Day 02 : Manali to Keylong
Drive the taxi toward Leh, after the local sight seeing of
Manali: At the northern end of the Kullu Valley, is the main
resort in the area. Its beautifully situated and there are
many pleasant walks around the town, as well as a large numbers
hotels and restaurants. Attraction of Local sight seeing.
Hadimba Temple:
The temple of the goddess Hadimba, who plays such a major
part in Kullu's annual festival, is a sombre wooden structure
in a clearing in the dense forest.
Old Manali Village:
The current town of Manali is actually a new creation that
has superseded the old village, a couple of kms from away.
Follow the road across the cascading Manalsu stream, from
where you can climb up to this interesting little village,
which is becoming a popular place.
Tibetan Monastery:
The colourful, pleasant new Tibetan Monastery has carpet-making
operation.
Vashisht :
Vashisht is picturesque little place, clinging to the steep
hillside about three kms out of Manali. On foot the distance
is a bit shorter since you can follows paths up the hillside,
where cars have to wind up the road. The journey will begin
toward Leh in the afternoon, Rohtang Pass 3978 metres not
high, but treacherous all the same-starts the ascent to
Leh. Keylong is the first town of any size on the journey
to Leh.
Day 03 : Keylong to Hemis
The tough journey will begin toward Leh, Darcha is the major
tent site on this road. While next move is the Baralachala,
which is 4883 metres means crossroads pass. Just after this
pass tourist are entered to the another tent site called
Sarchu. The journey becomes more adventurous and interesting
while passing the Lachlung La, 5060 metres, is the second
highest pass on the Manali-Leh road. The next destination
is the Pang, just the tourists are moving through the Taglang
La, the second highest motorable road of the world, 5328
metres. On the descent tourists are entering in to the Ladakh
region and the first village is the Upshi and one can enjoy
the beautiful landscape and magnificent valley views.
Day 04 : Hemis to Pangong Lake/ Tso Moriri Lake
In the morning visit the Hemis monastery. The travellers
have the option to visit either of the Lakes. Hemis Monastery
: This is biggest and the most important monastery in Ladakh.
It is situated 49 kms to south of Leh, a little off the
main Leh-Manali road. It was built in the 17th century by
Chapgon Gyalshas and ever since has enjoyed the patronage
of the royal family. Hemis is the headquater of the Drukpa
order and all the monasteries throughout Ladakh are administered
by it. It also trains Lamas for the royal monasteries at
Leh, Shey and Bazgo. In the 19th century it faced a siege
by general Zorawar Singh. The Gompa was saved to the skillful
handing of the situation by the head Lama. In 1956 the head
Lama Hemis Gompa disappeared mysteriously never to be seen
again. A 12 years old boy was brought from Dalhousie. In
1976 to be appointed as head Lama. He will assume authority
after his training period is complete. The monastery contains
quite a few gold statue and stupas decorated with precious
stones. It has a superb collection of tankhas, including
one which is supposed to be the largest in existence and
is exhibited only once every 11 years. The monastery has
annual festival which falls in June/ July and is a big tourist
attraction. Masked dances are held on that day. In the afternoon
the caravan will move towards the Pangong Lake/ Tso Moriri
Lake.
Tso Moriri lake :
It is situated in the middle of the elevated district of
Rupso. It name is characteristic of its situation. Nestle
in the midst of 20,000 feet, peals which completely shut
the lake. A kilometres ahead is a picturesque village of
Korzok consisting of about a hundred families. Visiting
the monastery on the top of the village, belonging to the
yellow sect and has about 35 resident monks. The night camp
along the side of Lake.
Pangong Lake :
The main attraction Changla region is the Pangong Lake situated
at 14,500 feet (4,297 m) a long narrow basin of inland drainage,
hardly six to seven kilometres at its widest point and over
130 kms long, it is bisected by international border between
Indian and China. The farthest point to which foreigners
are permitted, is only some seven kilometres along the southern
shore from the head of the lake. Another attraction of this
lake is sight os eastern cranes and other migratory black
necked cranes birds. Drive back toward Leh and camp overnight
at Tangtse village.
Day 05 : Pangong Lake/ Tso Moriri Lake to Leh
On the way back sight seeing of Thiksey and Shey palace
Thiksey Gompa:
En route to Hemis Gompa, the Thiksey monastery is a most
imposing structure providing a panoramic view of the green
Indus valley from its vantage atop a hill. It has chambers
full of statues, stupas and tannkhas.
Shey Palace and Monastery:
Also on the way to Hemis Gompa and 15 kms from Leh is the
summer palace of the erstwhile, Raja of Leh, set upon a
hill sitting Buddha wrought with copper and gold that leaves
one lama before hand. Many chortens can be seen to the east
of the monastery. After the Shey tourists reach to Leh,
Main Centre of Ladakh. With the inhabitants of 50,000, Leh
is located in small valley just the north of Indus valley.
Day 06 :
Rest Complete rest in the hotel in Leh
Day 07 : Local Sight seeing
Leh Bazaar, Leh Palace and Sankar gompa. The women's vegetable
market in the afternoon and some interesting place to visit.
And the evening the Sankar monastery.
Leh Gompa:
It is situated above the Leh Palace and was built in 1430.
It contains a 13.7 metres high statue of the Buddha which
the Ladakhi call Chamba. According to the Lamas this splendid
statue is the future Buddha. A butter burns day and night
in front
Day 08 : Leh to Khardung-la top
The tourists will visit the Khardung-la. It Takes you to
the highest motorable road of in the world Khardongla (18,380
feet or 5,578 m). Nubra Valley lies in the north of Leh.
Apart from unparalleled trekking opportunities, the valley
has several Buddhists monasteries such as Sumor, Tigar and
350 years old Diskit monastery.
Day 09 : Shopping and Cultural programme
The whole day is dedicated to the shopping and to discover
some interesting things about Ladakhi art and cultural by
the visiting the Tibetan refugees camp Choklamsar, Library
and Ecological Development etc.
Day 10 : Local Sight Seeing
Leh to Lamayuru, Likir and Alchi and night halt at Lamayuru.
Whole day is dedicated for the local sight seeing.
Lamayuru:
After exploring villages around the area, it comes as a
surprise to find that Lamayuru is a scruffy little place.
The gompa, is the completely overshadowed and most famous
spectacular monastery in Ladakh.
Alchi and Likir Monasteries:
These two monasteries are located near Saspol on the Srinagar-Leh
road. They house many gigantic clay statue of Buddha in
various forms. The primary attraction of these monasteries
is , however, their 1000-year old wall painting which make
a visit more than worthwhile.
Day 11 : Lamayuru to Drass
The caravan move toward the Kargil and the Way Passing through
Following Place
Mulbekh:
There are two gompas on the hillside above the village of
Mulbekh. As in other villages, it is wise to Enquire if
the gompa is before making the ascent. Just beyond Mulbekh
is a huge Chamba statue, an image of a future Buddha, cutting
to the rock face beside the road. It's one of the most interesting
stops along the road to kargil.
Shergol:
Between Kargil and Shergol you cross the dividing line between
the Muslim and Buddhist areas. The small village of Shergol
has a tiny gompa perched halfway up the eastern slope of
the mountain. In the afternoon tourists will reach to Kargil.
Kargil:
the valleys of Suru, Drass Wakha and Bodkarbo lie midway
between the alpine valleys of Kashmir, and the fertile reaches
of the Indus valley and Ladakh. The region is politically
part of India, ethnically part of Baltistan and geographically
and integral part of Ladakh. Geographically, there is little
doubt that one has crossed the Himalayan watershed. The
steep barren hills now stretch to the snow line. As the
snows melt, the waters flow freely down into the heavily
irrigated valleys. Here Tibetan-style settlements thrive.
Whitewashed mud and stone houses contrast with deep-green
barley fields.
Day 12 : Drass to Srinagar
Drive the taxi toward Srinagar, by passing the Zoji-la and
picturesque Sonamarg, entering to the Kashmir valley.
Drass:
Drass 3230 metres, 60kms west of Kargil on the road to Srinagar,
are a small township lying in the centre of a valley of
the same name. It has become famous as the second coldest
inhabited place in the world by virtue of the intense cold
that descends upon the valley along with repeated snowfall
during winter. Winter temperature is sometimes known to
plummet to less than 40 degree Celsius. During the spring
and summer, however the valley around the township becomes
very picturesque as the gently undulating hillsides turn
into lush green pastures splashed with a variety of fragrant
wild flowers. Its inhabitants are mainly of Darad stock,
an Aryan race believed to have originally migrated to the
high valleys of the Western Himalayas from the Central Asian
steppes. They speak Shina which, unlike the Tibetan-originated
Ladakhi dialects spoken elsewhere in Ladakh region, belong
to the Indo-European linguistic family. Their ancestral
sport, Horse Polo, which the Darads play with particular
zeal, resembles our modern polo. The Drass vallley starts
from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway
to Ladakh. For centuries its inhabitants are known to have
negotiated this formidable pass even during the most risky
period in the autumn or early spring, when the whole sector
remains snowbound and is subject to frequent snow storms,
to transport trader's merchandise across and the to help
stranded travelers to traverse it. By virtue of their mastery
over the pass they had established a monopoly over the carrying
trade during the heydays of the Pan-Asian. A hardy people
enduring with fortitude the harshness of the valley's winter,
the inhabitants of Drass can well be described as the guardians
of Ladakh's gateway.
Day 13 : Srinagar, Local sight seeing
Dal Lake:
Much of Dal Lake is maze of intricate waterways rather than
a simple body of open water. The lake is divided into Gagribal,
Lokut Dal and Bod Dal by a series of causeways. Dal Gate,
at the city end of the lake, controls the flow of the lake
water into the Jhelum River canal.
Hazratbal Mosque:
This shiny, modern mosque is on the north west shore of
Dal Lake. The mosque enshrines hair of the prophet, but
to nonbelievers it is most interesting for its stunningly
beautiful setting on the shores of the lake with snow capped
peaks as backdrop.
Shalimar Bagh:
Set some distance back from the lake but reached by a small
canal, the Shalimar gardens were built for Nur Jahan, light
of the world, by her husband Jehangir in1616. During the
Mughal period the topmost of the four terraces was reserved
for the emperor and the ladies of the court.
Day 14 : Srinagar to Jammu
On the Srinagar to Jammu route are the hill resorts of Batote,
Panitop and Kud, before Jammu region tourists will move
through about 3 km long tunnel Jawarhar Tunnel. On the way
tourists can visit the famous shrine of Vaishno Devi and
night halt at Jammu city.
Day 15 : Jammu to Delhi
Final day of the discovery trip and the farewell will be
given at Karnal. What tourists have discovered? o Tanglang-la
17,469 ft. o Pangong Lake ( 14, 469 ft) o Chang-la (17,350
ft) o Famous monasteries of Ladakh o Traditional culture
and life-style of Ladakh on 11,000 ft o Khardung-la, highest
motorable road of world 18,380 ft o Drass, second coldest
place of world o Zoji-la o Srinagar o vaishno Devi Amenities
Taxi Hotel Food Travel Corporation of Ladakh will make other
important arrangements.