Day
01 : Arrive Delhi late night and transfer
to domestic airport for early morning flight
to Leh. Transfer to your hotel, rest day after
a long flight and time to get acclimatize. Late
afternoon walking tour of Leh bazaar. O/N in
hotel.
Leh : the main town of the region, is
dominated by Sengge Namgyal's 9-story Palace,
a building in the grand tradition of Tibetan
architecture, said to have inspired the famous
Potola in Lhasa. Down in the bazaar, the main
sites to visit are the Jo-Khang, a modern ecumenical
Buddhist temple, and the imposing Mosque dating
from the late 17th century. For locals and visitors
alike a stroll along the main bazaar observing
the varied crowd and peering into the curio
shops is an entrancing experience.
Day 02 : After breakfast morning tour
with guide of Spituk and Phyang monastries.
Late afternoon tour of Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa
& Samkar monastry. O/N in hotel.
Phyang : looks like a huge Palace from
afar, built by Tashi Namgyal in thelater half
of the 16th century AD., it belongs to the Red
Cap sect of Buddhists. Hundreds of icons of
Buddha and other Gods are kept on wooden shelves.
Spituk : Stands prominently on the top
of a hillock commanding a panoramic view of
the Indus valley for miles. Many icons of Buddha
and fine thankas are to be found in this 15th
century Gompa. The Gompa also houses a collection
of ancient masks, antique arms and an awe inspiring
image of mahakal. The face of the Kali image
is kept covered and is revealed only at the
annual function in January.
Samkar Gompa : the seat of the yellow
Hat Sect and one of the few Gompa built in the
valley bottom, is a 3 km. Pleasant walk through
fields. It houses the chief lama of Spituk and
20 others. The newer monks quarters are on three
sides of the courtyard with steps leading up
to the Du-Khang ( Assembly Hall ). There are
a number of gold statues, numerous wall paintings
and sculptures including a large one of the
11 headed, 1000-armed Avalokitesvara.
Shanti Stupa : There are good views
from the top where a tea room is a welcoming
sight after the climb. There is also a jeep
able road.
Day 03 : Fullday trip with guide to
Alchi and Likir Monastries. O/N cam at Basgo.
Alchi : On the banks of the Indus is
the Alchi Gompa, dating a thousand years back.
One of its walls features thousands of miniature-sized
pictures of the Buddha. Three large sized images
made of clay and painted brightly are its focal
attraction. No longer an active religious center,
it is looked after by monks from the Likir monastery.
Likir : Founded in the 11th century
and rededicated to a different monastic order
in the 15th century, its earlier Gompa was destroyed
in a fire. The present Gompa dates back to the
18th century. Skilled craftsmen producing excellent
thankas, earthen pots and carved folding wooden
tables. A magnificent giant juniper tree, one
of the few survivors of its species stands in
the courtyard.
Day 04 : Trek over Pobe-la ( 3550 mts.
) to Likir. Trek time: 4 hours.
Day 05 : Trek Likir to Yangthang. Trek
time : 5 hours.
Day 06 : Yangthang / Redzong / Yangthang.
Trek time : 6 hours.
Day 07 : Yangthang to Temisgam. Trek
time : 5 hours.
Day 08 : Drive Temisgam to Leh. O/N
hotel.
Day 09 : Fullday sightseeing of Hemis,
Thiksey & Shey. O/N in hotel in Leh.
Shey : The old summer Palace of the
kings of Ladakh, Shey ( 15 km. From Leh towards
Hemis ) was built more than 550 years ago by
Lhachen Palgyigon, the king of Ladakh. It stands
next to the remains of a larger construction
on the east side of a hill, which runs south-east
towards the Indus. From the Palace you can see
over the fertile Indus plain, north-east to
the Thiksey Gompa and over the Indus to the
Zanskar mountain range. Hundreds of Chortens
of the most diverse from and size stand on the
barren plains to the north, separated from the
fertile riverbank along the Hemis road. The
old palace Gompa has the largest golden Buddha
statue in Ladakh.
Thiksey : The 500 year old Thiksey monastery,
perched on a hill high above the Indus. Has
about 100 yellow cap monks. On the right of
the entrance to the main courtyard, a new chapel
houses an enormous 15 meter high, seated Buddha
figure. The morning prayer can be witness around
6 AM, but there are also prayers closer to noon,
preceded by long mournful sounds from the horns
on the roof. The monastery mountain is best
ascended on foot although there is also a new
road up to the monastery. The temple of Zan-la
is beside the car parking area on this road.
On the walls of the Gompa courtyard are some
interesting Tibetan calendars. In the chapel
is a picture near the central Chamba statue,
of Tsung-Khapas, the founder of the Tugend (
Gelupa ) sect. Some steps run up to a roof balcony
from which there is access to the rooms of the
head lama.
Hemis : It is the wealthiest , best
known and biggest Gompa of Ladakh. Its popularity
stems from the major annual festival held here
in summer. The festival is in honor of Guru
Padma Sambhav's birth anniversary. It also has
the largest Thanka in Ladakh, which is unfurled
once in 12 years ( next in 2004 ). Hemis was
built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal
, an illustrious ruler of Ladakh. It flourished
under the Namgyal dynasty for the royalty favored
for Drugkpa Sect, which managed the monastery.
It is divided into two, the Assembly Hall on
the right and the main temple on the left. The
hall, Dukhang, is also used as a ' Green room
' by the dancers during the festival. The temple
is known as Tshogkhang. The verandahs have a
surfeit of frescoes among them the Buddhist
Wheel of Life ( Kalachakra ) and the Lord of
the four quarters, besides rows of prayer wheels.
Day 10 : Rest day in Leh after the trek,
or security day ( in case of flight cancellation
). O/N in hotel.
Day 11 : Early morning flight Leh to
Delhi, Overnight at hotel.
Day 12 : Departure transfer to airport.
For trip cost,
itinerary and other relevant information please
contact us.
Email : happyholidays8848@gmail.com