Captivating Ladakh 7N-8D

After relaxing and staying put for a day we believe you in a READY SET GO mood, so let’s get started and let’s explore the places nearby. Today we will head out and visit Shyam Valley. The list of attractions goes on the lines of visiting the Hall of Fame Museum, Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill, Sangam Viewpoint, Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, and an evening stroll at Leh local Market.

Highlights (Details):

Sangam: At Nimmu lies a beautiful vista that will reinstate your belief in a higher power. The place where Indus meets Zanskar, they flow along for a while and slowly merge to become one and that’s where you meet Indus which will run along with you as your constant companion for upcoming days. It also serves as a lifeline for the people of Ladakh, especially due to the fact that Ladakh experiences rainfall of only 2 to 3 inches throughout the year.

Magnetic Hill: Can you imagine a vehicle moving up a steep mountain with its engines turned off? Keep thinking about that till we meet our new friend and an attraction on our journey today.

Gravity has been our friend since the time an apple fell to the ground in front of one of our childhood heroes, Newton. But just for today let’s keep that aside for a minute and meet the Magnetic hill.

Witness this beautiful but unbelievable phenomenon.

Gurudwara Pathar Sahib: Since your first thought of visiting Ladakh you decided somewhere in the back of your head to visit everything sky high, and why shouldn’t you as you are really sitting land of high passes. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is a beautiful Gurudwara constructed in the memory of Guru Nanak dev Ji. Located at a distance of about 25 miles from Leh en-route Kargil, Built-in 1517 this gurudwara stands at an altitude of 12000 ft above sea level.

Hall of Fame: We sit at home munching snacks and watching Netflix relax on our weekends. But this is not possible unless we feel safe; and the Indian Army plays a major role in keeping it that way, with soldiers keeping guard on all our borders with no weekends off and no entertainment options apart from their fellow soldiers.

The Hall of Fame in Leh is a monument made in the memory and glory of those who made the difficult choice of staying away from home, witnessing the Kargil War and that is why it is a must-visit for every individual of India.

A mountain pass is a place where mountains give way and let us pass them to the other side and in Ladakhi a pass is referred to as La.

Today post breakfast it’s time to pack your bags and take a road trip to the high roads over the mighty Khardungla (Khardung Pass) which was once referred to as the highest motorable road or mountain pass in the world. A lot of new roads have been made in years to come with the technology we have today, but this pass will always be remembered in history for being the only way to make the transit to Siachen Glacier Base Camp and beyond.

Spend some time on top of Khardungla but not too much and since the air is thin here one can experience AMS which can then trouble you for upcoming days. Click some pictures here to share with your loved ones and then let’s head to the other side. On our way to Nubra Valley visit Disket Monastery and admire the majestic statue of Maitreya Buddha.

Reach your accommodation for the day in the lap of Nubra valley which is the highest altitude desert in the world.

Highlights (Details):

Diskit Monastery: There are so many monasteries in Ladakh Region but here my friend is the largest and oldest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery situated in Nubra Valley. In Ladakhi monastery is also referred to as Gompa; founded in 14th-century Diskit Gompa with its most protuberant attraction, the Maitreya Buddha Statue really stands out. This 32 meters tall statue is located just below the monastery overlooking the beautiful view of the Shyok river and can make you realize the efforts taken by devotees to build this amazing piece of architecture with the lack of modern tech.

Have you been to Pakistan? And do you wish to see what it feels like to do so? Don’t worry as we are not talking to you on the other side but what’s the harm in a bit of the culture of a cousin brother.

Before we get into the details of that let’s, start the day with a bit of leisure and experience the sand dunes of Hunder. This beautiful high-altitude desert is such a delight to the eyes and on top of that is the home of the Double Humped (Bactrian) camel which is a rare species and is found only in this place in India. Enjoy a camel safari if you like and take a stroll to soak in the calming aura of this majestic place.

Now once you have got your soul filled up with this positive vibe let’s hit the road again for a short distance and head to a small slice of Pakistani culture on our plate, Turtuk. The Last Indian outpost towards northern Ladakh, Turtuk was a part of Pakistan until 1971 it was occupied by the Indian army in a border war at LOC. Surrounded by Nubra Valley and Baltistan on its sides; the Karakoram mountain range and Shyok river riding along this tiny village have their own charm.

While the rest of Ladakh is occupied by Buddhists, Turtuk is a Balti village(a group of Tibetan ancestry who mostly live in Pakistan’s Skardu region).

The landscape, culture, attire, language, and even the physical appearance of people change quite extremely crossing over into Turtuk.

Turtuk has only been open to tourists since 2010 and is, therefore, a hidden gem. To go there is like a journey of discovery that one has been fortunate to gain access to, a magical world that one might otherwise never know existed.

Once you have spent some time with Turtuk you will head back to Hunder again to rest for the night.

The lake which has become the highlight of the road trip to Ladakh is Pangong Tso (In Ladakhi Tso means Lake) and it was not because of promos or explorers, the reason for its becoming a highlight is one of the highest Bollywood grosser “3 Idiots”.

