Classic Leh-Ladakh with Srinagar 8D/7N - 8 Days

Board the morning flight to Kushok Bakula Rimpochee airport in Ladakh. This scenic flight takes about an hour and a half and it is for sure the most spectacular flight in India with unforgettable views of the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas. Upon reaching the airport, transfer to Leh city centre and check into your hotel. Leh is at an elevation of 3,500 metres above sea level so you need to drink water and avoid any strenuous activity on the first day while your body acclimates to the change of atmospheric pressure due to the high altitude. Try typical Ladakhi food at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, take a stroll through the twisting pathways of the picturesque old town. Its streets echo the stories of the past. The guided walking tour arranged by LAMO (Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation) is a great way to discover this historic site. Northeast of the old town is the Leh Palace, a large mud-brick complex with 9 storeys. It was constructed by the king of Ladakh in the early 17th century. It is worth climbing to the palace’s roof for a good view of the city and its surroundings. Then, head to Namgyal Tsemo gompa which was built in 1430. The monastery is spectacularly located atop a rocky crag and it is visible from anywhere in Leh. The next destination is the Shanti Stupa, a famous Japanese peace pagoda that was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1991. It is located on a hilltop high above Leh and it offers stunning vistas of Leh city and the surrounding mountains, making it a famous viewpoint for sunset. In the evening, go back to the Main Bazar where you can experience the hustle and bustle of the Ladakhi market or just sit on a bench and do people watching. In the same area, you can visit the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in Ladakh. Near the State Bank of India building, the Gompa Soma is a quiet temple in the heart of Leh, the headquarters of the Ladakh Buddhist Association are also located within the complex.

Have a delicious dinner and an overnight stay aboard the hotel in Leh.

This day tour from Leh includes the visit to major palaces and monasteries of Ladakh which are all located within 45 km south-east of Leh town, along the Indus valley. Start the day with the visit to Stok palace. This four-storey fortified structure was built in 1820 and the Ladakhi royal family still lives here today. Within the palace, there is an interesting museum displaying crowns, dresses and jewellery of the kings and queens of Ladakh. Then, head to Stakna monastery which is spectacularly located at the top of a rocky peak on the left bank of the Indus river. Next, drive to Hemis monastery which is known as the largest and richest gompa in Ladakh. The monastery has many shrines and temples, one of them houses an 8m-high statue of Guru Padmasambhava. Every year, Hemis Tsechu, one the most important monastic festivals of Ladakh, takes place in the gompa’s courtyard. The next destination is Thiksey. You can have your lunch in Hemis, Thiksey, or in one of the roadside restaurants in Kharu. Thiksey monastery, built in the 15th century, has an impressive architecture which reminds of the Potala palace in Lhassa. Inside, you can admire the fascinating 14m-high statue of Maitreya Buddha in an intricately jewelled headdress. Before heading back to Leh, visit Shey palace which was used as a summer palace by the kings of Ladakh until the mid-19th century. Inside the palace, a temple enshrines a magnificent 12m-tall copper statue of Shakyamuni Buddha with a peaceful gold-painted face.

Today, set off for the Nubra valley crossing the world’s highest motorable mountain pass of Khardung La at 5,602 metres altitude from where you can enjoy the striking panoramic view of the Karakoram mountain range. The enchanting Nubra valley which is known as the “valley of flowers” lies at an average elevation of 3,100 metres and combines desert landscapes and fertile fields watered by the Shayok and Nubra rivers. Directly above the village, the Diskit monastery was built in the 15th century by the Gelugpa order. It is the largest gompa in Nubra. Nearby, there is a recently-constructed 32-metre-high statue of Maitreya Buddha facing the Shayok river. The small village of Hunder is located just 10 km from Diskit. Here you can find hotels, guesthouses and homestays.

Near the village, hike across the rolling Hunder sand dunes or go for a camel ride. This area is home to Bactrian camels which were brought from the Gobi desert in Mongolia when Hunder was a stopping point for the caravans travelling on the old Silk Road between Central Asia and India. Then, head to Sumur, a pretty village overlooking the Nubra river and visit the Samstanling monastery before going back to Leh.

One cannot leave Ladakh without visiting the magnificent Pagong lake (Pangong Tso) located in the east part of Ladakh at the India-China border, at an elevation of 4,250m. During this day trip to Pangong lake, you will drive on some of the country’s most remote and scenic mountain roads. The mighty Chang La pass is the third-highest drivable mountain pass in the world with an altitude of 5,360m. Tangtse village is located just after the pass and you can stop there for a tea break. From Tangtse, you need to drive another 35 km and you will be rewarded with the fantastic sight of the beautiful turquoise blue Pangong lake. The 140-km-long saltwater lake stretches from Ladakh into Tibet, only 30% of its length lies in India. Pangong lake is home to flocks of migratory birds such as bar-headed geese and brahmini ducks. On the way back to Leh, you should stop and visit Chemrey monastery near Sakti. The gompa located 45 km from Leh at the top of a hillock was built in the 17th century in memory of the king Sengge Namgyal. One of the temples enshrines a two-story-high statue of Guru Padmasambhava (who is regarded as the founder of the Tibetan Buddhism).

After breakfast, start your 2-day road trip to Srinagar. From Leh, following the Indus river to the west, stop at the Sikh place of worship Gurdwara Pathar Sahib and at the mysterious Magnetic Hill where you can witness your car with engine turned off and in neutral gear starting moving uphill against gravity… Strong magnetic force from the hill or optical illusion? A few kilometres further, Sangam (the confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers) is arguably one of the most amazing viewpoints in Ladakh. Visit Basgo monastery and Likir monastery before reaching Alchi village where you can have lunch in one of the garden restaurants. After lunch, visit Alchi monastery which enshrines some of the most outstanding murals in India. Then, head to Lamayuru, a picturesque village dominated by a photogenic monastery. The moon-like landscape around the village is known as “moonland”. After a short visit to the 8-metre-high Chamba statue carved into the rock face at Mulbek, drive to Kargil where you will spend the night. Conveniently situated halfway between Leh and Srinagar, Kargil is the second largest town in Ladakh after Leh, the majority of the 11,000 inhabitants are Muslim.

This morning head to Zoji La pass. At an altitude of 3,528 metres, this mountain pass connects Ladakh and Kashmir valley. At the end of a long drive via Sonamarg, you reach Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir with 1.2 million inhabitants. In Srinagar, you should not miss the visit to the Mughal gardens and the fabulous Dal Lake where you can hire a “shikara” (colourful wooden boat). Spending the night on the lake on a houseboat is an experience of a lifetime.

Have breakfast, check out from the hotel.
You will then be dropped off at your desired location in Srinagar.
This concludes your family tour package of Kashmir with unforgettable memories.