Ladakh Tour Packages

Discover Ladakh

Ladakh is far too kaleidoscopic to be dismissed with a string of platitudes. Its people, even the meanest peasant, are imbued with a culture handed down from generation to generation of years. Ladakh is the msost interesting country to visit that one could possible imagine. It fulfil almost all the expectation of the traveler who is prepared to see it through his own eyes, to experience it through his own emotions, to comprehend it through his own sensibility.

Day 1 Arrive Leh, transfer to hotel. Overnight in hotel. Afternoon walking tour of city to get acclimatize. Overnight Hotel.

Day 2 Fullday sightseeing with guide and pack lunch to HEMIS/ THIKSEY and SHEY monasteries.

SHEY : Situated on a hillock 15 km. upstream from Leh was once the residence of the royal family. According to tradition, it was the seat of power of the pre-Tidetan kings. A 7.5 meter high copper status of Buddha, plated with gold and the largest of its kind is installed here.

THIKSE : Spectacularly sighted, Thikse is one of the largest and architecturally most impressive gompa. There are several temples in this gompa, containing images stupas and wall painting of Buddhas which are exquisite.

HEMIS : It is the wealthiest, best known and biggest gompa in Ladakh. Its popularity stems from the major annual festival held here in summer. The festival is in honour of Guru Padma Sambhav's birth anniversary. It also has the largest Thanka, which is unfurled once in 12 years (next in 2004). Hemis was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal, an illustrious rulers in Ladakh. It flourished under the Namgyal dynasty for the royalty favoured for Drugkpa Sect, which managed the monastery.
It is divided into two, the Assembly Hall on the right and the main temple on the left. The hall, Dukhang, is also used as a 'Green Room' by the dancer during the festival. The temple is known as Tshogkhang. The verandahs have a surfeit of frescoes among them the Buddhist Wheel of Life (Kalachakra) and the Lord of the four quarters, besides rows of the prayer wheels.

Day 3 Drive to Lamayuru monastery, after visiting the monastery drive to Alchi for overnight stay.

LAMAYURU : The oldest holy site in Ladakh, it was a Bon shrine prior to the advent of Buddhism. Also known as Yun Drung (Swastika) it is sighted on a high promontory overlooking the village and valley. For sheer spectacle value no other gompa can match.

ALCHI : On the banks of the Indus is the Alchi gompa, dating a thousand years back. One of its walls feature thousands of miniature-sized pictures of the Buddha. Three large sized images made on clay and painted brightly are its focal attraction. No longer an active religious center, it is looked after by monks from the Likir monastery.

Day 4 Visit Alchi monastery and drive back to Leh, enroute visit Likir monastery. Overnight stay in hotel at Leh.

LIKIR : 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 dates back to the 18th century. Skilled craftsmen producing excellent Thankas, earthen pots and carved folding wooden tables. Majestically situated, Likir commands a spectacular view. A magnificent giant juniper tree, one of the few survivors of its species stands in the courtyard.

Day 5 Afternoon visit LEH PALACE/ ZAMSKAR monastery and SHANTI STUPA. Overnight stay in hotel.

STOK : Visible in the distance, at the top of a huge moraine of pebbles swept down from the mountains, the elegant four - story STOK Palace stands above barley terraces studded with threshing circles and whitewashed farmhouses. Built early in the nineteenth century by the last ruler of the independent Ladakh.

LEH PALACE : Looking for all the world like a miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa, Tibet, the palace was built in the 16th century.

SANKAR : A relatively modern monastery, it is closely associated with the Spituk monastery and serves as the residence of the head priest - Kushak Bakula. A number of gold icons are to be found here.

Day 6 Departure transfer to the airport for flight to Delhi/ Jammu/ Chandigarh.