So if you imagine this lake I believe you see a beautiful yet large water body surrounded by mountains and filled with crystal clear water from the glaciers reflecting turquoise shade from the sky, Isn’t it?

But today let’s wipe that imagination off and it’s time to get real, How about That?

So today we start early and after breakfast, we head out to Pangong lake via Agam and Shyok, we will be traveling along the Shyok river almost all day. The lakeside at Pangong looks nothing less than a beachside with clean water that has chosen to freeze in time creating marvels that are not to be skipped if you have come around this corner of the world.

Take a walk along the lakeside, click pictures for your loved ones and enjoy some time literally chilling out over the evening.

Grab a bite to eat with a sunset and a moonrise over the beautiful waterbody and call it a night.

If you are a morning person and you like going on short walks or doing yoga in fresh air we recommend doing so, especially today.

And if you are really lazy like us just Rise and shine to a beautiful view and grab breakfast post a morning stroll.

Soon, we will start our journey back towards Leh via another high altitude pass Changla. Situated at an altitude of 17600 Ft this pass connects Leh to Tangstey and further to Pangong Tso. 

After passing through Changla on our way back to Leh, We will be visiting a beautiful monastery called Thicksey. Soak into the calm and peaceful aura of the prayer room and do click some pictures here to make your friends and bost about some amazing clicks as a lot fewer people visit this beautiful piece of architecture.

Reach Leh and rest as this was a really long day as we don’t want you to get back home with a plan to rest. But for the non-tireing adventure seekers, we can surely head out for a night stroll on the streets of Leh.

Today is yet another day to explore around LEH on the other side

Hemis monastery / hemis Gompa : Around 45 kms from leh on the west side, The Hemis Monastery is the biggest and very richly endowed monastery of Ladakh. It was built in 1630 but considered to have existed in 11th century Impressive and intriguing, Hemis is different from the other important monasteries of Ladakh. The monastery is decorated on all four sides by colourful prayer flags which flutter in the breeze and send prayers to Lord Buddha.

Hemis Monastery is the main seat of the Kagyu lineage of Buddhism.

The gompa  has a museum that houses a wide collection Tibetan books, Thangkas, gold statues and Stupas embedded with precious stones, weapons, carriers, and even a stuffed vulture pup.

One of the largest Thangkas is displayed every 12 years during the Hemis Festival, held for two days in June-July. The annual festival, commemorating the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava brings alive the courtyard of the monastery. The festival, where good triumphs over evil in a colourful pageant, also holds the annual ‘bazaar’ where Ladakhis from remote areas buy and sell wares. During the festival, various rituals and mask dances are performed in this courtyard.

Leh market: Leh Market is an ancient market dated back to the 15th century, the era of King Singe Namgyal,. The Market today is one of the main attraction of Leh City

The Leh Main Market is one of the most attractive and energetic places in Ladakh. You can get everything from jewelry to clothes, groceries, to local street food. The market consists of various stores, shops, and stalls set up in a fanciful arrangement, where you can make your way between the shopkeepers and sellers to find items of your choice.

Shopping in the Leh Main Market is an open invitation to explore the craftwork and culture of Ladakh.

Whether you are looking for artistical hand-crafted Pashmina shawls, delicious dried fruits, or simply looking forward to getting a glimpse of the lives of the local Ladakhi people, the Leh Market has a lot to fulfill all your expectations.

Shey palace: The Shey Monastery or Gompa and the Shey Palace complex are structures located on a hillock in Shey, 15 kilometres  to the south of Leh , on the Leh-Manali road. Shey was the summer capital of Ladakh in the past. It contains a huge Shakyamuni Buddha statue. It is the second largest Buddha statue in Ladakh.

The original palace, now in ruins, was built near the Shey village by Lhachen Palgyigon, the king of Ladakh (then called Maryul), in the 10th century. The Moghul noble Mirza Haidar Dughlat stayed here during his invasion of Ladakh in the 16th century.

The current Shey Palace and Monastery were also built in 1655 on the instructions of Deldan Namgyal, in the memory of his late father, Sengge Namgyal, below the first palace. The monastery is noted for its giant copper with gilded gold statue of a seated Shakyamuni Buddha. The statue is so named since Buddha was the sage (muni) of the Sakya people who resided in the Himalayan foothills and their capital was Kapilvastu. It is said to be the second largest such statue in Ladakh.

The main Shakyamuni Buddha statue in the monastery is a 12 metres (39 ft) icon covering three floors of the monastery. The giant Buddha as seen in the monastery is on three levels; the lowest level shows his huge feet and “soles pointing upwards” and a mural of Shambunath, the middle floor shows murals of the Buddha in different postures and the upper floor is darkened by the soot of the butter lamps that burn eternally at the altar.

It commands an excellent view of the entire Leh City; and gives a great insight into the rich history of Ladakh

It was wonderful to host you guys on this 6-day short trip and we all know this was a great time which we spent together in the high mountains. And since every good thing comes to an end, so does this.

Time to fly home and get back to your lives but remember we at TripWeiser are just a buzz away to connect you to another gem of nature on your next experiential travel plan.

For now goodbye and take care…