DAY 1 : MANALI
On day 1, drive to Manali and witness why Manali is so famous among travelers – in Indian and abroad . Entering the wonderful green landscape, you will find yourself riding through pine-scented forests, rivulets with crystal-clear water, distant views of snow-clad peaks, and above all, the colorful panorama of the Himalayas. At an altitude 6,398 feet, Manali is a hill station worth visiting in the Beas River Valley. After exploring the beautiful valley surrounded by majestic mountains, we reach our hotel for an overnight stay.
DAY 2 : JISPA
On day 2, we will go to Jispa – a beautiful Himalayan town in the Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Lying on the right bank of River Bhaga. Jispa is a 2-hour drive from Baralacha La and offers the most stunning views of surrounding mountains. It is a quaint little village located on the Manali-Leh highway, serving as a pitstop en route to Leh. The calm and serene village of Jispa offers the most beautiful zen-like sensation surrounded by picturesque views of the mist-covered mountains and clouds.
DAY 3 : PADUM
Today we will reach Padum. Padum is named after the 8th century Buddhist guru Padmasambhava. It is the administrative center of Zanskar Valley. Historically, it was one of the two main capitals of the Zanskar kingdom, the other being Jangla. Padum is an ideal site for travelers who wish to escape the usual hectic and teeming touristy spots. We leave you with nothing but all the peace, solitude and abundant natural beauty you can ask for from mother nature.
DAY 4: PADUM Sightseeing
Today we enjoy the cultural and fun activities in and around Padum. The area around Padum is enigmatic, with stunning Buddhist monasteries emanating positive vibes across the valley. These holy places are a must-see, as most of them were built at least 500–2500 years ago. They teleport you to the ancient times with an immersive experience of relics of Buddhism. You can also visit Shilla waterfall, which is a short 30-min drive and propped up against a gigantic mountain, located in the charming village of Shila.
DAY 5 : LEH
On Day 5, we move to Leh. The beautiful crown of India in the Indus River valley of the union territory of Ladakh. It is the land of high passes and lakes. Mountains dominate the landscape around Leh as it is surrounded by snow-capped mountains on all sides, the beauty of this place is unparalleled. Ladakh has become the favorite among travelers from across the globe. We’ll check into a premium property here and call it a day.
DAY 6 : LEH LOCAL
Leh is the epitome of scenic beauty. Some famous places we will visit in and around Leh are:
● Shey Monastery
● Royal Leh Palace
● Alchi Monastery
● Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
● Namgyal Monastery
● Hall of Fame
● Thiksey Monastery
● Hemis Monastery
● Khardung La Pass
Being a small town, you can reach most of its places by foot to experience the mystic land of the martian terrains. Enjoy the wild beauty at the hypnotizing sites in Leh; bright days and starry nights are definitely going to leave you captivated for the entire life.
DAY 7 : NUBRA VALLEY
On Day 7, we will drive to Nubra Valley. We’ll cross Khardung La, which is one of the world’s highest motorable roads in India. Hailed as the high-altitude desert, Nubra Valley, in the north-east of Ladakh is one of the most picturesque places to visit in Ladakh.
With the exceptional beauty of its postcard blue skies, snow-clad mountains, lakes, and poplar trees with breathtaking views and delightfully hospitable people – Nubra Valley is recently opened to explore in Ladakh.
Once a trading route connecting eastern Tibet with Turkistan via Karakoram Pass, Nubra invites you to experience an unforgettable trip. You can see dunes, monasteries and ruined old palaces. The Shyok River, and Nubra/Siachen River flow through the large part of the valley and separate if from Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges.
You can enjoy a ride on the back of the double-humped Bactrian Camels while admiring the beauty of snow-covered mountain peaks.
The valley slopes are covered with thick thorny shrubs. The village in the valley has thick plantations of poplar and willow trees. Several ancient gompas and palaces surround the area. To the north of Nubra Valley lies the very popular Siachen Glacier. We will stop for an overnight stay in camps.
DAY 8 : NUBRA VALLEY
A clutch of beautiful hideaways and warmth and generosity of the people of Nubra valley makes it a place where spending at least two days become a necessity. This will be our second day in Nubra valley, and we’ll be visiting the hideaways of Nubra valley like:
Maitreya Buddha, Diskit: 32 feet high statute of future Buddha. Overlooking the Shyok river, it is located about 115 kilometres north of Leh city, construction of this statue started in 2006, and it took about 50 months to complete. Along with the Maitreya Buddha Statue, we’ll be visiting Diskit Monastery — the largest and the oldest monastery (established in 14th century by a follower of the founder of Gelugpa sect of Buddhism.
Turtuk village: the second last village on India-Pakistan border. Located on about 92 kilometres north-west of Diskit (and 205 km north-west of Leh), this village is hailed as the second northernmost village (after Thang) of India. Bordering Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, Turtuk is 10 kilometres away from Thang – the northernmost village of India.
DAY 9 : PANGONG TSO
On day 8, we’ll visit Pangong Lake or Pangong Tso – the world’s highest saltwater lake. The 134 km-long beautiful endorheic lake located in the Indian Himalayas extends from India to China. Pangong Lake is situated at an altitude of 4350 meters and is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. The beauty of this lake has attracted Bollywood and tourists from across the world. The stay will be in a beautiful campsite.
DAY 10 : HANLE
Hanle village is located about 260 kilometres south-east of Leh and a little over 310 kilometres – via Tsaga-La and Rezang-La War Memorial – from Pangong Lake. This found a place in travel itineraries of astrophotographers and space-enthusiasts since Indian Institute of Astrophysics opened astro observatory here in 2001. Hanle is also a part of 1073 square kilometres area designated as “India’s first Dark Sky Reserve”.
In Hanle, we’ll be visiting 17th century built Hanle monastery. After the monastery visit, we drive to Photi-La – 5524 meters high pass offering panoramic views of the valley.
DAY 11 : LEH
On Day 11, we’ll be returning to Leh city. En route, we’ll pay a visit to fabled Buddhist monasteries like Hemis, Shey, Thiksey and Stakna.
DAY 12 : MANALI
We set off early today for the most challenging drive of the trip. On a previous trip on this route, we sighted three Tibetan wolves running alongside us for over a kilometer. We might have rare sightings this time as well if we are lucky.
We can view some of the longest glaciers today as we drive over the mountain passes — Kunzum and Rohtang. We will stop and have lunch at a very famous Dhaba situated in the middle of nowhere that serves the best noodles and rice you have ever tasted. Watch out for the chilly winds and the harsh sun. We have a stunning drive as we cross Rohtang Tunnel into the alpine region of the Kullu Valley.
Today we check in into a premium hotel for an overnight halt. Tonight, we all put our feet up, have an elaborate dinner, a few drinks and discuss our favorite moments from the Roof Of India trip.
DAY 13 : DEPARTURE
The next morning, we pack our bags to return to our homes, taking with us all the beautiful memories…
