Motorbike Safari Ladakh

Adventure, People, Villages, Wildlife and High Passes

Moderate to Challenging

Arrive Leh and drive to the hotel. Most of Ladakh is at an altitude of more than 3000m so you need to get acclimatized before you can set out to travel. Your body needs to adapt to high altitude, as the higher you go, the air becomes rarified and the oxygen available for you to breathe becomes lesser. Even though your body is capable of adapting to ‘thin air’, you need to give it time to do so. This is what is called acclimatization.

Acclimatization is essential to avoid acute mountain sickness (AMS). The symptoms include headache, lethargy, dizziness, and loss of appetite. You must allow a full day of complete bed rest for acclimatizing to the high altitude and low level of oxygen. High altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a serious condition that can happen to anyone at altitudes above 3000 meters or 10000 feet.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Morning checkout from the Hotel in Leh and ride on the Leh – Srinagar Highway to your destination Uleytokpo. Enroute visit the following:

The Shrine known as Gurdwara Patthar sahib is situated about 25 kms. Short of Leh town on the Leh-Srinagar road. Built in the everlasting memory of Shri Guru Nanak Deve Ji the great prophet who sanctified the place by his sacred visit during the year 1517 while on his second missionary tour (2nd Udassi 1515-1518). The Guru reached here via Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet Yarkand and Leh after having spiritual discourses with the sidhas at Mount Sumer (Central Himalayas).

On way to Sham Valley before Nimu village one can have this magnificent view of two rivers in wed-lock at the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. In seasons they have different colors and flow and wildness.

70 Kms from Leh, 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 attractions. No longer an active religious center, it is looked after by monks from the Liker monastery. This is the only monastery amongst 34 monasteries, which is not located on a hilltop.
Enjoy your evening at the Resort.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Morning after breakfast, ride further to Lamayuru monastery
Lamayuru is located almost midway between Kargil and Leh on a spur high above the Valley and is one of the most picturesque site. It lies at a distance of approximately 127 km west of the city of Leh. Lamayuru Monastery belongs to Red-Hat sect of Buddhism and houses approximately 150 Buddhist monks. The monastery consists of a series of shrines and also has a rich collection of magnificent paintings. A few sparse trees guard the white-washed and red-framed Buddhist houses and monastery. The village of Lamayuru, sloped down like stairs towards the banks of the river Sindh.

Lamayuru is famous for moon like landscape similar to lunar terrain. The landscape founds favour with photographers and trekkers. The mountain slopes below the village once supported a now-drained-off gigantic lake. The slopes that were once under lake water look like yellow butter over dark-brown mountains that rise steeply from the base of the valley referred as moonland by the locals. With the passage of time, erosion from wind and water had created curious patterns all over the slopes some look like castles, some like sand dunes and some like massive cheese with holes in them.

From Lamayuru ride back to Leh. Enroute visit Hall of fame museum and Shanti Stupa.

Visit this glorious museum located near the Leh Airport, approximately 4 km from Leh city. It was built in memory of the brave soldiers who lost their lives in Indo-Pakistan war. Maintained by the Indian Army, the museum showcases seized arms and amenities of Pakistani Army, pictures and biographies of brave soldiers.

A section of the museum also displays Siachen area exhibiting apparel and amenities used by the Indian Army in the region. Apart from this, one can also witness items related to Ladakhi culture, history, vegetation and wildlife found across the globe.

Evening visit the Shanti stupa – sitting majestically on a hilltop in Ladakh. It was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism. It is considered a symbol of the ties between the people of Japan and Ladakh. The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base. This elegant stupa is situated on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The beautiful positioning of this stupa provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. This has become a primary reason for Shanti Stupa to become a tourist attraction, apart from its religious significance. Overnight at hotel in leh.

Lastly you can enjoy shopping for curios and souvenirs in the bazaars and markets of Leh, while on your tour of Ladakh. Popular items with tourists are Pashmina shawls, stoles and other Pashmina wool garments. Locally handmade woollen socks, gloves, caps and sweaters are a favourite of tourists in Ladakh. Tibetan handicraft items including prayer wheels, Buddhist masks and Thangka paintings can be purchased in Ladakh. Tibetan silver jewellery and traditional Ladakhi jewellery with turquoise are also popular with tourists.

Apricots that grow abundantly in Ladakh are another popular gift that you can take back as a delicious souvenir of your trip to Ladakh. Hand-woven rugs, carpets and shawls are available in a range of prices in Ladakh’s markets. The carpets have floral or geometric designs or dragon motifs on them and can also be hung as decorative wall hangings. Woven in wool gathered from Ladakhi goats, and dyed with natural dyes, Ladakhi carpets and rugs are thick, long-lasting and objects of utility and beauty, which you can buy while shopping in Ladakh.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diskit the capital of Nubra is about 150 km north from Leh town, the capital of Ladakh district, India. Local scholars say that its original name was Ldumra (the valley of flowers). The Shyok River meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. The Shyok river is a tributary of the Indus river. The average altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. i.e. 3048 metres above the sea level. You will climb the world’s highest motorable road – Khardungla Pass at 5,602 m (18,80 ft)

