Trip Description
This journey invites you deep into the heart of Ladakh at one of its most vibrant and meaningful moments of the year. Timed with the Phyang Tsedup Festival, it offers a rare opportunity to experience the region not only through its landscapes and monasteries, but through its living traditions, rituals, and celebrations. Often called Little Tibet, Ladakh reveals itself here in an especially authentic and well-preserved form, far from hurried routes and surface impressions. The Phyang Festival takes place in July or August and transforms the monastery courtyard into a stage of color, rhythm, and devotion. Monks dressed in richly colored robes and symbolic masks perform sacred cham dances that retell ancient stories of gods, protectors, and spiritual forces. During the festival, the immense thangka of Skyoba Giksten Gonbo is ceremonially displayed, creating a powerful visual and spiritual focal point. Witnessing this event offers rare insight into a culture where spirituality remains deeply woven into everyday life.
DAY 1 – Arrival in Delhi
You arrive in Delhi in the morning and are welcomed before being transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is left free to rest, recover from travel, or begin absorbing the contrasts of India’s capital. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 2 – Flight from Delhi to Leh
An early morning flight takes you from Delhi to Leh. Upon arrival, you are transferred to your hotel and given the afternoon to rest and acclimatise to the altitude of 3,500 metres. Leh lies in the upper Indus Valley and has long been a crossroads for caravans travelling between Tibet and Central Asia. A gentle walk through the markets reveals the warm nature of the Ladakhi people and the traditional clothing worn by local women. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 3 – Leh, Hemis, Chemrey, and Thak Thok
After breakfast, you travel toward Hemis Monastery, about an hour and twenty minutes from Leh. Built in 1672 by King Senge Nampar Gyalva, Hemis is the largest and most influential monastery in Ladakh. Its Tibetan architectural style and active monastic community reflect a way of life shaped by both devotion and resilience in harsh mountain conditions. Hemis is especially known for its ritual dances and for unveiling a monumental thangka every twelve years.\nLater, you continue to Chemrey Monastery, a striking fortress-like structure founded in 1644, famous for its sacred texts written on silver leaves with gold script. Nearby, you visit Thak Thok Monastery, dramatically set above the village of Sakti. This is the only monastery in Ladakh belonging to the Nyingmapa order, the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism. Those who wish may walk through the countryside between Thak Thok and Chemrey. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 4 – Leh to Phyang, Phyang Festival
After breakfast, you set out for Phyang, located just off the main road toward Alchi. The monastery rises above the village on a gentle hill, framed by poplar groves and open valleys, creating one of Ladakh’s most picturesque settings. According to local legend, the founder of the Namgyal dynasty placed a flagpole at the point where the monastery first becomes visible, granting forgiveness to anyone who reached it while seeking redemption.\nThe day is dedicated to the Phyang Festival. In the monastery courtyard, masked dances unfold amid chanting and music, while ancient statues, thangkas, and manuscripts from Kashmir dating back before the fourth century bear witness to Ladakh’s deep historical roots. After the celebrations, you return to Leh. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 5 – Leh to Uleytokpo via Likir
You travel along the Indus River toward Likir Monastery, whose name is linked to the protective spirits of two sacred serpents believed to reside there. The monastery is known for its impressive 25-metre golden statue of the Buddha and is considered one of the most beautiful in the region.\nContinuing on, you reach Uleytokpo, a quiet village surrounded by apricot orchards. After exploring the village and enjoying lunch, you head toward Rizong Monastery, hidden deep within a narrow valley. Also known as Changchublin Vurma, this monastery is renowned for its strict discipline and silver reliquaries containing relics of its founder. In the evening, you return to Uleytokpo. Overnight in a permanent camp.
DAY 6 – Uleytokpo and Lamayuru
After breakfast, you drive to Lamayuru, the oldest Tibetan monastery in Ladakh, founded in the eleventh century. Set amid dramatic landscapes, it is surrounded by legends that speak of offerings made to mountain spirits and miraculous harvests. Over centuries, the monastery has grown and remains active today. Lunch is taken nearby before returning to Uleytokpo in the late afternoon. Overnight in the camp.
DAY 7 – Uleytokpo to Leh via Alchi and Basgo
You depart toward Alchi, celebrated for the exceptional detail and complexity of its temples. Inside the Dukhang and Sumstek temples, murals and carvings display vibrant colours and artistic influences from Kashmir. After lunch, you continue to Basgo, once the capital of Lower Ladakh and a key seat of the dynasty that unified the region. The palace complex, dedicated to Maitreya, contains some of Ladakh’s finest paintings and decorative elements. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 8 – Leh to Hunder via Khardung La and Diskit
After breakfast, you journey toward Hunder, crossing the legendary Khardung La Pass at an altitude of 5,600 metres. From the top, panoramic views stretch across the Zanskar range. Descending into the Nubra Valley, you visit Diskit Monastery before walking through the sand dunes nearby. A short trek leads to the temples of Hunder, perched above the valley. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 9 – Hunder to Panamik and Sumur
You travel toward Sumur, stopping in Panamik, a village known for its flower-filled homes and Bactrian camels, once essential for trade across the region. A hike of around seven kilometres takes you to Ensa Gompa, set high above the valley, where you picnic and take in sweeping views. In the evening, you relax in the hot springs of the village before returning to Sumur. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 10 – Sumur to Leh
After breakfast, you return to Leh via the Khardung La Pass once more, allowing time to reflect on the changing landscapes. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 11 – Leh to Pangong Lake
You depart for Pangong Tso, a vast saltwater lake at 4,250 metres that stretches across the border into Tibet. Its shifting shades of blue and stark surroundings create one of Ladakh’s most iconic scenes. Overnight in a permanent camp near the lake.
DAY 12 – Pangong Lake to Leh via Matho
After breakfast, you return toward Leh, stopping at Matho Monastery, the only representative of the Sakya order in Ladakh. Built in the fifteenth century, it is known for a festival during which monks enter deep trance states on the fifteenth day of the Tibetan calendar. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 13 – Free day in Leh
This day is left free to explore Leh at your own pace, revisit favourite places, or simply rest and absorb the atmosphere. Overnight in a guesthouse.
DAY 14 – Leh to New Delhi
You fly back to New Delhi in the morning and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the city. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 15 – Departure from New Delhi
You are transferred to the airport according to your flight schedule, bringing this immersive journey through Ladakh and its living traditions to a close.
Start Planning Your Journey
Departure Month
January 2026
Duration
15 Days / 14 Nights
Group Size
According To Need
Location
Ladakh, North India
€0/-
Per PersonIncluded in Your Trip:
- All necessary arrangements
- Support throughout your journey
- Essential travel services
- Assistance for smooth planning
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