The remote high plateau of Changthang
(meaning 'northland') stretches from western Tibet into eastern Ladakh. This
region, known as the land of the nomads, will give you an experience to last
a lifetime. See the nomads' traditional lifestyle and share a cup of butter
tea in one of their black yak-hair tents along the incredible oval-shaped
bank of Tsomoriri. The lake changes its turquoise blue color with the light
and is surrounded by a picturesque landscape. The area is also an important
wildlife sanctuary, harboring snow leopards and wild asses, as well as
various species of birds.
The Journey begins Now!!! 
Day
01 Arrive Delhi You arrive in Delhi by International flight. After
a traditional 'Swagat' (Welcome) our representative would assist you at the
airport and to your hotel
Enjoy a sightseeing of Old Delhi in the
morning.
(Including the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and the bazaars of
Chandni Chowk)
Old DelhiOld Delhi pulses with the
energy and colour, the hustle and bustle of thronged bazaars and is laced by
a maze of narrow lanes which twist and turn between tall, leaning houses
full of the sights, sounds and aromas of the Indian sub-continent. In Old
Delhi you will see the famous Red Fort surrounded by shops, and bazaars
(built by the Emperor Shah Jehan - the builder of Taj Mahal), the Jama
Masjid mosque with its tapering minarets and wonderful marble domes, Chandni
Chowk (Old Delhi's business nerve center), the hustle-bustle of everyday
Indian life all around you and chattering voices.
Enjoy a
sightseeing of New Delhi in the afternoon.
(Including the Qutub Minar,
Humayun's tomb and Lutyen's buildings)
New DelhiNew
Delhi stands in formal splendour, like a lone sentry guarding an outpost of
a long-gone empire. It is a city of wide boulevards, which offers
ever-changing perspectives of Lutyen's landscaped city. It is a city rich
with formal parks and you will see the magnificent Parliament Building and
the Rashtrapati Bhawan (the official residence of the President of India in
the 330 acres of land and designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens), once the
awe-inspiring residence of the British Viceroys and now the Presidential
Palace, India Gate (a majestic 42-mts high arch, built as a memorial to the
Indian Soldiers killed in World War I), Qutab Minar (the 72.5 mts high tower
dating back to 13th century and one of the greatest bequests of Islamic
Culture), Humayun's Tomb (built in the 16th century and architecturally the
fore runner of the Taj Mahal, has Mughal Architecture at its graceful best).
Day
02: Delhi - Leh (By 9W-609) Dep 0540hrs / Arr 0655hrs Early morning
transfer to Domestic Airport to connect the flight for Leh, The main Centre
of Ladakh. With the inhabitants of 50,000, Leh is located in small valley
just the north of Indus valley. The tourists are advised to take complete
rest for the proper acclimatization to the high altitude atmosphere.
Later in the afternoon a walk around Leh town (3500mtr) includes a visit to
Leh Market, Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa & Leh Gompa - This walk shall help
us in a getting acclimatize at this height. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 03: Leh - Rumtse (3 hrs drive)- Kyamar 4050 m
(4 hrs) 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.
Day 04: Kyamar - Tisaling 4200 m (6-7 hrs) 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.
Day 05: Tisaling - Ponganabu 4250 m (6
hrs) 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.
Day 06: Ponganagu -
Nuruchan 4300 m (6 hrs) 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.
Day 07: Nuruchan - Gyamar Barma 5100 m (7-8 hrs) 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.
After sharing a cup of
butter tea with the nomads, we will continue to ascend the Kyamayuru La
(5410 m); this pass is challenging in nature, but the magnificent view from
the top makes it well worth all our strenuous efforts. From the pass we
descend gradually to the valley towards our campsite at Gyamar Barma (5150
m). Due to the campsite's high altitude, bad weather can make night
temperature freezing.
Day 08: Gyamar Barma -
Gyamar 5200 m (3-4 hrs) 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.
Day 09: Gyamar - Korzok 4500 m (6-7 hrs) 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.
Day 10: Korzok - Leh (7 hrs drive) 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.
Day 11: Leh
Today we proceed for an Indus Valley monastery tour. We start with
a visit to Shey, the ancient capital of Ladakh. The monastery here has a
huge gold-gilded statue of Buddha Sakyamuni with a large silver lamp burning
in front of the statue. Then we visit Thiksey Gompa, an impressive complex
rising tier upon tier on a hill above the village. The monastery has a
beautiful 30 m high gold-plate statue of Maitreya Buddha, the Buddha of the
future. Drive further to visit the famous Hemis Gompa, founded in the 1630's
by Stag-tsang-ras-pa under the royal patronage of Sengge Namgyall. Hemis is
one of the largest and richest gompas of Ladakh. The two-day festival of
monastic dance in June-July has raised the reputation of Hemis particularly
high. The festival is dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as
second Buddha and responsible for spreading Buddhism in the Tibetan world.
Later we visit the Stok Palace, the Royal residence of the King of Stok &
the Museum that has a rich collection of Ancient Ladakhi artifacts including
old Thangkas, precious stones, arms and armory, the Queen' s necklace and
the crown of the King of Ladakh among others. Overnight stay at the hotel in
Leh.
Day 12: Leh - Delhi (By 9W610) Dep 0735hrs
/Arr 0850hrs Transfer to the Airport to catch the flight for
Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi we assist you to check in at our Hotel.
Complete day at leisure to explore the destination on your own. Overnight
stay at the hotel
Day 13: Delhi - Agra - Delhi
(220 Kms.-04hrs - One way)- Optional Tour After an early breakfast,
we drive at 0730 hrs to Agra, the erstwhile capital of India under the great
Mughals and known for The Taj Mahal. It has always fascinate Indians and
foreigners alike. On the way we visit Sikandra (Tomb of Emperor Akbar). At
Agra after lunch (own lunch) We visit the incredible architectural
excellence of Taj Mahal, built by emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his
beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Next we visit Agra Fort. Built principally as a
military establishment by Akbar in 1565, the red sandstone Agra fort was
partially converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time. Though the
principal structure was built by Akbar, many more additions were made by his
grandsons. This massive fort is 2.5 kms long and is considered as the
predecessor of the Delhi Red Fort. After visiting the fort we drive back to
Delhi at 1700 hrs. Upon arrival in Delhi we will have farewell Dinner and
later we transfer you to the International airport.
Our
Services end 
