Day 1 - Arrive Delhi

Arrive late evening at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport. You will be met by our representative outside the customs gate and escorted to your hotel.

Day 2 - Delhi

Enjoy a full day guided tour of Delhi.

The city consists of two parts - Old and New Delhi. Old Delhi was the capital of Muslim India between the 17th and 19th centuries and has many mosques, monuments and forts.

Begin your day with an exploration starting in Old Delhi. Visit Jama Masjid, the Royal Mosque which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656. Enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes followed by a short walk along the main street of Old Delhi; the colourful shopping bazaar known as Chandni Chowk. Drive past the Red Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Continue to Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.

In the afternoon visit New Delhi - the imperial city created by the British as the capital of India. In 1911, Edwin Lutyens, the most renowned English architect of the day, was chosen to design New Delhi. Drive through the majestic boulevards - the Rashtrapati Bhawan is where the Viceroy once lived and is now the official residence of the President of India. View India Gate, a war memorial arch built in honour of 90,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Visit Humayun’s Tomb (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the first great example of Mughal architecture in India. The day’s tour ends at Qutab Minar (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) - a soaring tower of victory which is 72.5 metres high and has five distinct stories.

Overnight: Hotel in Delhi.

Day 3 - Delhi – Leh

 This morning you will be transferred to the airport to board the flight to Leh. 

Arrive Leh and transfer to the hotel. 

Rest of the day free for acclimatisation. 

Overnight at Hotel in Leh.

Day 4 - Leh – Hemis Festival

Today we witness the celebrations of the Hemis Festival, which commemorates the birth of Guru Padamasambhava, who is said to have brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet. Revered throughout the Himalayan ranges and considered the second Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava was invited from India in the 8th century to conquer the dark forces and transform them into guardians and protectors of the pure dharma. In the process the guru brought Vajrayana Buddhism; a revelation of the complete and perfect path to awakening. Followers believe that their path is the purest form of Buddhism – practised by Buddha himself - with the goal of liberation from suffering and the attainment of enlightenment.

This morning we make our way to the Hemis Monastery, the largest and richest monastery in all of Ladakh. At 9am the birthday celebrations of Guru Padamasambhava begin in the courtyard, filled with local Ladakhis and Buddhist pilgrims. A raised platform with a richly cushioned seat and a finely painted small Tibetan table is placed with the ceremonial items; cups full of holy water, uncooked rice, tormas made of dough and butter and incense sticks. A number of musicians play the traditional music with four pairs of cymbals, large-pan drums, small trumpets and large wind instruments. Next to them a small space is assigned for the lamas to sit.

The highlight of the whole festival is the gathering of the lamas around the central flagpole, performing the mystic mask dances (Chams) and sacred plays. Chams are essentially a part of Tantric tradition, performed only in the gompas that follow the Tantric Vajrayana teachings and where the monks perform tantric worship. Dressed in colourful bright brocades with vibrantly decorated and richly adorned papier maché masks (some extending over 1 metre in height) the masked dancers simulate combat between good spirits and evil demons to the cacophony of drums, cymbals and long horns. The crowd unites in uproarious song and dance when the dough idol of evil is destroyed by the leader of black hat dancers signifying that good has prevailed.

This afternoon enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of the town, whose skyline is dominated by the Royal Palace. Constructed in the 17th century, this imposing nine story stone palace is one of the most captivating architectural ruins of the region. 

There will also be a stop at Sankar Gompa to view the image of Avalokitesvara, inset with turquoise and shown with a thousand heads, arms and feet and one hundred thousand eyes. Next up is Shanti Stupa, which was built to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism and inaugurated by his holiness the Dalai Lama in 1985.
Overnight: Hotel in Leh

Day 5 - Leh – Hemis Festival

This morning continue your visit to Hemis Grompa as the festival continues on a smaller scale with a program of music, song, dance and drama.

Thereafter head to the Leh Bazaar where you'll find Jokhang – a Buddhist temple built in the 1980s by the Ladakh Buddhist association, and an imposing 17th century mosque – which reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and accommodates more than 500 worshippers that sit opposite each other.

Day 6 - Leh – Time to Explore Monasteries & Palaces

Full day guided tour of the Shey and Thiksey monasteries, plus the Stok Palace. 

Situated on a hilltop outside of Leh, the Shey Monastery was once the summer palace of the royal family and it is believed that the Kings of Leh were born here. The monastery is also home to an impressive two-story high-seated image of Buddha cast from copper and covered with gold leaf. 

Thiksey monastery is also located on a hilltop and the views of the green Indus valley from its rooftop are splendid. This monastery has a number of colourful murals in its courtyard and chambers full of statues and stupas. In many respects this imposing structure is a replica of Potala Palace in Lhasa. 

Stok Palace now operates as a museum where in the Sengge Namgyal family heirlooms and relics can be seen on display. 

Overnight at Hotel in Leh.

Day 7 - Leh – Delhi

Today your Leh Ladakh trip comes to an end. Bid farewell to the breathtaking terrain of Ladakh, as in time you will be transferred to the airport to board the flight for Delhi.

After breakfast transfer to the Leh Airport to board the flight for Delhi. An A&K representative will escort you to the airport.

On arrival in Delhi an A&K representative will transfer you to your hotel.

Overnight at Hotel in Delhi.

Day 8 - Depart Delhi

You will be transferred to the International airport to board your onward flight. An A&K representative will accompany you to the airport.