P a g e | 1 364 Embassy, Koramangala, Bangalore. Ph: +91 9483958408, 9880388991, [email protected], www.takeabreak.in BEST OF LADAKH Leh – Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso – Leh 9 Days / 8 Nights (Blackout Dates: 15th December to 5th January) LEH NUBRA VALLEY P a g e | 2 Overview Destination Nights Basis RO: Room only I SC: Self Catering I HB: Half Board I B&B: Bed and breakfast I Leh 2 BB D, B&B: Dinner, bed and breakfast I FB: Dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch I Hunder 1 BB FB+: Dinner, bed, breakfast, lunch and activities daily I FI: Fully inclusive Leh 1 BB HB – breakfast & dinner Pangong Tso 1 BB Alchi 2 BB Leh 1 BB PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Leh: Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Sankar Gompa, Jo Khang Gompa, Hall of Fame Museum (war museum), Shopping Nubra Valley: Khardung La (the highest motorable pass), Diskit monastery, Hunder Sand Dunes, Bactarian double humped camels Pangong Tso: Pangong Tso Lake, Visit Hemis Gompa, Tiskey monastery Alchi: Alchi Monastery, Du-Khang, Lamayuru, Magnetic Hill Day 1: LEH Leh Tucked in the midst of hulking high peaks, at an elevation of 3500 meters, Leh, the erstwhile capital of Ladakh region in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, is one of the popular hill stations in India. Over the years, Leh has won the heart of the global tourists who seek to experience the indigenous culture of the Indo-Tibetans and explore the relics of ancient civilizations, Buddhist monasteries and remote villages. Some of the notable attractions in and around Leh are the Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Hemis Gompa, Sankar Gompa, Thiksey Monastery & Shey Monastery. The lofty city is also the gateway to several trekking destinations in the Ladakh region and activities like river rafting, mountaineering, and mountain biking and camping. Day Notes On arrival you will be met by our representative and transfer to hotel Check-in, freshen up and relax Rest of the day at leisure In the evening you may wish to take a walk around Leh market Overnight at Leh Included BB P a g e | 3 Day 2: LEH Day Notes After breakfast proceed for sightseeing Leh Sightseeing: Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Sankar Gompa, Jo Khang Gompa, Hall of Fame Museum (war museum) Return to the hotel by evening and rest of the day at leisure Overnight at Leh Included BB Visit to Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Sankar Gompa, Jo Khang Gompa, Hall of Fame Museum (war museum) Leh Palace Leh Palace is a former royal palace overlooking the Ladakhi Himalayan town of Leh. Modelled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the palace was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century. It is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, while the lower floors held stables and store rooms. The palace was abandoned when Dogra forces took control of Ladakh in the mid 19th century, and the royal family moved to Stok Palace. The ruined palace is being restored by the Archaeological Survey of India. The palace is open to the public and the roof provides panoramic views of Leh and the surrounding areas. The mountain of Stok Kangri in the Zangskar mountain range is visible across the Indus valley to the south, with the Ladakh mountain range rising behind the palace to the north. The Palace Museum holds a rich collection of jewellery, ornaments, ceremonial dresses and crowns. Chinese thangka or sooth paintings which are more than 450 years old, with intricate designs, retain bright and pleasing colours derived from crushed and powdered gems and stones. Shanti Stupa Built in 1991 by the Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu Gyomyo Nakamura, the Shanti Stupa is one of the remarkable symbols of Buddhist religion that holds the relics of Lord Buddha. Tucked atop a hill in Changspa at an elevation of 4,267 meters, the Shanti Stupa is approximately 5 kilometers away from the city. Despite being a symbol of Buddhist culture, the Shanti Stupa reflects a unique architectural style, which is completely different from the Ladakhi style. The Shanti Stupa was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2,500 years of Buddhism. The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama. The stupa has become a tourist attraction not only due to its religious significance but also due to its location which provides panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Sankara Gompa It is a relatively modern, attractive cluster of buildings set amongst trees above the town, in the lee of Khardung La, a 5,359 m (17,582 ft) pass behind Leh leading to the Shyok and Nubra Valleys. Only 20 monks at most live here, and only a few permanently, so visiting hours are limited to early