Ladakh 6 Nights 7 Days Without Airfare

Arrival Leh by morning flight and transfer to the hotel. After welcome drink take a complete rest for acclimatization to the height altitude of Leh (3500 meters). In the late afternoon drive to the city for an orientation walk in the markets‚ followed by a visit to Shanti Stupa‚ Leh palace. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Shanti Stupa - Shanti Stupa is situated on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, in the North Indian state of Leh. Shanti Stupa is known as a Buddhist white-domed stupa. It was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo Nakamura. The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama himself. Shanti stupa provides a beautiful and panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. This has become a primary reason for Shanti Stupa to become a popular tourist attraction, apart from its religious significance.

Leh Palace - Leh Palace, also known as 'Lhachen Palkhar,' is a 17th-century former royal palace and one of the central attractions in Leh. Built under the patronage of King Sengge Namgyal, it used to house his family. The nine-storey, dun-coloured palace now houses a museum and a prayer room, while the highlight is the sweeping view of Leh and the surrounding Zanskar mountain from the rooftop.

After breakfast, you will drive downstream along the River Indus on the Leh–Kargil Highway. And start our sightseeing with the Hall of Fame (museum constructed by Indian Army) near Leh is worth a visit for every Indian, and proceed further to Gurudwara Patthar Sahib at an altitude of 3600 mtrs about 22 Kms from Leh was constructed in memory of Guru Nanak Dev ji nestled deep in the Himalayas. A drive of another 4 km takes us to Magnetic Hill, which defies the law of gravity. As you move ahead from Magnetic Hills, just before Nimmu Village, there comes a famous confluence of two Rivers Indus River coming from Tibet (left) and the Zanskar River coming from Zanskar Valley (right). After visiting the confluence, we head to Alchi Gompa, the complex of temples located within the village is the most celebrated of Ladakh’s monasteries and dates back to the 11th century.

After visiting Alchi, we will go back towards Leh en route to visiting Likir Monastery. It was built in the 11th century and was again rebuilt in the 18th century and houses a 25 feet Lord gold covered Buddha Statue. In the late afternoon, drive to the city for an orientation walk in the markets‚ followed by a visit to Shanti Stupa‚ Leh palace. Later, we will drive back to Leh. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Leh.

Hall of Fame (Closed on Mondays) - An important stopover on the tourist circuit, the Hall of Fame encapsulates the essence of patriotism and displays exhibits relating the bravery of Indian soldiers and their courageous accomplishments. As you pass through the OP Vijay Gallery, which showcases weaponry that was used in the Kargil War, and see the elaborate display of the documents of the war, uniforms that were worn at the Siachen glacier, and others, you will be filled with a sense of pride.

The letters written by soldiers to their families, photographs clicked during wars fought in the region, and a 30-minute documentary on the Kargil War are some of the highlights. On the second floor, guns and equipment that were detained by the Indian Army during its confrontations with the Pakistan army have been put up as exhibits. The museum also houses a souvenir shop. The hall has been built inside a museum that the Indian Army erected in the honour of soldiers who perished during the various wars that have been fought in this region.

Magnetic Hill - Perched at an altitude of 14,000 ft, Magnetic Hill is one of the most intriguing spots in the country. This tiny hillock is said to defy gravity as it tends to pull vehicles upwards. It is quite thrilling to defy the laws of science and be pulled in the opposite direction. The scientific theory states that there is a strong magnetic force emanating from the hills that defies gravity at this particular spot.

It is a good pitstop on the highway and serves as a break in between mundane road travel. Please note that it is best to visit between May to September, when the road is easily accessible. There is a board that marks the location of the magnetic hill, so it cannot be missed while driving down the highway. Local Ladakhi superstition believes that the road is a straight stairway to heaven.

Confluence of the Zanzskar - Indus River originates from the great Himalayan ranges, and the Zanskar River originates from Zanskar ranges. Zanskar River is shiny blue in colour; on the other hand, Indus looks a little green. Zanskar meets Indus in Nimmu valley from the north-east. This is a scenic view for the visitors, and they find it fascinating to mark both the rivers even after their confluence.

