Highlights: Explore Old Delhi

Description: On arrival at Delhi airport, on completion with immigration, custom clearance and luggage collection please proceed to the exit look for representative in the arrival lounge- who will be holding a placard with guests name and later you will be given a traditional Indian welcome and escorted to your hotel. (Check in time 1400 hrs). Delhi is India's bustling capital city. New Delhi reflects the legacy the British left behind. The division between New and Old Delhi is the segregation between the capitals of the British and the Mughal respectively. This day will be spent at leisure to get acclimated to the time difference. In afternoon go for guided Old Delhi sightseeing including metro ride. Enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through the famous Chandni Chowk Bazaars, once the shopping avenue for Mughal royalty and the oldest marketplace of the city, once the shopping avenue for Mughal royalty and the oldest marketplace of the city. Drive past the Red sandstone walled Red Fort, also built by Emperor Shahjahan. Next proceed to visit Raj Ghat, the cremation ground of Mahatma Gandhi), The "Father of the nation".

Locations: Delhi

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Description: Today morning, you will be transferred to airport for flight to Leh. Upon arrival at airport you are met outside the arrival hall by our representative holding a signage with your name. He will escort you to your vehicle and assist with transfer and check-in formalities at your hotel. (Check-in time 12 noon) It is recommended that there should be no activity on first day of arrival as this enables the guest/s to have an optimal relaxation before they acclimatize to rarefied oxygen level in this high-altitude region ensconced in the high Himalayan plateau.

Locations: Leh

Highlights: Explore Leh

Description: After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy the day at your own. Leh was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The town is dominated by the ruined Leh Palace, the former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh, built in the same style and about the same time as the Potala Palace-the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamshala, India, during the 1959 Tibetan uprising.

Locations: Leh

Highlights: Explore Leh

Description: Following breakfast, you will proceed for a guided tour of Leh. We start with a visit to Shey Palace. This, the old summer Palace of the kings of Ladakh, was built more than 550 years ago by Lhachen Palgyigon, the king of Ladakh. We continue to the 500 year old Thiksey monastery, perched on a hill high above the Indus; the Monastery has about 100 yellow cap monks. On the right of the entrance to the main courtyard, a new chapel houses an enormous 15m high seated Buddha. Morning Prayer can be witnessed around 6 am, but happily there are also prayers closer to noon, preceded by long mournful sounds from the horns on the roof. The monastery hill is best ascended on foot although there is also a new road up to the monastery. The temple of Zan-la is beside the car parking area on this road. You will visit next Hemis Gompa, the wealthiest, best known and biggest Gompa of Ladakh. Its popularity stems from the major annual festival held here in summer. The festival is in honor of Guru Padma Sambhav's birth anniversary. It also has the largest Thanka in Ladakh, which is unfurled once in 12 years. Hemis was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal, an illustrious ruler of Ladakh. It flourished under the Namgyal dynasty for royalty favoured the Drugkpa Sect, which managed the monastery. The verandahs have a surfeit of frescoes, among them the Buddhist Wheel of Life (the Kalachakra) as well as numerous rows of prayer wheels. In the afternoon you will return to Leh and the rest of the day is free to wander the streets of the bazaar.

Locations: Leh

Highlights: Explore Alchi

Description: After breakfast, drive to Alchi. En-route you will stop at Phyang Gompa, Basgo Gompa, certainly the most impressive of Ladakhi citadels despite its ruined state. From here we drive to Likir Gompa; this Monastery is situated some 50 km from Leh, just off the Leh-Srinagar highway. It was built in 1065, but a new addition to the monastery was made in 1999: a 23 metre tall statue made of gilded gold of the Maitreya (the future Buddha) in a sitting posture on the roof. Our next stop is at Saspul village. Here there are some amazing rock-cut temples. Four of these caves are richly adorned with painting from the 13th to 15th century. The caves are located in a cliff towering to the south-west of the village. On the top of this rock there are remnants of an ancient fort. We continue to Alchi Monastery around 67 km from Leh. A small village, Alchi is home to one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh. Standing on the banks of the River Indus, Alchi Monastery's oldest monuments preserved here date back to the middle of the 12th century. Check in at your hotel.

Locations: Alchi

Highlights: Explore Lamayuru

Description: After breakfast, drive to Mulbeck en-route Lamayuru. Lamayuru is famous for its ancient monastery and the surrounding landscape which closely resembles the surface of moon. This is where Ladakh gets its name 'The Moonland'. Later visit the Rizong monastery and Chulichan nunnery and drive back to Leh. Lamayuru Gompa: The oldest holy site in Ladakh, it was a bon shrine prior to the advent of Buddhism. Also known as Yung Drung (Swastika) it is sited on a high promontory overlooking the village and valley. For sheer spectacle value no other Gompa can match Lamayuru. Check in at your Camp.

