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DAY 1 ARRIVE DELHI
You will be assisted on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Morning is at
leisure. In the afternoon drive to visit Humayun’s Tomb built in the Indo
Persian style and a predecessor to The Taj Mahal in Agra; India Gate - A War
Memorial Arch. Also drive past the President's House called Rashtrapati Bhavan,
Parliament House, Government Secretariat buildings and Connaught Place - the
heart of New Delhi and a busy shopping center. Overnight in hotel.
DAY 2 DELHI - LEH (Elev. 3500m) - BY 9W 609 - DEP AT 0630HRS / ARR AT 0745 HRS
After an early breakfast you are transferred to the domestic airport for your
flight to Ladakh. This must be one of the most sensational flights in the world.
On a clear day from one side of the aircraft can be seen in the distance the
peaks of K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum and on the other side of the aircraft, so
close that you feel you could reach out and touch it, is the Nun Kun massif.
Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. You would take a little time
to settle in and acclimatize since you have gone from a relatively low elevation
in New Delhi to over 11,000 feet! During the afternoon, you can walk through the
old town, beneath the Leh Palace, to allow you to get oriented to this
fascinating city. Overnight in a hotel.
DAY 3 IN LEH – VISIT TO SHANKAR GOMPA & CASTLE(Elev.3730m)
The morning is at leisure to acclimatize to the rarefied air. You may choose to
stroll along the main bazaar - observing the varied crowds. Looking into curio
shops is an engaging experience. A particularly attractive sight is the line of
women from nearby villages sitting along the edge of the footpath with baskets
of fresh vegetables brought for sale. Behind the main bazaar, Chang Gali is less
bustling but has interesting little shops selling curios and jewelry. Further
on are the labyrinthine alleyways and houses of the old town,
clustering around the foot of the Palace Hill. In the other direction, down the
bazaar, are the Tibetan markets where one can bargain for pearls, turquoise,
coral, lapis lazuli and many other kinds of semi-precious stones and jewelry,
as well as carved yak-horn boxes, quaint brass locks, china or metal bowls, or
any of a whole array of curios. When tired of strolling, one can step into any
of the several restaurants; some of them located in gardens or on the sidewalks
and serve local Tibetan, Indian and Continental cuisine.
After a visit to the Leh Palace we continue to the SHANKAR GOMPA. This monastery belongs to Gelukspa school of
Tibetan Buddhism, and is a branch of Spituk Gompa, founded by the
first incarnation of Skyabje Bakula (head monk of Spituk monastery).
Return to
your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
DAY 4 LEH – ACROSS CHANAG LA (5320 M / 17,800 Ft) - PANGONG TSO – LEH – 160 KM
ONE WAY / 9 HRS RETURN TRIP
Today’s drive takes you
to the serene ambience of Pangong Tso, one of Ladakh's high altitude lakes most
visited by India's Hindus.
You start early heading out on the Leh – Upshi road driving upstream along the
Indus River. From Karu you turn left to ascend through the Sakti valley. As you
drive up the amazing sight of CHEMREY GOMPA rising majestically on a hill to the
left with the residences of the lamas spilling along its contours greets you. As
you negotiate a number of hairpin bends climbing higher towards the pass, green
cultivated fields dotted with village houses in typical Ladakhi architecture
continue along the base of the valley. Finally you cross over Chang La (5320 M /
17,800 Ft), a signboard proclaims it to be the third highest motorable pass in
the world.
On reaching Pangong Tso, the largest brackish water lake in Asia, an absolutely
amazing and captivating sight is laid out in front of you. One third of the lake
is in India while the rest two thirds of the lake is in Tibet. Most of the
streams feeding the lake are on the Tibetan side.
It seems never ending. The crystal clear water of the lake, the desert sand
mountains in the background, some herons swimming around, and above all, its’
absolute virginity not being disturbed by any human settlements gives it an
ambience of total serenity. The turquoise blue to dark blue color of the water
depending on the sky conditions, the hazy reflection of the mountains, and the
glittering of sunlight in the water of the lake is a picture of a lifetime. One
can drive up to some 300 meters from the beginning of the lake. After that,
there is no proper road. One of the few types of the birds that may be seen here
is the Black Necked Heron, a rare species. They are usually to be seen at around
the beginning of the lake.
After having thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the lake, you drive back to Leh
for an overnight stay.
DAY 5 VISIT TAKTHOK - CHEMREY - HEMIS MONASTRIES
The days’ tour of monasteries begins with a stop at TAKTHOK GOMPA. In the 8th century, the great propagator of Buddhism, Guru Padmasambhava set out from India to journey across many lands en route to Tibet.
