Ladakh Adventure

Itinerary

Day 1 Delhi

Arrive in Delhi at any time. There are no planned activities, so check into to the hotel (check-in time is 12.00 midday) and enjoy the city. In the evening you will meet your fellow group members to go over the details of your trip. Check the notice board to see what time and where the group meeting will be held.

Day 2-3 Leh

Today we have a very early flight to Leh (approximately 75 mins), the capital of Ladakh. Only opened to foreign tourists in 1974, Leh has changed somewhat from the days yak trains would set off from the main bazaar toward Central Asia. It has, however, retained that wild west feel. Wander the alleyways of the main bazaar, viewing traditional wares and sampling the local produce; Visit the 7-storey Leh Palace, a reminder of what was once was the thriving royal residence of the ruling Namgyals. The palace not only pre-dates but also served as the model for the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Scramble further up the hill to the Victory Fort for an encompassing view of the city. Please note: You may experience altitude sickness and oxygen deprivation while travelling in Ladakh. This is particularly apparent when arriving in Leh, at just above 3500m, so we have allowed time for acclimatisation.

Day 4 Lamayuru

Lamayuru Gompa is the oldest in Ladakh and has deep mystical origins, but it is the location that is most spectacular. The sandstone gompa is precariously perched on an eroded crag towered by a massive mountain.

Day 5-7 Monastaries of the Indus (2B)

The next few days will be spent exploring the monasteries of the Indus Valley including Alchi, Hemis, Likir and Stock. The exact itinerary will organized to coincide with any festival being held in the area. Alchi is a village in lower Ladakh, considered one of the most important cultural sites throughout the Himalaya and home to one of the Buddhist world's greatest treasures - Alchi Monastery - prized for its well-preserved frescoes. The brilliantly painted shrines at Alchi, some of which date back to the late 11th Century, are consider by scholars to be the rarest and most extensive examples of Buddhist art in Kashmir. This region was once vital for trade and cultural contact, and when Islamic armies entered the subcontinent it was Buddhist monuments and idols that they first encountered. Islam disallows idol worship and their word for idol was in fact derived from the term 'Buddha'. It was therefore Buddhist monuments and monasteries in this region that suffered most under the hand of iconoclasm. Alchi, set amid the barren gorges of the Indus River and desolate mountains, escaped destruction and some of the 900-year-old paintings and murals are so well preserved and luminous that they appear to have been painted only yesterday.We visit the summer palace in Shey and feast our eyes on the 12m gold-plated Sakyamuni Buddha statue before driving further out to the beautifully restored Thiksey gompa. Perched on top of a steep crag rising into the sky, Thiksey's dark interiors resonate with the sombre tone of deep gongs and lamas chanting. The heart of spiritual Ladakh is Hemis, 'the Lone Place of the Compassionate Person'. The gompa here is Ladakh's largest and most auspicious and is also the site of the annual Hemis festival, one of the most auspicious monastic festivals. Every 12 years, during the festival, a huge thangka of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism is displayed to the public - next scheduled time is in the year 2016. Hemis Monastery was established by Ladakhi Dharma King Sengye Namgyal in the 17th Century. It is the headquarters of the Drukpa lineage and all the monasteries throughout Ladakh are administered by it. It also trains lamas for the royal monasteries at Leh, Shey and Basgo. The Hemis festival is dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava, venerated as the representative reincarnate of Buddha. He is believed to have been born on the 10th day of the 5th month of the Monkey year (thus every 12 years) as predicted by the 'Shakyamuni Buddha'. It is also believed that his life mission was, and remains, to improve the spiritual condition of all living beings. And so on this day, which comes once in a cycle of 12 years, Hemis observes a major extravaganza in his memory. The observance of these sacred rituals is believed to give spiritual strength and good health. Please note: Not all trips will coincide with the Hemis festival, held on the 10th and 11th day of the 5th Tibetan month, these 2 days are designated by the local government as public holidays, as the Hemis festival is not only a celebration of Guru Padmasambhava's victorious activities over negative forces, but also an important event reminding the local people of their heritage.On our way to Likir (approximately 65km from Leh) we follow the mani (Tibetan stones carved with sacred mantras) walls of Phyang to a little visited gompa (traditional Buddhist monastery) of the Kagyupa order and the 400-year-old mud brick gompa of Basgo, the old capital of Ladakh. Staying in the village of Likir, we visit the Klukhil gompa which is believed to be the first monastery built under Tibetan direction, now under the Gelukpa order. We stop at Spituk gompa on our way to Stok where the last king of Ladakh died and where the present-day royal family resides in the palace towering majestically on the top of a hill. There is a museum at the palace that displays rare ornaments, fabulous period costumes and royal jewellery along with exquisite sacred thangka paintings representing the life of Sakyamuni Buddha. Interesting historical objects such as coins, armour, weapons, precious jade and porcelain, can also be seen here.

