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. 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: This morning start early, as you will board flight to Leh. Flight: 9W-2638 Departs Delhi at 0540 Hrs Arrives Leh at 0705 Hrs. On arrival you will be received and transfer to hotel and relax for the day If health permits (due to high altitude some people have sickness and needs time to go with the high altitude due to lesser level of oxygen) explore Leh of own, a fascinating labyrinth of winding streets and quaint bazaars. The main street is open and airy, with rows of shops on either side. On either side of the market are seen a long line of Ladakhi women in traditional dress and colourful jewellery of coral and turquoise, seated behind enormous baskets, selling vegetables. The spectacular eight-storey Leh Palace looming above, overlooking the town was built in the 16th century, about the same time as the Potala in Lhasa, which it resembles. The stroll through the town is followed by a visit to Sankar gompa, about 2 km from the market. It has a number of pure gold icons and richly painted walls, its pictures depicting different stories, including some from the Panchtantra. All meals and overnight at the hotel

Locations: Leh

Highlights: Explore Leh

Description: After breakfast explore some of Ladakh's ancient gompas. A picnic lunch is provided. Shey Palace was built in 1645 by Deldan Namgyal as a summer residence for the kings of Ladakh. It is the oldest palace in Ladakh and above the palace is an even older ruined fortress. In 1655, in memory of his father, this same king built the two-storey Shey gompa adjacent to the palace. Hundreds of chortens of all shapes and sizes stand below the palace and gompa. These chortens demonstrate the interest taken in Shey by the Ladakhi kings and queens who succeeded Shey's original builder. Located on the second storey of the gompa is a large Buddha statue made in 1655 by a Nepalese sculptor who was assisted by three Ladakhi craftsmen. The seated Buddha is 12 meters high and worked of copper sheets gilded with gold. Sacrificial offerings such as grain or jewels, holy signs and mantras are contained inside the figure. In front of the Buddha is a large bowl of wax with a central flame that burns for one year before being replaced. This flame represents divinity and purity and is present in front of all Buddha statues in Ladakh. Thiksey Gompa is the most picturesquely situated monastery in Ladakh, perched high on a hill above the Indus. Its buildings are arranged at various levels, leading up to the private apartments of the incarnate lamas on the summit. From here one commands a magnificent view of the valley. The gompa possesses a rich and beautiful collection of hundreds of hand-written or painted prayer books. A new temple contains a 15-meter tall Buddha statue, constructed in 1970 to commemorate a visit to Thiksey by the Dalai Lama. The statue, made of clay and covered with gold paint, is the largest Buddha figure in Ladakh and took four years to construct. Inside, the statue is filled with the Kandshur and the Tandshur - volumes of Buddhist canonical texts. The statue was made entirely by local craftsmen and represents Maitreya, ("compassion" in Sanskrit) the Buddha of the Future. The prophecy made of the Maitreya is that the world will be undergoing such chaos that He will teach compassion to the people. Hemis Gompa is one of the most important in Ladakh, the largest and also the wealthiest. It was built in 1620 by the king-architect Singe Namgyal, a great patron of Buddhism. He filled Hemis with golden statues, stupas set with precious stones and thangkhas brought from many places, including Tibet. Hemis is the location for numerous religious festivals throughout the year, although the most important one is in summer (usually June or July) when a huge thangkha, one of the largest in the world, is hung in the courtyard. It takes about 50 monks to carry the thangkha to its place and unfold it. The thangkha is made of fine heavy silk and embroidered with pictures of various gods as well as of the founder of Hemis. The dances in front of this thangkha represent the forces of good, symbolized by legendary heroes and saints, overcoming demons. Hemis also has a thangkha, reputed to be the largest in the world that is displayed once every eleven years. It will be next shown in 2003. The hands of the artist who painted this thangkha are preserved at Hemis as holy relics, though they are not shown to the public.

Locations: Leh

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Description: From Leh, the drive to Rumtse is an exciting one, with views of the Indus Valley and many monasteries on the way. Day one is easily manageable: we have a short walk on a rather flat terrain to aid acclimatization. We will camp overnight at lush Kyamar, near a spring

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Highlights: Explore Tissaling

Description: We should be fully energized today with proper breakfast for a challenging day ahead. We begin with gradual ascent towards our first pass of Kumur La (4800 m), which gives a spectacular view of the Changthang range with its colorful rife of mountain. After the pass, we steadily descend towards the base of the next pass. Here we might come across nomads with their herds of sheep, goats and yaks. After a short rest, we set out for Mandalchan La (4850 m). From this pass it's an easy descend to the camping site at the pastureland of Tisaling.

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Highlights: Explore Ponganabu

Description: By now, we are well acclimatized to conquer our third pass, the Shibuk La (4900 m), and about 2-hour journey. From the top of the pass, we have an incredible view of the surrounding mountains and of our next destination, Tsokar Lake. With a breathtaking view to ease our exhaustion, we head down towards the valley accompanied by the shrill whistles of the shy and active marmots, which is characteristic of this harsh region. It's approximately a 4 hrs walk to the Tsokar basin, and our camp for the night will be the windy Pongunabu.

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Highlights: Explore Nuruchan

Description: Today is an easy day, and we follow a dusty jeep road towards Tsokar Lake. Along the salty shores of the lake, we have a rare impeccable opportunity to see some of the endangered migratory birds of the world. From here we carry on along the trail to the right of the lake, keeping to a barren land until Nuruchan, where we will be welcomed by a grassy land with streams nearby.

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Highlights: Explore Gyamar Barma

Description: We have to get set for a tough day ahead. We will cross the icy cold stream in Nuruchan before gradually ascending Horlam Kongka La (4900 m). From the pass, we will have a view of the turquoise blue Tsokar. After an easy 40-minute walk down to Rajungkaru, we will encounter several typical Tibetan nomads with their flock of yaks, sheep and pashmina goats. Following the stream for about 50 minutes, we will enter another nomad settlement. These nomads are of Western Tibetan origin. When the Chinese subjugated Tibet these nomads and their animals faced numerous hardships, fighting biting cold and losing many lives while fleeing into Ladakh from Tibet.

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Highlights: Explore Gyamar

Description: When we open our eyes in the morning, we will find ourselves amidst a herd of grazing yaks. After breakfast, we head to our next pass, Kartse La (5300 m). Ascending slowly in the thin air of the plateau, we will eventually reach the pass. The trail leads gradually down to the lush green valley of the Gyamar, where we spend our night

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Highlights: Explore Korzok

Description: Gyamar - Korzok today, we gradually ascend towards the highest and final pass on the trek. Following the narrow valley until the Yalung Nyaulung La (5450 m), we will see some of the rare flowers and herbs of the Himalayan region. The fragrances will astonish you! To our right we can view snowcapped mountains and from the top of the pass we will also have a view of the lake Tsomoriri, surrounded by snowcapped mountains. We descend steeply for a couple of hours to the Korzok Phu, the summer pasture of the Korzok people. From the pasture, we continue to the Korzok (Tsomoriri lake), the destination of our adventure.

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Description: We drive back to Leh along the gorges of the mighty Indus with all these good memories in mind, leaving behind the beautiful lake Tsomoriri

Locations: Leh

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Description: Free day to explore the local region or markets.

Locations: Leh

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Description: Today early morning transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi. Flight: AI-446 Departs Leh at 0820 Hrs Arrives Delhi at 0930 Hrs On arrival, you will be received and transfer to hotel, rest of the day at leisure.

Locations: Delhi

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Description: In time transfer to airport for flight to onward destination

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