14 Day Land Of The High Passes- Ladakh

After breakfast, visit Hadimba Temple, the landmark in Manali dedicated to the local deity. This temple is located amidst a beautiful deodar forest on top of a hill in Manali. The temple holds great significance for the locals and the tourists who frequently visit the pilgrim spot to seek blessings from Goddess Hadimba. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Hadimba who was also the wife of the strongest of the Pandava brothers, Bhima. According to Hindu mythology, the giant Hadimba meditated in this region as an apology for her sins. So, she was ordained as a Goddess by the most powerful Goddess Durga, whose 10-centimetre footprint is preserved at the entrance of the temple.

Then, take a stroll along the Mall road & visit The Himalayan Nyingamapa Gompa Monastery. The architecture of this monastery replicates a modern style than the earlier one. Placed in the midst of sunflowers, the monastery glows at night with an array of light bulbs. The huge gold faced bronze statue of Lord Buddha presides over the monastery. Buy beautiful handicrafts and carpets at shops made by Tibetan people living near these monasteries.

However, if you are feeling adventurous today, we can take you cycling on winding mountain roads around the hotel which are an ideal route for a cycle ride. Take off on the cycles and drive through the meandering road shaded by swaying Deodars, fresh air and blue skies. Stop somewhere for refreshments at a quaint roadside café and then cycle your way back to the Hotel.

Overnight at Tree of Life Eila Art Hotel. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

8am: After breakfast drive to Jispa via Atal tunnel, a route that bypasses the Rohtang Pass. Arrive at noon at the hotel.

Jispa is in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, at an elevation of almost 10,500ft. The village of Jispa offers numerous sightseeing opportunities. Visit the Jispa Rural Housing Museum which will give you a glimpse into the way of life of the residents of Tod Valley of Lahaul district. Buy some lovely handicrafts made by local women.

For those seeking inner peace and spiritual solace, a visit to Gemoor Gompa is highly recommended. This peaceful monastery is renowned for its meditation and retreat facilities, and is located a mere half a kilometer away from the manor house. Surrounded by the pristine Himalayan mountains, this monastery is the perfect spot to end your stroll and return feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Overnight at Gehmoor Khar mountain lodge in Jispa. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

Mornings in Gemoor: If you are up for it, begin your day early with a sight of towering snow-clad peaks, join your host on a walk along the Bhaga River through local farmland and see unique flora, fauna, and catch a glimpse of the elusive Snow Trout in the shallow waters. Return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast.

9am: After breakfast, drive to reach Sarchu via Baralacha Pass, one of the highest motorable passes in the Himalayas at an elevation of 4850m.  Distance 90kms/3hrs. As you proceed on this road, the green landscape of upper Keylong changes to dry landscape and lesser vegetation. Before reaching the plains of Sarchu, cross over the first major pass- the Baralacha pass at 4850 m. Arrive at Sarchu  and check in at the tented camp. 14000ft is a high altitude to be in and we strongly recommend adequate rest and hydration to overcome the effects of high altitude. You may go for a short walk, weather and health permitting, as the terrain is spectacular! If you have severe headache or feel nausea, contact the camp manager immediately. Dinner and overnight stay at Goldrop Camp /Adventure camp. Meals: Dinner.

8am: After an early breakfast we drive 59km, leaving behind the border of Himachal and enter the vast plains of Rusphu region of eastern Ladakh and cross the imposing Tanglangla pass at an elevation of 5328m (17582ft). We enter the lower Indus valley of central Ladakh region. This is one of the most amazing journeys in the world as we traverse through the high mountain desert of western Himalayas. We pass through many unique formations of rock as a result of centuries of erosion. Different shades of brown mixed with infinite blue sky are visible all the way. On the way, stop for tea at Pang tea point.  Arrive in Leh by late afternoon and check into your luxury hotel.

