Private journeys in seven lands · a planner replies within one working day
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Nine nights across the high Changthang plateau of eastern Ladakh: Pangong Tso, the lake-shore road south via Chushul to Hanle and its dark skies, the Changpa grazing lands of Tso Moriri, and a return over Taglang La past Tso Kar. For travellers who want the remote east.
The Changthang is the western end of the Tibetan plateau: wide grasslands, salt lakes, snow peaks and the herds of the Changpa nomads, at heights of 4,200–4,600 m. Few travellers cross it from end to end, because the distances are long and the stays simple. This journey does, linking three of Ladakh's finest high places in a single loop from Leh. Few itineraries cover it so fully. It needs careful planning.
After three nights acclimatising in Leh, you cross Chang La to Pangong, then follow the lake shore south through Merak and Chushul to Hanle, where two nights give the best chance of a clear, moonless sky. From Hanle, the road leads to Tso Moriri for two nights among nomads and nesting birds, and home over Taglang La. Stays at the lakes and Hanle are camps and homestays, chosen for comfort and setting.
Highlights
Day by day
Your guide meets you at Leh airport and takes you to The Grand Dragon Ladakh. Rest for the whole day: lunch, sleep, water and an early dinner. Your guide will explain the route across the Changthang and why acclimatisation matters so much on this journey, which spends five nights above 4,200 m. Tell us at once about any headache, nausea or breathlessness. Pack a small overnight bag later; for now, unpack and settle in.
A slow walk through Leh's old town to the palace gate, with tea in the bazaar. After lunch and a rest, a short drive to Shey to see its seated Buddha above the Indus. Return to the hotel by late afternoon. Keep the day gentle; the goal is to let your body adjust before the high country. Lunch is at a cafe in the bazaar, and dinner at the hotel. If you feel well, a short evening walk in Main Bazaar is fine.
Morning prayers at Thiksey, then Hemis monastery and its museum. Lunch at Hemis and a stop at Stakna on the way back. Your guide confirms permits for Pangong, Hanle and Tso Moriri. An early dinner, and pack a small overnight bag with warm layers for the lakes. Leave Leh at 5.30 am for Thiksey, so that you are seated before the horns sound. At Hemis, allow time for the museum's thangkas and masks. The day ends with an early dinner and a quiet evening.
Drive up the Indus to Karu and climb to Chang La, at 5,360 m, stopping only briefly at the top. Descend through Durbuk to Tangtse for lunch, then on to Lukung and the first view of the lake. Continue to your camp at Spangmik or Merak. Sunset on the shore, a quiet dinner and stars. Drink plenty and avoid alcohol. Leave Leh by 8 am, ahead of the day-trip traffic. A short stop at Chemrey on the way is possible.
Dawn on the lake, then follow the shore south through Man and Merak, where the lake widens and the views grow wilder. Beyond Merak, the road climbs to Chushul and crosses Tsaga La into the Indus valley near Loma, then turns south-east to Hanle. The route depends on permits and road conditions; if it is closed, we return via Leh and adjust. Check current status before you travel. We carry a picnic lunch.
A slow morning, then a drive along the wetlands with a naturalist to look for kiang, black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese. Lunch at the homestay and an afternoon rest. Climb to the 17th-century Hanle monastery for sunset over the valley and the observatory domes. After dinner, a local astronomy guide sets up a telescope for a session under one of the darkest skies in Asia. Dress for well below freezing tonight.
Drive back to Loma and follow the Indus downstream through Nyoma to Mahe, watching for kiang and nomad camps on the grasslands. At Mahe, turn south past Sumdo and Kiagar Tso to Korzok on the shore of Tso Moriri, at 4,522 m. Settle into the camp and rest. A short walk on the shore before sunset, if you feel well. Kiang often graze the plains near Nyoma. Dinner is early, and the night sky here is also dark.
Climb slowly to Korzok monastery for the early light over the lake. After breakfast, visit a Changpa herding camp with your guide to share butter tea and see the pashmina goats. Afternoon at leisure, or a slow birding walk along the northern marshes, where bar-headed geese and grebes nest in summer. Keep a respectful distance from nesting birds. Lunch is at the camp, and the evening is quiet, with a last look at the stars over the lake.
Leave Korzok after breakfast and drive north through the Puga valley, with its steaming geothermal vents, to Tso Kar, the white salt lake, for a picnic lunch. Join the Manali highway at Debring and cross Taglang La, at 5,328 m, then descend through Rumtse and Upshi to the Indus and Leh. A hot shower and a farewell dinner at The Grand Dragon. The drive is long, so we stop often for tea and photographs.
Breakfast and transfer to Leh airport for your morning flight to Delhi. The final night in Leh is a deliberate buffer, in case of road closures on the long drive from Tso Moriri. If there is time, a short walk in the bazaar to buy Changthang pashmina from a cooperative shop. Your guide sees you through check-in. Morning departures are the norm at Leh because afternoon winds make flying difficult, so we plan an early start and carry a packed breakfast if needed. Keep warm layers and any medicines in your hand luggage.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
The Grand Dragon is Leh's most complete hotel: central, centrally heated and open all year, with mountain-view rooms, several restaurants and a staff used to looking …
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Questions travellers ask
It suits fit, adventurous first-timers who are comfortable at altitude and with simple stays. Many guests make it their second Ladakh trip, after Leh, Nubra and Pangong. It spends five nights above 4,200 m, so a doctor's check is wise.
Foreign nationals need Protected Area Permits for Pangong, Tso Moriri and Hanle, and access to Hanle and the Chushul road has varied in recent years. We check rules before confirming. Check current status before you travel. If Hanle is closed, we offer a variant with Tso Kar instead.
We return from Pangong to Leh and drive to Hanle along the Indus the next day, adjusting the nights. The journey still works, with one more long drive. We check the route before you travel. Any extra permit costs are covered by us.
Hanle has village homestays, several run by trained astronomy guides. Rooms are simple and clean, sometimes with shared bathrooms. We choose the best available and bring extra bedding and comforts. Meals are home-cooked and generous, and hosts are warm and attentive.
June to September, when the camps are open and the roads clear. September offers the clearest skies for Hanle; June to August is best for birds at Tso Moriri and Hanle. Plan around the new moon. October is possible but very cold.
Nights at Pangong, Hanle and Tso Moriri fall to around freezing even in July, and below −5 °C in September. Days are pleasant in the sun. Bring thermals, a down jacket, a warm hat and gloves. Camps provide hot water bottles.
Kiang are seen on most days in the Changthang. Black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese breed at Hanle and around Tso Moriri in summer, and marmots are common near Chang La. Wolves and Pallas's cat are rare. Bring binoculars for every drive.
From ₹3,40,000 per person, twin sharing, including the stays named, private car, guide, naturalist, astronomy session, permits and most meals. Flights are extra. Single travellers, festival dates and peak weeks in July and August cost more, and we confirm the exact price once your dates and rooms are fixed.
We would not shorten the Leh nights. If time is tight, drop Pangong and drive from Leh to Hanle along the Indus, making a seven-night journey. See our Hanle stargazing journey. That version suits travellers with limited time who care most about the night sky.
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