The Leh Nubra Trade Route Trek

Day 1: On arrival at Delhi airport we meet you and transfer you to your pre-reserved hotel. The morning is free to relax. In the afternoon we take on a half day old Delhi city tour. See the Red Fort, the mosque known as Jama Masjid both built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan many centuries ago and stroll along the narrow backstreets selling mouthwatering kebabs and pilafs. (Optional as you may want spend the day relaxing in your hotel). Return to your hotel for the night.

Day 2: Leave for the domestic airport to catch your flight to Leh. The flight is an unforgettable experience as you get some of the most fabulous views of the Great Himalayan Ranges from high above. On arrival at Leh you are met and escorted to your pre-reserved hotel. Spend your day relaxing as this sudden arrival at an altitude of 3505 metres straight from the plains can be quite strenuous on your lungs. Take a leisurely stroll around the laid back bazaar in the afternoon after lunch. Acclimatization to this high altitude is essential so just relax. Overnight hotel.

Day 3: After breakfast we explore the Impressive nine storied 17 th century Leh Palace high on a craggy hill. It was the royal residence till 1830 when the family moved to Stok. It is now unfortunately in a state of disrepair but offers an excellent bird's eye view of Leh town and the surrounding landscape. We then visit the aesthetically designed Shanti Stupa inaugurated in 1985 by the Dalai Lama and built with aid from the Japanese government. Just a kilometre away from Leh and atop a hill overlooking the entire town it has some beautifully rendered paintings and images of the Buddha. After lunch we drive down the Indus Valley to explore the ancient 15 th century Spituk Monastery. Dramatically located on a hilltop it houses priceless collection of thangkas, weapons of war, intricately painted masks and an impressive image of Mahakal. In the evening return to your hotel for the night.

Day 4: We drive to the small hamlet of Durbuk about 126 Kms from Leh. En-route we stop briefly to visit the ancient monastery of Chemrey before ascending the 5486 metre Chang La pass. From the pass get excellent views of the Ladakh and Zanskar mountain ranges. Descending from the pass you enter the eastern Changthang plateau the summer pastures for Yaks. On reaching Durbuk by evening we settle doen in our tented camps for the night.

Day 5: Today after an early breakfast wed drive east to the expansive Pangong Tso (lake) at an altitude of 4350m / 14,000ft. This turquoise blue brackish water lake is one of the largest in the Himalayas - 5/ 6 Kms wide and over 144 Kms long with a little more than half of it in China. We have lunch on the lakeshore admiring the multi-hued barren hills around and delighting in the thousands of migratory birds that come here during these months (July, August, and September). We return to Durbuk and our camp by late evening.

Day 6: We begin our trek towards the Nubra Valley by following a trail leading uphill from Durbuk. After crossing a stream we walk through barren hills affording excellent views of the Ladakh landscape. We reach the small village of Relay by mid day (3 ½ hours and set up our camp near it.

Day 7: Today's trek is about 3 hours from Relay walking along a stream on a defined track till we reach the Relay phu (stream). We set up camp nearby from where all you see are numerous cheeky marmots and soaring Lammergeyers in the blue skies above.

Day 8: A five hour walk leads us from our campsite to the Catherine La a small pass from where you get mesmerising views of granite hills in fantastic shades and shapes. Some hills are coloured rust, the others deep brown, red, yellow and copper. Descending we reach the Tangyar phu (stream) and walk through green grass before suddenly emerging onto a rocky field. We reach Tangyar village by early evening and crossing a bridge over the Tangyar Phu we set up camp.

Day 9: We leave our camp after breakfast and walk towards a bridge and crossing it arrive a little later at the small hamlet of Wari. After having walked through barren hills, grassy banks of the river we finally arrive at the rocky barren site of the Sakti village. We set up camp for the night here.

Day 10: From Sakti the trail leads north over rocky slopes of barren hills. Walking along these ridges offer you excellent views of the Stok range and far north are the Saser peaks especially the majestic 6123m / 20,083 feet Stok Kangri peak. We camp at the base of the Diggar La pass.

Day 11 : We follow a trail along a stream and then climb steeply till the Diggar La 17230ft/5250m from where you get extensive views of the Saser Range peaks and also of a part of the eastern Karokorum home to Saser Kangri - Ladakh's highest peak at 25, 157ft / 7670m. From the pass we descend slowly to emerge onto a beautiful plateau with a number of streams. We set up camp here for the night.

Day 12 : We leave our camp and descend to the small Diggar village. We pass a few Chortens and fluttering prayer flags as we cross the village and camp a bit ahead.

Day 13 : Leaving the village of Diggar behind we walk along a trail from where you get a birds eye view of the expansive Shyok flood plains far below. Descending a steep gradient we reach the valley floor in the Nubra valley walking through undulating sand dunes quite amazing at this high altitude. After reaching an oasis of tall Poplars and shady willows we set up camp for the night.

Day 14: After breakfast we walk a short while till the village of Khalsar on the road head are picked up by a pre-arranged Jeep and driven to Hunder village at 3020m/9805ft. We check into a hotel for the night.

Day 15: After breakfast we start on a camel safari to the small village of Diskit now the headquarters of the Nubra valley. Our camels are the Double Humped Bactrian Camels which were once used for many centuries by the traders who travelled this route on their way to the Central Asian markets of Yarkhand and Samarkhand. Tread along soft sand dunes and reach Diskit by afternoon. After lunch we explore this ancient village and its Gompa on a hill. We set up camp for the night beyond the village.

Day 16: From Diskit we head north to the small village of Tiggur at 3146m. On arrival we take a short detour to Samstanling one of the most charming villages in the Nubra valley. Visit the Gompa and then restart our journey to the village of Pinchimik where we set up camp for the night.

Day 17 : The trail goes north over a pleasant track to end at the village of Panamik the last point permissible for travellers ahead of which rise the imposing Karokorum ranges and the Siachen glacier. We set up camp and then head to the hot springs nearby for a rejuvenating and therapeutic bath. Return to our camp for dinner and the night.

Day 18: Today after a brief visit to the impressive Ensa Gompa perched on a hillside we return to Panamik to board a Jeep that takes us back to Leh by evening . We cross the highest motorable pass in the world – the Khardungla La at 5570m / 18,300ft. On reaching Leh we check int a hotel for the night.

Day 19: Spend a relaxed day and stroll around the bazaar shopping for handicrafts and antiques. Return to your hotel for dinner and the night.

Day 20: We drive you the airport in the morning to board your flight for New Delhi.

Option: We can shorten the trek - tour by 5 days by driving straight to Sakti village from Leh and avoiding Pangong Tso and Durbuk village. (see Day 9 and 10 above)