the largest mosques in India, Raj Ghat and Shantivan , the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Lal Nehru, Qutab Minar built in 1199, Humayun Tomb, India Gate(War Memorial Arch), Laxmi Narayan Temple and then pass through the government buildings, the President House and the Parliament House.4

Day 02: Transfer to the domestic terminal of Delhi Airport for the early morning internal flight to Leh. The hour long flight provides close views of the 7000 meter high massifs of Nun and Kun. After arrival at Leh's 3500 meter high airfield, drive by jeep to the Ladakhi style hotel. The rest of the Ladakhi Style hotel. The rest of the hotel or we can take a lazy walk into Leh's colorful Bazaar, with its roadside stalls selling Tibetan artifacts. Flying straight into the high altitude of Leh can take your breath away and it is best to concentrate on acclimatizing for the first few days.

Day 03: A full day's sightseeing tour. We visit some of the area's most important monasteries, including Shey and Thikse. Each of the monasteries occupy hill- top sites, and offer remarkable views across the Indus valley, the third monastery we will visit is Hemis,, which is the most influential of the monasteries in the vicinity of Leh, and belongs to Kagyupa buddhit sect, we have time to look to around the monastery which has large numbers of excellent statuettes and wall paintings.

Day 04: Another day for acclimation in Leh. We can walk up to old Royal Palace, which is immediately above the old part of Leh town. Above the old palace is Tsemo Gompa ( monastery), which commands fine views over the town and across the Indus valley to Zanskar range of peaks, including the prominent Stok Kangri. A short walk ( or taxi ride) through the picturesque irrigated farmland to the north of the town leads to an impressive new Buddhist stupa, which has been paid for by a Japanese fund. The 500 steps leading up to the stupa will give us an idea of just how well we are acclimatizing.

Day 05: We have an early departure by minibus or jeep for the 7 hour drive to Lamayuru,which is 125 Kilometers west of Leh on the highway that leads eventually to Kargil and Kashmir, Our route follows the arid valley of the Indusl throughout, until a final 10 kilometer detour beside a tributary river takes us to the monastery settlement of Lamayuru, which is at an altitude of 3450 meters. The monastery at Lamayuru is the biggest in western Ladalh and was built in the 16th century on the site of much older temple. Approaching the monastery, the view from the jeep and road is truly remarkable, with the various white-painted houses and temples clustered together beneath the steep and imposing valley walls, Around 60 monks of the Kagyupa Buddhist sect live at Lamayuru and we will find one them to act as guide to show us many colorful wall-paintings for which the monastery is famous. One of the most sacred parts of the monastery complex is a cave, where the Indian Saint Marpa and his disciple, Milarepa (who spread Buddhism into Ladakh and Tibet). Are said to have meditated. We will set up camp in a grove of willow trees below the village. Here, we will meet our trek crew and the pony-men, whose tough little ponies will carry our equipment for the next three days.

Day 06: Our first day's trekking takes us along the valley bottom, passing chortens and prayer flags, until we reach nullah ( small valley ) which heads southwards and up to ridgeline, which is crossed at the 3700 meter high Prinkiti. A steep descent in a day gulley leads after an hour to the poplar trees and irrigated fields of the tiny village of Shila, beside the Shillakong river, A short trek beside the river takes us to the old village of Wanla ( 3200 meters), which has a prominently sited red and white monastery dating from the 11th century.

Day 07: Following the Yapola valley now, we walk through well-tended fields of mustard and barley to the tiny hamlet of Phajila, where there is a trailside tea- shop, a side- trail from Phanjila leads to the important monastery and archaeological site at Alchi. We continue on the main riverside trail and enter one of the most spectacular gorges in the whole of Zanskar. Where in places the route is cut into the steep valley walls. Beyond a sturdy bridge we reach the confluence of the Yapola and Sprang Nala streams. Where we turn to follow the Sprang Nala on a rising trail to the village of Hanupatta. We camp beside the stream.