Overnight at Grand Dragon. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

After breakfast, we have half of the day at leisure. Read a book, catch up on some rest and get your breath back! Later in the evening, we proceed to visit Shanti Stupa built by Japanese monks to promote world peace. Visit Leh Palace which was built in the 17th century in the grand tradition of Tibetan architecture. Finally, visit Leh’s bazaar where items like pure Pashmina shawls, good pearls, Chinese cutleries and beautiful Ladakhi wooden handicrafts can be purchased.

Overnight at Grand Dragon Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and drive to Ule, 76 km away, passing by Magnetic Hill. This region is blessed with amazing natural beauty and mysterious magnetic abilities. The magnetic road in Ladakh is where travellers stop by to experience the strange, gravity-defying phenomenon. Witness the Sangam (confluence) of Indus & Zanskar Rivers which are the two major rivers in Ladakh. Optional activity: River rafting in Indus river. Experience the thrill of rafting from Phey to Nimmo passing through exhilarating rapids ranging of grade I to II. For beginners, the ideal stretch is from Phey to Saspol and Kharu to Spituk.

Overnight at Ule Ethnic Resort or at Apricot Tree Resort in Nurla. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

After breakfast, check out and drive to visit Lamayuru Monastery (46km/1hr). Lamayuru, affectionately known as the Moon Land, stands as a major stop on the Leh-Kargil Road. Nestled in the folds of the mountains within this mystical landscape is the Lamayuru Monastery. As one of the oldest gompas in Ladakh and Spiti, this monastery is gracefully perched atop a cliff. According to legends, the region was once submerged beneath a lake, miraculously drained by a holy man. The entire area holds sacred significance due to the presence of the monastery, and a visit is believed to absolve individuals of their sins. Later visit the 1000-year-old miniature paintings of Alchi monastery which are among the top 7 national heritage monuments in India. Drive back to Leh, 114kms/3hrs drive.

Overnight at Grand Dragon Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

After breakfast, check out and drive to Nubra Valley 124km/ 4-5 hrs crossing Khardungla Pass 18360 ft, the world highest motorable pass. This is another spectacular mountain drive and in the first 3hrs you will climb on a steep road from an elevation of 11500ft to 18360ft, in a little over 2-1/2 hrs. At Khardungla, stop for maximum 5mins, take your mandatory photos and ensure you are on your way down to Khalsar and Nubra Valley. (Tip: Many travellers are mesmerised by Khardungla pass, run around like rabbits in their excitement, spend an hour there and fall sick with AMS! Be the wise traveller and descend to a lower altitude as quickly as possible).

The drive continues to be spectacular as you get the first glimpse of Nubra valley and Shyok river unfolding before you. Once you reach the valley floor, its a beautiful drive to your resort at Hundar. Enroute, time and health permitting, visit Diskit monastery, where the giant statue of Maitreya Buddha lords over the valley. Optional activity: Visit the white sand dunes of Hundar and ride the double-humped bactrian camel. It is the only place in the country where you can find the double-humped Bactrian camel (Tip: These are smelly animals and its best to just photograph them while tipping their owners who will ensure you get the best shots!)

Overnight at Stonehedge Resort. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

After breakfast drive to visit Turtuk village 125 km. The picturesque village of Turtuk is the last major settlement of India before the Line of Control beyond which lies Pakistan controlled Gilgit Baltistan region. In fact, Turtuk was under Pakistan’s control until the 1971 Indo-Pak war where it came under Indian governance. Thus, correctly referred to as the ‘village divided by a border.’ Not just the name, the village itself is one of a kind. Explore the village.

Optional: If you just want to take it easy today, just go for rambling walks in the stunning surroundings and have a picnic lunch nicely set up for you near a stream. There’s no better way to spend the afternoon in Hundar than to sit beside a stream, book in hand, listening to birds chirping and with the gurgling waters of a stream for company. Solace guaranteed.

Overnight at Stonehedge Resort. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

8 am: After breakfast bid adieu to Nubra and proceed on another fascinating drive to Pangong Tso via Shyok, Durbuk and Tangtse. Once again you are at a high altitude plateau at 14000ft with the shimmering blue of the mighty Pangong for company in the last 17kms. Arrive at your camp and spend the rest of the afternoon at the lake shore for insta-fabulous photos and watching the changing colours of the lake well into darkness.