Day 8 Sarchu Serai (B, D)

We set off for the long drive to Sarchu which includes the Tanglang La Pass at 5328m – the highest point of our journey. We descend onto the highest plateau on earth (4511m) and then go down the Gata loops, an amazing series of 21 hair-pin bends. The Leh to Manali highway is only open for several months each year. We spend the night at a tented camp erected each summer to cater for travellers. The large pre-erected tents are fully equipped with beds and bedding and have ensuite toilet facilities.

Day 9-11 Manali (B)

We will arrive in Manali after a long, but spectacular day's drive. A popular resort at the northern end of the lush Kullu Valley, Manali has spectacular views of snow-capped peaks and wooded slopes and it's a great place to browse bustling markets for locally made handicrafts and trade your noodles for chocolate cake. The Beas River rushes along its rocky course amid grassy meadows carpeted with wild flowers and there are marvellous walks through flourishing orchards and fairytale forests of deodar. Famous for its shawls, the Manali market is crowded with a myriad interesting shops selling Tibetan carpets and crafts and the appetising aroma of steaming noodles hangs about the little restaurants. Manali, with its Mountaineering Institute, is a popular base for trekking and mountaineering in summer and skiing in winter.

Day 12-14 Dharamsala

A journey in the mountainous areas of India is an adventure in itself, as we travel along rough roads to our next Himalayan town. Dharamsala is famous as the home in exile of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and this hilltop retreat is full of monasteries, prayer flags and monks in their crimson robes. We have time to explore the many facets of Tibetan Buddhism and the inherent spiritual beliefs of this peaceful religion, as well as to soak up the great mountain views. We take a trip to the fantastic Norbulingka Institute, which was developed to train Tibetan refugees in the skills needed to preserve the traditional arts and crafts of Tibet, so that the skills will not be lost. The peaceful grounds of the Institute feature a beautiful temple with some amazing spiritual iconography and statues. The surrounding area houses many workshops, including wood carving, metalwork, needlework and an interesting thangka painting school where we can watch the intricate artwork as it's created.In the afternoon of day 14 we drive to Pathankot (3 hours) in time to board our overnight train.

Day 15 Delhi

The trip ends with our early morning arrival back into the bustle of Delhi. Your tour leader can help you arrange any onward travel. Or why not book a G.A.P Adventures Agra or Varanasi city break extension! **Please do not book any onward travel until late afternoon or evening as train may be delayed**

Trip Details

Accommodation	Simple hotels or small basic guesthouses (12 nights), tented camp (1 night), overnight train (1 night)
Brochure Notes	-This trip finishes on return to Delhi on Day 15, off the overnight train. You may want to arrange additional accommodation.
Departure	Departs on selected Saturdays, June to September (highway between Leh and Manali is only open in summer months).
DepEnd	Sat-Sat
Group Size	Max 15
Included Highlights	Entry fees for Leh Palace; Monasteries in Phyang, Liker, Alchi, Rezong, Lamayuru, Spituk, Thiksey and Hemis; Basgo Palace; Stok Palace Museum, Excursion to Naggar village, Norbulingka Institute
Local Payment	USD250
Meals Included	4 Breakfasts, 1 Dinner
StartFinish	ex Delhi
Transport	Plane, jeeps, bus, walking, auto-rickshaws, train
Brochure Intro	Travel between two of the world's highest mountain ranges, the Karakoram and the Himalaya and discover awesome landscapes and spiritual havens in this unforgettable adventure. With some of the most breathtaking natural scenery on earth, this trip will take you to heaven and back.

When can I go?

Start Date	Finish Date	Places Available
2008-08-16	2008-08-30	7+
2009-05-23	2009-06-06	7+
2009-06-13	2009-06-27	7+
2009-07-04	2009-07-18	7+
2009-07-18	2009-08-01	7+
2009-08-01	2009-08-15	7+
2009-08-15	2009-08-29	7+
2009-08-29	2009-09-12	7+
2009-09-12	2009-09-26	7+

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