Day 1: Better ‘Leh’t Than Never After your flight lands, we will make our way from the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport to our hotel in Leh. After checking in, you will do some hard-core resting. Since you have suddenly arrived at 11,500ft, your body is going to take some time to acclimatize. After a hearty lunch, we’ll familiarise ourselves with Leh and visit the Shanti Stupa, and Leh Palace. We will first visit the Shanti Stupa. This was built to celebrate 2500 years since the first Buddha attained enlightenment and started Buddhism. We will then visit the crown jewel of the erstwhile kingdom of Ladakh, the Leh Palace. This nine-storeyed royal residence was built in 1553! While the royal family had to escape and move to the Stok Palace in the late 1800s, the palace still towers over the town of Leh. It’s known for its ancient rammed-earth architecture and a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and rivers. A walk through the unchanged bylanes of the old city of Leh paints a beautiful picture of the past. We’ll get some time in the market before we regroup for dinner and get a good night’s rest. • Travel: 3 Hrs (Airport > Hotel | Hotel > Shanti Stupa > Leh Palace > Hotel) • Meals: Lunch and Dinner: Included • Stay: Leh Day 2: Alchi You Later! Our day begins with a journey to one of the oldest and well-maintained monasteries in Ladakh — The Alchi Monastery. Said to be built by Rinchen Gyalpo, also known as The Great Translator, this monastery holds a special place in Buddhist culture. On our way back to the capital, we will make a quick stop to see the Sangam of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. The second half of the day is going to be dedicated to walking about the historic little town of Leh. As an important stop on the erstwhile Silk Route, Leh was an important trade center and witnessed a vibrant multi-cultural past. While the bright and shiny new market has a great variety of things to buy, there are some rare jewels hidden in plain sight all around this ancient town. • Travel: 4 Hrs (Leh > Alchi > Leh Market) • Meals: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Leh Day 3: Don’t Be A Noob-bruh! We’re heading to Nubra Valley! We will of course make our way through the famous Khardung La. Located at a lower altitude than Leh, this valley is unique in many ways. To start with the most obvious, yes there are sand dunes here, at 10,000 feet above sea level. As you go deeper into Nubra Valley along the Shyok River, you enter the heavily disputed region of Baltistan. The last few villages in this valley were in Pakistan until the war of 1971. So as we approach this gorgeous oasis of green in the heart of the Himalayas, we get a glimpse of the history of Balti food, travel, and ingenious ancient practices. • Travel: 8 Hrs (Leh > Turtuk) • Meals: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Turtuk Day 4: A Toe In The Balti Scene A mere 10 km from Turtuk lies Thang — The last village in India. Thang is one of the twin villages of Frang (Fraono) and Thang. In 1971, the Indian army pushed back the Pakistani forces from the village of Bogdang. However, a ceasefire was called when they reached Thang, which split the village from its twin. This incident resulted in several families being separated on either side of the national border. We will travel to the last point that can be accessed from India and get a peak into Pakistan which is visible from across the Line Of Control. We will return to Turtuk and spend the day exploring the village on foot. Visit the Balti House and Heritage Museum to understand the ancient practices of the Balti people. We will also visit the natural cold storage room that Turtuk is famous for. We’ll spend the rest of the day frolicking in the fields and regroup for dinner and chillz. • Travel: 2 Hrs (Turtuk > Thang > Turtuk) • Meals included: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Turtuk Day 5: It’s Always Springtime Here We will start our journey outwards of Nubra Valley and visit the famous sand dunes at Hunder. Catch a glimpse of the double-humped Bactrian Camels. This is the only place you can see them in India. These creatures exist in the wild only in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. Our next stop will be Diskit Gompa. The huge Maitreya Buddha statue atop it, which was inaugurated by HH Dalai Lama is a thing of beauty! From the base of the statue, one can get a gorgeous panoramic view of the Nubra valley. We’ll check in to our hotel in Sumur and get a good night’s rest. • Travel: 4-5 Hrs (Turtuk > Hunder > Sumur) • Meals included: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Sumur Day 6: You Are Not Ready For This From Sumur, we start the long journey across the gorgeous Ladakhi landscapes and go to one of the most well-known places—Pangong Tso. While the journey is pretty long, nothing, and we mean nothing, can prepare you for the pure blue waters of this mystical lake. We’ll be by the lake till dark and then retire to our campsites for some well-deserved rest. It’s going to be a cold night, so it’s best to fill your stomach and tuck in before too much of your body heat escapes. • Travel: 5-6 Hrs (Sumur > Pangong Tso) • Meals included: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Pangong Day 7: The Long Road East We’ll now start our final leg of this expedition with a journey to the easternmost region of Ladakh. Before modern borders were drawn, the town of Hanle was an important stop on the route that connected Tibet to Ladakh. On our way, we’ll make a quick stop at the Rezang La War Memorial. We’ll get to the remote town of Hanle and retire to our homestay for the evening. • Travel: 5 Hrs (Pangong > Hanle) • Meals included: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Hanle Day 8: We’re Gonna Get High! Until recently, Khardung La, which we will take on day 3, held the record for being the world’s highest motorable road. From Hanle, we will take a trip to Umling La — the highest motorable road in the world. At a staggering 5,798 metres (19,024 ft), it is at a higher altitude than even the Mt. Everest base camp. After returning from the frigid high mountain pass, we make our way back to our homestay to rest a little. Evening at leisure to explore the beautiful landscape of Hanle. • Travel: 5-6 Hrs (Hanle > Umling La > Hanle) • Meals included: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Hanle Day 9: Leh Jayenge Back to base. After exploring the edges of Ladakh, we’re going to start our journey back to Leh. Enroute we drop by the beautiful Thiksey Monastery, which is the largest monastery in Central Ladakh. It’s also famous for its 49 ft tall statue of Maitreya Buddha in the lotus position, covering two floors of the monastery! Absorb the jaw-dropping landscapes and picturesque sceneries as they change throughout the journey. We’ll check in to our hotel for one last night. We’ll gather together for one last dinner. • Travel: 8-9 Hrs (Hanle > Leh) • Meals included: Breakfast and dinner • Stay: Leh Day 10: Homeward Bound After a good breakfast, we’ll board our vehicles one last time and go to the airport. • Travel: None • Meals included: Breakfast • Stay: N/A