Along the way, legends speak of numerous halts one of which was at a cave at
Takthok (“a ceiling made of rock”) where he meditated. Takthok monastery
developed around this cave. In the 16th century a learned monk, Tsewang Norbu
arrived from the Kham region of Tibet, mediated in this cave and laid the
foundations of the monastic order. Within the dark interiors of the cave, the
slow dripping of sacred water or Dhukchhu from the rocky roof can be heard. The
wall paintings can barely be seen obscured by layers of soot from the constant
burning of butter lamps. Some fine butter sculptures made by the head lama of
the gompa can be seen at the Udgyan Photsang. The monastery belongs to the
Nyingma-pa Sect.
Returning to Leh from Takthok, the CHEMREY GOMPA rises majestically on a hill to the
right of the road with the residences of the lamas spilling along its contours.
Though most of the books, including the Ladakh Chronicle, tell us that the great
lama Stag-tsang-ras-pa, under the patronage of Sengge Namgyal, founded it, but
Professor Luciano Petech has shown that it was actually founded after Sengge's
death as a funeral act of merit for him. The building was started in March 1644
A.D. and completed in 1645 / 1646 A.D. Overlooking fields and houses, the
monastery is perched picturesquely atop a small hill, down one side of which
spill the monks' dwellings. The main du-khang, a large rather bare temple, has
images of Stag-tsang-ras-pa and other Drug-pa lamas, together with a fine silver
chorten about fifty years old made at Chiling. The murals are mainly
manifestations of Sakyamuni, as is common in Drug-pa temples; there are also
fine mandalas of Kalchakra and Akshobya. Twenty-nine volumes of the scriptures
have title pages whose lettering is in solid silver of exquisite craftsmanship,
the text is pure gold. A smaller temple upstairs houses a nondescript collection
of images of Drug-pa lamas.
Continue your drive to HEMIS GOMPA, crossing over the Indus River at the village
of Karu. The most famous of Ladakh’s monasteries, Hemis or Changchub Samstanling
(The love palace of the compassionate person), dates back to the 17th century
and was built over a period of 40 years (1602 – 1642 A.D.). Today Hemis is well
known for its festival or Hemis Tsechu commemorating the birthday of Guru
Padmasambhava. In the year of the Monkey (every 12 years) a giant thangka
depicting Guru Padmasambhava is unfurled from the terrace draping the
five-storey facade. Delicately wrought in pearls and appliqué, it is one of the
most famous art treasures of Ladakh. The central courtyard forms the focus for
the masked dances held every year in summer. In the dukhang, remnants of the
original 17th century murals can be seen. The gompa boasts of an excellent
library, well preserved frescoes and murals, silver gilt chortens and a Kashmiri
lacquered wooden throne.
Evening return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 6 LEH - TSO MORIRI – KORZOK (15,075 Ft) – 227 KM / APPROX 6 HRS
Tso in the Ladakhi language means a Lake. Tso Moriri is one of the most exciting
places in Ladakh; some rate it better than Pangong Tso. A visit to Ladakh is
incomplete without visiting Tso Moriri. It is a brackish water lake about 28 km
long and 8 km wide at an altitude of 15,000 Ft above sea level. The complete
area is considered as a protected wildlife sanctuary and special permits are
required for the visit.
From Leh you set out on an early morning drive on a broad well mettled road
traveling upstream along the Indus River. At Upshi there is a bifurcation, the
left road taking you to Mahe still driving along the Indus River, which remains,
on your right. The valley in which you are traveling narrows in a couple of
places. Here you have steep rocky escarpments alongside the road. The landscape
appears different to other areas in Ladakh as the barren Rocky Mountains are up
front along the road. Especially at Kiari you get a close look of purple
coloured rocks. Further ahead is Chumthang, which has hot springs. At Mahe you
cross over the Indus River and head into a narrow gorge-like valley. This brings
you to Puga Sumdo from where the right road goes to Tso Moriri and the left one
goes to Tso Kar. On your way to Tso Moriri you cross over Namshang La (4800 M),
which is a very wide pass. Shortly after crossing over you come across a small
lake called Tangtse Karu. It is a small, brackish water lake at an altitude of
more than 4000 metres above sea level. It is something of a prelude to Tso
Moriri. Driving through an awesome vast wilderness the scenery is simply
breathtaking. As you are about to reach Tso Moriri, excitement is on high,
because having driven through a high altitude vast desert land the last thing to
expect there is a lake. Then suddenly, a vast expanse of turquoise blue water
appears you will see some ducks swimming around.
