India

Mountains and Monasteries of Ladakh

Biking, Rafting and Trekking

(12 Days)

Slide Show

Ladakh, often referred to as "Little Tibet" is a true adventure kingdom. It's bounded by the Great Himalayas and the Karakoram Range, and is part of the great Tibetan Plateau. It boasts a mesmerizing landscape of deep-cut gorges, snowy mountains and ancient monasteries, perched high on the hilltops. This high-energy extravaganza features fat tire biking through fertile valleys and stark moonscapes, a raft trip bouncing down the gurgling Indus River and a rugged mountain trek with nights in tents below starry skies. We visit some of Ladakh's most outstanding monasteries, rich in art and history. To add to the flavour, the culture is vibrant and colourful and prominent around every bend.

Trip Highlights

• Strolling through ancient monasteries and colourful Markets in Leh
• 4-days trekking Ladakh Monastery trail
• Rafting the Zanskar and Indus Rivers
  

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Delhi (Sightseeing)

Upon arrival into the Delhi aiport you will be met by A BikeHike Adventures representative and transferred to a comfortable hotel. The day includes a sightseeing tour of Sir Edward Lutyen’s New Delhi, the garden city built in 1911 by the British. We also visit the Birla Mandir (Lakshminarayan Temple), the President’s House, Humayun's Tomb (the forerunner of the Taj Mahal), and the India Gate. (D)

Day 2: Leh

Today we travel by air over the gorgeous snow-covered Himalayan peaks to Leh (3521m) -- the capital of Ladakh. Leh is a bustling little town that is dominated by the ruins of the towering castle perched above the main bazaar. People are friendly and are quick to say "Julley!" (Hello). Village women sell vegetables along the main bazaar, laneways are studded with stupas, and green agricultural fields form a tapestry above the town – all making Leh a lovely place for walking and exploring. The da is at leisure today in order to acclimate. We suggest you take it very easy today and give your body the rest it requires.Overnight at a comfortable hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Leh (Sightseeing)

After a hearty breakfast we set off for a day exploring Leh. We visit two Gompas (monasteries) Spituk and Phyang. We'll see lots of lamas (monks,) both young and old as they go about their daily rituals and prayers. Since typically it takes up to 48 hours to acclimatize, we leave the rest of the day at leisure to relax or go out walking and exploring the town. Overnight at the same comfortable hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Leh (Monastaries, Markets and Hiking)

We rise bright and early this morning and depart for Thicksey Monastery to witness the elaborate prayer ceremony where dozens of monks chant in their deep ethereal voices. Once outside the monastery we feast on our packed breakfast then set off on a scenic and gentle 2 hour hike to Shey Village. There are some stunning photo-ops today of the snowy peaks of The Stok Kangri Range. From Shey we drive back to the hotel for lunch and a rest. Afterwards we drive up to Namgyal Tsemo Monastery. This monastery offers a great vantage point to view the valley in its full scale. From here we make our way to colourful Leh Bazaar, gently descending along a winding path, passing the Leh Palace and numerous old village homes. Later we drive to the Shanti Stupa; famous for it’s stunning sunset sky panoramas. Overnight at a comfortable hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Alchi (Rafting and Biking)

Today we drive to the small village of Phey, our put in for our rafting adventure along the Zanskar and Indus Rivers. We take out in Nimu and switch our paddles for pedals and bike alongside the Indus River to Alchi. We pass through a number of lovely villages including Nimu and Saspol village. The scenery is fabulous with the Stok Range to the south and the Ladakh Range to the north. Alchi is a wonderful village with one of the most beautiful gompas in Ladakh. The frescos at Alchi Gompa are almost a thousand years old, and have been designated a world heritage site. We spend a night in Alchi in cozy cottages with time to explore the area. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Alchi (Biking)

Today we cycle around Alchi exploring the area and the various small monasteries and gompas in the region. It’s exceptional nature and the small quite roads make for enjoyable cycling. We return to Alchi for an early lunch and later cycle to Wanla. Wanla is the base camp for our trek. Overnight Camping. 65 kms (3330 metres) (B,L,D)

Day 7: Wania - Hinju (Trekking)

After our first hot camp breakfast, we take to the trails trekking along a dusty road to the small village of Phenjilla (3410mts.) and the scattered village of Uri. We wind through a narrow gorge until we reach a traditional rangthak (Flour Mill) at the far end of the village. Here the trail cuts through the village of Hinju (3720mts.) roughly 2 km below our campsite in a yak herder’s encampment. Overnight Camping. (3720 mts; 4-5 hours) (B,L,D)

Day 8: Hinju - Sumda Doksa (Trekking)

This morning we continue trudging along the trail ascending the ridge below Kongskil La (4950mts). We'll gradually begin ascending to Kongskil La, with intoxicating views of the Karakoram and Stok Kangri ranges, and the possibility of seeing some rare species of wildlife. Our descent is slow and steep and leads past a yak herder’s camp as we head to lof the valley floor. Soon we reach our campsite in the valley, mostly inhabited by the villagers of Sumdo Chenmo. Overnight Camping. (4430 mts; 5-6 hours) (B,L,D)

Day 9: Sumda Doksa - Dung Dung Chan La Base (Trekking)

We have a short walk and a few small river crossings this morning, leading us to the village of Sumdo Chenmo. From here on the views are spectacular with lush green mountains manicured with wild Himalayan rose bushes. The ascent over Lanak leads past many of the rare flowers of Ladakh. Our campsite this evening offers a fantastic view of the Kongskil La we surmounted yesterday. Overnight Camping. (4430 mts; 4-5 hours) (B,L,D)

Day 10: Dung Dung Chan La Base - Chilling (Trekking)

It's a thigh burning ascent to the summit of DungDung Chan La (4820mts) with magnificent views of the stok range to the east and the Zanskar range to the south. The descent is gradual and along the ridge, bringing us to the metal works town of Chilling. Chilling is the only town in all of the ladakh region which has traditionally been producing items from Copper, bronze, Tin, Silver and Iron and supplying them to the bazaar in Leh for centuries now. Our trek concludes in Chilling, where we meet our driver and van and drive to a comfortable hotel in Leh. (3450mts; 5 hours) (B,L,D)

Day 11: Lei (Leisure)

We have a full day of leisure to explore the city of Lei. Some suggestings are last minute shopping in the bustling bazaars, a visit the Tibetan Refugee village in Choglamsar, or the gompa at Hemis or just sit in a cafe watch life go by in this fascinating city. Overnight stay at the hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 12: Delhi

We return to Delhi on an early morning flight. We'll be met upon arrival and transferred to a comfortable hotel. 3 hours prior to your international flight home, you’ll be transferred to the International Airport. Bon Voyage! (B)

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