Note: Like in Sarchu, the sleeping altitude is 14,000ft and not to be taken lightly. Stay hydrated, take rest if feeling breathlessness and contact your lodge manager immediately if feeling unwell.

Overnight at Desert Blue Pangong/ alternate. Meals: Dinner

After breakfast, return towards Leh via Dubruk, Changla Pass (17,800ft). En route, closer to Leh visit Thiksey monastery, affiliated with the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. It is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, and is the largest monastery in central Ladakh, notably containing a separate set of buildings for female renunciates that has been the source of significant recent building and reorganization. It is a twelve-storey complex and houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords. One of the main points of interest is the Maitreya Temple installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to this monastery in 1970; it contains a 15 metres (49 ft) high statue of Maitreya, the largest such statue in Ladakh, covering two stories of the building.

Drive to Stok Palace Heritage, your abode for the night. Occupying a high altar of reverence amongst the people of Ladakh, the Namgyal dynasty has resided in the Stok Palace for centuries now. Opened to the public in 1980 with the blessings of the Dalai Lama, Stok Palace today is a boutique and heritage hotel in Ladakh that encapsulates all that this mysterious and beautiful land is. Tip: Since room inventory is limited in the palace, we recommend booking this programme with us a minimum 6 months in advance specially during the summer peak season.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Witness the early morning ritual at Lhakchung in the Stok Palace.
The Stok Palace has a buddhist temple on the upper-most floor of the palace. Guests staying at the Stok Palace Heritage Hotel have privileged access to the Lhakchung Temple. The resident monk here performs daily prayers and rituals as part of his duties. Guests are welcome to be quiet observers to enchanting routine.

Optional: An immersive experience with the resident monk (the making of an amulet or a prayer for peace or compassion)
The monk will take you through the process of creating an amulet for you take back as a gift for your loved one or a person you respect. Each amulet usually contains a hand written prayer on a piece of cloth or paper which is then folded and either sewn into a piece of hand-woven tapestry or bound by different colored sacred threads that bind the paper in a pattern as per the amulet’s purpose such as a prayer for good health or well being.  CONTRIBUTION OF INR 500 PER AMULET IS URGED.

After breakfast, discover the Ladakhi way of life this morning. take a stroll through the beautiful village of Stok.  Ladakhi houses are built with sun-baked mud bricks and wooden beams of poplar and willow. The bricks are plastered with clay giving a striking whitewash appearance. The houses are surrounded by their own land with a high mud brick wall. Poplar and willow trees are planted around the edge of the fields to provided timber for building and heat. Irrigation ditches bring water down from the hills and in places there were small metal pumps which, for many, is the only source of water. A walk through the village will reveal that the locals work with a quiet efficiency and are nearly self-sufficient. Their sustainable approach to living is something we should learn to mimic in our daily lives.

Stok village that brings alive a way of life that has not seen much change over centuries. As one strolls through white-washed Chortens and mud-brick homes strewn across barley fields, fluttering prayer flags carry good-will and peace to all sentient beings. It could be arranged for guests to visit a village home for a steaming cup of butter tea or Chhaang (local barely beer).

After lunch, drive to Hemis monastery, the largest Buddhist monastery in this region, belonging to the Drukpa or Dragon order. It stands on the western banks of the Indus River, about 32kms from Stok/50mins drive. The monastery was founded in 1630 by the first incarnation of Stagsang Raspa Nawang Gyatso when he was invited by the then King of Ladakh, Singey Namgail and offered a religious estate. Beautiful statues and mural paintings adorn the monastery halls. It has a great collection of sacred thangkas and other artefacts in its 900-year-old museum. The most important festival here is the Hemis Festival where you can witness the enchanting sacred mask dance. It is held on the 9th and 10th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan calendar.

Overnight at Stok Palace Heritage. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

After breakfast, check out for your departure to Leh airport. 16kms/ 30mins.

Meals: Breakfast

End of trip.