Ladakh Indus Valley Odyssey

Fly from Delhi to Leh, the capital of Ladakh and situated among the hills on the north side of the Indus Valley. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel to begin your adaptation to high altitude. You will have an afternoon orientation with your guide.

Visit Thikse Monastery, the largest gompa in Ladakh that is situated on top of a craggy hill. Here you will find an important collection of Tibetan books and some excellent artwork. Afterwards, visit the palace at Shey, which sits in a strategic position on a ridge overhang out into the Indus Valley. If time permits, you may also visit Hemis Gompa, the richest and most powerful monastery in Ladakh. Return to your hotel in Leh for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast

Drive to Temisgam (4 hours), one of our favorite villages in Ladakh. You will find your camp set up in a beautiful apricot grove beneath an ancient palace and monastery with a cold rushing stream nearby. Off the main roads and trails, this village is seldom visited by Westerners and you will have several days to explore the extensive fields and villages. You may even be invited into several houses for tea or local beer called chang. The climb to the monastery and old palace, as well as the nights here at 10,000' elevation will aid in your acclimatization. The trip continues to become more remarkable for the cultural experience that unfolds. You have the sense that your long journey to Asia, over the Himalayas and onto the Tibetan Plateau has taken you to a place so beautiful, remote and pure, that the effort has been worth it.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Make the exciting trip to the ancient Lamayuru Monastery and spend time exploring the extensive buildings of this ancient Buddhist sanctuary. This extraordinary gompa is perched on top of a beautifully eroded crag, complete with rock pinnacles and caves above the Indus. Return to Temisgam for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, drive to Hemishakpatchan,via Saspol Village. This is the home village of many of our staff and they will certainly invite you to visit their families and homes. There is a very interesting monastery and participants on JOURNEYS treks have started a public library at the monastery and built a nunnery as well. We also support other ongoing projects through our Earth Preservation Fund such as the large water-driven prayer wheel restored through the contributions of previous JOURNEYS travelers. There are excellent views of snowy mountains and wild sheep can usually be seen grazing on a nearby slope. As home to your guides, you will have the great experience of visiting some of their relatives homes. Overnight at the camp near the Hemis Library.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive to Ridzong Monastery, the favorite Buddhist site of many visitors to Ladakh. You go back in time to an era when Buddhist Canons ruled the affairs of men and religious scholarship was the most important task of society. Overnight camp will be at Chulican.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you will drive along the Indus River to the famous monastery at Alchi. This monastery preserves some of the most spectacular Buddhist wall paintings ever created. Also visit Likkir Monastery where the monks are of Gelukpa order and the kushok is the Dalai Lama's younger brother. Return to Leh for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Return to Delhi on an early morning flight. This is where JOURNEYS services end. We can and would love to assist with accomodations and excursions in Delhi, including the infamous Taj Mahal.

Meals: Breakfast