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The lands north of
Leh were off
limits to tourists till 1994, and had been unexplored by outsiders since
the 19th century. Now, the Nubra Valley, unfolding beyond the worl'd
highest stretch of motorable road as it crosses the Khardung La (5,578m),
can be visited with a seven day permit, which gives one enough time to
explore the stark terrain and trek out to one or two Gompas.
Day
1: Arrival in Delhi
. Catch early morning flight to
Leh .
Day 2: Tour of Leh city, including the 17th century palace and
Gompa.
Day 3-4: Touring the monasteries and palaces of the Indus valley.
Day 5: Take a morning stroll to Sankar Gompa, then to the nearby
village of Sabu. Overnight stay in Sabu.
Day 6: In Sabu, one can get horses to begin the trek. First day
takes the trekkers through lovely grazing areas to the campsite at Polu
Digar. From this vantage point, the Stok mountains appear to float
majestically above the Indus valley.
Day 7: Continue upward to the Digar La base camp. A short day to
aid acclimatization.
Day 8: One makes an early start to cross the 17,230 ft, Digar La.
From the top, views stretch south to the Zanskar range and north to the
Saser range, Ladakh's highest peaks. The descent is steady and one can
camp by a lovely meandering stream at Chumik Yogma.
Day 9: Continue down through the village of Digar to the tiny
settlement of Aghyam.
Day 10: Trek to Tangyar, a prosperous village in a remarkable
location.
Day 11: Continue upward to Dhungle, base camp for the pass.
Day 12: Ascend the 17,061 ft Wuri la for views all the way to the
Karakoram in Pakistan! Descend to camp at Zule Tokpo.
Day 13: Finish the trek with a short walk out to the village of
Sabu, and the Thak Thok Gompa, an ancient shrine built within an
impressive cave. Travel by jeep over 18,000 ft plus Chang la to the
village of Tangtse, where one can camp amongst idyllic meadows.
Day 14: Explore the shoreline of the brilliant turquoise and
azure Pangong Lake, Ladakh's largest and one of the great salt lakes of
Central Asia. Proximity to the Chinese border prevents one from
penetrating much beyond the western shore or camping at the lakeside, but
the views are stupendous. Return to Leh takes one back over Chang la, the
second highest motorable road on earth. Back in the Indus valley, one can
visit the little-known Gompa of Chemrey before returning to Leh that
evening.
Day 15: Morning flight to Delhi, on arrival check into a hotel
for an overnight stay
Day 16: Depart- Delhi and transfer to airport for catching a
flight to onward journey.