Ladakh with Phyang Festival
- Ancient monasteries of the Indus Valley
- Interaction with the local people of beautiful villages of Ladakh
- Enjoy a ride on the Bactrian double humped camel
- The Nomads & the high altitude lakes of Changthang region
- Witness Phyang Festival
| Title | Ladakh With Phyang Festival |
| Details | Delhi – Leh – Witness Phyang Festival – Lamayuru – Leh - over Khardung La – Hunder(Nubra Valley) –TsoMorari - Leh - Delhi |
| Duration | 15 Nights / 16 Days |
Ladakh is a land that abounds in awesome physical features set in an enormous landscape and, therefore, it appears beautifully desolate and remote. Yet, over the centuries, it has imbibed diverse ethnic, religious and cultural influences through the many missionaries, explorers and traders who traversed its windswept plateaux and deep valleys. In the process, it has been able to evolve and inherit a rich culture, which survives even today as a living heritage of the Western Himalayas. This heritage finds manifestation in the region's monuments, monasteries, art and oral literature, fairs and festivals, and in the time-honored tradition of collective celebration of various events. Here, every occasion - marriage, birth, farming and harvesting, even the flowering of plants is celebrated with great fanfare, marked with feasting, dancing and singing of folk songs that form part of its rich culture. In summer, most villages hold colorful archery festivals and thanks giving events, while winter is the period in which most of the religious festivals and social and cultural events are held.
Phyang Tsedup takes place in July / August. Like other monasteries, monks wearing colorful brocade robes and Mask in the form of different god and goddesses perform mask dances. The huge thanka of Skyoba Giksten Gonbo is hung in the courtyard during the festival.
Some of them which could cherish your mind with the beauty of places are Red fort, India Gate, Jama Masjid. Enjoy a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi – a truly memorable experience. A visit to Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India
Flight to Ladakh. On a clear day from one side of the aircraft can be seen in the distance the peaks of K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum and on the other side of the aircraft, so close that you feel you could reach out and touch it, is the Nun Kun massif.
The morning is at leisure to acclimatize to the rarefied air. You may choose to stroll along the main bazaar - observing the varied crowds. Also walk to the Leh Palace & Sankar Gompa, which belongs to Gelukspa school of Tibetan Buddhism
Day 04 : In Leh - witness phyang festival – by surface / 17 km / approx 30 mins – stok – by surface / 14 km / approx 30 mins
After breakfast, you begin your day by witnessing the PHYANG FESTIVAL, which is located on the right of the main highway to Alchi. Built on a large mound, with the village below, the setting is one of the prettiest in Ladakh with groves of Popular trees along the road leading up to the monastery. The founder of the Namgyal Dynasty built it. According to popular legend, he placed a flagpole at a spot from where the monastery is first visible and anyone guilty of a crime could seek pardon if he reached this spot. The gompa has an exquisite collection of pre-4th century Kashmiri bronze statues, thangkas and manuscripts. During July, a temple festival is held in the beautiful setting of the temple courtyard and ritual masked dances are staged here.
Later in the evening you drive to Stok Palace, which is the present residence of the former royal family of Ladakh. King Teswang Thondup Namgyal built the palace in 1825.
You have the option of visiting the second day of the PHYANG FESTIVAL. Optional In the morning you will leave for the sightseeing of the East Indus Valley visiting the monastaries of Thiksey, Chemrey & Hemis. Everning drive back to Leh for dinner and overnight stay at the guest house.
After breakfast you drive downstream along the River Indus. Just before Saspol a road to the right takes you for your visit to the Likir Monastery, which is situated at the head of the village by the same name. After visiting the Monastery you continue your drive along the River Indus to Uletokpo, where on arrival you check into an Ethnic Resort. After a hot lunch you proceed to Ridzong. In the afternoon you visit Ridzong Monastery.
Today after breakfast you proceed to the 11th century Lamayuru Monastery, which is spectacularly located along the valley plain and surrounded by mountains on all sides. On your return drive to Leh you first visit the Alchi Gompa. The complex of temples located within the village is the most celebrated of Ladakh’s monasteries and dates back to the 11th century. After a hot lunch at Alchi you proceed to Basgo, which lies astride the road to Leh.
The road journey from Leh to NUBRA VALLEY passes over KHARDUNG LA (the highest motorable road in the world) at 5602 M / 18,390 Ft, around 39 km from Leh. Before proceeding to your camp at Hunder, stop to visit DISKIT MONASTERY perched on a rock overhanging next to a stream, which provides the source of energy used by mills in the area.
After breakfast you will get the unique opportunity to ride on a bacterian camel (double humped) amidst the sand dunes of this high altitude desert with snow capped mountains on the horizon. On the return journey you stop by to visit SAMSTANLING GOMPA founded by Lama Tsultims Nima.
Today is a free day at leisure
Day 11 : To Tso Moriri – karzok(15,075 ft) – by surface - 227 km / approx 6 hrs
Tso in the Ladakhi language means a Lake. Tso Moriri is one of the most exciting places in Ladakh; some rate it better than Pangong Tso. A visit to Ladakh is incomplete without visiting Tso Moriri. It is a brackish water lake about 28 km long and 8 km wide at an altitude of 15,000 Ft above sea level. The complete area is considered as a protected wildlife sanctuary and special permits are required for the visit.
Tso Moriri or “Mountain Lake” is situated in the middle of the elevated valley of Rupshu surrounded by snow-capped peaks.
Day 12 : To Tso Kar(4485 m) - approx 55 km / approx 2 ½ hrs
Rise early in the morning to capture some unforgettable snaps of the deep blue waters of the lake against the backdrop of rocky mountains of unimaginable hues.
Afternoon you continue your journey to TSO KAR.
On getting to the bottom of this descent you get your first glimpse of Tso Kar also called “White Lake” because of the salt deposits around it
In the morning, you commence your journey back to Leh. Enroute visit Continue your drive to HEMIS GOMPA, crossing over the Indus River at the village of Karu
The day serves as a reserve for any unexpected delay in the itinerary or as an opportunity to visit a few monasteries of the Indus valley.
In time transfer to the Leh airport to board your flight back to Delhi. Overnight stay at your hotel.
Depending on your flight. Afternoon City tour Of Old Delhi
Later in time transfer to the International Airport to connect your flight for home / onward journey.