The Ultimate Travelling Camp - LADAKH

Depart from UK an overnight flight to Delhi.

Arrive at International airport, after traditional welcome by our representative would assist you at New Delhi transfer to hotel for check in. New Delhi, the capital and the third largest city of India is a fusion of the ancient and the modern. Standing along the West End of Gangetic Plain, the capital city, Delhi, unwinds a picture rich with culture, architecture and human diversity, deep in history, monuments, museums, galleries, gardens and exotic shows. 

Post breakfast transfer to airport in Delhi towards your onward flight to Leh. Arrive in Leh in the morning. Our representative will welcome you and assist in transferring you to your residence.
You will receive the traditional welcome of Ladakh, after which you will be led to your well appointed luxury tents. Enjoy the serenity of the surrounding landscape, while our guest relation hostess completes your check-in procedures at your tents. The day of your arrival will be for your relaxation as it is medically mandated that visitors undergo minimum exertion to allow the body to acclimatize to the rarefied oxygen levels found at this high-altitude. You will be met by the Excursion Specialist at the Chamba Camp, Thiksey, who will talk about the suggested itinerary, make necessary changes to it according to your interests, choices and leisure and assist you in planning your excursion. Enjoy your overnight stay at the camp. 

Have a relaxed breakfast at the camp.
The morning will be kept free for you to spend it at your leisure. Have a late, leisurely start to your day. After the breakfast, go for a stroll in the surroundings and absorb the peaceful environs as you walk past each tent at the camp site. For early risers, we can arrange an optional bird watching trip with our camp naturalist, who will guide you to spot.

After lunch, begin your afternoon with a gentle tour of Leh, which is located around 19 km away from the camp. It will take around 1 hour to reach Leh from the camp. Spend time exploring popular attractions of Leh, including the grand Leh Palace.

The ancient Leh Palace was built by King Sengge Namgyal in the 17th century. The palace has a total of nine floors, with some of the floors in ruins. Parts of the palace are exemplary pieces of Ladakhi architecture. From the palace, start a short walking tour that will take you past the charming, ancient houses of the neighbourhood and reach the LAMO [Ladakh Arts & Media Organisation] Centre. The centre has been set up inside one of the most important local heritage houses, Munshi (Togoche) House that lies at the bottom of the Leh Palace. After exploring the LAMO Centre, learn about the ancient and present-day Ladakhi architecture with a presentation on the topic from a Ladakhi scholar. Move to the terrace of the Munshi House, from where you can marvel at the scenic beauty of the surroundings while sipping a hot cup of special Ladakhi tea and munching on assorted refreshments. Later, proceed with the walking heritage tour to the bazaar, moving through the sites of the old city.

The tour will come to an end at the Shanti Stupa, which is located atop a great vantage point overlooking Leh and offers stunning views of the rocky landscape. After reaching the Shanti Stupa, enjoy a steaming cup of traditional Ladakhi butter tea while watching the spectacular sun set.
Return to the Chamba Camp - Thiksey for an overnight stay. 

Start your day early, with tea and coffee, and follow it up with a trip to the Thiksey monastery, which is around one kilometre away from the camp.
The monastery displays elegant architecture and contains a two-storey statue of the Maitreya Buddha seated on a lotus. Also, marvel at the stunning views of the valley from the monastery. After reaching the monastery, participate in the Morning Prayer ceremony that is held at sunrise. Afterwards, visit the monastery’s charming prayer room. The prayer room contains several handwritten and painted books and a temple devoted to goddess Tara, which has 21 images of the goddess displayed within glass covered wooden shelves. While you are at the monastery, pay your regards to the several small shrines dedicated to guardian deities including Cham-Sing, the deity protecting Thiksey.
Come back to the camp to enjoy a delicious breakfast.
Spend the rest of the morning at your leisure - you can either relax or go for a walk. Or you can choose our optional cycling trip, which will take you to the beautiful Thiksey village and its surroundings.

In the afternoon, begin your journey of the discovery of the monastic gems of Ladakh. Start with a drive along the River Indus that will take you to the fabled Alchi Monastery, also known as the Alchi Gompa. The Alchi Monastery, which is a Buddhist monastery, was founded by the Great Translator Ringchen Zangpo in the 11th century. The art and architecture of the Alchi Gompa reflects a Kashmiri influence. Marvel at the beautiful Tibetan and Gandhara style murals of Ladakh and Buddha images and frescos during your visit to the monastery.
Enjoy a steaming picnic lunch.

On your return trip from Alchi, have a short stopover at the Basgo Fort that was constructed in the 16th century. In the local language, Basgo literally translates into ‘Bull's Head’. The Basgo fort was once considered to be the heart of power and politics of the local region. Now, the fort ruins contain several prayer halls, one of which houses a copper-gilt Buddha statue.
As an alternative, the Alchi visit can also be combined with our optional rafting excursion. As part of this alternative, start your day with a drive across the lush green countryside to the put-in point. From there, participate in a gentle rafting adventure that flows down the Indus River. During the rafting excursion, enjoy the splendid views of the exotic Ladakhi villages and observe the stark contrast between the lush landscapes of the Nimoo village on one bank and the desert landscape on the other bank.
Return to the Chamba Camp, Thiksey for the night. 

