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Try "Udaipur", "tiger", "honeymoon", "Ladakh in July"
Nine nights that end with one of Asia's great mountain drives. Fly into Leh, visit Nubra over Khardung La, move down the Indus to Nimmu House for Alchi and Likir, sleep at Lamayuru, then drive west over Fotu La, past Kargil and Drass, and across Zoji La into Kashmir.
The Srinagar–Leh road was for centuries the main trade route into Ladakh, and it remains the most varied drive in the region. Travelling it from east to west means you acclimatise in Leh first and then descend gradually, ending among the green meadows and pine forests of Kashmir. It is the perfect way to leave Ladakh, and an easy link to a stay in Srinagar. We can also arrange your stay there.
The journey begins with the classic Leh and Nubra loop, then moves down the Indus to Nimmu House for the murals of Alchi and the monastery of Likir. A night at Lamayuru, above its moonland, sets up the final day: west over Fotu La and Namika La to Mulbekh and Kargil, through Drass, and over Zoji La at 3,528 m to Sonamarg and Srinagar. It is a long but varied day.
Highlights
Day by day
Your guide meets you at Leh airport and drives you to The Grand Dragon Ladakh. The day is for rest: lunch, sleep and plenty of water, with an early dinner. Your guide explains the journey ahead, including the road to Srinagar and how to pack so that a small bag covers the Nubra nights. If you arrive on an early flight, your room may not be ready at once; the hotel will serve tea and breakfast while it is prepared, and you can rest in the lounge.
A slow walk through Leh's old town to the palace gate, with stops at restored houses and a bakery. After lunch and a rest, drive to Shey to see its seated Buddha above the Indus. Keep the evening quiet. Tomorrow the pace picks up a little. The old town walk takes about two and a half hours at an easy pace. Lunch is in the bazaar, and the drive to Shey takes 20 minutes.
Morning prayers at Thiksey, then Hemis monastery and its museum. Lunch at Hemis and a stop at Stakna on the way back. In the afternoon, your guide collects Nubra permits. An early dinner before the drive over Khardung La. Leave Leh at 5.30 am for Thiksey's prayers, so that you are seated before the horns sound. Hemis's museum of thangkas and masks deserves an hour. Rest in the afternoon. Dinner is early.
Leave Leh by 8 am for Khardung La, at 5,359 m. A short stop at the top, then descend into the Nubra valley, lower and warmer than Leh. Lunch near Khalsar, then to Lchang Nang Retreat in Sumur. In the late afternoon, walk to Samstanling monastery nearby. Leave early to avoid army convoys at South Pullu. Keep stops on the pass to 15 minutes. Nubra is lower than Leh, so sleep is easier.
Morning prayers at Diskit monastery, then the 32 m Maitreya facing down the valley. Back to Sumur for lunch and a rest. In the late afternoon, drive to the Hunder dunes for golden light and the Bactrian camels. Dinner at Lchang Nang. Diskit's prayers begin at about 7 am. The Maitreya platform gives the best view of the valley. Bring a warm layer for the evening at the dunes, as Nubra cools quickly.
Return over Khardung La to Leh, arriving for a late lunch. The afternoon is free for the bazaar, a visit to Spituk monastery or the climb to Shanti Stupa for sunset. A night back in a full-service hotel before moving down the Indus. Leave Nubra by 8 am. The drive takes about five and a half hours with stops. Keep the stop at Khardung La short, and enjoy the views over Leh on the descent.
Drive west along the Indus to Likir for its golden Maitreya and monastery museum, with a short walk through the village. After lunch, visit the ruined fort-temples of Basgo in the afternoon light, then settle into Nimmu House, set in an orchard near the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar. The drive takes about two hours. Likir's prayers begin at about 7 am, and Basgo glows in the late light.
A late breakfast, then Alchi for an unhurried visit to the Choskhor, with its 12th–13th century murals and painted bodhisattvas. Lunch in a village garden among apricot trees. In the late afternoon, cross to Saspol for the cave temples above the village, or rest at Nimmu House. Allow two hours inside the Choskhor; photography is not allowed in the temples. Saspol's climb is short but steep, so wear good shoes.
Drive west to Uletokpo and up a side valley to Rizong, a strict Gelugpa monastery, with the Julichen nunnery below. Continue along the Indus to Khaltse and climb the Hangroo loops to Lamayuru. In the late afternoon, walk among the moonland formations as the monastery glows above. Overnight in the best guesthouse or camp in the village. Rizong's steps are steep. Dinner is simple. Bring a warm layer for the evening.
An early start after morning prayers at Lamayuru. Cross Fotu La, at 4,108 m, and Namika La to Mulbekh and its rock-carved Maitreya, then on to Kargil for an early lunch. Continue through Drass, with a stop at the Kargil War Memorial, and climb to Zoji La, at 3,528 m. Descend through Sonamarg's meadows and pine forests to Srinagar by evening. Check current status before you travel. Carry a warm layer for Zoji La.
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 …
Lchang Nang, meaning house of trees, is a small retreat in Sumur village in Nubra, set among willows and fields with views of the surrounding peaks. …
Nimmu House is a restored early 20th-century village house at Nimmu, 35 km west of Leh, with rooms in the house and tents in its orchard. …
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Questions travellers ask
Flying into Leh and driving out means you acclimatise properly in Leh first and then descend gradually to Srinagar at about 1,600 m. Driving in from Srinagar works too, but needs a night in Kargil and still arrives at altitude. Either way, the scenery is superb.
About 310 km and nine to ten hours with stops, via Kargil, Drass, Zoji La and Sonamarg. It is a long day. We can break it with a night in Kargil, adding one night to the journey. Leave Lamayuru by 7 am.
Usually from April or May to November, depending on snow on Zoji La. Closures of a day or two can happen early and late in the season. Check current status before you travel. We keep a spare day in reserve where possible.
The road is busy with army and supply trucks but well maintained, and our drivers know it well. Zoji La is narrow and unpaved in places, with steep drops. We travel by day and avoid bad weather. We carry oxygen and first aid.
Permits are needed for Nubra. The Srinagar–Leh highway, Alchi, Likir and Lamayuru need no permits. Check current status before you travel; we arrange everything in Leh. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for Nubra, and Indian nationals have needed online registration with fees.
Yes. One night at Pangong can be added after Nubra, via the Shyok road, returning to Leh over Chang La. This makes a ten-night journey. Pangong is at 4,225 m, so the extra night comes after Nubra, when you are well acclimatised.
Yes. We can book a houseboat on Dal Lake or a fine hotel in Srinagar for the nights after the journey, along with a local guide. Ask us when you plan. Shikara rides and garden visits can be added. Tell us your dates early.
From ₹3,20,000 per person, twin sharing, including stays, private car through to Srinagar, guide, permits and the meals listed. Flights and Srinagar hotels are extra. One-way vehicle costs are included. 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.
Lamayuru at dawn, Fotu La, the Mulbekh Maitreya, Kargil, the Kargil War Memorial at Drass, Zoji La and the meadows of Sonamarg. It is a long but varied day. We carry a packed lunch for flexibility, and stop wherever the light is good.
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