DAY 01. ARRIVE DELHI Arrive
Delhi. You will be met on arrival outside the customs enclosure and escorted
till your check In. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 02. DELHI -
LEH BY AIR Morning in time transfer to airport to connect flight
for Leh. On arrival you will be met by local representative and escorted
till hotel. This day relax for the balance day to acclimatize.
Evening visit Shanti Stupa and Sankar.
SANKAR GOMPA &
VILLAGE: A relatively modern monastery, it is closely associated with
the Spituk monastery and served as the residence of the late head
priest-Kushak Bakula. A number of gold icons are to be found here.
SHANTI STUPA (Japanese Peace Pagoda): Shanti Stupa/Japanese peace pagoda
is build by a Japanese religious organization headed by Head monk Nakamura
with the help from the organization and local people. Overnight.
DAY 03. IN LEH Morning sightseeing of Shey Palace and Stok Palace
museum. Hot lunch at the hotel and later in the evening visit the Leh
Palace.
SHEY PALACE AND GOMPA: Situated on a hillock 15
Kms upstream from Leh, it was once the Residence of the royal family. A 7.5
Mts. high copper statue of Buddha, plated with gold and the largest of its
kind, is installed here.
STOK PALACE & MUSEUM: The
palace of the banished royal family, Stok has a museum which Displays
fabulous period costumes and jewelry of the royalty along with exquisite
Thankas represents the life style of Shakya Muni.
LEH PALACE
(NAMGYAL TSEMO): King Gragspa Bum-Lde built the "Red Gompa"
known as Tsemo Gompa in 1430 AD. The monument has three-storied Maitriya
Buddha's statue and a one-storied statue of Avaloketesvara and Manjushri.
The Tsemo Sungbum Chenmo (sacred text) was written in gold and silver,
Tisuru Stupa consist of 108 temples, which were remarkable works done in the
reign of king Graspa-Bum-Lde.
Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 04. IN LEH Early morning drive from Leh to Thiksey monastery to
meet with the Morning Prayer ceremony At 6 am. Witness the ceremony
performed by several monks. After the ceremony drive to Hemis Monastery.
Visit Hemis monastery and drive back to Leh. Hot lunch at hotel. Post lunch
drive to Sabu village to visit the famous Oracle of Sabu who heals peoples
the "Shaman" way.
THIKSEY GOMPA: 19 Kms from
Leh, spectacularly sited, Thiksey is one of the largest and architecturally
most impressive Gompas. There are several temples in this Gompas, containing
images, stupas and wall paintings of Buddha, which are exquisite.
HEMIS GOMPA: 40 Kms from Leh, it is the wealthiest, best known and
biggest Gompa of Ladakh. Its popularity stems from the major annual festival
held here in summer. The festival is in honor of Guru Padma Sambhava's birth
anniversary. It also has the largest Thanka in Ladakh, which is unfurled,
once in 12 years (nest in 2004) Hemis was built in 1630 during the reign of
Singge Namgyal, an illustrious ruler of Ladakh.
ORACL OF SABU: The Oracle of Sabu known, as Ayu Lamo is famous for
her healing and Prediction. Every day the Ayu Lamo goes into trans to
perform this. She was one of the India's first women to join the World
Oracle Conference in Europe.
Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 05.
LEH - ALCHI After breakfast drive from Leh to Alchi, enroute visit
Spituk, Phyang, Basgo and Liker monasteries. Late lunch at Alchi. Evening
visit the Alchi monastery.
SPITUK GOMPA: 8 Kms from Leh,
it stands prominently on the top of hillock commanding a panoramic view of
the Indus Valley for miles. Many icons of Buddha and fine The face of the
Kali image is kept covered and is revealed only at the annual function at
January every year.
PHYANG GOMPA: 17 Kms from Leh on the
Leh-Kargil road, it looks like a huge palace from afar, build by Tashi
Namgyal in the later half of the 16th century AD, it belongs to the Red Cap
sect of Buddhists. Hundreds of icons of Buddha and other gods are kept on
wooden shelves.
BASGO GOMPA: 40 Kms downstream from Leh,
it was the seat of power of branch of a Namgyal family. It was here in 1680
that invading Mongol and Tibetan armies were held in check over a
three-year-old siege.
ALCHI GOMPA: 70 Kms from Leh, on
the banks of the Indus, is the Alchi Gompa dating a thousand years back. One
of its walls features thousands of miniature sized pictures of the Buddha.
Three large sized images made of clay and painted brightly are its focal
attractions.
LIKIR GOMPA: Founded in the 11th century and
rededicated to a different monastic order in the 15th century, its earlier
Gompa was destroyed in a fire. The present Gompa dated back to the 18th
century. Majestically situated, Likir commands a spectacular view. A
magnificent giant Jupiter tree, one of the few survivors of its species,
stands in the courtyard.
Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 06. IN ALCHI Full day excursion to Lamayuru, Rizong and
Chulichan nunnery.
LAMAYURU GOMPA: The oldest holy site
in Ladakh, it was a bon shrine prior to the advent of Buddhism. Also known
as Yung Drung (Swastika) it is sited on a high promontory overlooking the
village and valley. For sheer spectacle value no other Gompa can match
Lamayuru.
RIDZONG GOMPA: Rizong is the most isolated
monastery of all the monastery of Ladakh. There is no entry fee in this
monastery, you can offer whatever you can. Rizong Gompa is known as the
paradise for Meditation. Guru Padma Sambhava is believed to meditate here
for years. One can still find the small caves where Lamas used to meditate
for years cutting themselves from the rest of the world except for a one
feet square outlet window from where they accept the one time meal of the
day.
CHULICHAN: Chulichan, the nunnery is around one and
half Kms. below the Rizong monastery; around 20 Nuns resides at Chulichan.
DAY 07. ALCHI - MANGYU VILLAGE - LEH Morning
excursion to Mangyu village by walks (02 Hrs total). Evening drive back To
Leh.
VILLAGE OF MANGYU: The most beautiful village of
Ladakh lies off the Leh-Srinagar Highway into the mountains at an altitude
of 13860 Ft. This petit village has few houses and nearest accommodation is
at Uleytokpo and Alchi. The village is approachable by walk from Uleytokpo.
Overnight at the hotel. .
DAY 08. LEH - NUBRA
Drive from Leh to Nubra valley over the high pass of Khardungla; the highest
motorable road of the World 5602 Meters. Overnight Silk Route Cottages at
Sumur.
KHARDUNGLA PASS: The road journey to Nubra valley
leads through Khardung La pass (The highest Motorable road in the world)
18,390 ft. around 39 Kms. away from Leh. There are two checkpoints on the
both sides of the pass.
Overnight at the cottages.
DAY 09. IN NUBRA/SUMUR Early morning witness the prayer ceremony at
Samstanling monastery. Walk in the village. Lunch at the cottages. Post
lunch visit Hunder and Deskit Monasteries.
DESKIT VILLAGE:
Deskit is the main village of headquarter of Nubra valley, which has a small
market consisting of a row of shops and about 500 years old Gompa on the
hilltop. Spectacular view of the valley can be seen form the monastery.
DESKIT GOMPA: Deskit Gompa was founded by Lama Sherab
Zangpo of Stod in about 1420 AD during the reign of King Dragspa. The
monastic festival called Gustor takes place on 20th and 21st days of the
12th month of Tibetan calendar.
HUNDAR VILLAGE: Hundar is
a beautiful village to stay with lot of trees and you will really enjoy your
stay at Hundar. It has a small monastery and ruined fort above the village.
The walk or Camel Safari (Double Hump bacterian camels) from Hundar to
Deskit, through sand dunes for two hours is wonderful.
SAMSTANLING
GOMPA: Lama Tsultrim Nima founded Samstanling Monastery and Monastic
community was introduced as Rezong Gompa. About 50-60 monks are residing at
this 132 years old monastery. The Gompa has some strict rules and
regulations.
-Women is not allowed in the monastery after sunset
and before sunrise.
-No smoking is allowed (not even bringing
cigarettes packets) in the monastery.
-Alcohol and non-vegetarian food
is strictly prohibited.
-Do not enter in sleeveless shirts and Pants.
Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 10. SUMUR - LEH
Drive from Sumur to Leh. Arrive Leh and check in at the hotel. Rest of the
day at leisure. Overnight.
DAY 11. LEH - DELHI BY AIR Morning in time transfer to airport to
connect flight for Delhi. You will be met on arrival and escorted till the
hotel. After check in proceed for the city tour of Old and New Delhi.
During the city tour visit drive past the opulent Red Fort. Visit Jama
Masjid - the biggest mosque of Asia, Rajghat - memorial site of Mahatma
Gandhi and later enjoy a rickshaw ride through the busy streets of Chandni
Chowk, the shopping center of Old Delhi. Later drive on to New Delhi and
visit Humayun's Tomb - the mausoleum of Emperor Humayun, Qutab Minar built
by Qutab-ud-din Aibek. Drive past the secretarial offices, Parliament. Visit
the India Gate - war memorial and Connaught Place the city center. Evening
at leisure and late evening transfer to International airport to connect
flight for onward destination.
DAY 12. LEAVE DELHI
Take the flight home on this day.
This
tour covers monasteries and villages of all the three possible direction of
Ladakh; Indus Valley at Leh - Manali Highway, Sham Valley at Leh - Srinagar
Highway and Nubra Valley on the worlds Highest Motorable road towards
Siachan glacier, once famous for the Silk Route Trade. During the visits you
often walk from half n hour to two hours in the villages to see and observe
local village lifestyle and interact will them. 