Ladakh: Trails of Little Tibet

Welcome to Delhi, a captivating city full of life and cultural intrigue. To make the start of your adventure easy, free arrival transfers are available for all travellers provided you have supplied your flight details in advance and have requested a transfer. Depending on your arrival time, you may then have time to explore this electric city.

A short taxi drive from our hotel is Karol Bagh Market, where colourful stalls are packed with clothing and jewellery, and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a magnificent Sikh temple topped with an onion-shaped gold dome. Alternatively, there is a pretty rock garden within a 10-minute walk from the hotel if you need a stretch of the legs after your flight. Stay: Hotel Deventure (or similar).

We have a very early start today for the flight to Leh. We sometimes have to leave the hotel around 2am and drive to the airport for the very early morning departure but the spectacular flight over the Himalaya is worth it. Flying straight to the high altitude of Leh (11,485ft/3,500m) can take your breath away (literally) and so we concentrate on acclimatising for the first few days. In the morning, we rest and catch up on sleep.

In the afternoon, there will be a gentle orientation walk of Leh and its bazaars. Stay: Hotel Rafica (or similar) (B).

Today there is a sightseeing tour to two of the major gompas (Buddhist monasteries) in the area. We first drive to Shey, a former royal palace of the Ladakh kings. Inside is a small temple containing a 350-year-old copper-and-gold statue of the Buddha. From Shey, we walk across the fields (approximately two hours) on a good, level trail to Tikse, where we visit the hilltop monastery; its red-and-white buildings can be seen for miles. We can explore the temples and courtyards and meet the red-robed monks who live here. In one of the temples, there is a 50ft (15m) high statue of the Future Buddha. We return to Leh in the afternoon with free time to relax. Stay: Hotel Rafica (or similar) (B).

Today we have an acclimatisation walk around the Leh Valley. Set above Leh on the Namgyal Hill are the ruins of the Old Royal Palace; from here, a winding path takes us to the Tsemo Monastery, where our efforts are rewarded with magnificent views of the whole of Leh and its surrounding villages. Descending round the back of the palace, we walk via Sankar to the recently built Japanese Peace Pagoda. This huge stupa overlooks Leh and we have stunning views of the town and the Stok mountain range across the valley.

There is the chance today to take an optional 4x4 trip to the nerve-jangling Khardung La, one of the highest motorable roads in the world at 18,379ft (5,602m) above sea level and once a route for Silk Road traders. On a clear day, we enjoy views over the mighty peaks of the Himalaya, including the Ladakh and Karakoram ranges. The journey to the top and back takes roughly four to five hours and can be booked and paid for locally. Your leader will have details (if you do the 4x4 trip, this will be in the morning and you can do a walk in the afternoon). Stay: Hotel Rafica (or similar) (B).

Well acclimatised, we leave Leh this morning, taking a road west towards Kashmir. We climb out of Leh and descend to the Indus River with great views of the Zanskar River as it meets the mighty Indus. Descending to the village of Nimmu, the road climbs to Basgo village where an old fort and temples seem to be built out of the mud cliffs. Climbing out of Basgo, we take a short stretch of straight road before turning off to Likir, where we can visit the monastery.

The gompa is well kept and there is an active school for young monks. We then drive to Yangtang village (12,083ft/3,683m). Time allowing, we can explore the village and maybe visit the small school or watch the Ladakhis sowing barley and potatoes, the staple crops of these hardy mountain people. From Yangtang, there are wonderful southerly views over the village to the Zanskar mountains beyond. Stay: Village homestay (B/L/D).

We leave Yangtang away from the main trail and head north with spectacular rock formations surrounding us. Ladakh is a mountainous desert and the multi-coloured hills are magnificent in any light. During the first couple of hours of the walk today, we come across some interesting erosion features, including pinnacles with rock boulders precariously balanced upon them. We get to our accommodation around lunchtime.

In the afternoon, there is the chance to walk higher up the valley. This area is well known for ibex, while snow leopards have also been seen here. Stay: Village lodge (B/L/D).

We head along an easy trail, climbing to our first pass, the Spangpo La (13,392ft/4,082m), with wonderful views of the hills ahead and down to Hemis Shukpachen (12,018ft/3,663m). This tranquil village with a small gompa, green pastures and a clear stream is a lovely place to stay for the night.

In the afternoon, we can visit the monastery and have a look around the village. Stay: Village lodge (B/L/D).

From Hemis Shukpachen, we cross the pastures in a northwesterly direction, skirting the sides of the fields.

After a stop at a chorten (a Buddhist shrine), we follow the trail past the mature juniper trees (known locally as shukpa), after which the village is named. The path climbs easily to our first pass today, the Mebtek La (12,454ft/3,796m), from where we can admire the pink and mauve mountains ahead. We descend into the next valley and the trail ahead can just be made out as it zig-zags up the mountainside in the distance. The path winds up to the Lago La (12,572ft/3,832m) and from the top there are magnificent views across to the south side of the Indus Valley. The trail descends steeply from the pass to the village of Ang.

This area is regarded as the richest in Ladakh and fields of barley, potatoes and orchards provide more than adequate food for these villages. From Ang, it is an easy walk (although it can be hot and dusty) along the 4x4 track to Temisgam (10,682ft/3,256m). This is the largest, most prosperous village on the trek with fertile fields, spreading apple and apricot orchards, and large, white-washed Ladakhi homes, plus castle ruins and temples you can visit. Stay: Village homestay (B/L/D).

The size and wealth of Temisgam becomes evident as we continue our hike through the village to the foot of Bong Bong La (11,910ft/3,630m), our last pass. As we hike up, we gain wide views of the Sham Valley, with streams and the Tia Monastery in the background. From here, it goes down to the nearest road to Khalsi. Now it's time to say goodbye to our trekking crew and the other employees before we are picked up and driven to Lamayuru. Shortly before the evening falls, we can get to know the village on a short walk. Stay: Lodge (B/L/D).

In the morning, we visit the 11th-century Lamayuru Monastery, which houses more than 150 monks and some of the largest thangas (traditional Buddhist paintings) in the world. On the subsequent journey, we cross one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Ladakh, which is called Moon Land due to the forms of erosion and unusual colours. We reach Alchi in the afternoon, take a leisurely stroll through the village in the evening and see many barley fields, apple orchards and apricot trees. Stay: Lodge (B/D).

We visit the Alchi Monastery this morning, a fascinating complex said to have been built around the 11th century by the Tibetan translator Richen Zangpo. Where other gompas in Ladakh are built on hilltops, Alchi was constructed on the plains with exquisite architecture including a Kashmiri-style assembly hall and wall paintings depicting Ladakh kings in an intriguing combination of Buddhist and Kashmiri styles. After our vist, we drive to Leh and arrive in the afternoon. Stay: Hotel Rafica (or similar) (B).

We fly from Leh to Delhi. The rest of the day is free for individual sightseeing. You may want to visit the colourful bazaars and the Red Fort in the heart of Old Delhi or visit some of the Mogul monuments dotted around this ancient city. Stay: Hotel Deventure (or similar) (B).

Your journey in India ends after check-out from the hotel. Free departure transfers are available for any flight, provided you have supplied your flight details in advance. Alternatively, speak to your sales representative about joining our five-day post-trip extension taking in the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. This extension can also be done before the tour (B).