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What This Trip is Like
TRIP DESCRIPTION High, Rigorous Touring Although there is no hiking on this trip, participants must be aware that a most of the trip is spent at high elevations in remote terrain. There will be camping on the drive from Manali to Ladakh. Tented camps will be set up by staff and all camping equipment will be supplied. The road trip is rough and entails long drives. Bathroom facilities arc sometimes non-existent and limit your privacy to a nearby tree or rock. Accommodations outside of Delhi arc rustic - camping, and the Ladakh Sarai (a deluxe rustic experience!). Anyone that would be uncomfortable in such a situation should not consider this adventure.
Anyone with a history of medical problems, particularly cardiac or respiratory, should consult a physician before considering this trip. We require a release of liability and medical certificate signed by your physician from all participants.
Pre-Departure Packet
After you sign-up on the trip, a detailed packet of information on health and safety, travel documents, clothing, background information and suggested reading will be sent to you.
Visas
Visas are required for USA citizens for India. It is not possible to obtain a Visa on arrival in India. You must have your India Tourist Visa prior your departure from the USA.
Immunizations and Health Matters
No immunizations are required but several are recommended by the Atlanta Center for Disease Control. Participants will be sent a list of the suggested immunizations and a packet of health information in their trip preparation packet.
Refunds for Unused Portions of Trip
Because our rates are based on group participation, no refunds can be made for any accommodations, services, or features not taken. If cancellation occurs while the trip is in progress, there will be no refund for any unused portion.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE*** While we endeavor to make the itinerary as accurate as possible, it should be considered as a approximate schedule of activities rather than a rigid schedule of events. Top itineraries are subject to revision due to weather, government restrictions and other reasons beyond our control. We will make every effort to notify trip participants in advance of any changes, but due to the nature of travel in Asia, this is not always possible.
Itinerary
Often called Little Tibet, Ladakh is a world cultural treasure, perhaps the most intact enclave of traditional Tibetan culture.
Near Leh, Ladakh's capital, we stay at the serene Ladakh hotel in luxurious rooms.
We end with a four-day drive to Manali on the Trans-Himalayan Highway, among the most spectacular road journeys in the world. Closed to all traffic except the occasional military convoy until 1989, the highway traverses the dramatic wilderness of Zanskar Range and the mountains of Lahoul and Spiti as it crosses the Himalaya via four major passes: Rohtang (13,047 feet). Baralacha (16,020 feet), Lachulung (16,615), and Tanglang (17,475- feet). During the drive we'll spend three nights in tented camps near the road. Spectacular views and crisp mountain air offer the most exciting aspects of high altitude trekking without its rigors. We end in the beautiful Kulu Valley, a land of rushing streams, fruit orchards, and forested hills.
Days 1 & 2 USA TO DELHI Depart your home city for Delhi .
Day 3 Saturday, June 27 DELHI Arrive in Delhi in the morning. You will be met by our representative and assisted in transferring to the hotel.
Even when Bombay and Madras were mere trading posts and Calcutta was a village of mud huts, Delhi had been the seat of an empire for five hundred years. Through the centuries, eight cities have been built on this site by Hindus, Mughals, and British, each adding their own flavor. In a matter of minutes we can be transported from a sprawling, elegant garden city to the ancient twisting alleyways of Old Delhi.
Balance of the day is at leisure to relax, get over jet lag. Early evening you will meet as a group with your Tour Leader for an orientation meeting. Following the meeting, your Leader will host a "traditional Indian
Day 4 Sunday, DELHI TO LEH Early morning transfer to the airport for our flight to Leh on Indian Airlines IC# 431. The flight up the Indus Valley provides spectacular views of the Zanskar Range to the West, including the twin peaks of Nun and Kun, while to the North is K2, the second highest peak on earth. Upon arrival we will be met by vehicles and assisted with transfer to the Ladakhi hotel, at the Stok Village. The Ladakhi hotel is a recreation of an old Silk Road traders camp. We settle into our private yurt tents with nearby private bath, complete with western toilet and solar-heated shower. Dinners are served in the traditional Ladakhi-style central building; lunches are served outside in a grove of willow trees overlooking the Indus River Valley, with the mighty Himalayan Range just beyond. The food and friendly service are memorable.