After a delicious breakfast at the camp, begin your day’s journey with an exploration of the Nubra Valley. This journey will take you through the breathtaking and striking landscapes of the region, including the world’s highest motorable road Khardung La Pass at 5580 meters. The Khardung La Pass will allow you to witness the sprawling Indus Valley and its lush agricultural lands, with the wildly growing poplar and willow trees.

Enjoy your packed lunch on the journey, which will take you through stunning landscapes through the renowned sand dunes of Nubra to reach the village of Diskit. On arrival at the Chamba Camp, Diskit, you will be met by our camp representative who will escort you to the Reception Tent. Here, your check-in formalities will be completed by our Guest Service Representative, after which your Butler will lead you to your Luxury Suite Tents.

We suggest a visit to a local village school in the evening. The school, which lies in the furlong of the Camp, was built under the holy patronage of H.H. Dalai Lama on 4th November, 1980. The Lamdon School was started Rev Lobzang Zotpa, who is also lovingly called ‘gyen lay’ locally, with only eight students. However, more than 5,000 students have passed-out from the school by today. Apart from imparting formal education to the students, the school also gets involved in acts of social welfare including cleanliness and sanitation of its immediate surroundings and preserving its delicate eco system, cultural legacies etc. At present, the school educates more than 150 students who come in from different far flung places of the Nubra region. Have an amazing experience of meeting these children.

End your day’s journey by returning back to the luxurious Chamba Camp, Diskit, for an overnight stay. 

Start your day early in the morning, with a drive to the Diskit Gompa, which is located atop a hill at the Diskit village.
The Diskit Gompa is regarded as the oldest and the largest Buddhist monastery in the entire Nubra Valley. It follows the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. A sub-gompa of the Thiksey monastery, the Diskit Gompa houses the ‘Cho Rinpoche’ or ‘the crowned Buddha’ image in the main prayer hall. The hall also contains a big drum and many other images of guardian deities. The monastery has an elevated cupola that displays a fresco of the Tashilhunpo monastery of Tibet. Participate in a special prayer that is held high-up close to the gigantic image of Maitreya Buddha.

Drive back to the camp to enjoy a delicious breakfast.
Later, have a sumptuous lunch amidst the tranquil environs of the camp.
Thereafter, go on an on-road trip to the Chamba House in Hunder.
After reaching the Chamba House in Hunder, explore an ancient heritage home that was once the abode of a wealthy trader of the Silk Route period. Admire the intricate and lovely frescos all over the walls and ceilings of this heritage house. Also, see the usual image of the Crying Buddha while you are here.

Next, enjoy a thrilling ride on the double hump Bactrian camel while riding on the sand dunes of Ladakh’s cold desert. The ride will be a tribute to the merchants and monks of the ancient era who travelled the same deserts seeking Gold, Glory and God. 

Option 1: After breakfast, start your day with an exploration of a nearby village on foot or on cycle. Explore the stunning village fields that are bordered with water streams en-route to the Yak Breeding Centre and Fishery. Later, admire the ancient mani walls (which are lengthy and skilful arrangement of stone mounds that have Buddhist prayers and mantras carved on them) and dome-shaped white Buddhist shrines (which house Buddhist relics) as you proceed towards the main village boulevard. Experience true serenity as you make your way through this quaint town.

Option 2: Spend an entire morning at your leisure relaxing at the Camp.
Next, proceed with your return trip to Leh.
After reaching Leh, check into the Chamba Camp, Thiksey. Spend the remaining day unwinding within the peaceful environs of the camp. Stay at the camp for the night. 

The entire day is at your leisure to spend it as you like or it can be combined with one of our two optional excursion activities.

Option 1: Start a trip to the Wari La pass, which is known as one of the most beautiful passes in Ladakh. The Wari La pass also holds the title of being the fourth-highest motorable road in the world. Wari La links the Nubra valley and the Indus valley, which are two of the most scenic and extensively toured valleys in this Trans-Himalayan region. The Wari La offers splendid views of the Nubra valley and several villages along the Indus valley. This is an alternative route that reaches the Nubra Valley and was opened to public in 2008. Receive a short safety briefing at the top and enjoy a cycling trip down the best track of the Ladakh Himalayas. The track criss-crosses all through side of the mountains and reaches the lush Shakti village, where the cycling trip will come to an end.

Return to the camp to enjoy a late lunch.

Option 2: Or you can opt for a visit to the local oracle. Buddhists firmly believe that spirits have a strong influence on the material world. This belief is considered important particularly at a time of beginning of a new venture or major activity. The lamas related to different monasteries act as a mediator between the world of the humans and the world of spirits. These lamas perform the rituals that are considered necessary to please the gods and act as astrologers and oracles who can predict the best time to begin a new venture. The ventures for which the lamas’ advice is sought vary from starting a journey, ploughing of fields, taking in the harvest or fixing marriages. On this trip, drive to the village of the Oracle to witness a séance session in Ladakh.
Return to the Chamba Camp, Thiksey for the night. 

Your exotic and thrilling journey of the rugged, serene and beautiful region of Ladakh comes to an end today. You will be transferred to the Leh airport, from where you will board your flights to Delhi.

Transfer to the International airport in Delhi towards your onward journey to UK with sweet memories.