Itinerary

Day 1      Delhi/Leh

Fly from Delhi to Leh, the capital of Ladakh and situated among the hills on the north side of the Indus Valley. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel to begin your adaptation to high altitude. You will have an afternoon orientation with your guide.
   
Meals: None
Lodging: Snow Lion Guesthouse or similar   

Day 2      Thiske/Shey/Hemis/Leh

Visit Thikse Monastery, the largest gompa in Ladakh that is situated atop a craggy hill. Here you will find an important collection of Tibetan books and some excellent artwork. Afterwards, visit the palace at Shey, which sits in a strategic position  on a ridge overhang out into the Indus Valley. Your drive continues on to Hemis where you visit the gompa also known as Chang-Chub-Sam-Ling (or Lone Place of the Compassionate Person). The Hemis Gompa belongs to the Brokpa order and was founded in the early 17th century. It contains well preserved frescoes showing Kashmiri influence, as well as the largest thangka in Ladakh. Return to your guest house in Leh for your overnight.
   
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Snow Lion Guesthouse or similar   

Day 3      Temisgam

Drive to Temisgam (4 hours), one of our favorite villages in Ladakh. You will find your camp set up in a beautiful apricot grove beneath an ancient palace and monastery with a cold rushing stream nearby. Off the main roads and trails, this village is seldom visited by Westerners and you will have several days to explore the extensive fields and villages. You may even be invited into several houses for tea or local beer called chang. The climb to the monastery and old palace, as well as the nights here at 10,000' elevation will aid in your acclimatization. The trip continues to become more remarkable for the cultural experience that unfolds. You have the sense that your long journey to Asia, over the Himalayas and onto the Tibetan Plateau has taken you to a place so beautiful, remote and pure, that the effort has been worth it.
   
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Camping or guesthouse    

Day 4      Lamayuru

Make the exciting trip to the ancient Lamayuru Monastery and spend time exploring the extensive buildings of this ancient Buddhist sanctuary. This extraordinary gompa is perched on top of a beautifully eroded crag, complete with rock pinnacles and caves above the Indus. Return to Temisgam for your overnight.
   
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Camping or guesthouse   

Day 5      Hemishakpatchan

After breakfast, drive to Hemishakpatchan,via Saspol Village. This is the home village of many of our staff and they will certainly invite you to visit their families and homes. There is a very interesting monastery and participants on JOURNEYS treks have started a public library at the monastery and built a nunnery as well. We also support other ongoing projects through our Earth Preservation Fund such as the large water-driven prayer wheel restored through the contributions of previous JOURNEYS travelers. There are excellent views of snowy mountains and wild sheep can usually be seen grazing on a nearby slope. As home to your guides, you will have the great experience of visiting some of their relatives homes. Overnight near the Hemis Library.
   
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Camping or guesthouse   

Day 6      Ridzong/Chulican

Drive to Ridzong Monastery, the favorite Buddhist site of many visitors to Ladakh. You go back in time to an era when Buddhist Canons ruled the affairs of men and religious scholarship was the most important task of society. Overnight in Chulican
   
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Camping or guesthouse   

Day 7      Alchi/Likkir

Today you will drive along the Indus River to the famous monastery at Alchi. This monastery preserves some of the most spectacular Buddhist wall paintings ever created. Also visit Likkir Monastery where the monks are of Gelukpa order and the kushok is the Dalai Lama's younger brother. Return to Leh for your overnight.
   
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: Snow Lion Guesthouse or similar   

Day 8      Leh/Delhi (flight)

Return to Delhi on an early morning flight. This is where JOURNEYS services end. We can and would love to assist with accommodations and excursions in Delhi as well as the famous Taj Mahal in Agra.
   
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: None

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