7-Day Best of Leh-Ladakh Tour Package

Fly from Delhi to Leh, a city in the Himalayas. During the flight, enjoy stunning views of snow-capped mountains and the beautiful landscape known as “Little Tibet.” Once you arrive in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, transfer to your hotel. Leh is 3,500 metres above sea level, so take some time to adjust to the altitude. You can choose from many restaurants for lunch.

In the afternoon, visit the charming old town of Leh. Its narrow streets are lined with tall traditional houses that have beautiful wood carvings. If you want to know more about the history of the area, join a guided heritage walk organized by LAMO (Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation). The Leh Palace, a nine-storey mud-brick building built by King Sengge Namgyal 400 years ago, overlooks the old town. The palace was inspired by the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Inside, you can see a museum with ceremonial dresses, crowns, and jewellery.

Above the palace, hike up a steep trail to Namgyal Tsemo gompa, a Buddhist monastery surrounded by colourful Tibetan prayer flags. Next, visit the Shanti Stupa, a large white chorten on a rocky peak. Built by Japanese monks 30 years ago, the stupa promotes peace and harmony. It has two levels with colourful paintings and carvings that tell stories from the Buddha's life. Here, you can enjoy a great view of Leh and the Indus Valley.

As you make your way down to the Main Bazar, consider stopping for a cup of Ladakhi butter tea (salted tea with yak butter) on Changspa Road. Near Gompa Soma and the Jama Masjid mosque, stroll through the lively market where villagers in traditional clothing sell their fresh vegetables.

In the next two days, you will explore the “Sham” region in the western part of the Indus Valley. After breakfast, you will leave Leh for Lamayuru. Your first stop will be the Phyang monastery, home to 90 monks from the Drikung Kagyu order. Next, you will visit Magnetic Hill, where you can see a strange phenomenon: your vehicle will move uphill by itself with the engine off and in neutral. Is it a magnetic force or an illusion?

Near Nimmu village, you will see Sangam, where the Zanskar River meets the Indus River. Then, you will visit Basgo monastery, built on a hill above the village. The main temple has beautiful murals of the royal family's guardian deities, who lived in the nearby ruined fortress until 1470.

Continue to Alchi, where you can have lunch at a garden restaurant near the Gompa. Alchi monastery dates back to the 11th century. It is a complex of five temples and has the oldest and most refined wall paintings in Ladakh.

From Alchi, head west to Lamayuru, stopping at Ulley Tokpo along the way. Lamayuru is a charming Ladakhi village with about 100 homes. It features a medieval gompa located on an eroded cliff. The surrounding landscape looks like the moon, giving the area the nickname “moonland.” If you want to experience local life, consider staying with a Ladakhi family in a homestay. Your driver can help you find the best options.

Get up early and visit the Dukhang, the main prayer hall, where Buddhist monks chant prayers each morning. The Lamayuru monastery is one of the oldest gompas in Ladakh, along with the one in Alchi. It was founded in the 11th century by Rinchen Zangpo. Inside the Dukhang, there is a small cave where Indian scholar Naropa meditated.

On your way back to Leh, take the small road along a narrow gorge to the remote Rizong monastery, which was established in 1831. This monastery has 40 resident monks and is known for its strict rules.

Next, drive to Likir, a beautiful village with the Likir monastery. This is one of the most important Gelugpa gompas. The main building has a 22-meter-high golden statue of the Maitreya Buddha behind it.

On your way back to Leh, stop at Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, a respected Sikh place of worship built in the 16th century in honour of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, who visited Ladakh and Tibet.

Before reaching Leh, visit the 15th-century Spituk monastery.

This morning, drive to Khardung La pass, at 5,602 metres above sea level. From the top, you can see a beautiful view of the Karakoram mountain range.

The Nubra valley, known as “the valley of flowers” in Ladakhi, has two parts: one along the Nubra river (Sumur, Panamik) and another along the Shayok River (Diskit, Hunder, Turtuk).

The Diskit monastery, founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo in the 15th century, is the largest and oldest gompa in the Nubra valley. Nearby, you will find a 32-metre-high statue of Maitreya Buddha, which was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 2010.

From Diskit, follow the Shayok River for 10 km to reach Hunder village, where you can spend the night.

After breakfast, ride a camel through the sandy Hunder dunes. The double-humped Bactrian camels came from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia when the Nubra Valley was a stop for caravans on the Silk Road between Central Asia and India. Next, drive to Sumur village and visit the Samstanling monastery.

From Sumur, head to Pangong Lake via Shayok, which offers a beautiful drive through remote valleys. Pangong Lake sits at an elevation of 4,250 meters and is 140 km long, with 70% of it in Tibet. This is where the final scene of the movie “3 Idiots” with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor was filmed. Pangong Lake is also an important breeding ground for migratory birds such as Brahmini ducks, seagulls, and bar-headed geese.

Walk along the shore of Pangong Lake and enjoy the stunning blue water surrounded by dry mountains in the morning light. Then, drive back to Leh. You will cross Chang La, one of the highest mountain passes in the world at 5,360 meters, before going down into the Indus Valley. Stop at the less-visited Chemrey Monastery, which sits above the village and barley fields.

Next, visit Hemis Monastery, located 43 kilometres from Leh on the left bank of the Indus River. Hemis is the largest and richest monastery in Ladakh and belongs to the Drukpa order.

It has many shrines and an 8-meter-high statue of Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. From Hemis, follow the Indus River to Leh and stop at Thiksey Monastery.

This monastery is built on a rocky hill and looks like the Potala Palace in Tibet. One of its temples has a remarkable 14-meter-high statue of Maitreya Buddha with a beautifully decorated headdress.

Before reaching Leh, visit Shey Palace, located just 5 kilometres from Thiksey. This palace served as a summer residence for the royal family of Ladakh until the mid-19th century. Inside, you will find a lovely temple with a 12-meter-tall copper statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, covered in about 5 kilograms of gold.

Take the morning flight from Leh to Delhi. Look out the window and enjoy the beautiful Himalayan mountains again.