Your holiday starts at the hotel in Delhi. Transfers from Delhi Airport are provided. Lunch and an afternoon at leisure at the hotel. Your guide will take dinner with you and will provide an informal briefing about the days ahead.

After an early breakfast, we return to the airport (this time to the Domestic Terminal) for the early morning internal flight to Leh. The hour long flight is simply spectacular and provides close-up views of the 7000 metre massifs of Nun and Kun. Arriving at Leh (3500m), we drive by jeep to our hotel. The rest of the day is free to either rest in the shade of the hotel courtyard, or, for those not phased by their long air journey, there is the option to take a lazy walk into Leh’s colourful bazaar to check out the roadside stalls selling Tibetan artefacts. Flying straight into the high altitude of Leh can take your breath away and it is best to concentrate on acclimatising for the first few days.

After breakfast we drive out westwards for an hour and a half on the Leh-Srinagar Highway. Our destination is Alchi Monastery, built in the 11th century and remarkably unrestored. There are 5 temples here including the Dukhang which is entered through a finely carved wooden archway and a door which features carvings of the 5 manifestations of Buddha. Another of the temples, the Sumstek, has strong Kashmiri influences, unique to this monastery. On our way back to Leh, we stop off to visit the 15th century Basgo Fort, the jagged skyline of which dominates the village of Basgo. Formerly the site of the Ladakhi capital, the citadel is in complete ruins but we can see 3 temples here dedicated to the Mairtreya Buddha. We spend a second night in Leh.

Starting from the hotel in Changspa, we walk across to the base of the Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda). We have the option to either climb up the long flight of steps leading to the stupa or we can take the more gradual approach on the jeep road. Looking back (from the steps) we can see the whole of Leh town and the Indus Valley beyond. After enjoying the views from the stupa, we follow the road downhill to the stupa gate and continue our walk to Sankar Gompa, a 16th century monastery belonging to the Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. We then hike up to Tsemo Monastery, founded in 1430 by the King Tashi Namgyal. It also has an impressive gold painted statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Once again, the views from this place are amazing. The trail then zig-zags down to Leh Palace which is being renovated by the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). Leaving the palace, we descend through Leh's old town to arrive at the main baazar.

Today, we further our acclimatisation with a jeep drive up to the Khardung La (5380m), one of the world's highest road passes. This high pass in the mountains to the north of Leh leads into the Nubra Valley, which has until recently been closed to foreign visitors. The 2000 metre climb to the pass provides panoramic views of the Zanskar Range beyond the Indus Valley, with Stok Kangri standing out prominently as one of the higher peaks in the range. At the pass itself, there are views of the little-known peaks of the Eastern Karakoram. After taking tea at the pass, gasping in the thin atmosphere, we return to our hotel in Leh and have the remainder of the day at leisure.

The Markha Valley which runs parallel to the Indus on the south side of the Stok Kangri group of peaks is accessed via Chilling beside the Zanskar River. Crossing a bridge at Chilling we drive on a rough jeep road as far as Markha Village, passing a few small white-painted hamlets and 2 or 3 ruined monasteries high on the valley side. After around 4 hours we reach Markha Village (3770m) where we stop for lunch. The monastery at Markha is reputedly one of the oldest in Ladakh. After lunch, we set off on trek, deeper into the Markha Valley, passing more impressive monasteries, some ruined and some intact, a testament to the fact that this valley was once more populous than it is today. In this high valley we are likely to see small herds of blue sheep (bharal) which often come right down to the river to graze. We reach our camping place at the village of Hangkar where, high on a rocky spur, is another remarkable ruined monastery. There are glimpses ahead of us of the summit of Kang Yatze (6400m), the biggest peak in this immediate area.

Today is an opportunity for us to gain some useful acclimatisation, as well as fantastic views of Kang Yatze (6400m) the dominant peak in this area. Heading up the pretty valley, after an hour and a half we cross the Markha stream and ascend more steeply towards the high plain known as Nimaling. As well as herds of blue sheep, huge golden marmots and large hares, the other impressive wildlife species hereabouts are birds of prey, including lammergeiers (bearded vultures - the biggest of the Himalayan raptors). Our high point today is at the small pools known as the Tigu Lakes, one of the best places from which to view Kang Yatze. We return more easily to spend a second night at Hangkar.

Just 10 minutes from our camp we reach the confluence of the Nimaling and Langthang streams (which together form the Markha). We cross the Nimaling on a wooden bridge which leads to a small patch of irrigated farmland and the start of the trek into the Langthang Valley. We head up this valley, crossing the stream on at least one occasion and by late morning we reach a good camping place beside the stream at Langthang Chen (4150m). We have the afternoon to rest at camp with the option to do some local exploring.

Continuing our ascent of this rarely trekked valley, we cross the stream and following an ancient stock trail gain height only gradually. The valley narrows and becomes steep-sided for a while and, depending on recent rockfall activity, we may have to cross the stream again. The trail undulates and contours the valley side, passing abandoned shepherds huts and old mani walls. There are also side streams to cross en route to our overnight stopping place at Yakrupal (4675m), the last practicable camping place before the Zalungkarpo La.

Trekking away from camp, it takes about an hour to reach a junction of two narrow valleys where we take the right-hand option. The trail climbs a little more steeply and it will take a further couple of hours to reach the crest of the Zalungkarpo La (5195m) marked with many prayer flags. Looking back towards Nimaling, to the north-east, and also directly eastwards, there are superb views of numerous snow-capped summits including Kang Yatze. We make a short, steepish descent from the pass and then a more gentle descent to the Gunlus stream which we follow down to our very pleasant camping place on open pasture at Khar (4350m). We are likely to meet shepherds and their flocks of sheep and goats in this remote valley.

Leaving Khar, we continue following the Gunlus downstream until we reach Tsogra which is at the confluence of a small side valley. The people of Dat spend their summer months grazing their animals here. Below Tsogra is a lovely section of narrow valley lined with ancient willow trees. We cross the stream a couple of times up to the junction with the Chang Chu which we now follow gradually uphill. There are more extensive patches of willow woodland and grassy meadow areas and, beyond another narrowing of the valley, a more open area with several old mani walls. The wild ass known as a kiang can be spotted in this area and near Dat there is a wetland area important for birdlife.

After breakfast, there's the chance to visit the monastery in this ancient and quite basic village of about a dozen houses. Dat is the winter headquarters for people of Kharnak Valley. Mid-morning, we board our vehicles for the exciting 4-5 hour drive back to Leh which takes us across the Yara La (4900m) and by way of Jakang before meeting the Manali to Leh Highway and then crossing the mighty Taglang La (5320m) the most northerly of the great passes on this famous trans-Himalayan road. Overnight at the hotel in Leh.

We have a usually early start and go to the airport to catch our flight to Delhi. Arriving in Delhi, we transfer to our airport-accessible hotel. Depending on the timing of the flight from Leh, it may be possible to include a short sightseeing tour. This will included the Qutab Minar and other Delhi sights which may include Humayun’s Tomb, India Gate, Lutyens Delhi and Raj Ghat. Alternatively, you may choose to take it easy at the hotel.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. Transfers to Delhi Airport are provided. To extend your holiday in India, why not pre-book a visit to Dharamsala (home of the Dalai Lama), to the Taj Mahal or a longer excursion taking in the whole of India's classic Golden Triangle. Contact our office for details.