Your Itinerary
Day 1 - Join trip in Delhi
Our tour starts today in Delhi, India's bustling capital city. The city has been the heart of numerous empires and dynasties over the centuries, from the Mughals to the British Raj, making Delhi as it stands today a rich patchwork of cultures.
For those arriving on time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 4pm for a welcome meeting. The rest of the day is yours to get to grips with Delhi's wonderful chaos.
If you'd like an airport transfer, please plan to arrive at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), located around 18km (40 minutes) from our hotel.
Day 2 - Early morning flight over the Himalayas to Leh. Afternoon to acclimatise
We have an early start this morning as we make our way back to the airport for our flight to Leh.
Leh, once an important stop on the Silk Road, is a charming town of around 8,000 people, nestled at 3,500 metres above sea level. Summers here are dry and sunny, while nights can be chilly. The town's Tibetan heritage is deeply preserved, reflected in its culture and traditions. The rest of the day has been purposely kept free to give you some time to acclimatise to the altitude.
For those who are feeling up to it, our tour leader might lead a short orientation walk through Leh's local market this evening.
Day 3 - Spend a day watching the masked dances at the Daktok Festival
Today we'll spend the day at the annual Daktok Festival. Translated as 'Rock Roofed Cave', there's a small cave deep inside the monastery said to have been a meditation spot for Guru Rimpoche. The festival is attended by thousands of pilgrims, and we'll join them in listening to traditional long horns and drummers, whose music is believed to remove ignorance. We'll also get to watch the monks perform their scared chham, traditional dances to ward off evil spirits.
Day 4 - Visit the Indus Valley Monasteries. Ladakhi lunch with a local family at their 200-year old home
The predominant faith of the residents here is the Lamaistic form of Buddhism in Tibet. This can be seen in the architecture of the monastery (gompa), as well as in the extraordinary number of gods and demons that give order to daily life in the community.
Today we'll have a full day of sightseeing to visit the Thiksey Monastery, Shey Palace and Stok Buddha statue.
Thiksey Gompa is located 19 kilometres/12 miles outside of Leh and is famed for its multi-level structure rising from the hillside. It's home to a 15-metre/49-foot-high statue of Maitreya Buddha which was built to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama in 2016. The statue is made entirely from locally crafted copper and gilded with gold - its privileged position gives a panoramic view of Stok village.
In the afternoon, we'll head to Stok village for lunch at Gyab Thago Heritage Home, a beautifully preserved 200-year-old house that has belonged to the same family for six generations. Today, it serves as both a living museum and a charming guesthouse. We'll sit down for a traditional vegetarian meal, tasting local favourites such as momos (steamed dumplings), chutagi (a hearty Ladakhi soup), and barley tea.
Alternatively, if you can also spend today enjoying a second day at the festival under your own arrangements.
Day 5 - Drive to Alchi via Gurudwara Pathar Sahib historic Sikh shrine
This morning we'll leave Leh as we head west to Alchi via Pathar Sahib, a Sikh place of worship or gurudwara. The journey between Leh and Alchi is expected to take approximately two hours, excluding stops.
On arrival, we'll visit the historic Alchi Gompa. Alchi is renowned for its magnificent Kashmiri Buddhist artwork which dates from an earlier period and is quite different from the other frescos in Ladakh. Located on the south bank of the Indus River, Alchi sits at 3,100 metres above sea level.
The rest of the afternoon has been left free for you to explore independently or relax at the hotel.
Day 6 - Explore Lamayuru, otherwise known as the Moonland of Ladakh
This morning, we'll head out on a scenic drive to Lamayuru Monastery, Ladakh's oldest and most picturesque gompas, dramatically perched on a cliffside about 56 kilometres/35 miles from Alchi. The journey will take approximately one to two hours each way, excluding stops along the way.
Before reaching the village, we'll pause for photos at the area's famous 'lunar landscape ' - an otherworldly stretch of eroded rock formations that resemble the surface of the moon.
At Lamayuru, we'll explore the monastery complex and its ancient temples adorned with beautiful murals and prayer halls steeped in centuries of Buddhist tradition. After some time to wander and take in the views, we'll begin our return journey to Alchi.
On the way back, we'll stop at Tingmosgang Palace Monastery, once an important royal residence, offering sweeping views of the surrounding valley. A little further along, we'll visit the peaceful Ridzong Chulichan Nunnery, tucked quietly into a gorge - a serene spot where Gelugpa Buddhist nuns devote their days to prayer and meditation.
Day 7 - Drive to the Nubra Valley via Khardung La Pass (5,602m)
We'll have an early breakfast before setting out on the drive to Nubra Valley, crossing the famous Khardung La Pass, one of the highest motorable roads in the world at 5,602 metres/18,379 feet. The journey takes around six hours, with a short stop at the pass to take in the mountain views and snap a few photos. As we descend into the Nubra Valley, the scenery changes from rocky slopes to a greener landscape dotted with small villages and fields.
Upon arrival in Diskit, we'll visit the 33-metre/110-foot-high statue of the Maitreya (or Future Buddha) which sits high above the valley looking out over the mountains. After our visit, we'll continue on to Hunder village, situated at 3,050 metres above sea level, and check into our hotel.
This evening, for those who are keen to explore, there's an optional visit to Hunder sand dunes, famous for its incredible scenery and its two-humped Bactrian camels, descendants of those who once used the Silk Route.
Day 8 - Half-day hike between Hunder and Diskit villages. Enjoy a local family lunch and butter tea
After breakfast this morning, we'll set off on a half-day hike from Hunder to Diskit village. We'll crisscross our way through silvery sand dunes to reach Diskit village. Diskit is one of the main administrative villages in Nubra Valley and we'll sit down here for lunch with a local family where we'll try butter tea.
Known as gur gur cha, butter tea is a traditional Himalayan drink made from yak butter, salt and strong black tea. Popular amongst the locals in the Ladakh region, this delicious tea is thought to keep you warm and hydrated.
We'll also spend some time visiting Diskit's local market before returning to Hunder by vehicle.
This afternoon has been left free for you to unwind on your last day in the Nubra Valley. For those who still have a little energy to spare, you might like to take a walk around Hunder village.
Today's hike is mainly on the flat for around 7km/4miles, should take around 3 hours, and we have graded it as easy.
Day 9 - Drive to Leh via Daktok Monastery and Wari La Pass (5,312m)
Today, we'll take a different route on our full day drive back to Leh, across the Shyok River before ascending to Wari La Pass at an altitude of 5,312 meters/17,429 feet. From there, we'll descend to join the main road at Karu and drive along the Indus River back to Leh. This is a lesser travelled route and on the way we visit Daktok Monastery. If the group wants to, we can also visit Chemday Monastery.
Day 10 - Fly to Delhi and explore the city
Today, we'll take an early morning flight to Delhi and transfer to our hotel. After checking in, we'll head out on a city tour to see some of the main sights of New and Old Delhi. The Indian capital is something of a phoenix rising again and again out of its own ruins. New Delhi was the creation of the British Raj in the 1930s and on our tour, we'll see the President's Palace, Lok Sabha (Parliament), India Gate and the Rajpath. We'll then continue to Old Delhi and its energetic hub - the Chandni Chowk Bazaar, a jamboree of deafening barter. A short rickshaw ride will take us to the Jama Masjid Mosque, passing by the Red Fort en route.
Day 11 - Tour ends in Delhi
Our tour ends this morning at our hotel in Delhi.
There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).
