Hiking the High Tibetan Monasteries of Ladakh

Leh is 3500m above sea level so the body needs time to acclimatise to the lower pressure and relative lack of oxygen (for further information please reference the Essential Information on our Ladakh pages). Gentle exercise and plentiful hydration is the best way to spend the first day. Flights arrive mid to late morning, so after lunch we’ll spend the afternoon resting, meandering through the small streets of the town, exploring shops filled with prayer flags and Buddhist trinkets, drinking mint tea or hot lemon and honey, and trying the local momos. We will enjoy our first dinner as a group at the hotel this evening.Recommended flights: we recommend flying via Delhi the day before, and spending a night in Delhi. We are happy to help you with this: booking you a suitable hotel for your stopover in Delhi, arranging the transfers to and from the airport. Please contact us about this by email or add it as an add-on to your trip (see below). Overnight: Omasila Hotel

Some of the most colourful and interesting monasteries in the world are situated close to Leh, so while we are still acclimatising, we spend day 2 visiting three of them. We take a quiet country road to the Sashi Zampa – a bridge over the Indus River – and take a short walk to visit Shay Monastery. Following this we go just a few miles down the valley to Thiksey Monastery. Modelled on the Potala Palace in Tibet, Thiksey is a large collection of buildings which cascade down the hillside, and house a large collection of well preserved murals and paintings. The magnificent Maitreya Buddha is housed in one of the temples and is three storeys high. If we have time we will also fit in a visit to Shey Palace and climb up to the huge Buddha & stupa. On our return to Leh we have a further chance to rest and acclimatise or enjoy the hustle and bustle of the town. Some may have the energy to explore the market.Overnight: Omasila Hotel

Today we get to stretch our legs properly - testing how they feel at altitude. After breakfast we walk up through the village and ascend the many steps (565!) to Shanti Stupa – the startlingly bright white monument overlooking the town. As well as being extremely beautiful and photogenic, it offers panoramic views across the Leh, valley and across to the Stok mountain range dominated by the peak of Stok Kangri. We walk through the old villages that have been swallowed up by Leh - it feels rural, ancient and very quiet. From here we can continue to Tsemo Palace, worth it for the views alone, and then take on the steep descent to Leh Palace. On our return to Leh we have the afternoon at leisure with a further chance to rest and acclimatise as required. The day’s walk and visits take approximately 4 hours.Overnight: Omasila Hotel

Today (on the July 13th 2024 departure) you can experience the Taktok Festival where both the monks and the local people dance! The dances depict different aspects of the wrathful and compassionate deities and a variety of animals. We then travel to Alchi, 70km downstream from Leh, where we will find the 12th Century Alchi monastery, which contains unique Kashmiri artwork on its statues and intricate wooden carvings: enjoy the wonderful ancient buildings, murals, medals and thankas on show. We lunch in Nimruu and en-route we stop to visit the Giant Buddha in Likir. Depending on arrival times, we will have the chance to wander the streets of Alchi tonight before settling into our Guest House.Overnight: Zimskhang Holiday Home

Trek: 5.2km with 340m ascentFrom our accommodation in Alchi, we drive to Rizong (around 30 mins) in a peaceful and beautiful valley and, before our trek, we make a brief visit to the Monastery and nunnery. This monastery is known for its strict order of monks, who only possess their books and robes. We begin our trek from the monastery with a very pleasant walk to the village of Yangthang. Our path starts as a jeep track but soon becomes a single track path along the edge of the River Utley. We head up to the high plateau where Yangtang Village is situated (3670m).Overnight: Padma homestay

Trek: 7.4km, 300m ascent (approx 3.5hrs walking)In a 2.5hr walk before stopping for lunch, we drop down to cross the river, followed by a long climb up to the pass of Tsermanchanla at 3910m. We then descend gently for around an hour to the large village of Hemis Shukpachen at 3596m (Hemis of the Juniper Trees). We are likely to meet children walking to school in the morning. We will visit some typical village homes in the afternoon with an opportunity to learn more about the local culture.  Overnight: Phekarpa Homestay

Trek: 12.5km with 500m ascent (approx 5.5hrs walking)Today is a longer day on foot and is all about undulating! Crossing farmland we leave the village and head west, to a gradual climb up and over our first small pass about an hour into our walk. We then descend steeply to a dry and dusty valley before some long zig zags (around 300m ascent) to our 2nd pass of the day, with great views, Mebtak La, at 3840m. From here we enjoy a long (90min) meander down to the fertile village of Ang, hopefully stopping at a small campsite with a tea tent en route! A rough jeep track guides us, in around an hour, to the prosperous village of Tingmosgang - 3250m - which was once the ancient capital of Ladakh and one of the largest in the area. The ruins of the castle and small temple dominate the landscape here above Tingmosgang and are well worth a visit in the evening.Overnight: Gopa Residency

If you didn't get to see the monastery on the hill above Tingmosgang yesterday, then there is the option of doing that this morning. It is the site of an ancient palace and well worth the several hundred steps up!Trek: 15.9km, 420m ascent (Walking for 4.5 - 5hrs): From Tingmosgang we walk up through the village on the opposite side of the hill from Tingmosgang, and take the long easy switchbacks up to the Bongbong La pass at 3580m which is a perfect place to stop for a snack. Our descent to the village of Bhalukhar takes us through a lovely hanging valley and down some steep zigzags to where we meet with our vehicles (around 3000m altitude). The drive back to Leh takes around 1.5hrs, so leaves some time for optional souvenir shopping and compulsory celebration of all we have seen and done, on our final evening.Overnight: Omasila Hotel

All good things must come to an end and today you enjoy your last breakfast in Ladakh. Transfers are arranged for your flight out of Leh Airport, connecting in Delhi for flights home.