The Shangri-la kingdom

Duration: 10 Nights / 11 Days
Places to Visit: Delhi - Leh - Uleytokpo - Lamayuru – Alchi - Uleytokpo - Leh - Khardung – Sumoor - Nubra - Leh - Shey - Thiksey - Hemis - Leh - Delhi

Day 01: Arrive Delhi
Meet and assist by our representative upon your arrival at the airport. Then drive to your hotel with your driver and car.

Day 02: Delhi
Morning after breakfast a full day city tour of this imperial British capital of the 20th century awaits you. Visit the Qutub Minar – the tallest free standing minaret in stone in the world; then onto Humayun’s tomb – the first Mughal construction in India from 1565 AD. Also see the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the India gate built in the earlier half of the 20th century. Drive through the old city past the Red Fort and visit the Jama Masjid – the biggest of its kind in India. Here take a rickshaw through the winding streets of the old city to see the life of the people in this part of the world. A perfect introduction of your tour. The rickshaw puller pulls you through, the imperial avenue of the yesteryears, the Chandni Chowk. Finally, reach Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, where your car and chauffeur is waiting for you to take you to your next stop the Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple in activity.

Day 03: Delhi - Leh (By Flight)
Early morning fly from New Delhi to Ladakh, perhaps most fascinating flight over Himalayas. Its landscape, sky, silence, wizened faces, dragons and Zen – everything makes Leh a quite place to visit. Leh, the capital of Ladakh is a beautiful destination with so many attractions and is the center of Tibeto-Buddhist Culture for ages. Its colorful gompas have attracted the devout Buddhists from all over the world. Besides, it is also a favorite hiking locale and is known for some of the best hikes in the country.
Arrive in Leh and you will be transferred to your hotel. Leh is at a height of 3300mts above sea level and so it is necessary to acclimatize yourself for a day. Relax at your hotel
In the evening visit the Shankar monastery nearby your hotel and then go up to the Shanti Stupa (built by the Japanese) for a breath taking view of the capital city of Ladakh.

Day 04: Leh
Breakfast at hotel and leave to visit Stok Palace Museum, the Queen of Ladakh still lives in this Palace. More than palace it is the surrounding views of Barron Mountains and formation which are extraordinary. Return back to your hotel en route visiting SOS Tibetan Refugee Camp. In the afternoon walk to the Leh Fort that dominates the city. The view from atop the fort is magnificent.

Day 05: Leh - Uleytokpo
After breakfast at hotel leave for Uleytokpo. Upon arrival in Uleytokpo a short trek of 30 minutes takes you to visit the monastery at Rizong, the school where young lamas are taught Buddhism. This camp site is however in many ways better than a hotel if you take into account the location of this camp site and facilities put together at this camp. You are surrounded by peach and apple trees and you are right over a cliff on the river Indus.

Day 06: Uleytokpo - Lamayuru – Alchi - Uleytokpo
Have breakfast & leave for your Moonland tour on the way to Lamayuru, another ancient monastery believed to be made by sowing a seed of barley in a pond. However, your journey to this place allows you to travel over the serpentine road and once you reach at the top the mountain you will believe why the name of this tour is Moonland exactly the same formation of land is visible as on the moon. Visit Lamayuru and drive back to Uleytokpo via Alchi Monastery. Alchi has murals paintings dating back to the 11th century and is perhaps one of the oldest monastery in Ladakh. Continue your drive towards Uleytokpo.

Day 07: Uleytokpo - Leh
Leave for Leh and on the way visit the monastery at Likir, Spituk and Phyang.
Reach Leh by late afternoon and relax for the day.

Day 08: Leh - Khardung – Sumoor
In the morning leave for Nubra via the world’s highest motorable road Khadung-La at the altitude of 5800mts above sea level. Nubra is located near the strategic Siachen glacier, on the Indo-Pak border. The Khardungla Pass, the highest motor able pass in the world is located nearby. Nubra has been thrown open to tourism only recently, and offers some spectacularly beautiful landscapes. One of the peculiarities of Nubra that make it a special place is the co-existence of water, mountain and desert!
Continue your drive to Nubra valley, arrive & check in at deluxe tented accommodation in Sumoor.
After lunch see the natural hot springs at Panamik. It is believed that if one bathes in these hot springs all the skin ailments are taken care of.

Day 09: Nubra
In the morning an excursion to the greater Himalayas include visit to Diskit and Hundar monasteries.
Diskit is one of the oldest monasteries in this part of the world. It is the seat of the Dalai Lama in Nubra with a private palace dedicated to the Lama. At Hundar there is a very small monastery but this monastery is known throughout the Buddhist world for its high order.
Return to your camps and on the way stop to see the double hump camels: a race of camels that dates back to the time of the Silk route caravan. Enjoy a camel ride on the desert terrain.

Day10: Nubra - Leh - Shey - Thiksey - Hemis - Leh.
After breakfast drive back to Leh. After lunch excursion to Shey, the summer Palace of royal family. A small drive ahead takes you to Thiksey where you can see the biggest future Buddha statue of Maitreya. Finally on to the richest monestry of Ladakh, Hemis, this monastery is nestled between two mountains and houses the rare Buddhist artifacts and texts. It is here in the month of June – July takes place the famous Hemis festival.
Return back to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 11: Leh - Delhi (By Flight)
After breakfast at your hotel time to say good bye to this Land of Lamas & Moon Land, you will be transferred to airport to board flight for New Delhi. Upon reaching Delhi explore few hours in the busy markets and later a farewell dinner marks the end of your trip to India. Transfer to International airport to board flight back to your country with fond remembrance of your trip of Ladakh

TOUR ENDS

Price per person on twin sharing USD 1555

CITY	HOTELS	NIGHTS
DELHI	THE PARK or similar	3
LEH	GA-LDEN CONTINENTAL or similar	4
ULEYTOKPO	CAMP TENTS	2
NUBRA	CAMPTENTS	2

Tour Cost Includes:
· Accommodation on twin sharing basis
· Daily breakfast,
· All entrances, portage & monument fees
· Guide services throughout the tour
· Air conditioned car in Delhi and non air conditioned vehicle in Ladakh
· All services as per above mentioned program
· Air fare for the sector: Delhi - Leh - Delhi
· Farewell dinner at Delhi
· All applicable taxes & service charges.