Day 1: Arrive Leh — Acclimatization
Fly into Leh. Complete rest. Evening gentle bazaar walk. Overnight Leh.
Day 2: Leh Old Town & Shanti Stupa
Gentle acclimatization day. Morning: Leh Palace and old town exploration. Afternoon: Shanti Stupa, Leh Market, Hall of Fame museum (Ladakh’s military history). Overnight Leh.
Day 3: Alchi, Likir & Lamayuru — Monasteries of the West
Full day exploring western Ladakh. Alchi Monastery (11th-century Kashmiri murals), Likir (23m gilded Buddha, hilltop setting), Lamayuru (Ladakh’s oldest monastery, founded 10th century, set in a dramatic “moonscape” of eroded sedimentary cliffs). The landscape around Lamayuru is otherworldly — it’s been used as a Mars analog by scientists. Return to Leh. Overnight Leh.
Day 4: Khardung La to Nubra Valley
Cross Khardung La (5,359m). Nubra Valley: Bactrian camel ride at Hunder, Diskit Monastery’s 32-meter Buddha, sea buckthorn groves. Overnight Nubra camp.
Day 5: Nubra to Pangong Tso
Drive the Shyok route to Pangong Tso (4,350m). Afternoon at the lake — the famous blue, the 3 Idiots point, the sense of standing at the edge of Tibet. Sunset and stargazing. Overnight Pangong camp.
Day 6: Pangong to Tso Moriri — The Hidden Jewel
Rise for Pangong sunrise. Drive south through the Changthang plateau — a vast high-altitude desert of sparse grass, grazing yaks, and nomadic Changpa camps. Arrive at Tso Moriri (4,522m), a pristine alpine lake in the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. Far fewer visitors than Pangong — the silence here is almost absolute. Look for black-necked cranes (summer), bar-headed geese, and Tibetan wild ass (kiang). The lake’s deep blue against snow-capped peaks is profoundly peaceful. Overnight Korzok village camp.
Day 7: Tso Moriri to Tso Kar — Salt Lake & Nomads
Morning at Tso Moriri — walk the lakeshore, visit Korzok Monastery (perched above the lake). Drive to Tso Kar, a salt lake at 4,530m that was a crucial stop on the ancient trade route between Ladakh and Tibet. The lake’s white salt crust and surrounding wetlands attract rare birds and nomadic herders. The stark beauty of the Rupshu Valley is humbling. Continue to Pang or Sarchu for overnight.
Day 8: Return to Leh via Tanglang La
Drive over Tanglang La Pass (5,328m, the second-highest motorable pass in the world) and through the dramatic More Plains — a 40-kilometer straight stretch of road at 4,800m, surrounded by mountains, one of the world’s most surreal drives. Arrive Leh by evening. Farewell dinner. Overnight Leh.
Day 9: Departure
Transfer to Leh airport.
