Himalayan Tour

Arrive at the airport, Delhi, you are welcomed and then you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day you are free.

Overnight stay in Delhi

Enjoy your tour of Old Delhi this morning. You will visit the Red Fort, built by Shah Jahan; Raj Ghat (a memorial to Mahatma Ghandi), Chandni Chowk Bazaar and the Jama Masjid Mosque.

In the afternoon you will get a view on India Gate, Parliament House, the President's house, visit the Humayun's tomb, Ashoka Pillar along with Qutub Minar and Birla Mandir, a modern and colorful Hindu temple.

Overnight stay in Delhi

This morning you leave Delhi very early for a long drive to Amritsar, Punjab.

Overnight stay in your hotel

After breakfast you explore the city of Amritsar, the home of the golden temple and one of the most ancient and fascinating cities of India. It is an important seat of Sikh history and culture.

You will visit the Golden Temple, a blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture; the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh; the Jalian Wala Bagh.

Overnight stay in your hotel

After breakfast we take a walk in the old part of the city.

The afternoon is at leisure.

Overnight stay in your hotel

After breakfast you leave for Dharamsala through the farmlands and villages in the Himalayan foothills.

On the way you visit Masroor Temples, a temple built by cutting one single rock in the 8th century.

There is an evening visit to the Dalai Lama Monastery.

Overnight stay in your hotel

After breakfast you drive to Bhagsunag Andage old Shiva temple. This temple was the only building in the area until a few years ago. Tibetan Children's Village is a school run by the government of Dalai Lama and is the home ouse of nearly 1500 orphans.

In the afternoon we go and visit St. John's Church and after we head on to Narbulingka Institute where you ca nsee the Tibetan artists making paintings and sculptures.

Overnight stay in your hotel

After a delicious breakfast you leave Dharamsala and drive to Jammu, the capital city of the state of Jammu & Kashmir.

This city is also known as the 'City of Temples' and lies between the white peaks of the Himalayas in the north and the dusty plains of Punjab in the south. The old part of the city is on top of a mountain overlooking the Tawi River.

Overnight stay in your hotel

After breakfast you will visit the 3000 year old Bahu Fort, which contains the Kaali temple. The Bahu Fort was built by Raja Bahulochan and later refurbished by the Dogra rulers. From the high fort you look down on the Bhave ki Bahu gardens.

In the afternoon you will visit the colorful market, the largest underground aquarium in Asia, the beautiful Raghunath Temple and the Amar Singh Palace.

Overnight stay in your hotel

The tour through Jammu and Kashmir continues after breakfast with Srinagar as the next destination. This summer capital is located in the fertile valley of Kashmir and is known for the beautiful Dal lake, on which richly decorated houseboats float.

In Srinagar you will stay on such a charming houseboat.

Today you have a free day in Srinagar.

You can visit the Hari Parbat Fort, on top of the mountain of the same name. There is not much left of the fort itself, but the fortification walls are still very impressive. From this garden you can enjoy impressive views of the white peaks of the Pir Panjal mountain range.

In the old city center you can visit the Khanqah Mosque of Shah-i-Hamadan. The mosque is certainly the most beautiful historic building of the city with its decorations of colored carvings and reliefs. Less impressive, but certainly no less interesting, is the Rozabal Mosque. It is believed that the tomb of Jesus Christ would be in the crypt of this house of God.

Overnight stay in your houseboat

After breakfast you will continue your tour of India on the 'Srinagar-Leh Highway' to Kargil. You take a break at Sonmarg (2740 meters), an attractive town in an area of ​​alpine meadows to stretch the legs. The village located in a valley is surrounded by mountains whose peaks are covered with eternal snow. About 3 km from Sonmarg is the Thajiwas glacier, where you can even sled in the middle of the summer. To give you an idea of ​​the altitude you are currently on: the Zojila mountain pass is 15 km from Sonmarg and with its 3528 meters above sea level it is one of the highest mountain passes in the world. East of the pass, the road comes in a wide valley near the town of Drass, then the road descends further to Kargil, where you spend the night.

You continue the tour to Alchi, visiting Lamayuru first. Lamayuru is a pleasant little village that is situated on a rough mountain. At the top of the mountain is the photogenic monastery of the Kagyupa community, the largest and oldest 'gompa' (monastery) of Ladakh. Twice a year the lamas perform masked dances here. In the 11th century, an Indian Buddhist student would have meditated for years in a cave inside the gompa, which you can visit.

Overnight stay in Alchi

After breakfast you still have some time to discover the picturesque Himalayan village of Alchi. Alchi Gompa is the most beautiful and largest monastery in the valley with lots of carvings. The spiritual paintings are all about the former kings of Kashmir. It is a complex with a total of five temples, the oldest of which dates from the 11th century. In the afternoon you continue your tour to Leh.

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, lies in a valley at an altitude of about 3500 meters. You stay here for a few days, so you have enough time to view the town and especially the surroundings. Leh gained fame because - after the occupation of Tibet by the Chinese - this was the place where the Dalai Lama fled with many of his followers. But about a thousand years ago, Tibetan monks also settled here. Because the area is more like Tibet than India, it is known by many as 'Little Tibet'.

After breakfast you go and explore Leh. Try tasting Tibetan tea, the national beverage of this region.

In the afternoon you visit some old monasteries further away in the Indus valley, for example, you can choose to visit Chemrey, Taktok, Matho and Spituk by jeep. Another excursion will take you to the monasteries of Shey, Thikse, Hemis and Stok. In a number of these monasteries, annual festivals take place. These are impressive events with a lot of dance, music and prayers. Should one of the festivals take place during the tour, then of course we will try to make a visit there.

Overnight stay in your hotel

Today you start a 3-day hikking through the rough mountain landscape of Ladakh. You leave most of your luggage at the hotel in Leh. The rest is transported by car and you carry a small daypack. We provide thin mattresses, but you have to bring of a sleeping bag. You will be accompanied by a certified mountain guide and a cook.

You will be driven to Likir early in the morning. You walk through a dry moon landscape over rocky goat paths. You cross mountain passes of almost 4000 meters high, you pass desolate mountain villages and spend the night in a tent camp in picturesque Yangtang. You walk about 5 hours today.

Today you start the second walking day. You cross the Wuleh Tokpo river and make a climb to the Sarmanchan mountain pass. You can see the photogenic community of Hemis Shukpachu lying like a green oasis in a dry moon landscape. You sleep in a tent on the fast-flowing river. The small Hemis Shukpachu community is worth exploring.

Overnight in Hemis Shukpachu

Today is the third and last hiking day. Descending from Hemis Shukpachu the views over the valley and red, yellow, green and brown mountains are marvellous. Via the Lago mountain pass (3750 meters) you enter the village of Ang. In one and a half hour you'll drive back to Leh. This 3 day hiking tour will undoubtedly be a highlight of your trip through Ladakh.

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight stay in Leh

Today you can relax before being dropped to the airport for your flight back home.