Leh, the capital and largest town of Ladakh, generally becomes the base for anybody travelling in Ladakh. It is connected with Srinagar by National Highway 1D and with Manali by Leh-Manali Highway, both of which are open only during summer from May to October. Summers in Ladakh are quite warm during the day, while winters are very cold and harsh. It is a high-altitude cold desert receiving scanty snowfall in winters and hence the internal roads within Ladakh remain open almost throughout the year.
Nubra valley, situated in the north eastern part of Ladakh where the Shyok river, a tributary of the Indus, joins with the Siachen or Nubra river. The Karakoram range of mountains form its northern limits. Like the rest of the region, this is also a high altitude cold desert which receives very less precipitation and thus is mostly barren having light vegetation and crops near rivers. The road travelling from Leh to Nubra valley goes over the high Khardung La pass at a height of 17,582 ft. Chamba monastery, Diskit monastery, Maitreya statue are some places of interest in this area. The ancient Nubra kingdom had its capital at Hunder. Sand dunes and two-humped Bactrian camels grazing on seabuckthorns can be seen between Diskit and Hunder. The goats from whose wool we get the famous Pasmina shawls are reared in a beautiful village called Baigdandu here.
Pangong Lake, is a beautiful cross border endorheic lake. Endorheic lakes are land locked river basins with rivers flowing into the lake but not flowing out of it. It is situated at a height of about 14,270 ft and is 5 km wide at its broadest. It is 134 km long and lies in both India and China. The lake completely freezes in winter inspite of its being a salt water lake. For security reasons one requires Inner Line Permit to visit the lake and boating is not allowed in this lake.
The ride along this trip can be long and rough and the roads are a combination of metalled and unmetalled ones. There are numerous high altitude passes that needs to be crossed and so care should be taken against AMS. In th event of an unlikely rain, temperatures can fall to become very chilly. So, you will need to carry with you appropriate waterproof clothings and warm inner wears.
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.
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.
You will receive a warm welcome on arrival at Srinagar. Check in to hotel. Meet the team.
Local sightseeing. Overnight stay in hotel.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
End of trip. Local shopping and you go back with loads of memories.