Gurudwara Pathar Sahib - It is a highly revered gem located 25 miles away from Leh town on the Kargil Leh Highway. Devoted to Guru Nanak Devi Ji, the founder of the Sikh Religion, the sacred place beautifully commemorates his visit to Ladakh. Dating back to 1517, the Gurudwara houses a boulder with imprints of the head, shoulders, and backside of Shree Guru Nanak Dev.

Alchi Gompa - The architecture of Alchi Monastery is of Tibetan style. The monastery complex has three major shrines - the Dukhang (Assembly hall), the Sumtsek, and the Temple of Manjushri. There are also chortens in the complex. Wall paintings are the major attractions here as they depict details of both the Buddhist style and the Kashmiri style. The complex houses a huge statue of the Buddha and lavish wood carvings and artwork, similar to baroque style.

Post breakfast, we will drive to Nubra Valley. The road journey from Leh to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La (Second-Highest Motorable Road In The World) at 5,602 mtrs / 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 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 10,000 ft. above sea level. Upon arrival in Nubra, we will check in at our Camp / Hotel in Hunder for an overnight stay. In the evening, you can walk around the tiny villages to see how the locals live in this part of the world. Overnight stay at the Camp or Hotel.

After an early breakfast, we check out from camp or hotel and drive towards Hunder where you have an opportunity to ride on a bacterian camel (double humped) amidst the dunes of this high altitude desert with snowcapped mountains on the horizon. On the return, stop at Diskit, which is the headquarter town of Nubra Valley. Stroll around the bazaar, observing the shops and local people going about their daily chores.

Later, we drive towards Pangong Tso via Agham & Shyok Valley. Some of the road patches in areas are extremely tough (towards the 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. You pass through a few small villages of Changthang, and finally, you can have a sudden view of the Pangong Lake situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 m). Upon arrival, we will check in at our camp/hotel near Pangong Lake. Dinner & overnight at the hotel.

Morning at leisure to explore the beauty of the lake, and later we drive back to Leh via Changla Pass 5486 mtrs en route visiting Hemis Gompa, the largest monastic foundation of Drukpa Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism. Further to Thiksey, an impressive complex rising tier upon tier on a hill above the village and another 5 km driving through a picturesque landscape, we reach Shey Palace, the ancient capital of Ladakh & 3 Idiots Rancho School. Drive further to Leh. Dinner & overnight at hotel.

Shey - It was the ancient capital of Ladakh and even after Singge Namgyal built the more imposing palace at Leh, the kings continued to regard Shey, as their real home. The importance which was attached to Shey – the seat of Ladakh’s heartland – is attested by the enormous number of Chorten about the village, particularly around the palace complex and barren plain to the north of the road.

Thiksey - It is one of the largest and most impressive Gompas. There are several temples in this Gompa containing images, stupas and exquisite wall paintings. It also houses a two – storied statue of Buddha which has the main prayer hall around its shoulder.

Hemis - It is dedicated to Padmasambhava, what a visitor can observes a series of scenes in which the lamas, robed in gowns of rich, brightly colored brocade and sporting masks sometimes bizarrely hideous, parade in solemn dance and mime around the huge flag pole in the center of the courtyard to the plaintive melody of the Shawn.

3 Idiots Rancho School - This school became famous after Aamir Khan's movie Three Idiots. The name of this school is Druk Padma Karpo School, and it is also known as Druk White Lotus school. The clean and eco friendly structures of the school is designed to withstand seismic disturbances. This school was conferred one of the most beautiful schools in the world by BBC London in the year 2016.

Sindhu Ghat - A river bank near Shey Monastery in Leh. Located 10 Km upstream the Indus river, it originates from the Mansarovar Lake and Mount Kailash in Tibet. The scenic landscape of this attraction near Leh seems surreal. The barren mountains, rocky terrain, and river traversing the region is a sight to behold. Visit this ghat during the Sindhu Darshan Festival in June to experience the cultural extravaganza that Leh has to offer. The festival comprises sightseeing trip, campfire and many more exciting activities.

Complete day at leisure to explore the destination on your own and in the evening you can stroll around the market place for some last minute souvenir shopping.

The tour concludes with a punctual transfer to the Domestic Airport to catch the flight for your onward destination.