of Leh, it is characterized by a landscape alternating between a cold desert and more fertile zones. To get there, drive through a pass called the Kardhung La. Situated in the heart of the snow-capped peaks, it is at 5,602 m. Your route takes the highest road of the planet. It offers varied and grandiose view of the landscapes on the Karakoram Range and the Indus Valley. After crossing the pass, begin descent towards the valley of the Nubra, nicknamed the "Valley of Flowers". There are very few pleasant hotels in this area and we have chosen to allow you to experience two consecutive nights in a tent. Arrive at the camp during the day. The rest of the afternoon is left free to enjoy this exceptional site. Overnight stay has been scheduled in the camp.

After breakfast, drive to the monastery of Diskit. This monastery is the oldest and largest in the Nubra valley. It belongs to the Gelugpa order and was founded in the fourteenth century. It is perched on the mountain side and dominates an imposing statue of the Maitreya Buddha. The Mahayana Buddhist considers that Maitreya is a sort of savior, an incarnation of Buddha who intervenes when the Buddhist faith and the Dharma declines.

Close to this impressive 32 m high statue, a path leads to the monastery. It is bordered by 108 chortens. After your visit to the monastery, stop for lunch and continue on to the 132-year old Samstanling Monastery. About 50 monks live there and maintain this monastery founded by Lama Tsultrim Nima. The rules are strict and apply to everyone; no non-vegetarian food, no alcohol, no cigarettes and a respectful dress code. Women are not admitted before sunrise and after sunset. Depending upon your choice and availability of the camels, you can explore desert sand dunes. You will climb on the back of a bactrian, a kind of camel with long hairs, used from the time of ancient caravans. You can enjoy this cold desert scenery with snow-capped peaks in the background. Overnight stay is planned in the tented camp.

After breakfast, return to Leh from Nubra Valley following the same route you had taken two days earlier. Cross the Khardung La pass again and arrive in town in the afternoon. The rest of the day is left free. Overnight stay is scheduled in Leh hotel.

Early in the morning proceed for Thiksey monastery located about twenty kilometers from Leh. This imposing gompa has a certain resemblance to the Potala of Lhasa in Tibet. It is the largest monastery in central Ladakh. It rises to an altitude of 3 600 m and presents an architectural built-up at 12 different levels. On arrival, you are invited to attend the monks' prayer. After this unique moment, you will have breakfast in a restaurant adjoining the monastery. Afterwards, you will make a quick stop in the pharmacy of the Thiksey gompa. This place is held by a monk-doctor who provides traditional Tibetan treatments. After your visit to the monastery, you will return to Leh for lunch. Your afternoon is free for exploration of the city at your own pace. Overnight stay is scheduled in Leh hotel.

Early morning, you will be transferred to the airport to board flight to New Delhi. Upon arrival at New Delhi airport, you will be welcomed by our representative and taken for lunch in a local restaurant. Thereafter, you will be visiting major highlights of Delhi. Pass through the Royal Rajpath, a wide avenue flanked by decorative basins. It is the scene of the parade organized on the occasion of the annual celebration of the republic on January 26. At both ends are the India Gate and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the president's residence, respectively. Continue towards the Qutub Minar, a 72m high minaret dating from the 12th century. This tower commemorates the victory of Mohammed Ghor over the last Hindu ruler Prithviraj III in 1192. Two earthquakes in the 14th and 19th centuries seriously damaged the Qutub Minar and the neighboring buildings. Its five floors are separated by balconies, the first three being red sandstone and the last two decorated with white marble. Thereafter, visit the tomb of Humayun, a very beautiful example of the beginning of Mughal architecture that will eventually lead to the construction of the Taj Mahal. Later in the evening, you will be transferred to New Delhi International airport to board flight for your onward destination.