Ladakh is not just a destination, but a dream in itself. The place is filled with vast barren landscapes, surreal high altitude lakes, snow covered mountain peaks, beautiful Buddhist monasteries and an insight into a different life and culture of Ladakhi people.
Our 7 nights 8 days Offbeat Ladakh Tour with Hanle aims to showcase the real beauty of Ladakh so that you can take in every essence of the place.
We start our journey from Leh, which is the capital city of Ladakh. Leh is known for its Buddhist sites and nearby trekking areas. Massive 17th-century Leh Palace, modeled on the Dalai Lama’s former home (Tibet’s Potala Palace), overlooks the old town’s bazaar and mazelike lanes.
There are some famous places to explore in the city of Leh such as Spituk Monastery, which is one of the oldest monasteries in Leh, dating back to the 11th century. Experience the confluence of two massive rivers, Indus and Zanskar, while in Leh.
From Leh we head off to Nubra Valley after crossing Khardungla Pass, which is the highest motorable road in the world, which is located at an altitude of 3,048mts. It is a high altitude cold desert, which means it has scant vegetation and green cover. Wherever your eyes go, you’ll see vast barren lands, covered with sands and rocks which gives it a surreal look.
Diskit Monastery is the oldest and largest monastery in the Nubra Valley, with origins going back to the 14th century. Diskit Gompa is also famous for the statue of a protector deity (Kali) holding the head and arm of a medieval Mongol soldier.
Pangong Lake is situated at an altitude of 4,350mts and is a saline lake. It is 134kms long and extends from India into China. The lake is so beautiful and serene with its calm, glimmering blue water, that many Bollywood movies have been shot here, most famous being 3 Idiots. The crystal clear waters of the lake shine in many shades of blue depending upon its depth and with the sunlight.
Hanle village is one of the largest villages in Ladakh, situated near the Hanle river. Hanle is famous for its monastery and also houses an Indian Astronomical Observatory which is the world’s highest observatory at 4,500mts.
Chumur is one of the few overlooked villages in the region of Ladakh, but it is really unique. Chumur is one of the last villages in the Indo-China region. Rugged terrains and
A few odd thirty houses are a few characteristics of the village but the most interesting part is that it houses a very ancient monastery with a “Live Mummy”. According to the legends, the Lama’s body was embalmed and kept inside the monastery forever because that was his sole wish, and every year they have to trim his nails and beard. Another legend says that a witch was punished by having her hands dismembered, embalmed and kept in the Gompa as a warning to the people to respect the local laws.
Tso Moriri, another surreal saline lake is located at 4,522mts and in Tibetan Language is known as “Mountain Lake”. Stunning reflections of nearby mountains and white clouds set against the clear blue sky make Tso Moriri seem like a giant mirror and one of the not-to-miss places to visit in Ladakh
