OVERVIEW
About this trip
Six days in the high-altitude desert of Ladakh. Begin with a gentle day to acclimatise in Leh, visit the great monasteries of Thiksey and Shey, then cross Khardung La, the world’s highest motorable pass, to the sand dunes and camp of Nubra Valley. Return to Leh and finish with a day trip to the shimmering blue waters of Pangong Lake.
- Thiksey Monastery and Shey Palace
- Shanti Stupa sunset view over Leh
- Khardung La (5,602 m), the world’s highest motorable pass
- Nubra Valley — Hunder sand dunes and Diskit Monastery
- Night in a deluxe camp in Nubra
- Pangong Lake at 14,000 ft via Chang La
Altitude note: Leh stands at about 3,500 m. The first day is kept free so your body can adjust — drink plenty of water, take it easy and carry warm layers even in summer.
ITINERARY
Day-by-day plan
D1
Day 1Arrival in Leh
Arrive in Leh, where our representative will meet and greet you and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to acclimatise to the high altitude of Ladakh. In the evening, take a walk to the local bazaar in Leh. Overnight stay at the hotel in Leh.
D2
Day 2Monastery Tour & Leh Sightseeing
After breakfast, drive to Thiksey village and visit Thiksey Monastery, then continue to Shey to see Shey Palace and Gompa. Return to Leh for lunch. After lunch, visit Ladakh’s donkey sanctuary and Shanti Stupa for a beautiful sunset view. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Thiksey Gompa19 kms from Leh, spectacularly sited, Thiksey is one of the largest and architecturally most impressive gompas. Its several temples hold exquisite images, stupas and wall paintings of the Buddha.
Shey Palace & GompaOn a hillock 15 kms upstream from Leh, this was once the residence of the royal family and, according to tradition, the seat of power of the pre-Tibetan kings. A 7.5 m high copper statue of the Buddha, plated with gold and the largest of its kind, is installed here.
Donkey SanctuaryJust off the road to Khardung La, the sanctuary is open to the public throughout the day. Donations and juicy carrots are welcome and are used for the welfare of these gentle animals.
Shanti Stupa (Japanese Peace Pagoda)Built by a Japanese Buddhist organisation with help from local people, on a hilltop in Changspa village. It gives a bird’s-eye view of Leh town and the surrounding peaks, with a Japanese-style shrine at the entrance.
D3
Day 3 · 140 kms / 5–6 hrsLeh to Nubra via Khardung La
Set out early for Nubra Valley over Khardung La (5,602 m), the world’s highest motorable pass. On arrival in Nubra, visit the white sand dunes at Hunder, where you can enjoy a camel ride (on your own). If time permits, visit Hunder and Diskit monasteries, then check in at a deluxe camp. Evening at leisure. Overnight stay at the camp.
Khardung La PassAbout 39 kms from Leh, the road over the pass (18,390 ft) is the highest motorable road in the world, with checkpoints on both sides. Khardong is the first village of Nubra Valley.
Diskit Village & GompaDiskit is the main village and headquarters of Nubra, with a small market and a gompa of about 500 years on the hilltop, with spectacular valley views. Founded by Lama Sherab Zangpo of Stod around 1420 AD, it is a branch of Thiksey and hosts the Gustor festival.
Hunder VillageA green village with many trees, a small monastery and a ruined fort above it. The two-hour walk or double-humped Bactrian camel safari through the dunes from Hunder to Diskit is wonderful (on your own).
D4
Day 4Nubra to Leh
After breakfast, drive back to Leh over Khardung La once again. In the evening, explore Leh bazaar for souvenirs and visit the Leh Jokhang or the Leh Mosque on foot. Overnight stay at the hotel in Leh.
JokhangBuilt by the Ladakh Buddhist Association in 1957, this small gonpa in the main bazaar is open throughout the day and holds a statue of Jowo Rinpoche, the crowned Buddha.
Leh MosqueThe Jama Masjid of Leh was built in 1666–67 AD under an agreement between the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and the Ladakhi ruler Deldan Namgyal. Its architecture was originally Tibetan, Central Asian and Ladakhi in style, and it has been rebuilt in recent years with minarets and domes.
D5
Day 5 · 280 kms round tripExcursion to Pangong Lake
After breakfast, drive to Pangong Lake, on the Indo-China border. Return to your hotel in Leh in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Pangong LakeThe route passes the picturesque villages of Shey and Thiksey before turning off the Indus valley along the Chemrey and Sakti side valley. The Ladakh range is crossed at Chang La (18,000 ft / 5,475 m), one of the easier high passes. Tangse, just beyond the foot of the pass, has an ancient temple.
The lakePangong sits at 14,000 ft (4,267 m), a long narrow inland basin only six to seven kms wide at its widest. The permitted stretch gives spectacular views of the Changchenmo range to the north, their reflections shimmering in changing blues and greens, with the glacier and snow-capped peaks of the Pangong range above Spangmik.
D6
Day 6Departure
Leave on time for Leh airport to board your flight to Delhi.
THE FINE PRINT
Inclusions & exclusions
What's included
- 5 nights’ accommodation (Leh 4, Nubra deluxe camp 1)
- Meet & greet on arrival and airport transfers
- Meals as per the itinerary
- Private vehicle for transfers and sightseeing
- Sightseeing as per the itinerary
- Excursions to Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake
What's not included
- Flights to and from Leh
- Camel rides and other activities marked “on your own”
- Monastery entry fees, permits and environmental fees unless stated
- Meals other than those mentioned
- Tips and travel insurance
- Anything of a personal nature
