Day - 01

Delhi

You are met outside the International Arrivals Hall and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Day - 02

Fly Delhi To Leh

Pick up from the hotel for the spectacular flight to Leh. You are met at Leh airport and transferred to the hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure for acclimatize to the high altitude and rarefied air.

Day - 03

Stok And Leh

After breakfast drive up to Stok palace. The palace houses a fine private museum, with a superb collection of thangkhas (paintings), said to be the best in the world. Some of them have been worked in pure gold and paints made of crushed semi-precious stones.

In the afternoon visit Leh, a fascinating labyrinth of winding streets and quaint bazaars. The main street is open and airy, with rows of shops on either side.

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.

On the way back visit the Tibetan Refugee camp at Choglamsar which has become an important centre for the study of Tibetan literature, history and Buddhist philosophy. Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day - 04

Stok

Trek to Stok Gorege to look for snow cock. Overnight at Hotel.

Day - 05

Leh (3,500 M) To Tso Morari - 137 Km 7 Hours Drive

The road goes past the ancient gompas (temples) of Shey and Thiksey, via Karu and Upshi, upstream along the true right bank of the Indus river. The drive to Chumathang is via the villages of Likche, Himya, Gaik, Kiara and Skidmang. This takes about six hours. Another 22 kms from Chumathang leads to Mahe bridge. From here drive along a rough dusty track through remote countryside. There are no villages en route except for an occasional nomad (Changpa) settlement of two or three tents. After about 2 hours reach a small beautiful lake called Thazang. Tso Morari lies another half hour's drive further ahead. Camp on the banks of this beautiful lake.

Day - 07

Tso Morari - Sumdo (3 Hours Drive)

Drive though a beautiful wide valley strewn with numerous hot springs and brooks teeming in fish. Cross a wooden cantilever bridge of typical Tibetan or Ladakhi design to Sumdo, a small Changpa village with a delightful little Tibetan Refugee school worth visiting.

Spend the rest of the day doing community work at Sumdo (Sumdo means “confluence” in Tibetan). Camp is set at the side of the river which is tainted with sulphur from the hot springs nearby. The birdlife at this junction is quite varied. Overnight in camp.

Day - 08

Sumdo To Puga Village - 3 To 4 Hours Trek

Today is an easy walk along the Puga stream though a beautiful wide valley strewn with numerous hot springs and brooks teeming in fish. Cross a wooden cantilever bridge of typical Tibetan or Ladakhi design to Sumdo, a small Changpa village with a delightful little Tibetan Refugee school worth visiting.

The walk from Sumdo goes along the stream up the Puga Valley, through lush grazing grasslands and past numerous hot springs. Often baral (blue sheep), hare, kyang (wild ass) and footprints of the snow leopard have been sighted. Make camp at a spot marked "Puga Village" on the map, but is in fact only open grassland.

After lunch there is a chance to relax, catch up on your diary, take a walk along the valley floor or a side trip up one of the high ridges (17,000 ft/5,180 m) to the south towards Tso Morari lake. From the ridge you get a spectacular view of the entire puga valley and towering snow-clad 6,500-m peaks to the east, within striking distance of the tibetan border. Overnight camping.

Day - 09

Puga Village Over Polo Kongka La To Base (4,878 M) - 6 To 7 Hours Trek

The destination today is the western side of Polokongka La (16,000 ft/4,878 m). The trek up to the pass is long but gradual and not too strenuous and gives you the chance to admire the spectacular rock formations and stark beauty of the region. The pass itself consists of a flat plain, with the glacial run-off which has created grazing lands for the yaks of Sumdo and Karzok villages.

Descend 1,000 feet and make camp beside one of the fresh- water streams running off the mountains. Here we are likely to encounter the wandering Changpa tribes with their distinctive black tents made of yak wool. Overnight camping.

Day - 10

Polo Kongka La Camp To Tso Kar Valley - 6 To 7 Hours Trek

Continue descending down from Polokonga La into the remote Tso Kar valley, crossing the brackish lake of Startsapuk Tso and Tso Kar (salt) where we have a very good chance of spotting the fabled kyang (wild ass). Numerous birds such as the black-necked crane, Brahminy duck, Nangpas (wild geese) all visit this area for breeding and nesting. Many other varieties of wildlife are present in this area and although not that easy to see, they are of great interest to the ornithologist and naturalist. Make camp near a fresh-water stream.

Day - 11 - 12

Tso Kar

Explore the area. Excellent campsite and the best place to see the rare Kiang or Tibetan Wild Ass, marmots and other wildlife. Overnight in camp.

Day - 13

Tso Kar - Leh

After breakfast drive of 7 hours will take you to the Ladakh From camp the road goes via Debring, a big Indian army post, and climbs up to the Tanglang la (17,475 ft/5,328 m), the highest point on the journey. At the top is a tiny temple with a few prayer flags rustling in the breeze - a constant feature up here.

Descend into a narrow valley past small villages with green patches that stand out like oases up to Upshi, where the Indus river is approached. The road follows the Indus past relatively fertile and prosperous villages and large Buddhist monasteries to Leh. Overnight at Leh.

Day - 14

Leh

Day at leisure, free for own activities. Overnight at Leh.

Day - 15

Fly Leh /Delhi

After early breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to board flight for Delhi. You are met upon arrival and transferred to the hotel for overnight stay.

In the early afternoon, enjoy an optional Sightseeing Tour of Old Delhi. Your driver and guide will collect you from the hotel and you will begin with a visit to Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, and then enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride down Chadni Chowk (Silver Street), Guru Dwara Sikh Temple, It is a special place, offering a fascinating insight into the Sikh faith.

You may wander around the Red Fort and in the late afternoon your guide will take you to visit Humayan's Tomb, built by his grieving widow, Hamida Begum, of red sandstone and white marble.

Day - 16

Delhi

According to your International flight schedule you will be transferred to the airport for homewards journey.