Special Ladakh Tours

Leh Ladakh Tour

Day 2: Delhi- Srinagar
Morning after a leaisurely breakfast transfer to airport for flight to Srinagar. On arrival transfer to Deluxe Houseboat. Evening Boat trip to floating gardens.

On arrival at Srinagar Airport, you will be met and transfered by our representative to the House boat. Relax for a while and later proceed for Shikara ride at Dal Lake.
Dal Lake : Dal Lake is a scenic picnic spot surrounded by forests of pine. It is a good base for trekkers. A colorful annual fair is held here every September.
Shikara Ride : Shikara is a Gondola type light rowing boat. The one hour boat ride takes tourists on a relaxing sightseeing tour of interior parts of the calm and placid waters of Dal Lake, to see the market and the floating Gardens.
Overnight : Houseboat

Day 3: Srinagar
Early in the morning visit Shankaracharya Temple. Return to the hotel for breakfast and later in the afternoon visit Moghul Gardens. Relax for the remaining part of the day.
Mughal Gardens : Visit the Mughal Gardens, the Chashme Shahi (Royal Spring), Nishat Bagh(Pleasure Garden) and Shalimar Bagh(The Abode of Love).
Shankaracharya Temple : 5 km from Tourist Reception Center. Located on a hill one thousand feet above the city, it is also known as Takht-i-Sulaiman. Most authorities agree that the first edifice on this site was built by Jaluka, the son of Emperor Ashoka, around 200 BC. The low enclosing wall and the plinth of the existing temple is what has remained of the old temple. The philosopher sage Shankaracharya had stayed at this site when he had visited to Kashmir ten centuries ago to revive Sanatan Dharma. The present structure is said to have been built by an unknown Hindu devotee during the reign of Emperor Jehangir. The temple offers a magnificent view of the valley and the snowy peaks of the Pir Panjal range
Overnight : Houseboat

