Art Holidays....
India Art Holiday/Tour Program
24JD June - Day 01: Upon arrival at Delhi InternationalAirport, proceed to hotel, The Ashtan Sarovar Portico and check-in.
25JD June - Day 02: Delhi – Leh (1h 10 m by air)
· Proceed to Domestic Airport for onward flight to Leh (journey time 1h 10 m). On arrival, check-in at hotel Druk - Leh. Today, you get time to acclimatize yourself at a height of 3500 mts. After lunch, proceed to Shanti Stupa. Built by Japanesemonks to promoteworld peace, this large, hilltop stupa is a magnificent white-domed structure that offers spectacular views of the sunrise and sunset. The Stupa looks best at night, when it isbeautifully illuminated with glitteringlights. You may conduct art activities here.
26JD June - Day 03: Leh City Tour
Embark on local sightseeing in Leh; visit Sindhu Ghat, Thiksey Monastery - The monastery is famous for its picturesquelocation and constructionalstyle similar to Potala Palace in Lhasa. It is therefore often known as 'Mini Potala'. It is one of the biggest monasteries in Ladakh with over 120 resident monks. Thiksey is themost photographed spot in Ladakh, which has a world-renowned 40ft tall statue of Maitreya Buddha, often used for one of the few core images of India to promotetourism in India- “Incredible India”, Shey Palace, Leh Palace - the captivating Palace rises from the edge ofa hill overlookingthe town and at once looks like areminiscent of Lhasa'sPotala Palace. Though deserted, it has some definite mystical quality about it. The nine-storeyed monument is now in ruins. The palace remains locked and may beopened at request by a monk, Shanti Stupa up to sunset. Continuation of art activities.
27JD June - Day 04: Leh - Lamayuru -Ulley Tokpo (Drive of 170kms /6-7 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Lamayuru. Enroute visit Gurudwara Pattharsahib(holy place of Sikhs), Magnetic hill - The hill is alleged to have magnetic properties strong enough to pull cars uphill and force passing aircraft to increase their altitude in order to escape magnetic interference. In reality, the effect is an optical illusion and there is no magnetic disturbance in the area at all; confluence of Sindhu & Zanskar Rivers and Moonland. Check in at hotel in Ulley Resort, enjoy hot lunch and drive to visit the the Lamayuru monastery. Overnight stay at Ulley. th Art Holidays.... 28 June - Day 05: Ulley to Leh ( Drive of 72kms / 3 Hrs )
Post breakfast, visit the Alchi monastery. Alchi monastery, in Alchi village, is the Buddhist monastery situated on the bank of river Indus on the altitude of 3100 mtrs. Alchi issaid to be the oldest and most famous monastery in Ladakh.Further drive to Leh. On arrival, check-in at hotel and have lunch. Further drive to Leh. On arrival, check-in at hotel and have lunch. Evening you have freetime for shopping / relaxation.
29th June - Day 06: Hemis Festival
Today attend the famous Hemis Festival. The courtyard of Hemis Gompa-the biggest Buddhist monasteryin Ladakh isthe stage for the famous 'Hemis' festival that celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. The colourful two-day pageant falls on the 10th day (Tse-Chu) of the Tibetan lunar month. The local people are seen dressed up in their finest traditional garb for the occasion. Lamas called 'chhams' perform splendid masked dances and sacred plays to the accompaniment of cymbals, drums and long horns. The head lama presides over the function. Overnight stay at Hotel Druk, Leh.
30th June - Day 07: Leh – Pangong (Drive of 6 hrs) Departure to visit Pangong Lake via Karu, Changla Pass (17800 ft), Tangse village. After arrival enjoy the picturesquePangongLake (14500 ft, salt water lake). Situated at an altitude of about 4300 m, Pangong Tsois the largest brackishlake inAsia,witha larger part of it extending intoTibet.The lake is 130 km long and 5 km at its widest point with halfof it running to the other side of the Indo-China border. Despite of being a salt-water lake, it freezes completely during winter. There is no marinelife here, save for a few migrating birds now and then like gulls and brahminy ducks. Stay at a camping site at Pangong. You may conduct art activities here.
