Day 01: Arrive Delhi

Arrive Delhi, meet & greet with our office representative. Assistance and transfer to hotel. Day free for personal activities.

Overnight at hotel.

Delhi: Perhaps there is no other capital city in the world so steeped in history and legend as the Indian capital, Delhi. It was the magnet that drew the Mongols, Turks, Persians, Afghans, Mughals and finally the British. All of whom contributed to its glorious but turbulent history.

Day 02: Delhi – Srinagar

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to domestic airport to board flight for Srinagar. On arrival transfer to the hotel / houseboat.

Afternoon Shikara ride on the Dal lake, visiting floating and vegetable gardens.

Overnight at hotel / Houseboat.

Day 03: Srinagar

Breakfast at hotel. Sightseeing of the Mughal gardens, visiting Nishat Bagh: built by Asaf Khan, the brother -in- law of Jehangir in 1632 A.D., and Shalimar Bagh: built by Jehangir for his wife empress Nur Jahan. All the gardens are situated on the banks of the Dal Lake with the Zabarwan hills in the background. Late Afternoon visit Shankaracharya Temple: perched on the hilltop with lovely views of the valley & old city.

Overnight at hotel / Houseboat.

Day 04: Srinagar – Gulmarg (56 kms/2hrs approx)

Breakfast at hotel, full day excursion to Gulmarg (The Meadow of the Flowers). Gulmarg located at the altitude of 9,000 ft, also famous As Lovers paradise. Gulmarg is one of the most beautiful Summer Resorts in the Valley. It is also popular for its Golf Course in the summer and it is one of the best Winter Ski –slopes in the world. Enjoy the splendor of nature and Snowing Mountains. A cable car ride on Gondola will take you to the Majestic height of 13,000 ft above sea level covering the magnificent views of Himalayan Mountains and Pirpanjal ranges. You can also enjoy a wiew of Nanga Parbat if the weather permits.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 05: Gulmarg – Pahalgam (142 kms/4-5hrs approx)

Breakfast at hotel, drive to Pahalgam the Valley of Shepherds 7,000 ft. above sea level. On the way visit the famous Saffron growing fields and Awantipur Ruins (1100 years old temple of lord Vishnu build by King Awantivarman), enjoy the beautiful countryside on the way. Drive through the pine forest. On arrival check-in at hotel. Rest day free for personal activities.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 06: Pahalgam – Srinagar (96kms / 3hrs approx)

Breakfast at hotel, visit Chandanwari, Aru on ponies. Drive to Srinagar. Check in at hotel / Houseboat.

Rest time free for personal activities.

Overnight at hotel / houseboat.

Day 07: Srinagar – Sonmarg – Kargil (220 kms/7-8hrs approx)

Breakfast at hotel, drive to Kargil. Enroute visit Sonamarg.

Sonamarg lies in Sindh Valley strewn with flower and surrounded by mountains. Sonamarg is also the base for some interesting treks to high altitude Himalayan lakes. Continue drive to Kargil (2650 m). Over crossing Zojila pass (3530m), Kargil the second town of Ladakh, is situated on the Suru river just short of its confluence with the Drass-Shingo. Arrive Kargil and check-in to hotel.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

Day 08: Kargil – Leh (230 kms/7-8hrs approx)

Breakfast at hotel, drive to Leh (3505m) over crossing Namika la 3720m and Fotula 4100m. En route visit “Yangdrung” (Swastika) gompa- known to be the oldest monastery in Ladakh. Continue drive to Leh. Arrive Leh & check-in to hotel.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

Day 09: Leh

Breakfast at hotel, city tour visit, the impressive Leh Palace: built in the 17th century, Tsemo Castle and the monastery from where you can catch magnificent view of the entire Leh town, then take a short drive to Shanti Stupa: (Japanese Pagoda), built for the world peace & harmony. Drive 7 km to Spituk and visit the Spituk Monastery: founded in 11th century, followed by Spituk visit the Phyang Gompa: belongs to the Red Hat sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Later return to the hotel for lunch afternoon at leisure.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Leh

Breakfast at hotel, sightseeing in the Indus Valley: visit Shey Palace: The old ‘Summer Palace’ of the kings of Ladakh was built about 550 years ago by Lhachen Palgyigon, the first king of Ladakh. It stands next to the remains of a larger construction on the east side of a hill, which runs south-east towards the Indus. From the palace you can see over the fertile Indus plain northeast to Thikse Gompa and over the Indus to the Zanskar mountain range. The old Shey Palace has the largest golden Buddha statue in Ladakh in its gompa. The statue is worked out of gold and glided copper sheets, stands 12 meters high and has blue hair, King Dalden Namgyal erected it in the middle of the 17th century. The most important moment in the construction of such a figure is when the eyes are painted in and the statue can ‘see’. No artist or monk would dare to look the Buddha in the eye so the pupils are painted over the artist’s shoulder, with his back to the idol.

Thikse Gompa: The 500 – year old Thikse monastery, perched on a hill high above the Indus, has the largest contingent of monks in Ladakh. On the right of the entrance to the main courtyard a new chapel houses an enormous 15 M high seated Buddha figure. About 100 yellow – cap monks belong to the gompa. If you get there by 0630 AM you can witness the daily morning prayers but there are also prayers closer to noon, preceded by long, mournful sounds from the long Tibetan horns on the roof.

Hemis Gompa: Hemis Gompa is famous far beyond the borders of Ladakh for its festival. This takes place every year with mask dances on the 9th to 11th day of the fifth Tibetan month. Hemis also has a gigantic thangka, one of the largest in the world, which is only displayed to the public every 12 years at the Hemis Festival. Hemis Gompa is the largest and one of the most important in Ladakh quite apart from its annual festival. It was founded about 350 years ago by Stagtshang Rinchen, who was invited to Ladakh by King Singe Namgyal.

Dinner & overnight at hotel in Leh.

Day 11: Leh – Alchi (70 kms/2hrs approx)

Breakfast at hotel, short drive to Alchi enroute visit Likir Gompa. Arrive and check in the guest house. After lunch visit Alchi Choskor: (Religious Enclave), the 1000 year old gompa was built by a great monk & translator Lotsava Rinchen Zansgpo. The gompa is famous for rare fresco paintings and Kashmiri style woods carvings.

Evening visit the charming Alchi village and the spectacular monastery, with beautiful Kashmiri style paintings. Evening free or take a gentle walk along the mighty River Indus.

Dinner & overnight at hotel in Alchi.

Day 12: Alchi - Leh

Breakfast at hotel, drive to Leh. Check in at hotel.

Afternoon excursion to Stok: 16kms. Crossing the Indus rive, visit to the imposing Stok Palace, built in the mid 19th century after the King was dethroned by the Dogra forces and forced to vacate the Leh Palace.

On way back to Leh en route visit Tibetan Refugee village.

Dinner & overnight at hotel in Leh.

Day 13: Leh - Khardungla Pass – Leh (58kms / 2hrs one way)

Breakfast at hotel, full day excursion to Khardongla pass (5600 Mtrs) the world’s highest motorable road. The road then passes through a bridge laid on Glacier, which finds its way in Guiness book of world records. The views from the top are spectacular; extending, to the south, across the Indus Valley to the seemingly endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range. To the north, the views of the mighty peaks of the Saser Massif are amazing.

Evening back to Leh

Dinner & overnight at Hotel in Leh.

Day 14: Leh – Delhi (flight)

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi.

Arrive Delhi transfer to hotel, check in. Rest day free for personal activities.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 15: Delhi – Home country

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to International Airport for flight to your home country.

TOUR END

BON – VOYAGE