Duration : 15 Nights / 16 Days
Day
1: Early morning flight to Leh. Day free for rest and acclimatization.
Day 2: Tour of Leh city, including the 17th century palace and gompa.
Day 3 - 4: Touring the monasteries and palaces of the Indus valley.
Day 5: Travel by jeep to Lamayuru gompa, a site that abounds in myth
and legend. Overnight in the village.
Day 6: Begin trek! Cross the Prinkiti La (~3700 metres) to the village
of Wanlah, where there is a beautiful ancient gompa. A short day.
Day 7: Continue through awesome gorge country to pastures beyond the
village of Hinju.
Day 8: Cross the 4900 metre Konzke La for a spectacular view before descending
to pastures just above the village of Sumda Chenmo.
Day 9: Pass through Sumda Chenmo, which actually has two gompas: One
is active, while the other lies in ruins below the village. Camp in the valley
near the river.
Day 10: Rest day, with an optional side trip to Sumda Choon, whose ancient
and rarely visited gompa houses remarkable artistic treasures.
Day
11: Continue upwards to the beautiful meadow of Lanak. In the evenings,
we have often spotted Bharal, the rare and elusive blue sheep, on the nearby
cliffs.
Day 12: Today's climb to Dundunchen La (4800 metres) is strenuous, a
stunning view encompassing the Stok and Zanskar ranges. Finish our trek with
a long descent into Chiling, before boarding the rafts on the Zanskar river.
Ride the river to its confluence with the Indus at Nimu, then board jeeps for
the trip to Alchi. Overnight at Alchi village.
Day 13: In Alchi, we tour the remarkably well-preserved 11th -century
gompa and the famed frescoes within. In the afternoon, we return by jeep to
Leh for a well-deserved rest.
Day 14: Day free in Leh.
Day 15: Morning flight to Delhi. Brief exploration of India's capitol.
Day 16: Depart-Delhi, Transfer to airport for flight to Onwards journey.