Khardung La (Khardung Pass, la means pass in Tibetan) is a high mountain pass located in Ladakh region of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The pass on the Ladakh Range lies north of Leh and is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys. The Siachen Glacier lies partway up the latter valley. Khardung La is situated 39 km by road from Leh. The first 24 km, as far as the South Pullu check point, are paved. Ride to the Hotel / Camp and relax for the day.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Diskit Monastery is a 350 year old monastery situated in the Village of Diskit. Tourists must visit this monastery that is located at an elevation of 10310 ft above sea level. The village of Diskit acts as an administrative centre to the Nubra Valley and houses many government offices. The Diskit Monastery or Diskit Gompa is the prime attraction of the village. It is considered as one of the largest and oldest Buddhist monasteries in the Nubra Valley.The Diskit Monastery was founded in the 14th century by a disciple of Tsong Khapa, Changzem Tserab Zangpo. This gompa enshrines a Maitreya Buddha statue, paintings, and drums.

Beautiful but remote, Hunder village sits like an oasis in the middle of cold desert in Nubra valley of Jammu and Kashmir. Nubra has acquired fame for its sand dunes, the cold desert that surrounds it, Bactrian camels and its breath-taking natural beauty. Situated close to the Siachen glacier and Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir in north India. Native to the steppes of central Asia, the Bactrian camel has two humps, in contrast to the single-humped camels found in Rajasthan and other parts of India. The Bactrian camels were the main mode of transport when Ladakh was an important stopover on the ancient trade routes with Central Asia. Joyrides on the Bactrian camel through the sand dunes is a must do for the tourists. The region has forests of sea-buckthorn, a medicinal plant rich in bio-molecules, vitamins and nutritive properties and popularly known as Leh Berry.

After your breakfast in Nubra ride back to Leh over Khardungla la. Afternoon rest and relax or take a walk to the local market. Overnight at hotel in leh
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Morning after breakfast ride to Pangong Lake situated on the Indo China border. This route takes the visitor past the picturesque villages of Shey and Thiksey, and turns off the Indus valley by the side valley of Chemrey and Sakti. The Ladakh range is crossed by the Chang-la (18,000 feet / 5,475 M) which despite its great elevation is one of the easier passes, remaining open for much of the year even in winter, apart from periods of actual snowfall. Tangtse, just beyond the foot of the pass, has an ancient temple. But the main attraction of this circuit is the Pangong Lake, situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 M). A long narrow basin of inland drainage, hardly six to seven kilometres at its widest point to which foreigners are permitted, is only some seven km along the southern shore from the head of the lake, but it affords spectacular views of the mountains of the Changchenmo range to the north, their reflection shimmering in the ever-changing blues and greens of the lakes brackish water. Above Spangmik are the glacier and snow-capped peaks of the Pangong range.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Enjoy the sunrise view of the Lake and after a great breakfast, ride back to Leh enroute visit the famous Hemis Monastery. 47 Km from Leh on the west bank of the Indus, the monastery belongs to Dugpa Kargyutpa order, built on a green hillside surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery, is hidden in a gorge. It is the biggest and richest monastery in Ladakh and is must see for visitors. Sacred mask dance is performed on 9th, and 10th, day of the Tibetan 5th, month of Tibetan calendar. During the Hemis Tsechu held in the year of the Monkey it is possible to see the sacred appliqué work tapestry wrought with pearls the depicts the precious teacher Padmasambhava.Next display of great Thanka will be in 2004.Within the monastery there are to be seen a copper-gilt statue of the Lord Buddha, various stupas made of gold and silver, sacred thankas and many objects. The monastery was founded by the 1st incarnation of Stagsang Raspa Nawang Gyatso in 1630, which was invited to Ladakh by the king Singay Namgial and offered him a religious estate throughout the region. A pleasant 3 Km walk, on the side of the mountain above the monastery there is a sacred hermitage founded by the great Gyalwa Kotsang where in the cave, his foot-print and hand – print on the rock is available for visit. This Kotsang is an old hermitage, which was founded many years before the Hemis Monastery.

THIKSEY MONASTERY: Situated about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) away from Shey Monastery, the Thiksey Monastery is a fort monastery that’s built in the likeness of the Potala Palace of Lhasa, Tibet and houses about 60 monks. Resting on top of a hill at an altitude of 3,600 meters (11,811 feet) in the Indus Valley, this Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Buddhist monastery is a 12 storey complex with a precious collection of murals, thangkas, stupas, statues and swords. This is the most important monastery in Ladakh and governs ten more monasteries under it. Built on a supposedly sacred hill in the mid 15th century by the Gelugpa monk Palden Sangpo, Thiksey saw the addition of the Maitreya temple, with a 15 meters (49 feet) Maitreya statue in 1970. The statue, which is constructed out of clay, copper and gold paint, is the largest of its kind in Ladakh and occupies two levels of the complex. Painted in red, yellow-ochre and white, this fort monastery offers some amazing views of the Shey Palace and the Stok Palace across the Indus Valley flood plain. There is a nunnery within the monastery precincts, which houses more than 20 nuns and is supported by international funds. Gustor is the annual festival held in the monastery precincts from the 17th to 19th day of the ninth month of the Tibetan calendar and witnesses the performance of the Cham Dance or mask dance.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

After breakfast, drive to the airport to board your flight to Delhi.
Meals: Breakfast