Discover Ladakh

Arrive at Leh airport at 3,500 metres and meet your guide for an orientation drive through the old city. Spend the afternoon exploring Leh Palace and Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, then watch the sunset from Shanti Stupa. Rest well, as the altitude demands a gentle first evening.

• Airport pick up and orientation
• Leh Palace and Namgyal Tsemo Gompa
• Shanti Stupa sunset viewing
• Evening walk through Main Bazar

• Overnight in Leh

Travel south through the fertile Sham region, a pocket of green in the desert, visiting ancient monasteries perched on hillsides. See the meeting point of two mighty rivers and stand on the hillside where the earth's magnetic field plays tricks on compasses and cars.

• Spituk Gompa with its statue of Guru Padmasambhava
• Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, a pilgrimage site on the Indus banks
• Magnetic Hill where gravity seems to work backwards
• Sangam, the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers

• Overnight in Leh

Drive to the summit of Khardungla Pass at 5,359 metres, one of the world's highest motorable roads. Descend into the remote Nubra Valley, a hidden oasis surrounded by barren mountains. Visit the magnificent Diskit Monastery and see the colossal statue of Maitreya Buddha overlooking the valley.

• Khardungla Pass summit stop at 5,359 metres
• Diskit Monastery and 32 metre Maitreya Buddha statue
• Drive through Nubra Valley
• Evening exploration of Sumur village

• Overnight in Nubra

Take it slow at high altitude. Drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous activity on arrival in Leh and after crossing passes.

Spend the morning riding double humped Bactrian camels across the sand dunes of Hunder, a unique desert landscape where mountains meet sand. The afternoon is free to relax at your camp or explore the village and its ancient monasteries.

• Double humped camel ride on Hunder Sand Dunes
• Visit Hundar village and local Balti culture
• Optional monastery walks around Nubra
• Sunset views over the valley

• Overnight in Nubra

Depart early for the scenic drive to Pangong Lake, following the Shyok River through dramatic mountain scenery. Arrive by mid afternoon at the lake, a stunning high altitude water body that changes colour from pale turquoise to deep indigo as the sun moves. Spend the evening by the shore, watching the light play across the water.

• Drive through Shyok Valley
• Arrive at Pangong Lake by mid afternoon
• Sunset photography at the lake
• Evening walks along the shore

• Overnight in Pangong

Pangong Lake sits at 4,350 metres. The accommodation is mostly camps and homestays. Bring warm clothes as nights are cold even in summer.

Drive back to Leh via Chang La Pass, stopping for sunrise views and visiting Hemis Monastery and Thiksey Monastery along the route. Arrive in Leh by early evening. After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight, taking the memory of mountains with you.

• Sunrise at Chang La Pass
• Hemis Monastery, home of the Hemis Tsechu festival
• Thiksey Monastery with its commanding views
• Return drive to Leh

• Tour ends