Day 4: Srinagar-Dras/Darads- Kargil
On the day 4 of your tour drive to Kargil. Enroute visit Drass and Darads. Check into your pre-booked hotel for an overnight stay.
Drass: Drass 3230 metres, 60kms west of Kargil on the road to Srinagar, are a small township lying in the centre of a valley of the same name. It has become famous as the second coldest inhabited place in the world by virtue of the intense cold that descends upon the valley along with repeated snowfall during winter. Winter temperature is sometimes known to plummet to less than 40 degree Celsius. During the spring and summer, however the valley around the township becomes very picturesque as the gently undulating hillsides turn into lush green pastures splashed with a variety of fragrant wild flowers. Its inhabitants are mainly of Darad stock, an Aryan race believed to have originally migrated to the high valleys of the Western Himalayas from the Central Asian steppes.
Darads : They speak Shina which, unlike the Tibetan-originated Ladakhi dialects spoken elsewhere in Ladakh region, belong to the Indo-European linguistic family. Their ancestral sport, Horse Polo, which the Darads play with particular zeal, resembles our modern polo. The Drass vallley starts from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway to Ladakh. For centuries its inhabitants are known to have negotiated this formidable pass even during the most risky period in the autumn or early spring, when the whole sector remains snowbound and is subject to frequent snow storms, to transport trader's merchandise across and the to help stranded travelers to traverse it. By virtue of their mastery over the pass they had established a monopoly over the carrying trade during the heydays of the Pan-Asian. A hardy people enduring with fortitude the harshness of the valley's winter, the inhabitants of Drass can well be described as the guardians of Ladakh's gateway.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 5: Kargil -Lamayuru
This morning after breakfast drive to Lamayuru. On the way passing through the Kargil, Shergol and Mulbekh.
Kargil:The valleys of Suru, Drass Wakha and Bodkarbo lie midway between the alpine valleys of Kashmir, and the fertile reaches of the Indus valley and Ladakh. The region is politically part of India, ethnically part of Baltistan and geographically and integral part of Ladakh. Geographically, there is little doubt that one has crossed the Himalayan watershed. The steep barren hills now stretch to the snow line. As the snows melt, the waters flow freely down into the heavily irrigated valleys. Here Tibetan-style settlements thrive. Whitewashed mud and stone houses contrast with deep-green barley fields.
Shergol : Between Kargil and Shergol you cross the dividing line between the Muslim and Buddhist areas. The small village of Shergol has a tiny gompa perched halfway up the eastern slope of the mountain. In the afternoon tourists will reach to Kargil.
Mulbekh : There are two gompas on the hillside above the village of Mulbekh. As in other villages, it is wise to Enquire if the gompa is before making the ascent. Just beyond Mulbekh is a huge Chamba statue, an image of a future Buddha, cutting to the rock face beside the road. It's one of the most interesting stops along the road to Kargil.
Arrive Lamayuru and check into your hotel. Relax for sometime and then visit Lamayuru Monastery.
Lamayuru: Situated on a drained lake the monastery at Lamayuru is known for its scenic beauty. The monastery is the oldest in Ladakh, dating before the 10th Century, and is built on a sacred Bon (the pre-Buddhist religion) site. Lamayuru used to be an asylum for criminals, though not any longer! is situated at a distance of approximately 127 km to the west of Leh. The legend associated with this monastery goes that at the time of Sakyamuni (the Historical Buddha), nags (holy serpents) used to live in a Lake at the present day Lamayuru's valley. It was the prediction of the Bodhisattva Madhyantaka that the lake would get drained out, making the place for the construction of a monastery. It is further believed that in 11th century, Mahasiddhacharya Naropa, Indian Buddhist scholar, meditated for many years in a cave in Dukhang, still seen today.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 6: Lamayuru- Likir and Alchi - Leh
Leave for Leh in the morning, via visiting Alchi and Likir Monasteries. These two monasteries are located near Saspol on the Srinagar-Leh road. They house many gigantic clay statue of Buddha in various forms. The primary attraction of these monasteries is , however, their 1000-year old wall painting which make a visit more than worthwhile.
Likir Gompa : The name Likir is a distortion of the word Klu-Kkhyil or "spirits of the water.This 14th Century monastery belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Sect. Also known as the Choes-kor or "religious enclave", the Alchi monastery was built in the 11th Century by a famous scholar, Rinchen Zangpo. The abandoned monastery is maintained by monks from the Likir Gompa. Founded in the 11th century and rededicated to a different monastic order in the 15th century, its earlier Gompa was destroyed in a fire. The present Gompa dated back to the 18th century. Skilled craftsmen producing excellent Thankas, earthen pots and carved wooden folding stools, live here in the village. Majestically situated, Likir commands a spectacular view. A magnificent giant Jupiter tree, one of the few survivors of its species, stands in the courtyard.
Alchi Gompa : Alchi has murals which predate the Tibetan style of painting, along with Tabo (Spiti Valley) and Phugtol Gompa (Zanskar Valley). The murals are the sole survivors of a style of painting prevalent in the first millennium. 70 Kms from Leh, on the banks of the Indus, is the Alchi Gompa dating a thousand years back. One of its walls features thousands of miniature sized pictures of the Buddha. Three large sized images made of clay and painted brightly are its focal attractions. No longer an active religious center, it is looked after by monks from the Liker monastery. This is the only monastery amongst 34 monasteries, which is not located on a hilltop.
Upon arrival, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 7: Leh
Proceed for the full day Sightseeing of Phiyang, Thiksey, Hemis & Stok Palace. In the evening watch a DANCES PROGRAM of the locals.
Phiyang Gompa : 17 Kms from Leh on the Leh-Kargil road, it looks like a huge palace from afar, build by Tashi Namgyal in the later half of the 16th century AD, it belongs to the Red Cap sect of Buddhists. Hundreds of icon of Buddha and other gods are kept on wooden shelves.
Thiksey Gompa : 19 Kms from Leh, spectacularly sited, Thiksey is one of the largest and architecturally most impressive Gompas. There are several temples in this Gompas, containing images, stupas and wall paintings of Buddha, which are exquisite.
Stok Palace & Museum : The palace of the banished royal family, Stok has a museum which displays fabulous period costumes and jewelry of the royalty along with exquisite Thankas representing the life style of Shakya Muni. Interesting historical objects like coins, armor, weapons, precious jades and porcelain too can be seen here.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 8: Leh
The whole day is dedicated to the shopping and to discover some interesting things about Ladakhi art and cultural by the visiting the Tibetan refugees camp Choklamsar, Library and Ecological Development etc.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 9: Leh -Hemis monastery- Tso Moriri Lake
Hemis Monastery :
This is biggest and the most important monastery in Ladakh. It is situated 49 kms to south of Leh, a little off the main Leh-Manali road. It was built in the 17th century by Chapgon Gyalshas and ever since has enjoyed the patronage of the royal family. Hemis is the headquater of the Drukpa order and all the monasteries throughout Ladakh are administered by it.
Shey Palace And Gompa :Situated on a hillock 15 Kms upstream from Leh, it was once the residence of the royal family. According to tradition, it was the seat of power of the pre-Tibetan kinds. A 7.5 mts high copper statue of Buddha, plated with gold and the largest of its kind, is installed here.
Also on the way to Hemis Gompa and 15 kms from Leh is the summer palace of the erstwhile, Raja of Leh, set upon a hill sitting Buddha wrought with copper and gold that leaves one lama before hand. Many chortens can be seen to the east of the monastery. After the Shey tourists reach to Leh, Main Centre of Ladakh. With the inhabitants of 50,000, Leh is located in small valley just the north of Indus valley.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 10: Around lake of Tsomoriri lake/ Tso Moriri Lake
Tso Moriri lake is situated in the middle of the elevated district of Rupso. It name is characteristic of its situation. Nestle in the midst of 20,000 feet, peals which completely shut the lake. A kilometres ahead is a picturesque village of Korzok consisting of about a hundred families. Visiting the monastery on the top of the village, belonging to the yellow sect and has about 35 resident monks. The night camp along the side of Lake. Six to seven kilometres at its widest point and over 130 kms long, their is another attraction of this lake is sight of eastern cranes and other migratory black necked cranes birds.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 11: Tsomoriri lake - Keylong
This morning after a leisurley breakfast drive to Kaylong, the capital and administrative center of Lahaul. Upon arrival, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 12: Keylong -Rohtang Pass- Manali
On the day 12 of your tour drive to Manali in the morning. Enroute visit Rohatang Pass 13,060 ft. around 51 km climb up to the Rohatang along a rough bridle path and once on top, enjoy the stunning panoramas of the array of snow peaks and glaciers. En route stop off at snow point a static point as it shifts with the snow.
Overnight: Hotel

Day 13: Manali
After breakfast depart for half-day sightseeing tour visiting famous Hadimba temple, Vashisht Baths, Buddhist monastery, Manu Temple and Naggar, Bazzar and old Manali. After visit return to hotel.
Overnight : Hotel

Day 14: Manali-Delhi
On the last day of your tour drive back to Delhi International airport to board flight for your onward destination to back home with sweet and unforgettable memories of your "Leh Ladakh tour" escorted by Vardhman Vacations.
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