Day 08: Heading southwards beside the Sprang Nala stream, The valley sides are steep and jagged with richly coloured bands of rock ; Grey and blues through to orange and deep reds and purples. The valley narrows we begin the long climb to the first of the high passes of this route, the Sirsir La ( 4800 meters). From the crest of the pass, there are extensive views of surrounding Zanskar Mountains, Looking in the direction that we are heading, we can, we can see the distant Singge La, which we will cross in two days time. Descending, steeply at first, beside the Photong Stream, we reach the village of Photoksar which is made up of two small hamlets and another perched monastery. We set up camp beside the village, or a little further to the south on the village's grazing grounds. Towering rock walls rise above this impressive valley. Altitude at camp 3750 meters.

Day 09: A steady climb takes us to the Brumiktse La (4500 meters), beyond which we descend into a high and grassy valley which is used as a summer grazing area by some of the villages in the area. Marmots are especially plentiful on this high grazing land. Our next camp is located at the foot of the climb to Singge La.

Day 10: From our camp it is relatively short climb to lion's pass ( the Singge la ) at a height of 5000 meters. There are spectacular views from the pass of the peaks and glaciers of the Zanskar mountains. Dropping down from the pass on Scree, the route crosses a number of minor ridges, including the Kiupa la (3950 meters) and the Netuke La ( 4100 meters), en route to the village of Lingshet (3750 meters) where we set up time to visit the monastery. We have time to visit the monastery, which is dedicated to the Yellow-hat Geluppa Buddhist sect and has wall paintings with a strong Indian influence. Day 11: At first we have a level walk through the fields of Lingshet village and then, after 2 hours walking, we begin the long climb to the Haluma La ( 4750 meters). From the pass we have good views back to Lingshet. Our descent takes us through a

relatively open valley to the summer grazing grounds of the Snertse villagers and then on the poplar and willow trees trees of the village itself. We camp beside the village.

Day 12: A steep descent on a rocky trail takes us the Oma Chu ( river) which we cross by way of bridge and, in so doing, enter the region of Zanskar, One final pass now separates us from the valley of the Zanskar river and we reach this pass, the Parfli La (3900 meters) after a short climb. Dropping down to the banks of the fast-flowing Zanskar River, We follow an easy and level trail to the hamlet of Hanumil where we camp.

Day 13: During today’s walk  we will cross the tiny Kingdom of Zangla, following the left bank of the Zanskar river to the village of Pishu, where a suspension bridge gives access to Zangla, home of the ruler of tiny principality. We continue easily beside the Zanskar river as far as as the village of Tzazar. Where we camp.

Day 14: Passing through a number of small riverside settlements, including Thonde, where there is a Gelugpa monastery some 250 meters above the village, we arrive at Karsha. Here, there is the largest Gelugpa monastery in Zanskar, with a complement of 125 monks. A feature of this part of the Zanskar valley are the wolf traps, which are located at strategic sites, usually at the junction of tributary valley. These are circular pits with overhanging walls, which are baited with live or dead sheep or other domestic animals. Any wolves which jump into the pit to eat the bait are unable to escape. We arrive at Karsha in the early afternoon and have plenty of time to visit the monastery.

Day 15: We cross the Doda River on a bridge to reach the village of Pipiting and then continue to the Zanskari capital of Padum at an altitude of 3500 meters.

Day 16: We spend a rest day in Padum in preparation for the second part of this long trek. In the last twenty years the village of Padum has grown from a tiny hamlet to a much larger settlement, with shops and even a post office. This growth has coincided with the building of a rough jeep road (in 1978) which for four months of the year links Padum to the town of Kargil, which is on the Leh to Srinagar highway. Padum is home to a surprisingly large number of Muslim people, whose ancestors came to Zanskar from the Baltistan region of neighboring Pakistan.

Day 17: Following the Tsarap Chu (river) on an easy trail we soon reach the village of Bardan, where there is a gompa on a big rock outcrop. A further two hours takes us to Mune, which also has a small monastery, dating from the 15th century, by the time we reach Mune,, the valley has opened outu considerably and there are many obvious grazing areas along this section of the trail beside the Tsarap chu, where we will meet the local shepherds ( many of them quite small children ) watching over their flocks of sheep and goats. We set up camp on a level grassy site.