Leh Valley, 11,400 feet in altitude, has been the capital city of Ladakh since ancient times and a transit point for caravans of the bygone silk route, still feels and looks like a trading post of those times. After breakfast an orientation tour to familiarize you with the Sarai. Balance of the day is free to rest, acclimate to the high altitude and leisurely explore the village of Stok if you so desire. Minimal amount of physical activity is advised.
Ladakh (B,L,D)
Days 5 & 6 Monday & Tuesday: EXPLORING INDUS VALLEY After breakfast a short walk brings us to Stok Palace, the summer home of the Rani, or queen, of Ladakh. We'll be getting a feel for what Andrew Harvey called "the peaceful life" of Ladakh. "In the still air the squeak of a prayer wheel is answered by a single resounding stroke of a gong, which issues, pregnant with meaning, from an unseen monastery in the rockface. A charming world."
We will visit the Gclupa order (same as the Dalai Lama) monastery located at the head of the village. The Stok Gompa is run by a incarnate Lama and is supported by the Royal Family of Ladakh. Also visit the Stok Palace Museum, the present home of the Ladakhi Royal Family. The museum displays a fine collection of thangkas. These 82 thangkas, only recently discovered, are over 300 years old and in mint condition.
During these two days we will also visit most of the famous monasteries in the Leh Valley including:
Shey used to be the old palace of the King of Ladakh. The fort and palace are in ruins but the monastery is still active. In it is a giant (39 foot) statue made of gilded copper of the Sakyamuni Buddha.
Thikse Gompa, dramatically situated on the slopes of a hill, built in imitation of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, commands a formidable view of the Indus Valley. In the new building is a three story statue of the Maitreya Buddha —one the most beautiful pieces of religious art in Ladakh.
There will also be time in the town of Leh to browse in its maze of narrow streets, seeking out silver, coral, turquoise, and hand-made items from the local merchants.
Days 7 & 8 LIKIR, ALCHI AND LAMAYURU Buddhism is an integral part of life in Ladakh, with the countryside punctuated by monasteries - both ancient and newly constructed. Unlike Tibet, these have not been decimated by Chinese occupation. During these days wc delve deeper in to the Ladakhi way of life, we will visit most of the famous monasteries beyond the Indus Valley , the "mural wonderland" of Alch and the dramatic Lamayuru.
Starting off with a half day raft trip down the Ind us Rive r to Suspol a point just past the confluence of Zangskar and Indus Rivers. This is primarily a float trip with a few class 1 and 2 rapids. You have the option of driving if you so prefer. At Suspokwe will exchange our rafts for vehicles and continue our journey by road ( Qurl to Basgo, the site of another ancient monastery. The impressive citadel built on top of the hill was the Capital of Ladakh, several timesTdunng the 15th amPl 7th centuries.
It was here that Ladakh had held out against the Tibetan and Mongol armies that the 5th Dalai Lama had sent to Ladakh. To break the three year siege the ICing of Ladakh sent emissaries to Emperor Aurangzeb in Srinager asking for his assistance and inviting his army into Ladakh. Thus entered into Buddhist Ladakh Islamic influence. Today, over 30% of Ladakhi populace are followers of Islam. There is a mosque situated on the main street of Leh.
Alchi, dated to the 10th century, an inactive gompa today, is one of the most intriguing gompas of Ladakh. Why this monastery died remains a mystery, especially since it has the most prolific art forms: wall painting, painted chorten, statues, giving an impression of having once been rich and powerful.
Lamayuru, the 10th/l 1th century monastery, is our furthest point East. Lamayuru Monastery belonging to the certain order has always been very active and powerful. In the 13th century it was the main contender against the Sa-skya Monastery for acknowledged supremacy throughout Tibet. The focal point of this monastery is a cave where the great Indian Saint Marpa is said to have meditated.
Days 9
TO HEMIS After a leisurely morning spent further exploring and photographing Lamayuru we drive back along the Indus River to Hemis Gompa. At Hcmis we will stay in a private deluxe camp just outside the monastery. Our walk-in tents arc furnished with cots and attached washrooms, and we'll have our own private chefs, dinning tent, and outhouses.
