Ladakh Ultimate: 9 Days — Leh, Tso Moriri, Pangong, Nubra & Zanskar

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1-2: Arrive Leh — Acclimatize & Monasteries

Arrive Leh, two days of acclimatization with visits to Thiksey, Shey, Hemis, and Stok monasteries. Evening at Shanti Stupa. Overnights in Leh.

Day 3: Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardung La

Cross the world’s highest motorable pass into Nubra Valley — sand dunes, Bactrian camels, and Diskit Monastery’s 32m golden Buddha. Afternoon camel safari. Overnight in Hunder/Nubra.

Day 4: Nubra — Turtuk Cultural Experience

Drive to Turtuk, the Balti village that was part of Pakistan until 1971. Apricot orchards, 16th-century mosques, and Central Asian-influenced culture that feels a world away from the rest of India. Overnight in Nubra.

Day 5: Nubra to Pangong Lake via Shyok

Spectacular desert-mountain drive through the Shyok Valley to Pangong Lake — 134km of color-shifting, high-altitude magic. Sunset camp by the lake. Overnight at Pangong.

Day 6: Pangong to Tso Moriri (4,522m)

The longer, wilder route across the Changthang Plateau — the “roof of the world.” Tso Moriri is less visited than Pangong, and just as beautiful — an alpine lake surrounded by snow peaks where nomadic Changpa herders graze pashmina goats. The isolation is profound. Overnight at Tso Moriri.

Day 7: Tso Moriri to Leh

Morning walk along Tso Moriri’s shores, watching for black-necked cranes and kiang (Tibetan wild ass). Drive back to Leh via the Mahe Bridge and Indus Valley. Overnight in Leh.

Day 8: Leh — Alchi, Lamayuru & Moonland

Drive west to Alchi Monastery (11th-century Kashmiri-influenced murals) and Lamayuru Monastery — Ladakh’s oldest, perched on a moonscape of eroded sedimentary rock. The “Moonland” around Lamayuru is geologically bizarre — every photographer’s dream. Overnight in Leh.

Day 9: Departure

Morning market, transfer to airport.

Included

• 8 nights accommodation (hotels + camps)
• Daily breakfast + dinner
• Private SUV with expert mountain driver
• All Inner Line Permits & Protected Area Permits
• Monastery entrance fees & camel safari
• Oxygen cylinder
• Airport transfers

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses