We had an extensive research on this route in 2011 and presenting to our clients proudly. Overland safari from Manali to Leh is the most favorite tour decision of global explorers from last several decades. This journey is an experience of living with high passes and barren mountains for several days and an effort to understand the life in Buddhist regions of Western Himalaya. Monks and monasteries complement the mountains in Lahoul Valley but after Darcha till Rumptse the journey moves with silent and isolated but extremely beautiful mountain landscape.
Ancient Trade Route connections To add more adventure, experience and flavor into this famous safari, we had a research base study on a new route at the end of 2011 summers and offering few more prayer flags, some wild life and a new pass on this new Manali- Leh safari. It is evident that this was a part of the ancient trade route from Yarkand (Central Asia) to Ladakh, where many died and only the hardiest survived. The entire route towards the Karakoram Pass is littered with the bones of these travelers.
Route details & General observations This journey takes you till Karo on known route and then diverts to Aghyam and Khalsar crossing Wari La pass. One day excursion to Panamic is included in this tour and from Khalsar; the route goes to Hunder in Nubra Valley. From Nubra, we cross Khardung La, the highest motorable road of the world and enter into Leh. You spend some time in Leh and explore surrounding areas before you fly back to Delhi with a new experience and exploration.
- International airport to hotel in Delhi/ Kolkata transfer by small coach/ medium or large cars as per the group size and back to airport after the trip
- Sightseeing/ monument visits as per the itinerary
- 4 WD safari cars/ jeeps during the mountain safari and open/ covered jeeps/ canters during the wild life tours inside the national parks and sanctuaries.
- Transportation of cook, kitchen staff and safari guide office to office.
- Transportation of camping equipment and food.
Accommodation – city hotels with breakfast & remaining on full board
- Hotels as per the program
- Safari camps with all meals
- Gala dinner at Delhi with expedition mementoes/ souvenirs
- Jungle Resort during a wildlife tour
Staff
- (01) Cook and kitchen helper (01)
- Safari guide/ Indian Escort/ Tour Manager (01) from Delhi- Delhi
- Local sightseeing/ city/ monument guide
Equipment
- Camping tents for the members
- Alpine tents for cook+ helper and safari guide
- Cots, mattresses, quilts, blankets, bed sheets, pillows/ covers and hot water bottles
- Kitchen tent, dining tent, chairs, tables, stools, utensils, crockery and cutlery
- Toilet tents and toiletries including Western Commodes, hot water shower system, LPG gas cylinders
- Medical kit & oxygen cylinders for high altitude safaris
- Maps and directions
Administrative assistance
- Cargo Management if required for big groups on reconnaissance/ study trips
- Inner Line permits/ restricted area permits
The cost doesn’t include
- Air tickets
- Any kind of insurance of the clients
- Personal expenditures of the clients
- Helicopter rescue
- Cargo handling charges
Day 01: Arrive Delhi, on arrival our office representative will meet and drive you to your hotel from the airport for the overnight stay.
Day 02: Delhi to Chandigarh by train and drive to Kullu: Morning at 7 AM we reach New Delhi railway station for the fastest train to Chandigarh. It takes 3 hours to reach Chandigarh, the beautiful city designed by a French architect, Le Corbusier. Your safari cars are waiting for you at the railway station here which will take you to Kullu Valley, covering a distance of 260 Kms in 7 hours. The journey is fine, leaving Punjab plains and entering the mountains; you reach Kullu in the evening and check into your hotel.
Day 03: Kullu to Manali with Naggar sightseeing, 42 Kms: Drive to Manali on left banks of river Beas, which is spread in more than 50 Kms of green valley. On the way, stop at Naggar which is the ancient capital of Kullu and presently a renowned heritage village. Nagger is famous for its castle and art gallery of Russian painter, Nicholas Roerich. It is situated at the top of a mountain and from castle, you can see almost half of the Kullu Valley with its paddy fields, apple orchards, river Beas and snow capped mountain ranges of Dhauladhar and Pir Punjal. Castle is the right place for lunch and later we drive through small and old villages to Manali- the gateway to Spiti, Zanskar and Ladakh. Manali is a beautiful hill station on the banks of River Beas.
