Quick Escape – Ladakh

After arrival and clearing immigration and customs, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. You should expect to reach your hotel room approximately three hours after landing.

(Taj Palace - Superior Room)

Even when Bombay and Madras were mere trading posts and Calcutta a village of mud huts, Delhi had been the seat of an empire for 500 years. Through the centuries, eight cities have been built on this site by Hindus, the Mughals and the British, with each adding their own flavor. In a matter of minutes, you can be transported from a sprawling, elegant garden city to the ancient twisting alleyways of Old Delhi.

This morning on your tour of “Old Delhi,” you will explore this exotic locale with its narrow dirt roads, its myriad of people, andinexpensive and colorful bazaars that keep alive the traditional workmanship for which Delhi has always been famous. Driving past the Red Fort, trade your motor vehicle for a bicycle rickshaw, which will take you into the heart of Chandni Chowk (the silver square - so named because of the silver merchants). Negotiating alleyways, which seemingly get narrower and narrower, you end up at the Jama Masjid, the largest Muslim mosque in India.

This evening, enjoy a traditional Indian welcome dinner.

(Taj Palace - Superior Room; B, D)

Early in the morning, you will transfer to Delhi’s domestic terminal in time for your flight to Ladakh on Vistara Airlines.

The flight up the Indus Valley provides spectacular views of the Zanskar Range to the west, including the twin peaks of Nun and Kun, while to the north is K2, the second highest peak on earth. You will be met on arrival at Leh airport and transferred to your hotel.

Leh, 11,400 feet in altitude,the capital city of Ladakh since ancient times and a transit point for caravans of the bygone silk route, still feels and looks like a trading post. A small town with a population of 10,000, there are two monasteries, a palace/fort, a mosque and a church, two major roads, and numerous alleyways that can be easily mastered. It is a fascinating place to explore on your own. The balance of the day is free to rest, acclimate to the high altitude, and explore the city. A minimal amount of physical activity is advised.

(The Grand Dragon - Heritage Room; B, L, D)

Your day begins with a visit to Spituk Gompa, a Buddhist monastery built in the 11th century and founded by Od-de,and now home to over 100 monks. This is a unique monastery, as it also pays tribute to Hinduism, showcasing a statue of the goddess, Kali.

Next, visit the Shanti Stupa, a white domed Buddhist stupa situated on a hilltop in Chanspa. Here, you will find the relics of the Buddha at its base and enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama. The walk to this stupa also helps with acclimatization, as it is at an altitude higher than your hotel and also offers magnificent panoramic views of the Leh and Indus Valleys.

After lunch, continue to Leh Palace, the former royal palace of King Singge Namgyal until the mid-19th century. The Palace Museum holds a rich collection of jewelry, ornaments, ceremonial dresses and crowns. You will also find Chinese thangka, or paintings, which are more than 450 years old, with intricate designs that still retain the bright colors derived from crushed and powdered gems and stones.

Later, you will have some time to stroll through the local market where you will find various items like pashmina shawls, sashes, Tibetan handicrafts and Buddhist masks, just to name a few.

(The Grand Dragon - Heritage Room; B, L, D)

You have the full day to leisurely explore the local villages, meditate in the monasteries and photograph the landscape of the Indus Valley.

Shey used to be the old palace of the King of Ladakh. The fort and palace are in ruins but the monastery is still active. Here, you willmarvel at the giant 39-foot gilded copper statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha.

Thikse gompa, dramatically situated on the slopes of a hill and built in imitation of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, commands a formidable view of the Indus Valley. In the new building is a three-story statue of the Maitreya Buddha, one the most beautiful pieces of religious art in Ladakh.

Also visit Hemis gompa, which was associated with the Ladakhi Royal Family and is quite prosperous. It is the most important of the “Red Hat” or non-reformist gompas in Ladakh belonging tothe Druk-pa sect.

(The Grand Dragon - Heritage Room; B, L, D)

Buddhism is an integral part of life in Ladakh, with the countryside punctuated by monasteries - both ancient and newly constructed.Unlike Tibet, these have not been decimated by Chinese occupation. Today you will delve deeper into the Ladakhi way of life. Visit the most famous monastery beyond the Indus Valley — the “mural wonderland” of Alchi.

Your first stop as you journey along the Indus River by road is Basgo, the site of another ancient monastery. The impressive citadel built on top of the hill was the capital of Ladakh severaltimes during the 15th and 17th centuries. It was here that Ladakh held out against the Tibetan and Mongol armies that the fifth Dalai Lama sent to Ladakh. To break the three-year siege, the King of Ladakh sent emissaries to the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb in Srinagar asking for his assistance and inviting his army into Ladakh. Thus, Islamic influence entered into Buddhist Ladakh. Today, over 30% of Ladakhi are followers of Islam. There is a mosque situated on the main street of Leh.

After exploring Basgo, continue onto Alchi. Spend the rest of timeexploring Alchi, dating to the 10th century. An inactive gompa today, it is one of the most intriguing gompas of Ladakh. Why this monastery died remains a mystery especially since it has the most prolific art forms: wall painting, painted chorten and statues, giving an impression of having once been rich and powerful.

(Ulley Tokpo Resort; B, L, D)

Crossing back over the Indus River, stop at the most recent of Ge-lugs-pa order monasteries, Rizong, just 120 years old. From the road head, a pleasant three-mile walk up a narrow gorge brings you to this picturesque gompa (Ladakhi word for monastery). Rizong also has the distinction of being the most disciplined of the monasteries in Ladakh and is the only one with a nunnery. Later in the afternoon, head further west from Alchi on the Leh- Srinager Highway to visit Lamayuru Monastery (9,700 feet), belonging to the Ka-gyü-pa order. This is a 10th/11th century monastery and has always been very active and powerful. In the 13th century, it was the main contender against the Sakya Monastery for acknowledged supremacy throughout Tibet.

(Ulley Tokpo Resort; B, L, D)

Departing Alchi early in the morning, you return to Leh Valley today, arriving there early afternoon. The balance of the day is free to explore the town of Leh and browse its maze of narrow streets, seeking out silver, coral, turquoise, and handmade items from the local merchants.

(The Grand Dragon - Heritage Room; B, L, D)

This morning, transfer to the airport for your return flight to Delhi. The afternoon is free to do some exploring, shopping, and final packing. This evening, enjoy a traditional Indian farewell dinner.

(Pullman Airport Hotel - Deluxe Room; B, D)