Locations: Mulbeck Rong

Highlights: Explore Kargil

Description: After breakfast, your will drive to Srinagar en-route Kargil. While driving to Srinagar you will come across Drass, a settlement which holds the dubious distinction of being the second coldest place in the world. After pausing for a tea break and passport checking, you will continue with your drive. Next stop at Zoji La; the pass, which lies at about 3527 metres, is known as the Gateway to Ladakh, or in our case the exit point from Ladakh. From here you will descend, with road conditions improving, until we eventually reach Sonmarg and then the lush flat fields of the Kashmir valley. A short drive then brings us into Srinagar. Srinagar, arguably a city that embodies romance & beauty, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir; perfectly placed in the center of the Kashmir Valley is aptly called the Venice of the East. Srinagar literally meaning 'the city of wealth & abundance' in Sanskrit, was founded around 150 AD by King Pravarasen II. Situated on the banks of the river Jhelum, Srinagar is surrounded by beautiful lakes like Dal, Nagin and Anchar, whose glittering waters reflecting the rays of the sun is a sight to behold. Its vividly vibrant & beautiful houseboats sailing along the scenic Dal Lake against the backdrop of the majestic Himalayan snow clad mountains makes Srinagar a dream destination for every traveler. Upon arrival embark houseboats for next three nights. One may wish to take a stroll along Dal Lake or into Srinagar in the evening.

Locations: Srinagar

Highlights: Explore Srinagar

Description: After breakfast, visit Hazratbal. It is a fairly new mosque of shimmering marble, enshrining a hair of Prophet Mohammed. The exposition of the relic takes place at a massive festival once a year. The mosque stands on the western shore of Dal lake with the mountains as a magnificent backdrop. (The mosque is particularly busy on Fridays.) Next visit the Mughal Gardens. Shalimar Bagh, emperor Jehangir's "Garden of Love", built for his beloved queen Nur Jehan in 1619, is famous because of their celebrated romance. The garden follows the traditional symmetrical pattern with a central stone channel carrying water through descending terraces in a delightful series of cascades, falls and pools. There are white marble pavilions on the first three terraces and a black marble pavilion on the fourth - the baradari or summer house, reserved for the emperor and ladies of the court. Nishat Bagh or the "Garden of Pleasure", designed in 1633 by Asaf Khan, brother of Nur Jehan, is the largest of the Mughal Gardens. Rising from the Dal lake in a series of gardened terraces and avenues of fountains playing against the blue mountain background, the gardens offer a beautiful view across the lake to the Pir Panjal range to the west. The 12 terraces represent the signs of the zodiac and are planted with cypresses and cedars. The gardens also have the remains of some Mughal buildings including a double storey pavilion with latticed windows. Chasma Shahi or the "Royal Spring" is the smallest of the gardens. The freshwater spring which supplies the fountains and falls in a fine cascade to the lower terrace is reputed to have medicinal properties. The garden, planned by Jehangir and completed by Shah Jehan in 1632, is situated in the slope of the circling hills with the still waters of the Dal Lake below. The Shankaracharya temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is thought to be the oldest shrine for worship in the Kashmir valley. The main surviving shrine of the temple is consisting of a circular cell, which provides a magnificent view of the valley below. The inner chamber of the Shankaracharya temple is today covered with a modern ceiling. The great philosopher Shankaracharya has stayed here when he visited Kashmir to revive Sanatan Dharma. In the evening, enjoy an hour of Shikara ride at Dal Lake.

Locations: Srinagar

Highlights: Explore Pahalgam

Description: After breakfast, drive to Pahalgam. En-route visit the ruins of 1100 years old Avantipur temple. Continue with your onward drive passing fields of saffron in the lush vale of Kashmir. Pahalgam is not a mere hill-station. It's like going into the lap of nature to do many things - one of the best "do-nothing". You will reach Pahalgam by lunch time.Pahalgam by lunchtime. The village is situated on the banks of the Lidder River at an altitude of just over 2000m. A popular way to while away the afternoon here is to hire a pony and ride along the Lidder River. There are also a number of trout fishing beats in the Pahalgam area, but permits have to be obtained in advance from Srinagar.

Locations: Pahalgam

Highlights: Explore Aru

Description: After breakfast we make the short half hour drive to Aru, the starting point of our trek. The trail ascends the bridle track behind the village, with the climb quite steep in places until the trail reaches a small meadow. From here the track levels out as we trek through a forest, before reaching an alpine meadow that forms one of the most picturesque settings in Kashmir. The meadow is populated by gujar and Kashmiri shepherds. We continue until we pass the confluence of Lidder River and Tarsar River. We then cross the bridge which leads to Lidderwat, our campsite for the night at an altitude of 2730 metres. Our trek today is of some 11 kilometres and should take in the region of 5 to 6 hours to complete. Our campsite, comprising two person tents, will be erected for us by our support staff.

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Highlights: Trek to Kolahai Glacier

Description: After an early breakfast, you will start for a full day trek to Kolahai Glacier. A gradual 28 km track makes you to return to the base of Kolahoi Glacier (11155 feet's high) 3400m. Kolahoi peak is in a high of 17799 feet's 5425 m. The glacier feeds the River Jhelum which in turn drains into Dal Lake. It is therefore because of this glacier that the Kashmir Valley is so fertile, allowing the cultivation of export-quality rice, wheat, saffron, corn and apples. The Kolahoi Glacier is also the source of the River Lidder that runs through Pahalgam. Trek back to your camp at Lidderwat.

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Description: After breakfast trek back to Aru. At Aru you will board your vehicle and drive to Srinagar en-route Pahalgam. Check in at your houseboat.

Locations: Srinagar

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Description: After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival at Delhi, you will be transferred to hotel.

Locations: Delhi

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Description: Morning breakfast and later transfer to airport to board flight to back home.

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