Day 04: Manali to Jispa, 135 Kms/ 7 hours: Leaving Kullu Valley and Manali behind, the drive climbs up to Rohtang Pass through several curves, small villages and settlements. The view from Rohtang Pass on both sides is awesome, from here, we enter into Lahoul Valley. Getting down for 19 Kms is the place Koksar, the first village and settlement in Lahoul side. We drive through Sisu and Gondhla, two prominent places of cultural and heritage values in the valley. The Gondhla Fort is visible from the road but it is in the worst shape because of lack of care. On the other side are the cave monasteries which were used by several monks and nuns for meditation. The next place is Tandi, after 7 Kms, which is the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga Rivers. We stop at Tandi to see this meeting of two rivers and drive to Jispa, which is about 32 Kms from here. Keylong, the district headquarter of Lahoul is on the way. Jispa is a small village with a nice monastery and a good hotel for our overnight stay.
Day 05: Jispa to Tsokar, 200 Kms/ 7 hours: This morning we leave civilization after 5 Kms and enter into the isolated zone of mountains where shepherds, nomads and prayers flags at the top of mountain passes are only our companions. We cross Baralacha La (4900 M), Naki La (4740 M) and Lachalung La (4850 M), the three high mountain passes on the way. From Lachalung La, the road twists its way to Pang through an amazing canyon with sheer cliffs and rocky outcrops looming up on both sides of the road. We will ascend up to the Pang Plateau also known as the More Plains (4617 M). The desert is encircled by snow-capped peaks and we reach to a beautiful place called Tsokar, where we camp for the night.
Day 06: Tsokar to Takthok, 150 Kms/ 7 hours: We have another excitement this day to cross the second highest motorable road of the world, Tanglang La (5300 M). The drive takes high to the Tanglang La that offers majestic views of the mountains. Later drive down to reach Rumptse and further drive to Karo and Thaktok where we will have our camp for the night. Takthok Monastery (also known as Thag Thog or Thak Thak) is a Buddhist monastery in Sakti village in Ladakh, located approximately 46 Kms short to Leh on east. The name Takthok, literally meaning 'rock-roof' was named because both its roof and walls are made of rock. It belongs to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism and approximately 55 lamas reside there. It is the only Nyingma monastery in Ladakh.
The monastery was founded around the mid-16th century on a mountainside around a cave in which Padamsambhava is said to have meditated in the 8th century. The festival of Takthok monastery is celebrated every year and the sacred dances are very unique.
Day 07: Takthok to Aghyam over WARI LA (5250 M) and Khalsar, 105 Kms/ 5 hours: This morning starts with the ascent to Wari La Pass which looks like a camel top. The road is all uphill winding into loops, but a great delight for the travelers with all a tarmac experience. After having got to the pass, we have all a very potent downhill which is very scenic and you can spot different wild life while driving on this road and great views of the Karakorum ranges. On the way, we cross Thangyar Village, which is a beautiful village with an old monastery, a must see place on this route. We cover a pleasant distance of about 70 Kms to Aghyam from our camp this way. Aghyam is a nice remote village in the mountains and drive further 30 Kms to reach Khalsar- a junction point for Nubra and Khardung La. This is situated in the Shyok Valley and on the banks of beautiful Shyok River. The Shyok Valley is the valley of the Shyok River -- the river of death. This is a Yarkandi (Central Asian) name, probably given by the Central Asian traders who ventured on this treacherous route for centuries and perished. The entire northern area -- the region of the Karakoram -- has names related to death. It is evident that this was a part of the ancient trade route from Yarkand (Central Asia) to Ladakh, where many died and only the hardiest survived. The entire route towards the Karakoram Pass is littered with the bones of these travelers.
The road at some times is rough with sandy slopes, extremely adventurous and inspiring. We camp at Khalsar for the night.