Days 10&11 AT THE HEMIS TSHECHU We have two days to leisurely partake in Hemis' grand festival, or tshechu. In the monastery's inner courtyard, monks representing various deities in the Vajrayana, or Tibetan Buddhist pantheon, perform ritual dances, dressed in robes of richly colored silks and brocade, wearing incredible masks. These are story-telling dances, recounting the coming of Buddhism to Hemis and Ladakh, the life and times of important monks, and of good triumphing over evil. One of the most important dances is the Black Hat Dance, which tells how Padmasambhava (lovingly remembered as the Guru Rimpoche, or Precious Teacher) relieved Buddhism from royal persecution in the 8th century.
Booths and stalls - a rollicking, Chaucerian temporary bazaar - are set up set up outside the courtyard, selling food, religious and secular items, and offering games of chance. Hundreds of Ladakhis, dressed in their finest, happily throng this celebration of living culture; nostalgia for the old days is the last thing from their mind during tshechu.
Day 12 HEMIS TO TSOMORIRI ON THE LEH - MANALI HIGHWAY We drive along the Indus River to the village oTUpshi, then ascend a narrow valley past small, oasis-like villages, climbing to 17,475 foot Tanglang La, the highest point on the journey. At the iop of the pass is a tiny temple, prayer flags rustling in the breeze. We continue past Debring, a large Indian Army post, to our camp. From the camp a short walk to the top of a nearby ridge reveals a large lake, the Tsar Tso, and endless mountain ranges stretching across the horizon. The drive is approximately 185 km and will take about 8 hours.
Day 13
PANG TO SARCHU (13,000') Our ascent to the next pass takes us across the Kyangshu Plains, a level stretch of over 40 km. It is named after the kyang, a wild ass that roams these plains and is often sighted in herds of more than 50 animals. From here we climb across the Zanskar Range and up to the Lachulung La (16,615 feet). We cross the Tsarap Chu River and camp nearby. Camp (B,L,D)
Day 14
SARCHU TO JIPSA (10,978') Wc cross the 16.020 foot Baralacha La on today's drive. The pass is a level stretch of eight kilometers, with a small lake at the top, the source of the Bhaga and the Chandra rivers. From here the snow-covered peaks of the Barashigri, Chandrabhaga, and Mulkila ranges, towering well over 6000 meters, are visible. A gradual descent takes us across large meadows such as Zingzingbar before wc drop steeply and steadily to the Braga River and on to the check post at Darcha. A level stretch of road leads to our camp at Jipsa.
Day 15 JIPSA TO MANALI (6,300') Leaving the high mountain wilderness, we begin passing through small villages and towns. Soon we reach the bustling town of Kelong, capital of the Lahoul District. From here we climb again to Rohthang La (12,960 feet), the last pass on our journey. We descend into the Kulu-Manali Valley and drive along the watershed of the Beas River to reach Manali soon after lunch.
Manali is circled by beautiful glades of deodars and flowering horse chestnuts, tiny levelled fields and fruit orchards, with the Beas River meandering through the town. In the late afternoon we'll visit the 14th century wooden Dhoongri Temple, also known as Hadimba Devi Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Hadimba, wife of Bhima, the Pandava of Mahabharata fame. Set in tranquil surroundings, the temple is four tiered, with a pagoda-shaped roof and a symbolic, carved entrance way. Local folklore claims that the builder of the temple, Raja Bahadur Singh, ordered the architect's hand cut off to prevent him from duplicating the design elsewhere.
Day 16
MANALI This day works as a back-up day in case of delays on the Trans-Himalayan Highway. We'll spend the day exploring Manali's Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries, and roaming its small but interesting bazaar.
Day 17
MANALI TO DELHI After an early breakfast we transfer to the airport at Kulu (about two hours drive from Manali) for the flight to Delhi on flight F5, departing Kulu at 7:45 AM and reaching Delhi at 9:00 AM . Upon arrival we will be met and assisted with the transfer to our hotel. Balance of the day is free.
Day 18
DELHI TO USA Depart India, connecting in either Europe or the Orient with flights home, arriving in the USA late the same day. (Actual check-in for your flight will be the night before).
