Leh Ladakh Tour

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival at Leh, Acclimatization

• Altitude: 3600 meters (11600 ft)

• Once you disembark your flight at Leh airport, we will arrange a one-time pickup taxi to reach our guesthouse.

• Spend a relaxing day to get acclimatised to the high altitude of Ladakh.

• It is highly advisable not to move around today as travelers may suffer from dizziness, headache, or acute mountain sickness (AMS). Note that acclimatisation is an important part of every Ladakh trip.

• You can still explore Leh market on foot in the evening if you wish (though its not recommended).

• By evening, our Operations Manager will brief you about the incredible road trip of the next few days.

• Overnight stay on cozy beds of the Leh stay.

Day 2 - Around Leh - Hall of Fame, Shanti Stupa, Sangam, Magnetic Hill, Pathar Sahib

• Altitude: 4275 meters

• Start time around 9 to 10 AM after having Breakfast.

• Today we will explore Leh and the surrounding attractions starting with Hall of Fame by Indian Army – every Indian’s pride. Note that Hall of Fame is closed on Mondays. If our Day 2 falls on Monday, we can visit an alternate place like Leh Palace (needs climbing up).

• Head towards Sangam, the beautiful confluence of two mighty rivers: the Indus and Zanskar. The Indus River originates from the Holi Mansarovar in Tibet, flows into Ladakh.

• Visit legendary Pathar Sahib where Guru Nanak Dev, founder of the Sikh religion, is believed to have conquered a demon. Spend some time in the warmth of the Gurudwara built in the 15th century and sit down for a quiet meditation for few minutes.

• Stop by Magnetic Hill – an optical illusion created by wondrous nature, where a slight downhill slope appears to be an uphill slope because of the surrounding terrain.

• Give an evening visit to Shanti Stupa – a Buddhist Domed Statue located on a hilltop.

• Head to the Leh stay by late evening, finish Dinner and rest for the night.

Day 3 - Nubra Valley via Khardungla Pass, Hunder Cold Desert

• Max altitude: 5350 meters (17,800 feet)

• Start time around 9 AM

• Roadtrip to amazingly pretty Nubra Valley, known for its Ldumra (flower garden) via one of the world’s highest motorable passes called Khardung La.

• Enjoy hot Kawa tea and Maggy noodles at the top of the pass.

• Information note: The road to Nubra valley will continue towards international LOC, till the base camp of great Siachen Glacier which is well protected by Indian Army.

• We will stop by at Hunder which is also called ‘Desert in the sky’ to witness double-humped giant Camels. Want more? Take a Camel joy ride and make those cool reels for your Instagram. Hunder is also famous for its adventurous ATV rides. Guests need to take tickets at the designated counter. 

• Explore sand dunes and reach our campsite of Swiss tents or Guest House by evening.

Day 4 - Diskit Buddha Statue, Pangong Lake Trip

• Altitude: 4250 meters.

• Early morning start!

• Visit 100 feet Future Buddha statue at Diskit village with a stunning view of the Nubra valley. From the Buddha statue, one can withness the giant structure of Diskit Monastery located between mountains. 

• Head out on a road trip to one of the prettiest places on Earth: “Pangong Lake”, driven by the free-flowing river Shayok at one end and giant mountains with amazing landscapes at the other end. You cannot help but keep your eyes out of the windows as we cross many streams and barren mountains special to Ladakh.

• Enjoy the stunning view of Pangong Tso with the purest & bluest sky in the background, pose for those photographs you have been longing for.

• Pangong is the only lake we share a border with China, with more than half in its control. You would have had a glimpse of it in the Bollywood 3 Idiots movie.

• Have long conversations for evening get together.

• Rest in the Wooden Cottages or Swiss tents of Pangong, whichever is assigned to us.

• Nights are usually very cold at Pangong/Tangtse because of very high altitude.

• Dinner and rest.

Day 5 - Pangong Tso to Leh, Rancho School, Thiksey Monastery

• Altitude: 4200 mt

• Interested people may wake up early to witness the sunrise at Pangong lake.

• Finish Breakfast.

• Start driving back towards Leh by another route via Chang La Pass which is 17300 feet above Sea level.

• Stop by at the famous Rancho School, featured in the blockbuster Bollywood movie ‘3 Idiots’.

• Visit hilltop Thiksey Monastery with panaromic views of Ladakh landscapes. The artwork and the Buddhist prayer flags fluttering is mesmerizing.

• Get back to Leh guest house and say goodbye to our driver who has been with us past few days taking us through most rugged routes.

• Finish Dinner, and gather around for social gathering one last time at our stay.

• Take rest.

Day 6 - Return Home

• Check out of the guest house as per your flight timing. We will arrange one-time taxi to Airport around 9 AM.

• Take back memories of a lifetime. You will surely want to return to this magical place once again. But this first trip of yours will be etched in your memories forever.

Travel:

• Trip starting/ending point: Leh Airport.

• Vehicle: Tempo Traveler, SUV (Innova/Xylo/Ertiga)

• Trip duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights

Airport Pick-up/Drop:

• Pick up (Day 1):
  > 10 AM

• Drop (Day 6)
  > 9 AM

• You may book Flights up/down to Leh based on above timings.

Booking Flight tickets:

• We recommend you to connect with the team to review your flight timings before booking the tickets.

Stay:

• Comfortable Guest Houses / Homestays / Swiss Tents

• 2 or 3 sharing rooms based on final combinations.

• Leh 3 nights

• Nubra 1 night

• Pangong 1 night

• Note: You may get in touch with booking team if you wish to see stay pictures.

Food:

• Breakfasts & Dinners included (All Veg).

• Lunches are self-sponsored as we will be outside at that time.

• How much you have to spend for good food?
  200 – 250 per meal

Important notes about Ladakh:

• Ladakh is a high-altitude destination that may not suit everybody.

• Do your research on Acute Mountain Sickness.

• There could be small changes in the itinerary as per different local factors.

• Because of the unpredictable nature of rough Himalayan terrain, one should expect road closures or diversions in Ladakh which may alter the order and/or places in the itinerary. The Operations Manager & Driver will take a call on the changes in itinerary when such situations occur. No special requests will be entertained.

• Hot water for shower at Nubra, Pangong stays depends on Solar water heaters only. On a cloudy day, it would be difficult to get hot water.

• If climate gets colder & you need heaters at stays, you can avail at extra cost directly at the stays. Some stays may have bed heaters, some may have room heaters.

• Travelers are expected to come with an open heart, respect local culture, care towards the environment & climate change, and help each other.

Seasonal Variations:

• Ladakh has only 2 seasons literally – Summer & Winter.

• Oct to April (Winter): As one can expect, most of the time it’s Winter in Ladakh because of the high altitude and geographic location at the top of Himalayas. One can experience freezing temperatures this time, as the land receives good amount of snowfall. Almost every corner of Ladakh gets covered with thick snow layers. 

• May to October (Summer): As the snow starts melting, Ladakh gets prepared for the onset of summer, and along with it the tourists.

• Even though it’s the monsoon season in rest of India from June to October, Ladakh receives very less rainfall. That’s why it is called ‘Rain Shadow’ region.