Overview

Ladakh Explorations & Expeditions are our favorite series of events of the year! It gets exciting every year as we keep adding on some extra adventure! In this batch, we visit the less visited - Zanskar Region and also witness the vibrant Gustor Festival at Stongdey Monastery. Our journey will be on those long serene roads and completely off roads with views you will never see anywhere else; camping in the wilderness and dancing around the campfire; Rafting in the Zanskar river and creating everlasting memories! It is definitely an adventure of a lifetime! ____________________________________________________________________________________

Riding difficulty – Moderate (Depending on the season & water level on the road)

Average travel duration – 6 to 7 hours every day
Average travel distance – 120 km every day

Main Attractions   Kargil, Rangdum, Padum, Stongdey & Phuktal Monastery, Pangong Tso, Sheila Waterfalls
Passes & Altitude – Pensi La (14000 ft), Zoji La (11,578 ft), Khardung La (18,380 ft), Chang La (17,586 ft)

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The costing is as follows:

SUV / Tempo Traveller - Rs. 37500 per person

9 Nights 10 Days July - September 2021
Inclusions/Exclusions

What is included in the tour

  • Stay in the guest house and Swiss tents
  • Dinner and Breakfast
  • Experienced tour lead for the entire trip
  • Oxygen cylinder and first aid kit
  • Environmental fees and Inner Line Permits
  • Pick up from Srinagar Airport and Drop to Leh Airport

What is NOT included in the tour

  • GST- 5% extra
  • Transportation till Starting point and back from End Point
  • Entry ticket of Monasteries & Monuments
  • Lunch and Snacks/Beverages
  • Any expenses due to medical emergencies or Covid related tests
  • Items of personal nature like laundry, telephone calls, tips, camera fees etc
  • Anything other than above-mentioned inclusions
Highlights

 

  • Witness the colourful 'Cham masked' dance performed by the head Lamas during the Ladakhi Festival.
  • Visit the most secluded and beautiful landscapes of Ladakh 
  • Travel through the newly opened road from Zanskar to Leh 
  • Explore the sheer scenic beauty of Snow covered mountains throughout the journey
  • Mesmerize the bird's eye view of Leh city from the Shanti Stupa and Tsemo Monastery
  • Capture the mountainscapes, desertscapes and riverscapes altogether into your lens
  • Experience the enthralling high altitude river rafting adventure in the Zanskar River
Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival Srinagar.Proceed to Kargil 
Day 2 – Kargil to Rangdum 
Day 3 – Rangdum to Padum (Sheila)
Day 4 – Stongdey Monastery Festival - Zangla
Day 5 – Zangla to Wanla
Day 6 – Wanla to Leh
Day 7 – Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardungla 
Day 8 – Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Shayok
Day 9 – Pangong Tso to Leh via Chang La
Day 10 – Depart from Leh

Note: Upon the request of the clients, we customize the itinerary to include/exclude travel to Srinagar or Manali side journey. The cost will vary accordingly.


DETAILED ITINERARY 

Day 1 - Arrive at Srinagar
Arrive at Srinagar airport and get picked up by our representative. Start your Zanskar Valley journey on beautiful NH1 and enjoy the Srinagar Highway in SUV / Tempo Traveller. First day of your journey will be around 200 km. Once you reach the Zojila pass, you are going to have an amazing view of the mighty Himalayan Mountains, which makes the drive worthwhile. You will visit the famous Kargil War Memorial which was built in the memory of the soldiers and officers of the Indian Army. Reach Kargil by late evening. Stay at Guesthouse in Kargil.

Day 2 - Kargil to Rangdum 
After morning breakfast, leave Kargil towards Rangdum. At a distance of 130kms from Kargil on Padum road, this is an isolated place in the Himalayan wilderness of the Suru valley. From Kargil onwards, the road condition starts to deteriorate, from the asphalt road to dirt trial and from Rangdum onwards it continues all the way upto Padum. Rangdum (3657 m) is surrounded by colourful hills on the one side and glacier-encrusted Rocky Mountains on the other. Stay at Guesthouse in Rangdum.

Day 3 - Rangdum to Padum (Sheila)
Without any delays in the morning, you roll down towards Sheila village in Padum region for about 110 km. The road starts ascending towards Pensi La (14000 ft) - the highest point between Kargil to Zanskar. After crossing the Pensi La pass, you start descending and reach the place where you can see the Drang Drung Glacier in full glory. There is no other sight in India where you can watch such a huge glacier in touching distance. Reach Sheila village by evening. Visit the waterfall at a walkable distance during sunset time  Stay at Guesthouse in Sheila.

Day 4 - Padum to Stongdey Gustor festival​ and Phuktal monastery
Zanskar offers stunning landscapes, Gompas, forts and tall multi-hued mountains. Today is the one of the most exciting days as you get to witness a Gustor Festival which is celebrated remembering the victory of good over evil, at this largest Geluk-pa (Yellow Hat) Stongdey monastery that is located on the slopes of Zanskar Mountains, right high above the Padum plain. During the festival, a Black Hat Dance is performed. Later, hike to Phukthal monastery and visit Zang La Fort on the way which offers some scenic wide views of Zanskar Valley. Stay at Guesthouse in Zangla.

Day 5 - Zangla to Wanla
During the winter season, Zanskar is completely cut off from rest of the world due to snow. But our journey today will be through the newest roads opened recently to connect Zanskar with Leh even during winter! We will cross Lingshed monastery during our journey and reach Wanla by late evening after long stretch of off roads. Rest in Guest house in Wanla  

Day 6 - Wanla to Leh
Post breakfast, leave Wanla towards Leh. We wash off all the dust from our crazy journey by plunging into the waters of Zanskar River! We will go on a exciting rafting expedition which you will surely cherish. Enroute, we will visit Magnetic Hill and Confluence point of Indus and Zanskar River. Stay at Guesthouse in Leh

Day 7 - Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardungla 
Our journey starts with us conquering the mighty Khardung La (the World's Highest Motorable Road at a height of 18,380 ft). Driving further downhill, we enter the heart of Nubra valley. It is an amazing experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. The drive along the Shayok River to enter Hunder sand dunes is a treat for the eyes. We will visit the oldest and largest monastery, Diskit monastery enroute Hunder in Nubra valley. It is located at an altitude of 3142 meters. Once we arrive at our campsite, we get refreshed and head out to explore the sand dunes. Stay at Camp/Guesthouse in Hunder

Day 8 - Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Shayok
Today’s route is actually a shortcut road to reach the famous Pangong Tso via Shayok through rough and rocky terrain and in between water streams. The first glance of the alluring Pangong Lake and its blue waters is enough to leave a lasting impression on your mind. Our campsite for the night, which is our personal favourite, is by the lake itself at Spangmik – 20 km away from the shooting point. Stay at Camp/Guesthouse in Spangmik

Day 9 - Pangong Tso to Leh via Chang La
On our journey to Leh today, we conquer the Changla La. It is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 17,590ft above the sea level, located in the Nubra valley. After crossing the pass, there's gruelling descent and we reach Sakti - a laid back village with lush green fields. Reach Leh by evening and you can do some last minute shopping and pack your bags. Stay at Guesthouse in Leh Stay at Guesthouse in Leh

Day 10 - Depart from Leh airport
Transfer to Airport in the morning.

Thus your Ladakh Odyssey comes to an end with lots of new memories and experiences to take back.

You can find latest photos here - I, IIIIIIVYou can also find reviews of our participants on our FACEBOOK PAGE. For any further queries WhatsApp at +91 903 503 0952.

Route Map