Expedition to Ladakh

Expedition to Ladakh

Tour Amount:-Rs.900

7 Days - A Remote and Splendid Land

Season : March to November
Best time : May to August

Located cheek by jowl with the stunning environs of the wild expanses of the Tibetan Plateau the isolated moonscape splendour of Ladakh leaves visitors with a host of memorable experiences.

A land of mystery and folk lore, of Silk Route legends and ancient villages perched high above gushing rivers. Ladakh and its remote Zanskar region, scattered amongst the glorious Trans Himalayan expanses, will endlessly engage the visitor with its dramatic natural scenery, its Buddhist gompas with their painted murals and beautiful icons and its wild landscape rich in promise of adventure activities and cultural experiences. 
With the fall of the rst great Tibetan empire, the kingdom of Tibet was, in 1020, split up amongst the three brothers of the ruling clan. One of the brothers moved into the southern region of the Tibetan Plateau and occupied the wild expanses of Ladkah. With him he brought the rich cultural elements of Tibetan Buddhism which slowly amalgamated with the local Bon religion. Many of the old local shrines were converted to Buddhist monasteries. To counter a Tibetan-Mongolian invasion its ruler Deldan Namgyal (ca 1620-1660) appealed to Kashmir for help. The invasion was stopped but from that time forward Ladakh was to come under the sway of the great Mughal rulers of India. Today this harsh but dramatic land, with Leh as its capital, is the base of exciting adventure activities such as trekking, rafting, jeep tours and bird watching. Its monasteries, a repository of ancient art and scriptures, draw culture enthusiasts from around the globe.

ITINERARY
Day 1 - Arrive Delhi.
Day 2 - Delhi / Leh - Fly to Leh (11,500ft/3,521m) Rest and acclimatisation.
Day 3 - Leh - Today is at leisure in Leh. Rest and acclimatisation.
Day 4 - Leh - Morning excursion to Spituk and Phyang Monastery. Afternoon free. 
Day 5 - Leh - Morning excursion south of Leh. Shey, Thiksey and Hemis Monasteries. 
Day 6 - Leh - Khardong La Pass.
Day 7 - Leh/Delhi - Morning transfer to airport for flight back to Delhi.

SUGGESTED ADAPTATIONS TO THIS TOUR:
Pangong Lake : with overnight camping. This beautiful Trans-Himalayan expanse of brackish water, located at an altitude of 4350 m, north east of Leh is accessed by the Changlang Pass (5486m). Pangong Tso is 5/6 km wide and over 144 km long, with half of it running along the other side of the Indo-China borderlands. The stark mountains act as a backdrop to the ever-changing colours of the iridiscent lake. Along the way are a string of remote villages and shepherd enclaves set against a stunning landscape.

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Jeep Safari : with camping. A jeep safari is the perfect option for a relaxed and fullling exploration of Ladakh and Zanskar. Royal Expeditions has access to a eet of well maintained jeeps and our drivers are expert and knowledgeable about the terrain and region you will be visiting. All our Jeep safaris take you to heights of 4,500 m/14,000 feet and above.

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1) Changthang Jeep Safari : 3 Days Leh-Chumathang hot springs- Tso Moriri Lake -Tso Kar Lake -Tanglangla-Rumtse-Leh; From Leh we head for Changthang plains and the fabulous shores of Tso Moriri - the 20-km long Trans-Himalayan lake marked by the ancient village of Karzok at its northern end. The brackish Tso Kar further along features miniature crystallised salt hills on its shoreline. Both lakes attract a vast amount of birdlife. Look out for Changpa nomads who roam this region grazing their sheep.

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4) Nubra Jeep Safari : (4 Days) Leh - Khardung La-Diskit Gompa- Stamsaling Gompa- Leh. North of Leh lies the beautiful Nubra Valley, a trekkers paradise. It can be accessed by Khardung La, the highest motorable pass in the world at 5602m. Nubra once fell along the caravan route to Central Asia. It is also home to the rare double humped Bactrian camel which along with sturdy horses was used on these long caravan journeys.

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5) Zanskar Jeep Safari : (7 Days) Leh-Rangdum-Karsha over Pensi La 4400m - Zangla Castle & Stongde Gompa-Bardan Gompa - Sani - Parkachik - Mulbekh - Leh. For almost eight months of the year snow keeps the remote, but dramatic landscape of Zanskar isolated from the rest of the country. Stretching between two great Himalayan ranges this hidden kingdom follows Buddhist traditions. Your safari takes you past the beautiful Sham and the Suru valley in the shadow of the twin Nun-Kun massif. Crossing the Pensi La (4400m) you will encounter views of the Drang Drung glacier. Located in this region are the Buddist monasteries of Karsha, Zangla, Stongde and Bardan.

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*Snow Leopard Trek 6 days 7 nights in Hemis National Park - Rumbok Valley. Look forward to an exhilarating experience of treks and homestays in this remote land. The Himalayan Homestay programme of Ladkah is an award winning experience. It is an innovative community-based ecotourism programme spearheaded by the UNESCO project partners in Ladakh , Snow Leopard Conservancy, a winner of the Global Vision Awards 2005 (www.travelandleisure.com/globalvision) in recognition for its exceptionally farsighted programme that links tourism with conservation through culturally and environmentally friendly homestays.