morning and evening. The place is well lit, so an evening visit is worthwhile. Climbing the steps one reaches the double doors leading into the dukang ('du khang) or assembly hall. Three green drums are on the right of the door under which is the place of the Gyeskos. The wall and entry door are richly painted. Upstairs is the Dukar Lhakang ("residence of the deity") or inner sanctuary. There is an impressive figure here of Avalokiteśvara (Tibetan: Chenrezig) with 1,000 arms (all holding weapons) and 1,000 heads. The walls are painted with a Tibetan calendar, mandalas and rules for the monks. Above the wooden stairs can be seen the rooms of the Abbot, guest rooms and the library. Hall of Fame Museum (war museum) Hall of Fame is a small yet glorious museum constructed and maintained by Indian Army in Ladakh. It is located on the Spituk- Kargil road. It exhibits items related to Ladakhi cultural heritage. The key attraction of the museum is that it has displays on memorabilia, seized arms and amenities of Pakistani Army, biographies and photographs of the brave soldiers, etc. This museum was built to commemorate the souls of all great soldiers who lost their lives in historic Siachin battle fields during Indo-Pak war. P a g e | 4 Day 3: LEH – HUNDER (140 Km / 04 Hrs 30 Mins) Nubra Valley Passing over one of the world’s highest motorable roads, the Khardung La, Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Local scholars say that its original name was Ldumra (the valley of flowers). The Shyok River meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. The average elevation of the valley stretches from 3048 meters to approximately 6000 meters and mostly hosts an undulated and barren terrain except the places blessed by the Shoyok River. Diskit village the capital of Nubra is one of the popular hubs in Nubra Valley that hosts the Diskit Monastery, which is one of the ancient monasteries in Ladakh region. Foreign nationals are required to get a protected area permit to visit the Nubra Valley. Day Notes After breakfast checkout from the hotel at 09:00 and drive to Hunder (Nubra Vallley) On route stopover at Khardung La (the most highest motorable pass) Reach Hunder by 14:30, check in to the hotel and freshen up Proceed for sightseeing by 16:00: Diskit monastery, Hunder Sand Dunes, Bactarian double humped camels Return to the Hotel Overnight at Hunder P a g e | 5 Included BB Visit to Diskit monastery, Hunder Sand Dunes, Bactarian double humped camel ride Khardung La The gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys, Khardung La, at an approximate elevation of 5,359 meters, is one of the highest mountain passes in the world and is also one of the highest motorable roads that connect the ladakh region to Srinagar in Kashmir. Travellers can also behold the historical significance of the silk route, stretching from Leh to Kashgar in Central Asia. Today Khardung La is a hotspot destination for automobile, motorbike, marathon and mountain biking expeditions that pulls in global adventurers. Diskit Monastry Diskit Monastery also known as Deskit Gompa or Diskit Gompa is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery (gompa) in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, northern India. It belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a disciple of Tsong Khapa, founder of Gelugpa, in the 14th century. It is a sub-gompa of the Thikse gompa. Hunder Sand Dunes A completely contrasting feature of white sands in the midst of snow capped mountain ranges, the Hunder Sand Dunes is a unique bed of nature that is located between Hunder and Diskit villages in the Nubra Valley. It is one of the high altitude deserts in the world that covers a wide area and is cut across by a gentle stream. Being perched remotely, the Hunder Sand Dunes is yet to be explored by the leisure tourists but it is one of the popular camping sites for the adventurers. The cold desert is also dotted with many species of plants and animals like Bactrian Camels, Yaks and Pashmina Goats. The Hundar Gompa is one of the popular attractions crossing through the Hundar Sand Dunes. Well, one can even enjoy a Bactrian Camel safari through the Hunder Sand Dunes and acquaint with the intangible nature. P a g e | 6 Day 4: HUNDER – LEH (140 Km / 04 Hrs 30 Mins) Day Notes After breakfast, checkout from the hotel at 10:00 and drive back to Leh Reach Leh by 14:00, check-in to hotel and relax Rest of the evening at leisure Overnight at Leh Included BB Day 5: LEH – PANGONG TSO (180 Km / 07 Hrs) Pangong Tso Pangong Tso Tibetan for "long, narrow, enchanted lake", also referred to as Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas, nestled at an elevation of about 14720 ft above sea level, Pangong Lake is one of the charismatic and largest salty lakes in India.