Day 08: Khalsar to Diskit, Hunder & Panamic excursion and drive to Sumur, 90 Kms/ full day: Morning drive to Diskit (20 Kms) and visit the ancient Diskit Gompa which was built in 1420AD. Perched on top of a hill overlooking town of Diskit, the Gompa provides some breathtaking panoramic views. The main attraction of the Gompa is the main Deity, which holds in its hand the mummified human forearm and head, which is believed to be of a Mongol warrior. 8 Kms down the road from Diskit is the village of Hunder. Hunder is set amidst fields of rye and barley and surrounded by fruit orchids and sand dunes; for people used to seeing the moonscape scenery of Ladakh, Hunder is a welcome break. Later we drive to Panamic, which is an experience of driving in Himalayan sand dunes where the surroundings are barren with different kinds of bushes which moves till the foot of mountains standing high in front of the eyes. During the trade between Central Asia and Ladakh, Panamic was the last major settlement before the caravans cross the Karakoram Range. Today, Panamic is a sleepy village, with its people quietly working in their fields. Visit the village thermal HOT SPRINGS locally reputed to have therapeutic qualities can be a nice activity at Panamic and later after lunch, we drive to Hunder, another popular village in Nubra Valley. After exploring Hunder, we drive to another village of Nubra Valley- Sumur, which is the place for this nights stay. It is 20 Kms from Panamic and Sumur’s main attraction is the 150 year old Samstening Gompa and apart from that the village itself is an oasis in the middle of a desert.
Day 09: Sumur to Leh over Khardung La (18280 Ft), 128 Kms/ 7 hours: Morning drive to Leh through world’s highest motorable road at K TOP, Khardung La Top. The drive is exciting and the views are breathtaking. Once you reach the summit, you can take time out to get your photo taken next to the signboard which says “Khardung La, 18380ft, Highest Motorable Road in the world”. The roads are fine and after Khalsar, about 30 Kms down to the K Top, you can find few restaurants at Khardung Village which is a small village offering very good views on the backdrop. From Khardung La, we drive down about 40 Kms and reach Leh- the beautiful mountain town of Ladakh. On the way, we can stop at Phyang Monastery and later check into the hotel.
Day 10: Leh full day sightseeing: Today we proceed for Indus Valley monastery tour. We start with a visit to Shey, the ancient capital of Ladakh. The monastery here has a huge gold-gilded statue of Buddha Sakyamuni with a large silver lamp burning in front of the statue. Then we visit Thiksey Gompa, an impressive complex rising tier upon tier on a hill above the village. The monastery has a beautiful 30 m high gold-plated statue of Maitreya Buddha, the Buddha of the future. Drive further to visit the famous Hemis Gompa, founded in 1630's by Stag-tsang-ras-pa under the royal patronage of Sengge Namgyal. Hemis is one of the largest and richest Gompas of Ladakh. The two-day festival of monastic dance in June-July has raised the reputation of Hemis particularly high. The festival is dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as second Buddha and responsible for spreading Buddhism in the Tibetan world. Later we visit the Stok Palace, the Royal residence of the King of Stok & the Museum that has a rich collection of Ancient Ladakhi artifacts including old Thangkas, precious stones, arms and armory, the Queen's necklace and the crown of the King of Ladakh among others. In the evening, we reach our hotel in Leh.
Day 11: Leh to Uletopko, 70 Kms/ 3 hours: After breakfast, we drive towards Uletopko and visit Phyang Gompa on the way, which is located 6 Kms away from Leh. Further we drive to Likir and visit Likir Gompa that is situated at a windy cliff top overlooking the beautiful village of Likir. Basgo is certainly the most impressive of Ladakhi citadels despite its ruined state. Then we cross the River Indus and reach Alchi, Ladakh's most loved monastery. After visiting Alchi monastery we drive to Uletopko to check in at our resort for the night.
Day 12: Uletopko- Lamayuru and back Leh, 180 Kms/ 7 hours: After breakfast leave Uletopko and continue drive to Lamayuru via Khaltsi. From here another 22 Kms drive will take you to Lamayuru. The oldest and spectacularly set Lamayuru monastery was founded in the 10th Century. Visit the monastery. In the late afternoon drive back to Leh.
