Leh, being the largest town in Ladakh and being centrally located, it becomes the base for anybody travelling in Ladakh. Like the rest of Ladakh it has a barren landscape of a high altitude cold desert. Ladakh receives very little snowfall, as a result of which the internal roads of Ladakh remain open throughout the year. But the main highways connecting Leh-Ladakh to the rest of India, that is National Highway 1D to Srinagar and Leh-Manali Highway to Manali receives heavy snowfall in winter and remains open only during summer from May to October. During the day in summer it is very warm here while the winters are extremely cold and harsh.
Towards the north east of Ladakh where the Shyok river, tributary of the Indus, joins the Nubra river lies the unique Nubra valley. The Karakoram range forms its northern limits. Scenery here is of a dry desert with light vegetation near the rivers. There are large stretches of sand dunes present between Hunder and Diskit. The two-humped Bactrian camel can also be seen here. Hunder was the capital of the ancient Nubra kingdom. Towards its north lies a beautiful village, Baigdandu, famous for its unique people and goats which gives us the famous Pashmina wool for shawls. Chamba Gompa, Diskit Gompa, Maitreya are some other places worth visiting in this area. To reach Nubra valley from Leh one has to cross the high Khardung La, 17,582 ft.
Pangong Lake, is a beautiful high altitude land locked salt water lake. It is located at a height of 14,270 ft and is 134 km long and 5 km wide at its broadest. It's a cross border lake and lies 40% in India and 60% in China. The Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control passes through it. Hence special permit is required to visit the lake. Despite its salt water the lake freezes completely in winter.
The roads in Ladakh is not very good and can be unmetalled and rough in many places. The ride is not easy and is an ideal journey for an adventure motorcyclist. The whole trip is in high altitude region and needs to cross some very high altitude passes. So, it is very important to guard against AMS by giving time for aclimatization and looking out for symptoms. Carry proper waterproof clothings and warm inner wears because temperations can be quite chilly in case of rare showers.
The itinerary lists the places we will be covering during the trip. Where we stay and how much we travel in a day is just indicative and is subject to change depending on weather condition. We have kept few days extra in order to account for bad weather, road blocks, unscheduled halts, acclimatisation, local sightseeing etc.
Leh is the capital of the Leh district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The town is
dominated by the ruined Leh Palace, the former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh. Mountains
dominate the landscape around the Leh.
You will receive a warm welcome on arrival. Check in to hotel. Meet the team.
Local sightseeing. Overnight stay in hotel.
Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diskit the capital of Nubra is about 150 km north from Leh town. We cross the famous Khardung La pass to reach this place from Leh. The 32 metre Maitreya Buddha statue is the landmark of Nubra Valley and is maintained by the Diskit Monastery. Samstanling monastery is between Kyagar and Sumur villages, and Panamik is noted for its hot springs. Across the Nubra or Siachan River at Panamik, is the isolated Ensa Gompa. On the Shyok River, the main village, Diskit, is home to the dramatically positioned Diskit Monastery which was built in 1420 AD.
Pangong Lake, is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas and extends from India to China. Pangong Tso can be reached in a five-hour drive from Leh, most of it on a rough and dramatic mountain road. The road crosses the villages of Shey and Gya and traverses the Chang La, where army sentries and a small teahouse greet visitors. Soak in the beauty of the place and the blue waters of the lake. Stay at nearby camps.
We halt at Leh and do some local sightseeing around Leh before starting on our trip on the Srinagar Leh highway.
Kargil is a city in the Kargil district of Ladakh, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the second largest town in Ladakh after Leh. People in Kargil are of mixed Dard and Tibetan descent. Most are Baltis. It falls on the highway connecting Leh to Srinagar.
Sonamarg is a hill station in Ganderbal district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a popular tourist destination, nestled within the imposing Himalayan peaks. In its vicinity lies the great Himalayan glaciers of Kashmir Valley namely Kolhoi Glacier and Machoi Glacier with some peaks of above 5000 meters: Sirbal Peak, Kolhoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Machoi Peak. Sonamarg an alpine valley is situated at the bank of Nallah Sindh, the largest tributary of the Jehlum River in the valley of Kashmir. Sonamarg has no permanent settlement and is inaccessible during winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanches.
Srinagar is the largest city and the summer capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
It lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes.
The city is famous for its gardens, waterfronts and houseboats. It is also known for traditional
Kashmiri handicrafts and dried fruits.
End of trip. Local shopping and you go back with loads of memories.
