Itinerary

Day 1, MANALI

Manali is based around one street, the Mall, which is effectively a continuation of the highway that runs into town. The Mall has become an overcrowded area but the old charm remains in Old Manali and the nearby village of Vashisht, famous for its sweeping valley views and sulphurous hot-water springs. Try to visit the Hadimba temple, built in the unique Himachal style, in four tiers of aged wood with a pagoda-like roof.

Stay at Negi’s Mayflower

Day 2, MANALI TO JISPA

From Manali the highway runs north along the left bank of the Beas through small settlements till the road starts climbing sharply, affording beautiful views of coniferous hillsides and meadows. When the road climbs above the last seasonal settlement, the landscape suddenly changes as trees end here. Above this line, snow covers the area for up to eight months of the year. The road further climbs through a series of tight hairpins to the Rohtang Pass. From the pass you get spectacular views of precipitous cliffs, deep ravines, large glaciers and moraines. From here the road continues to Keylong, the principal town of the district of Lahul.

Stay at Ibex Hotel

Day 3, JISPA TO LEH

Today you journey continues through one of the most desolate areas of the country. After Darcha, the road climbs to a major pass, the Baralacha La, followed by the Lachulung La, and then onto an incredible 45-km long flat section - the Moray Plains. This remarkable sandy flat stretch is flanked by snow peaks in the distance and scrub covered hillocks nearby. The blue of the skies above is a vivid contrast to the almost monochromatic landscape. The next obstacle to tackle is the highest pass on this road - Tangla La (17,500 ft), after which the Leh Valley unfolds majestically. You finally reach the city of Leh with the dramatic backdrop of mountains, snow peaks and fortress-like monasteries.

Stay at Kang La Chen for three nights

Day 4, LEH

Leh is dominated by the nine storey Palace, a building in the grand tradition of Tibetan architecture, said to have inspired the famous Potala in Lhasa, which was built half a century later. Leh also has a colourful bazaar with shops selling curios and jewellery, including many Tibetan handicrafts. Today is a free day so you can take it easy and acclimatise to the high altitude. Do not overexert yourself, rest and keep drinking a lot of water.

Day 5, LEH

Time to explore the Indus Valley gompas of Shey, Thikse & Hemis. Shey is the oldest of the three monasteries and is not in regular use. The monastery contains a two story high statue of the Buddha seated in meditation. Up ahead is the twelve story 800 year old Thikse Gompa. This is a good place to witness religious ceremonies. It’s a magical moment when the monks say their prayers amidst mystical chanting, the ringing of bells, the clashing of cymbals, and the blowing of horns. The Hemis monastery is the biggest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh. Colourful flags flutter in the breeze from the four pillars in the courtyard.

Day 6, ONWARDS FROM LEH

Today your tour ends after breakfast. You can either fly back to Delhi or extend your stay in Ladakh by adding the Ladakh Trek. This short introduction to trekking in Ladakh is considered to be one of the easiest in Ladakh as it is at relatively low altitude whilst the walking is fairly gentle with plenty of time to enjoy the views.