Adventures in India

Explore the hidden kingdom of Ladakh and travel further into the heart of the scenic Himalaya, to end your tour in Kashmir, often called "paradise o­n earth". Do bring along a camera, as the visions in your mind will always fall short of words when telling folks back home.

Visit o­ne of the most unforgettably spectacular routes o­n our planet. Drive from the green Manali, take a small detour to the Moon Lake - Chandratal - of famed beauty, and continue o­n to Leh over some breathtakingly high passes, surreal mountain formations and awesome expanses. Explore the hidden kingdom of Ladakh and travel further into the heart of the scenic Himalaya, to end your tour in Kashmir, often called "paradise o­n earth". Do bring along a camera, as the visions in your mind will always fall short of words when telling folks back home about your trip and pictures may help! If you are a traveller at heart, this is o­ne journey you cannot be in peace without.

Day 1: Manali to Chattru(85 kms) over the Rohtang Pass (3989mts)

Feast your eyes o­n green while you can as you drive up through the lush Beas Valley, to cross over to the rain shadow zone over the Rohtang Pass. As passes go, the Rohtang is not too high, but holds its own ferocious reputation. Its name literally speaks of a place where even spirits freeze. The hostile, everpresent wind strikes a chill in the most warmly dressed among us o­n a sunny day in summer! We descand to the river Chandra thundering below o­n the other side, and turn right off the road to Leh to reach Chattru, the first summer settlement of the road to Spiti.

Day 2: Chattru to Chandertal Lake (4200mts) and back to Chattru (90kms)

We travel up along the river Chandra, by now accustomed to its constant roar. o­n the way, we can see the magnificent Bada Shigri and Chotta Shigri Glaciers and the range of spectacular peaks from the Chandrabhaga range. We soon head off thos road too, to take an uncomfortable narrow track that takes us a couple of kilometres short of the Chandratal, and hike the remaining short distance to the lake for an unforgettable picnis lunch. The lake is about a kilometer long and around 800 km wide, and those who wish, can indulge in a quick walk around its shores to soak in the atmosphere and pay our respects to this lake considered holy by all visitors, in spite of a complete absense of anything remotely religious constructed here. We head back to reach Chattru for the night

Day3: Chattru to Darcha (120kms)

On the way o­ne can see Kardang Gompa and the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi to make it the Chenab. We now travel up the Bhaga river and pass through quaint villages with their mud construction topped with flat flat roofs that is typical to this region. The green fields around them that stand out against the barren countryside. We pass through many such villages and meet some locals at halts o­n the way to reach Darcha.

Day4: Darcha to Sarchoo (4200mts) over Baralachala-la (4800mts) about 90 kms.

As we drive along the Bhaga River, the air gets more and more rare and we see the partner of our beautiful Chandratal that completes a local legend about them. The uniqueness of the Baralacha-la is that it has three sides instead of two. Our Chandratal lies o­n the other side to the right, and the road to Ladakh continues o­n the left to descend to the third side and our camp for the night at Sarchoo.

Day 5: Sarchoo to Leh over Lachlung-la, Naki la and Tanglang-la (5200mts)

Tanglang-la is considered to be the world’s second highest motor able pass. and the uninhabited, high altituse scenery of this region seems to come straight from another planet. Strange, pillar-like mud-rock formations adorn mountains that seem to be composed solely of them. Sunlight bounces of the mountains to give them surreal colours ranging from yellow and orange to purple, even jet black in places - every colour except the green of grass - we are in this fantasy desert! We finally start seeing signs of civilization as we come closer to Leh, and travel along the Indus river with the fading sunlight reflecting sparkles off the water, to reach a modern fairy tale city - Leh.

Day6: Sight seeing of Shey, Hemis and Thiksey Gompas.

We explore the valley, and pay our respects in the chief monasteries of the region, experiencing landscape, culture, religion and the heart of Ladakh in o­ne breathtaking circuit.

Day7: Drive to Khardungla

We travel to drive along the highest road in the world, and discover the fertile Nubra Valley hidden like a jewel in the barren mountains around it. Enjoy the land of apricots and the o­ne place in the world to see double humped camels peculiar to this region.

Day 8: Leh to Kargil (245 kms).

Driving along the Indus river till Khalatse and then climb through the Langroo loops to Lamayuru. And then after crossing the Fotu-la and Namika-la o­ne reaches Kargil located o­n the river Suru at 2800 mts. o­ne can get beautiful views of Zanskar valleys from Kargil. (stay in guest house)

Day 9: Kargil to Srinagar (205 kms).

After traversing a narrow gorge the next morning we reach Drass and start climbing for the mighty Zoji-la - the gateway to Leh from Srinagar, and our exit from the magnificent desert expances we have witnessed in the last few days. But the wild beauty we missed, is replaced by the lushness of a place that poets have referred to as paradise o­n earth. The rich foliage after the alpine meadows of Minamarg comes as a shock to our green-starved eyes, and we need some time to readapt to this familiar, but now vivid colour, as we drive into Srinagar.

Day10: Sringar to Jammu (305 kms).

After going through hair pin bends we come to a scenic place patni top which is the mid point between Srinagar and Jammu. From Patni top after lunch we reach the beautiful city of Jammu and regretfully, the end of our tour as well.

Itinerary by Wide AwarePlease contact for fee information and bookings