Early morning departure from Delhi on the spectacular flight to Leh. You are met at the airport and transferred to the Ladakh Sarai. Rest of the day at leisure to acclimatize to the high altitude and rarefied air. Lunch, dinner and overnight stay at the Ladakh Sarai.

After breakfast visit the Oracle of Sabu. In the afternoon visit Leh, a fascinating labyrinth of winding streets and quaint bazaars. The main street is open and airy, with rows of shops on either side. On either side of the market are seen a long line of Ladakhi women in traditional dress and colorful jewelry of coral and turquoise, seated behind enormous baskets, selling vegetables. The spectacular eight-storey Leh Palace looming above, overlooking the town, was built in the 16th century, about the same time as the Potala in Lhasa which it resembles. The stroll through the town is followed by a visit to Sankar gompa, about 2 km from the market. It has a number of pure gold icons and richly painted walls. Return to the Ladakh Sarai for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast explore some of Ladakh's ancient gompas. A picnic lunch is provided. Shey Palace was built in 1645 and is a summer residence for the kings of Ladakh. It is the oldest palace in Ladakh and above the palace is an even older ruined fortress. Located on the second storey of the gompa is a large Buddha statue. The seated Buddha is 12 meters high and worked of copper sheets gilded with gold. In front of the Buddha is a large bowl of wax with a central flame that burns for one year before being replaced. Thiksey Gompa is the most picturesquely situated monastery in Ladakh, perched high on a hill above the Indus. From here one commands a magnificent view of the valley. The gompa possesses a rich and beautiful collection of hundreds of hand-written or painted prayer books. Hemis Gompa is one of the most important in Ladakh, the largest and also the wealthiest. It was built in 1620 by the king-architect Singe Namgyal, a great patron of Buddhism. He filled Hemis with golden statues, stupas set with precious stones and thangkhas brought from many places, including Tibet. Hemis has several hundred lamas attached to its subsidiary monasteries. Hemis is the location for numerous religious festivals throughout the year, although the most important one is in summer when a huge thangkha, one of the largest in the world, is hung in the courtyard. It takes about 50 monks to carry the thangkha to its place and unfold it. The thangkha is made of fine heavy silk and embroidered with pictures of various gods as well as of the founder of Hemis. Spectators watch these dances from the upper storey verandaÕs around the courtyard. Return to the Ladakh Sarai for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast drive up the Indus valley to begin a raft trip. The journey downstream is a fascinating experience as you pass between amazing rock formations and granite outcrops interspersed with open stretches of cultivated land. An occasional gompa dots the landscape with the ever present mountains, stark and awe inspiring, looming above. Around midday stop for a picnic lunch on one of the many sandy beaches. Back on the river continue downstream, passing an occasional settlement until your destination, where you will be picked up and driven back to the Ladakh Sarai in the early evening glow of the setting sun. Dinner and overnight at the Ladakh Sarai.

After breakfast visit Spitok Gompa built about 550 years ago. Spitok gompa contains both old temples and those built in the 1970s. Ancient thangkas are preserved here, some having been taken from the Potala Palace and Lhasa after the Chinese invaded Tibet.
Continue on to Phyang Gompa situated on a hilltop above the small village of Chhiwang, about 22 km west of Leh. Phyang is a monastery of the red-hat sect of Buddhism with over 100 lamas. Return to the Ladakh Sarai for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast visit Stok palace which houses a fine private museum. There is a superb collection of thangkhas, said to be the best in the world. Some of them have been worked in pure gold and paints made of crushed semi-precious stones. Also of interest are antique robes and royal jewelry, specially noted for its turquoise and red coral. The collection also includes artillery and animal skins. Stok Gompa is a subsidiary of Spitok and both were founded by during the reign of King Takpa Bumlde. Stok belongs to the yellow-hat sect of Buddhism and currently has about 20 lamas living there. The oldest parts of the gompa are some 550 years old though the Dukhang or main assembly hall is only about 50 years old.
Spend the afternoon at leisure. Relax at the Ladakh Sarai or explore LehÕs colorful bazaars. Overnight at the Ladakh Sarai.

NOTE: Airfares quoted are estimates only and are based on West Coast departures (Los Angeles or San Francisco). A High season surcharge of $200 will be charched for departure during the following months: