Leh – Ladakh, with its vast expanse of mirror lakes and villages like an oasis within the cold desert, accounts for a landscape taken right out of the page of a fairy tale, guarded by the imposing snow-clad ancient peaks of the Great Himalayas. With monasteries, dating back to hundreds of years, serving as the pit stops of ancient civilization, adorning the entire route, Ladakh is well known for its peaceful way of living. The Indus belt of the valley bears such riches of life among the otherwise barren cold desert, that the villages born out of it also present such pleasant philosophy of living.
Ladakh can never be classified as a land of lakes, or of mountains, or of barren deserts or of colorful villages. It is an ensemble of all of them, curated perfectly into a mystic recipe by nature.
As we arrive at the Leh airport, our chauffeur will greet and thereafter will drive us to the hotel where, after checking in, we can have some lunch followed by some much-needed rest. The evenings can be spent by taking a walk through the busy Leh Bazaar, a perfect place to get the spirit of the region. The adjoining restaurants provide with local cuisines for dinner after trying which, it’ll be a tie to return back to the hotel for the night stay at Leh.
It’ll be a long day at the Indus Valley. After a filling breakfast, we can go to visit the Stock Palace, the summer home of the Royal family of Ladakh. Next on the course is the Thiksey Monastery, belonging to the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. We’ll have lunch by trying some local delicacies before moving onto the top of a barren mountain to visit the Jangchubling Monastery or the Rhizong Gompa. As the day ends, we’ll be returning back to the hotel where a delicious dinner will be waiting for us and later, we can shift back to the hotel room for the night stay at Leh.
We’ll be served with an early breakfast, after which will set out for an exciting road trip to the enchanting Nubra Valley, a tri-armed valley to the north-east of Ladakh. Before reaching there, we’ll have to encounter the thrills of crossing the Khardungla Pass on of the highest motorable roads in the world with an altitude of 18,380 ft. As soon as we reach the valley, we can settle in the camps, take some rest post a delicious lunch. We will take a joyride on a double-humped camel’s back to explore the sand dunes between Deskit and Hundur village. The sunset in the cold desert is something one should not miss, before coming back in the evening to the refuge of the camps. We’ll be served with a much-needed plate of hot dinner after which can doze off for the night stay at Nubra.
A filling breakfast is needed as we’ll set out for a 5-hour long journey to Leh, a high desert city in the Himalayas. On the way, we’ll be halting at the mesmerizing Yarab Tso Lake, considered holy and is also often referred to as the ‘Hidden Lake’. A 15-20 min hike uphill on a hillock will get us to the banks of the holy Lake, bounded by a barren yet enchantingly beautiful landscape. We’ll be passing the Khardungla Pass before entering Leh, where we’ll be taken to our pre-booked hotel. Once checked in, we can take a walk in the Leh market trying some local food for dinner. The cozy hotel rooms will be ready for us to come back and stay for the night at Leh.
A hot and filling breakfast will be served after which we’ll be leaving early morning for Pangong Lake, placed at an altitude of 4.400 mt. The route goes eastwards of Leh through The Changla Pass at 17,500 ft. We’ll be passing through the Changthang region of Ladakh, through villages like Tangste, which lies on a flat arid ground with greenery to be seen only along the Harong stream, flowing through the village. Once we reach the banks of the lake, we’ll set up our camps in for some rest followed by a sumptuous lunch. Later, we’ll take a hike along the shores of this picturesque giant lake, extending from India to China. As the sun sets at the backdrop of this high grassland lake, it accounts for an experience unmatched by anything in this world. As darkness sets in, it’s time to get inside the camps, where a sumptuous dinner will be arriving shortly, followed by a deep slumber and night stay by Pangong Lake.
As we wake up to a misty morning along the lake, we’ll have our self-prepared breakfast by the lake and will set out for the Tso Moriri Lake, or the “Mountain Lake” in the Ladakh part of the Changthang Plateau. We’ll be driving up to Kharu and then take a right towards the Lake. Enroute we’ll halt at the Chumathang village to enjoy the hot springs accompanied by some available local food for lunch. By evening, we’ll reach Tso Moriri to check into our tented camps. A hot sumptuous dinner will be an ultimate stress buster for the night stay by Lake Tso Moriri.
Today our destination is the Tso Kar Lake and then will return to Leh. On the way to the lake, we’ll be visiting the Puga Geothermal Gas Spring before crossing the Polo Kongka Pass at 5,171 mt. of the Chang Chenmo Range at the line of control. Finally, we’ll be reaching the lake which was, until recently, used as an important source of salt which the Chanta nomad used to export to Tibet. Late evening, we’ll reach in our Leh hotel. After 2 nights unconventional experience of tent stays, repeats the four-walled shelter for dinner and night stay at Leh.
Today’s destination is Uleytokpo; an enchanting village located 70 KM west of Leh. Tucked at an altitude of 3,040 mt., it is an idyllic place for serenity. We’ll be visiting the legendary, 23 mt. high gilded gold statue of ‘Maitreya Buddha’ in the Likir Monastery and then, a strolling experience to catch through the monastic complex of temples in Alchi Village. Finally, as we arrive in Uleytokpo our hotel there will be some time for dinner and night stay at Uleytokpo.
A filling breakfast is needed for a packed day ahead. We’ll be setting out for a region commonly known as the ‘Lunar Landscape’, housing a rugged terrain, living up to its name. Next on the route is the Lamayuru Monastery, one of the ancient most and the largest in the whole of Ladakh. The local lunch and the continuing road trip to the Rizong Gompa, a resident of 40 monks and built in 1831 by the great Lama Tsultrimp Nima will be an interesting destination. If time permits, we’ll be embarking on a short hike to the picturesque village of Gera Lardo, across the Indus River. The return to the hotel for another night at Uleytokpo will surely be a memorable day trip to cherish over the dinner chat and night stay at Uleytokpo.
After breakfast, it will be Spituk Monastery, also known as the Pethup Gompa our next destination onward to Leh. Passing through the Magnetic Hill, and visiting the Military Hall of Fame, we’ll arrive at Leh, late in the afternoon. A late lunch and the popular market visits like the Moti Market, Balkkhang Chowk as famous for apricots and the Supermarket can make your afternoon pleasantly engaging. You can even get some excellent dinner opportunities before you return to the hotel for the last night stay at Leh.
So, after a lot of plans, corrections and amendments; finally up to the much-awaited Leh Ladakh trip happened with some a spot visits and experiences. This perhaps shall stay for long while having the last few sips of Kava. By the time, we get lost in an unusual stare with thoughts carrying snippets of last few days; the cranky horn of our car will surely bring us back to the present for reaching Leh airport on time.
At zerodegreel
every moment will someday make you look back and want to experience it all over again.
