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KASHMIR
Day 1: Arrival in Delhi
You will be met at the airport and transferred to hotel.
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Day 2: Fly from Delhi to Srinagar
Transfer to deluxe Houseboats. This afternoon, a Shikara ride on Dal lake passing through the small canals to see the local life, ancient houses and agricultural fields.
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Day 3-4: Srinagar - Pahalgam - Srinagar
Embark on an excursion to the oldest part of Srinagar city visiting Jamia Masjid, Shahi Hamdan Mosque, and walking through the decorated old bazaar. Visit the renown Mughal Gardens. Full day excursion to Pahalgam, the Vale of Kashmir, on the way, we visit Saffron fields, Avantipur ruins and Anantnag Sulphur Spring.
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Ladakh
Day 5: Fly to Leh
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Leh AI 477 departs 10:20 am, arrives 11:15 am (subject to change). On arrival transfer to the hotel. Rest of the morning is free to acclimate.
This afternoon visit the town of Leh, a fascinating labyrinth of winding streets and quaint bazaars
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Day 6: Leh - Shey - Thiskse - Hemis - Leh
We start with a visit of Shey Palace and Thikse Gompa. Shey, built in 1645 as a summer residence for the kings of Ladakh, is the oldest palace in Ladakh. Hemis is one of the largest and richest gompas of Ladakh.
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Day 7: Leh-Lamayuru-Uletokpo
Start with a visit to Lamayuru Monastery, the oldest in Ladakh. It is believed to have been a sacred site for the pre-Buddhist religion called Bon.
Afternoon, we drive to Ule Ethnic Resort (1 hour), one of the most beautiful camps in the Ladakh region. The rooms have attached bathrooms with running hot and cold water. The cottages are solar heated
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Day 8: Uletokpo-Alchi-Likir-Phyang-Leh
A short 15-20 min drive to Alchi Monastry (18 km) - said to be the oldest and most well-known. The monastery is approximately 1000 years old and a temple called Dhu-Kang dates back to 11th century or 12th century. Some of the houses here are well preserved Indo-Himalayan style with magnificent wall paintings.
We continue our drive to Likri Gompa, one of the most well maintained and wealthiest monasteries in Ladakh. Around 100 monks reside here.
Further we’ll drive 40 km/approx. 1 hr, to Phyang, a monastery, giving an appearance of a palace standing atop a hill. Mani walls lead to the little -
visited gompa, which was built around the 16th century by king Tashi Namgyal and is today home to about 45 monks of the Kagyupa order.
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Day 9: Leh-Hundar
This morning drive to Hundar in Nubra Valley over the Khardung-la (18,380 ft) the highest motor-able road in the world. Nubra Valley is north of Leh sandwiched between the Karakoram Mountains to the north and the Ladakh range to the south.
The villages of Nubra valley are scattered along these two valley floors. This is a beautiful region that once formed a part of the Silk route into Afghanistan.
Continue to Hunder village.
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Day 10: Hundar-Diskit-Sumur-Hundar
Full day excursion to Diskit Village and Monastery.
Early departure, 6:30 am, driving 14 km to Diskit Village. Founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo in the 14th century, Diskit Monastery is situated on the hill, on its right bank in Diskit village. The
monastery is one of the highest points near the villages belonging to yellow sect. It has 120 resident monks.
We aim to reach the monastery in time to witness the morning prayer ceremony that starts at 7 am.
Return to Hundar for breakfast. Afterwards, we drive one hour to Sumur (44 km) & visit the Samstaling Monastery, an important Buddhist shrine located the picturesque Nubra Valley.
This afternoon visit Hundar village. Relax after the early rising.
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Day 11: Hundar - Leh
Return to Leh. Afternoon free for independent activities.
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Day 12: Leh: Excursion to Stok & Choglamsar
This morning visit Stok palace, museum and monastery. Stok Palace is the only inhabited palace in Ladakh. One of the large halls in the palace is converted into a museum. There is a superb collection of thankas, said to be the best in the world. Some of them have been created out of pure gold and paints made of crushed semiprecious stones. Also of interest are royal crowns, coins, antique ritual objects, ceremonial sword, precious stones and traditional head dresses worn by Ladakhi women antique robes and royal jewelry, specially noted for the turquoise and red coral. The collection also includes artillery and animal skins.
Stok Monastery (Gompa), one of the renown gompas of Leh, used to be the royal residence. Stok Gompa belongs to yellow– hat sect of Buddhism. The entrance veranda has beautiful mural paintings of the guardians of the four directions. The main assembly hall is decorated with thangkas and banners. The courtyard at Stok Gompa consists of a large number of prayer wheels. Founded in 14th c, it is located above Stok Palace.
This afternoon we drive to Choglamsar (8 km) to visit the residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama & the site of Kalachakra 2014 in Ladakh. We will also visit the Tibetan SOS village (Tibetan Govt in exile and their projects for the Tibetan children), meet the chief representative and hear him speak about Tibetan refugees and their spiritual practices.
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Day 13: Fly to Delhi & Depart
Trasnfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Transfer to hotel for late night flight home.