Day 13: Leh to Delhi flight: Morning you take the spectacular flight to Delhi from Leh, whcih is one hours flight and on arrival at Delhi, our representative will take you to your hotel.
Day 14: Fly Home: We respectfully drive you to the international airport to get your flight back home.
Getting there: Your nearest international airport is Delhi where you will meet with our expedition manager. After essential visits to IMF and cargo (if required), you will be escotrted towards the initial point of your adventure as per the program details.
After the expedition/ adventure journey, you arrive back to Delhi. After de briefing (in case of expedition) and farewell ceremony, you will be driven to international airport to board flight back to your home.
Airtickets: We have our partners in almost every foreign countries, so if you
need any assistance in your air tickets bookings, you are always welcome to speak to us to know about our partner close to you.
Cargo Management: We have strong tieups with the cargo management companies to get your consignments clear timely in Delhi. In maximum cases, you will only need to spend just 2 hours for getting your consignmwent delivery. Once you send the documents and the boxes details, we start locating them in India.
Insurance : It is a condition of joining our trips that you must be adequately insured. All persons are expected to arrange their own insurance. Polices should cover any potential risks involved in such adventure.
Our hotels and camps: We offer you best economy hotels in cities and towns and till base camp we provide you very comfirtable tents with maximim possible faciltiies in the mountains. For the trekking, Jeep Safaris, MTB and other adventure journeys, we provide the most luxurious camps fitted with dining areas and modren toilet facilities.
Adventure India briefing: We have excelent maps, images and movies of majoriety of our adventure expeditions/ joiurneys and sports. A short briefing in our offices is highly recommended so the team understands logistics, forecarst problems and know where the solutions would be. We stress on planning, planning and planning in any adventure expediton and till now we have remained successful in all of our expeditions just because of our planning. So we need you to be an active part of it.
Rescue and helicopter evacuation: if the expeditons are well planned, rescue operations can be avoided. In the history of 14 years, we didn’t encounter any seviour requireemtn of rescue but still we can tie up with the agencies to provide helicopter evacuation on your request and willingness to pay the charges.
Peak booking formalities: already mentioned in detail in our mountaineering formalities in India link. For necessary applications either you can check the website of IMF or speak to us.
Ground transportation: We provide the ground transportation compriseing of best available cars/ copaches in fine roads and rough trucks in remote areas of the Indian mountains.
Porters and ponies: We provide ponies till base camp and HAP/ LAPs as per the requirement of the expedition.
Fuel and gases: Fuel (aftwer BC) is not a part of cost included section, but we will manage Butane / Butane propane gases for you on your timely request.
Trek & BC food : We offer a mixture of Vegetarian and Non vegetarian food till BC including the several herbs we have individually discovered with the medicinal values and capacity to keep the body warm. We have cooks who make Korean, Japnese and Continental food along with Indian food.
Our guides & instructors: Our guides are basically trained till BC trekking and support to establish BC. But our instructors do have good experience of mountaineering who can join the expeditions to higher levels too.
Ground Support system: We have fantastic ground support system developed in collaboration with the local people of nearest villages, army camps, porters and local guides. We have re discovered the use of traditional communication system also along with the setellite phones to stay in touch with the groups after BC. Our BC staff is trained to keep information of the groups at ABC and between and act as per the situation.
Cost Includes & not: The cost includes all hotels, guest houses, camps till BC, food till BC, ponies, porters, LAP/ HAP, food & tents for the porters, cooks and staff at BC, insurance of our permanenet staff, food for LO, cargo management, all transportation, all sightseeing, liasioning and coordination, trekking guides and BC management. The cost doent include IMF fees and environment levies, State Government fees and environment levies, porters insurance, clients air fares, helicopter evacuation, extra porters requirement from the BC, extra days at or above BC and any expenditure on personal level including clients insurance/ visa etc.
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