SPLENDOUR OF LADAKH

Arrival Leh by morning flight and transfer to the hotel. After welcome drink, take complete rest for acclimatization to the high 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 and Leh Palace. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

Shanti Stupa: Shanti Stupa is situated on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh. It is a Buddhist white-domed stupa built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo Nakamura. The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama himself. It provides a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding landscape and is one of the popular tourist attractions in Leh.

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 palace now houses a museum and a prayer room, while the highlight is the sweeping view of Leh and the surrounding Zanskar mountains from the rooftop.

Post breakfast, proceed for Indus Valley monastery sightseeing starting with Hemis Gompa, the largest monastic foundation of Drukpa Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism. Visit Thiksey Monastery, an impressive complex rising tier upon tier on a hill above the village, Shey Palace, the ancient capital of Ladakh, 3 Idiots Rancho School and Sindhu Ghat. After visiting the above places, drive back to Leh. Overnight stay at hotel.

Shey: Shey was the ancient capital of Ladakh. Even after Singge Namgyal built the more imposing palace at Leh, the kings continued to regard Shey as their real home. The importance attached to Shey, the seat of Ladakh's heartland, is shown by the enormous number of chortens around the village, particularly around the palace complex and barren plain to the north of the road.

Thiksey: Thiksey 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: Hemis is dedicated to Padmasambhava. Visitors can observe scenes in which the lamas, robed in rich and brightly colored brocade gowns and wearing masks, parade in solemn dance and mime around the huge flag pole in the center of the courtyard.

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, also known as Druk White Lotus School. The clean and eco-friendly structure of the school is designed to withstand seismic disturbances. This school was conferred as one of the most beautiful schools in the world by BBC London in 2016.

Sindhu Ghat: Sindhu Ghat is a river bank near Shey Monastery in Leh. Located 10 km upstream on the Indus River, it originates from Mansarovar Lake and Mount Kailash in Tibet. The barren mountains, rocky terrain and river traversing the region create a surreal landscape. Visit this ghat during the Sindhu Darshan Festival in June to experience the cultural extravaganza that Leh has to offer.

After an early breakfast, leave for Pangong Lake through Chang La Pass at 5486 meters. The long easy ascent takes you to Chang La Pass through winding roads passing through Sakti Village. Stop at the Chang La Pass for a quick photograph session and drive down to the village of Tangtse, where you can relax with a cup of tea. Leaving Tangtse for Pangong, you pass through a few small villages of Changthang and finally get a sudden view of Pangong Lake situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 meters). This famous blue brackish lake is 5 to 6 kms wide and over 133 kms long, with half of it running on the other side of the Indo-China border. One rarely feels so close to nature and the scenery is unforgettable. After the success of 3 Idiots, this beautiful natural location has attracted more tourists from all over the world. After spending some time at Pangong, drive back to Leh in the late afternoon. Overnight stay at hotel in Leh.

Post breakfast, drive to Nubra Valley. The road journey from Leh to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La, the second highest motorable road in the world, at 5,602 meters / 18,390 feet, around 39 km from Leh. From the pass, one can see south over the Indus Valley to the 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 feet above sea level.

Upon arrival in Nubra, check in at camp / hotel in Hunder for 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.

In the morning, drive to Diskit, the headquarters of Nubra, and visit Diskit Monastery. Later, drive back to Leh, reaching in the late afternoon. Rest of the day is free to explore the markets. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

Tour concludes with a punctual transfer to the domestic airport to catch the flight for your onward destination.