DAY 1
Arrive in Leh
- Your Ladakh holiday package will begin with your arrival at the Leh airport this morning
- You will be greeted by our representative and transferred to your residence – Chamba Camp, Thiksey. You will be given a traditional Ladakhi welcome and accompanied to your well-appointed Luxury Tents after your check-in formalities at the Reception Tent are complete
- Today, there will be no planned activity as it is medically advised that you relax and let your body adjust to the sudden change in altitude
- The Excursion Specialist at Chamba Camp, Thiksey will meet with you to discuss the suggested itinerary and help you make changes if required, to suit your interests, choices and leisure
- Later, you may take a stroll through the charming hamlet of Thiksey and interact with the local community
- Settle in for a comfortable overnight stay at the camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 2
Afternoon Orientation Tour of Leh
- Today, after a leisurely breakfast, you will be free to explore the camp surroundings. Walk around the camp site, enjoy the view of the willow and poplar trees, through the lush farmlands of Nyerma to get an insight into the local traditions and culture
- In the afternoon, following a delicious lunch at the camp, you will visit the famed Matho Monastery, located at the mouth of a deep gorge running out of the Zanskar Range. It was founded in 1410 by Lama Dunpa Dorje and is famous for its six-hundred-year-old Thangkas
- You will then proceed for an Orientation Tour of Leh. On this Leh City Heritage Walk you will pass through the by-lanes of Leh City to visit the imposing 17th-century, nine-storied Leh City Palace. The city boulevard will offer you with a variety of shops which sell Pashmina shawls, stoles, and Tibetan handicraft items. Your walk will conclude near Chubi Village where your vehicle will pick you up and take you to the Shanti Stupa, perched upon a great vantage point over Leh, with spectacular views of this mesmerizing landscape
- Additionally, you can also choose from the two Optional Tours: Bird Watching – an optional bird watching session with the camp naturalist where you will get to spot and identify many native species; and Seance with the Oracle – where you will drive to Choglamsar Village for a séance session with the village oracle (This optional excursion will be confirmed a day prior, subject to the oracle willing to give an audience)
- Spend a comfortable overnight at the camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 3
Thiksey and Hemis Monasteries – Two Paths to Nirvana
- Your day will begin early with a refreshing cup of tea/coffee
- You will head out to the Thiksey Monastery (1 km from the camp), which houses the beautiful two-storey statue of the Maitreya Buddha on a lotus. Enjoy spectacular views of the Leh valley, participate in the sunrise BuddhistMorning Prayer ceremony, a guided tour of the monastery and its prayer rooms, handwritten and painted books, and small shrines devoted to the guardian divinities
- You will then return to the camp for a hearty breakfast and spend the rest of the morning at leisure, enjoying the pristine beauty around you
- After a sumptuous lunch at the camp, you will proceed to explore the Hemis Monastery, the biggest monastic institution of Ladakh (45 minutes from Thiksey) built in a secluded valley. Here, you can explore the many interesting facets of this institution, its beautiful mural paintings and shrines, and meet young lamas studying literature, history, philosophy, yoga and tantra
- The day will also offer you an Optional Tour – Ride with the Wind – Wari-La. After an early morning breakfast, you will be driven to one of the most scenic passes in Ladakh and the fourth highest motorable road – the Wari La (5,300 metres/17,384 feet). Get a breathtaking view of the Nubra Valley and enjoy a hot lunch in the outdoors. Post lunch, you will get a short safety briefing following which you will cycle down the best track that the Ladakh Himalayas has to offer. Your cycling trip will end at the Shakti Village
- Spend a peaceful overnight at the Chamba Camp, Thiksey
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 4
Thiksey – Nubra Valley – Diskit
- Following a wholesome breakfast this morning, your exciting journey will continue through some of the region’s most awe-inspiring and dramatic landscapes
- You will pass through the Khardung La Pass (5,570 metres/18,381 feet), considered to be the highest motorable road in the world
- Following a packed lunch in the Village of Khardung, you will continue onwards, driving past the famous sand dunes of Nubra, to arrive at the Village of Diskit
- Upon arrival, check-in at Chamba Camp, Diskit, a delightful oasis inspired by the aesthetics of safari camping and equipped with every modern comfort. Rest on your private deck, breathe in the tranquility of the serene water body, and relish the peaceful pleasures of solitude
- Settle in for a comfortable overnight stay at Chamba Camp, Diskit
Meals: Breakfast, lunch (packed) and dinner
DAY 5
The Kalon Farm Experience at Sumur, Yarab Tso – The Hidden Lake and Camel Safari
- After a sumptuous breakfast, you will drive to the picturesque village of Sumur located across the Shyok and NubraRivers
- You can supplement this visit with an Optional Rafting Tour in the thrilling whirls of Shyok River rapids
- Alternatively, you can also opt to drive towards the Siachen Glacier, the most northern road on the this route, followed by a Hike towards the hidden lake – Yarab Tso – one of the high altitude and sacred lakes in the Nubra Valley
- You will then set out to experience the local life and learn about a special initiative by the Women’s Alliance of Nubra– a collaboration of hardworking women who work in handicrafts, documentation of natural and oral history, and traditional performing arts
- Your journey will continue through the farmlands of Sumur, bringing you to a traditional local farm where you will relish a delectable homely lunch. Later, you can visit the House of the Kalon Family which allows you a glimpse into their rich history
- In the evening, you will gear up for an adventurous Ride on the Double–Hump Bactrian Camel on the sand dunes of the cold Hunder Desert
- Spend a comfortable overnight at the camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch (at the farm) and dinner
DAY 6
Day at Leisure or Optional Excursion to Turtuk
- Start your day lazily with a delicious breakfast and spend the day soaking in the serenity of the camp site
- Alternatively, you can choose to take the Optional Tour of Turtuk and set out on an adventurous journey. You will drive through the mesmerising landscape of the Balti Dynasty to arrive at the quaint village of Turtuk. Enjoy exploring this hamlet with its traditional houses called “nangchung’’, unique traditional kitchen implements and savour the delicious apricots grown here
- Following a packed lunch, you will return to the homely comforts of your camp and settle in for a comfortable night stay
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 7
Diskit – Wari-La Pass – Thiksey
- After an early morning wake up call, you will drive to the Diskit Gompa, the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in the Nubra Valley. It is known for its statue of the Cho Rinpoche (the crowned Buddha) in the prayer hall, a huge drum and several images of fierce guardian deities. Start your day with a special prayer near the towering MaitreyaBuddha
- Return to the camp for a hearty breakfast, following which you will depart for the Leh Valley through picturesque landscape of the Wari-La Pass (if Wari-La is closed due to any local conditions, then the drive will be back through Khardung-La)
- On the way, you will enjoy seeing shepherds graze their pashmina goats. Take a photo-stop to capture the beauty of scattered villages and grazing yaks along the streams
- Upon arrival at the Leh Valley, check-in at the Chamba Camp, Thiksey and spend the rest of the evening at leisure
- Settle in for a comfortable overnight stay at the camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch (packed) and dinner
DAY 8
Departure from Ladakh
- Today will be the last day of your unforgettable Ladakh tour package
- After having a fulfilling breakfast, you will proceed on your onward journey
Meals: Breakfast