Tso Moriri or “Mountain Lake” is situated in the middle of the elevated valley
of Rupshu surrounded by snow-capped peaks. This valley is inhabited by a
small-scattered population of “Changpas” who are nomadic shepards who also
engage in trade and work in Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti. The area is rich in
wildlife including the “Kyang” (wild ass), red fox, black necked crane and
geese.
On arrival check in to your accommodation. In the afternoon explore the
surrounding areas of the Lake. The village of Korzok is besides the lake. It is
the Nomad Headquarters. A large meditation center has also come up besides the
lake a little ahead of the village. One can visit the ancient Korzok Monastery
or take the opportunity to catch hold of some nomadic tribesmen to get a glimpse
of their lifestyle. The lake itself is surrounded by mountain peaks with a
strong wind causing waves in the lake. As the sun is about to set it gives a
golden tinge to the peaks: the dense blue color of the lake contrasts with the
golden colored peaks against the backdrop of a light blue sky, which is simply
captivating. After an early dinner, do not miss seeing the sunset and the
reflection of a clear starry sky in the waters of the lake.
Retire to your tents for an overnight stay.
DAY 7 TSO MORIRI – TSO KAR (4485 M) - APPROX 55 KM / APPROX 2 ½ HRS – LEH –
APPROX 145 KM / APPROX 3 ½ HRS
Rise early in the morning to capture some unforgettable snaps of the deep blue
waters of the lake against the backdrop of Rocky Mountains of unimaginable hues.
After breakfast you continue your journey to TSO KAR. You will be retracing your
path till Puga Sumdoo from where you turn left. What catches your eye is that
the large basin of the valley that you would be traveling through is absolutely
white with salt deposits. About 4 km from Puga Sumdoo you suddenly start
experiencing a very strong smell of sulfur. Immediately on the right of the
road you will find large amounts of sulphur deposits with yellow rocks and the
heat being generated by these sulfur springs is clearly discernable. Quite
suddenly the wide base of the valley turns in to a green carpet of grass. In the
center of this green carpet you get to see a geyser sprouting out hot water. The
going is slow due to the road conditions. As on nears the ascent of a pass the
road is rough slowing you done considerably – it is part of the experience of
traveling in the wilderness of this high altitude desert. An hours’ drive brings
you to Polo Kongka Pass (4920 M). This is a long and wide pass and gives you the
feeling of driving on a tabletop. The descent takes you through a deserted nomad
village, whose houses now only have half-standing walls.
On getting to the bottom of this descent you get your first glimpse of Tso Kar
also called “White Lake” because of the salt deposits around it. It is a small
lake with the backdrop formed by a chain of snow peaked mountains. The waters
are deep blue in color and the mountains, like the rest of the Ladakhi
landscape are of varying shades of brown and purple with snow capped peaks. The
banks are covered with salt deposits. The water of the lake is so salty that the
salt that is deposited on its banks is sold all over Ladakh and Kashmir. A Nomad
Headquarters (Samad Rockchen) is located next to the lake.
After lunch at the lake, you commence your journey back to Leh. A 20 minutes
drive gets you onto the Manali – Leh highway. On this route you cross over
Taklang La (5260 M / 17, 582 Ft), a signboard proclaims it to be the second
highest motorable road in the world. On crossing over the pass the full force of
the awesome stark grandeur of the barren mountains greets you. The near distance
mountains are greenish – brown in color, the middle distance ones are purplish
– grayish & snow-capped peaks are visible in the distant. Descending from the
pass the road gets you back in to civilization passing through picturesque
villages with well-cultivated fields and finally meets the Indus River at Upshi.
From Upshi to Leh you are back on the road on which you started your journey
You arrive in Leh by the evening and spend the night at your hotel.
DAY 8 LEH - DELHI - BY FLIGHT 9W 610 DEP AT 0735 HRS / ARR AT 0850 HRS
In time transfer to the airport for your flight to Delhi. Assistance on arrival
and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon proceed for a city tour of Old
Delhi. Visit Red Fort built by Emperor Shah Jahan; Jama Masjid, one of the
largest mosques in India. Later drive to visit Qutab Minar, the tallest stone
tower in India or you have the option to relax after your stay in high altitude.
Farewell dinner on the way to the airport and transfer to the international
airport for your onward journey / home. |