Day 18: Still heading generally southwards, through flower-filled pastures to reru, where the angle steepens slightly for the afternoon’s walk to picturesque village of Ichar. The houses of this village are closely packed together and present a fortified appearance. We camp outside the village.|

Day 19: This section of the trail includes some interesting rocky sections as we ascent through the hamlets of Surle and Hamuni to the village of Kaydang, situated in a grove of poplars. Here, we cross the Isarap Chu and continue our climb up to the cluster of large houses which is the hamlet of Purne. Form our campsite at Purne, we can look across to the grazing grounds of char village, where there are often yaks feeding.

Day 20: We have allowed this day for the detour away from the main trail to Phuktal Monatery, which is one of the most spectacular monasteries in the Himalaya. The two-hour walk to monastery follows the tributary Niri Chu Valley,  passing through a gorge. With frequent chortens, mani walls and prayer flags attesting to the importance of this remote valley. Phuktal is a Gelugpa monastery, home to around 60 monks, and is said to have been founded by Naropa, another of Ladakh’s early Buddhist teachers. It is built within a large cave on a steep cliff and the arrangement of the monks dwellings and the temples is simply breath-taking. The ancient wall painting in certain parts of the monastery can only be seen with a powerful torch. After our visit to Phuktal, we return to Purne..

Day 21: Above Purne, the river is called the Kargyak chu and we follow this quite easily, gaining height steadily. Through the small settlements of Jal and Testa. We pass through at least two more small hamlets, namely Kuru and Tanze. And cross some sections of moraine debris,, before we reach our camping place at table.

Day 22: Two hours walking from Table brings us to the larger village of  Karyak. Where we will see numerous mani walls. Chortens and prayer flags, as well as herds of yaks. The trail now becomes increasingly rocky, crossing moraine ridges as we near the metre-high monolith which rises up on our left-hand side. Beyound this impressive rock tower we climb a tributary nullah to reach the basecamp on the north side of the Shingo La. At the place called Lakong, where we set up camp. Day 23: The Shingo La (5090 meters) marks the crossing of the greater Himalayas. It is the high point of our route and effectively divides the arid regions of Zanskar and Ladakh from the more fertile valleys of Lahaul to the south. This pass is almost always snow-covered and the difficulties associated with its crossings will depending

on the prevailing conditions. Given relatively bare snow conditions. The pass is straightforward and never very steep, but the route does cross boulder – fields and rough moraine material. The first available camping place on the south side of the pass is known as Ramjak.

Day 24 & 25: We take two days to walk down from Ramjak to the roadhead at Darcha. On this south side of the Himalaya, Where there is much more annual rainfall than on the northern side, we will immediately be struck by the much greener appearance of the valley slopes. We descend through lush high valleys, crossing ridges and fording a number of tributary streams, to finally arrive at Darcha, which is an important stopping place on the Leh to Manali highway. We will have a evening meal at our camp at Darcha and say goodbye to our trek crew and pony-men, who have accompanied us for the last three weeks.

Day 26: Our transport will have been waiting for us Darcha and we will set off early for the long drive to Manali, initially through the region of Lahaul, Crossing the Rohtang Pass ( 3990 meters) above manali, We Glimpse the green forested slopes of the Kulu-Manali valley, A landscape which is in marked contrast to the rugged and quite arid terrain that we have passed through on the trek. A rapid 2000 meters of Descent on a series of impressive hairpins takes us to Manali and the comfort of the hotel. Where there are hot showers and chilled beer.

Day 27: We will have an early start for the long drive through the Himalayan foothills to Chandigarh. Here, we catch the late afternoon air-conditioned train to Delhi. Which arrives in the capital at 2230 hrs. We check into the hotel.

Day 28 : DELHI/DEPARTURE
Transfer to the International Airport.