1st July - Day 08: Pangong – Leh(Driveof 6 hrs)
Transfer to Leh via the same route. On arrival, free time for relaxation. Later visit the local market in Leh.
2nd July -Day09: Leh – Khardung La –Diskit (Driveof 118 kms / 5 -6 Hrs) After breakfast departure to Diskit (Nubra Valley) via Khardungla Pass (18360 ft, considered as World`s highest motorable road). On arrival, transfer to hotel and check-in. After lunch, visit desert of Hunder and enjoy a ride on double hump camels. You may conduct art activities here. Art Holidays....
. 3H@ July - Day 10: Diskit Sightseeing Embark on sightseeing at (Nubra valley) -Diskit Monestry. Visit Diskit monastery to witness the Morning Prayer ceremony. It takes about 45 minutes through a long row of scattered chortens to reach the gompa which is set on the highest point near the village. Belonging to the Gelugpa (yellow hat) sect, parts of the gompa, which houses 120 resident monks, are about 760 years old. Get a view of Diskit & Hunder from Buddha Statue. Free time for conducting Art Activities.
4JD July - Day 11: Diskit-Leh(Drive of 118 kms /5 -6 Hrs) DrivebacktoLeh.Freetimeforshoppingandleisure.
5JD July - Day 12: Leh – Delhi ( 1h 10m by air) On this day, transfer to the Airport to board your flight to Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi, check-in at hotel, The Ashtan Sarovar Portico, and leavefor visiting Akshardham Temple; Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi epitomises 10,000 years of Indian culture in all its breathtaking grandeur, beauty, wisdom and bliss. Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades.
6JD July - Day 13: Delhi Local Sightseeing After a short leisurely breakfast, proceed for a sightseeing tour of New Delhi where ornate buildings recall the days when India was the Jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Enjoy visiting the 11th century Qutab Minar, India Gate and the grand government buildings, the President's House, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial. Also visit Laxmi Narayan temple popularly known as Birla Temple & Chandni Chowk. Art Holidays....
7JD July - Day 14: Delhi – Agra (Driveof 201 kms / 4 hrs)
In the morning drive to the city of Taj- Agra; arrive Agra in approx. 4 hours & transfer to hotel. In the afternoon, visit the AgraFort - the rusty and majestic red-sandstone fort that stands on the banks of the river Yamuna and the construction was started by Emperor Akbar in 1566. Here Diwan-I-Am (hall ofpublic audience), a colonnaded hall of red-sandstone with a throne alcove ofinlaid marble at the back, the Emperor heard public petitions. Here Diwan-I-Khas (hall of private audience) where marble pavilions with floral inlays lend an ethereal ambience, the Emperor sat on his gem-studded Peacock Throne and met foreign ambassadors and rulers of friendly kingdoms. Later, visit the magnificent wonderful Taj Mahal - one of the Seven Wonders of the World surely the most extravagant expression of love ever created. Stay overnight at Hotel Howard Sarovar Portico, Agra.
8JD July - Day 15: Agra – Fatehpur Sikri – Jaipur (Driveof 242 kms/ 6 hrs)
Post breakfast, leave for Jaipur. Enroute visit the beautiful city of Fatehpur Sikri; Built by the great Mughal emperor Akbar, this city had been given the honour ofbeing his capital but because ofshortage of water he had to abandon it. Todayyears after its birth thiscity holds the honor of being a world heritage site. A perfect example of fine Mughal architecture this city is amust visit for all. Its beauty is ought to leave you awestruck. On arrival in Jaipur, check-in at hotel Sarovar Portico Jaipur ,and stay overnight.
9JD July - Day 16: Jaipur Sightseeing
Jaipur - the fabled "pink city" of the desert named after Jai Singh, the former Maharaja of Jaipur. And one more amazing thing is that it is the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe through the nine rectangular sectors subdividing it. Visit local sites like City Palace, Guided tour of Jantar Mantar – that incorporates multiplebuildings of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement, Hawa Maha -the pyramid shape of this ancient monument is a tourist attraction having 953 small windows, Jal Mahal, Birla Mandir and Amer Fort.
10JD July - Day 18: Jaipur – Delhi ( Drive of 265 kms / 5-6 hrs)
Proceed to Delhi International airport for onward return journey to your hometown.
Tour Concludes.