Kashmir and Ladakh Hemis Festival Tour

Duration : 16 Days / 15 Nights
Destinations : Delhi - Srinagar - Pahalgam - Gulmarg - Sonmarg - Kargil - Leh - Khardungla Pass - Nubra Valley - Pangong Tso Lake - Leh (Hemis Festival) - Delhi

Day 01: Arrive Delhi
On arrival at Delhi international airport, our representative will greet you. After the warm welcome transfer to the hotel and relax. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Delhi.

Day 02: Delhi – Srinagar (BY FLIGHT)
After breakfast, check-out, and transfer to the airport for your flight to Srinagar. On arrival at the Srinagar Airport, our company representative will greet you with a warm welcome and then escort you to the Houseboat in Srinagar. Check-in and relax. In the evening, enjoy a Shikara ride (a traditional Kashmir-style boat) on the Dal Lake. Dinner and overnight at the Houseboat.

Day 03: Srinagar
After breakfast, you will proceed for Srinagar sightseeing tour. Srinagar (5,200 Ft), is also known as "Paradise on Earth" and is one of India’s top tourist draws. Explore the famous Mughal Gardens portraying a fine example of the Mughal style of garden design and architecture. The Mughal gardens are a combination of three renowned gardens developed over a period of time during the seventeenth century. The Shalimar Bagh (the Abode of Love) - the largest was laid by Emperor Jehangir in 1619, Nishat bagh (the Garden of Pleasure) - a beautiful terraced garden with a backdrop of the beautiful mountains, and the Chashme-Shahi (the Royal Spring) - one of the most charming of the gardens along the banks of the Dal Lake, was laid by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632. Visit Shankarayacharya temple, the holiest Hindu shrine of Kashmir. Dinner and overnight at the houseboat.

Day 04: Srinagar - Pahalgam [APPROX. 2.5 HRS DRIVE / 95 KM]
Enjoy breakfast, then check-out of the houseboat and drive to Pahalgam (7,200 Ft) or "Valley of Shepherds". Pahalgam is a scenic hill station and a popular shooting location for the Indian film Industry (Bollywood). It is also famous for its trekking routes and is the base camp for Amarnath Pilgrimage. On the way to Pahalgam, you’ll cover places such as the world-famous saffron growing fields, Awantipura ruins (dating to the 9th-Century) with remnants of a number of ancient Hindu temples built during the reign of King Awanti Varman who ruled Kashmir during the 9th century, and Martand Temple (Sun temple).
On arrival in Pahalgam, check-in to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 05: Pahalgam
The day after breakfast, enjoy free time exploring the natural beauty of Pahalgam. Ride a Jeep and proceed to Chandanwari (9,500 Ft), which is also the starting point of pilgrimage to Amarnath, "the abode of Hindu God Shiva". Visit Baisaran meadows, often dubbed as the “Mini Switzerland of India”. Also, visit the extremely picturesque Aru Valley and Betaab valley. Return to the hotel by evening. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Pahalgam.

DAY 06: Pahalgam - Gulmarg [APPROX. 5 HRS. DRIVE / 140 KM]
After breakfast, check-out and drive to Gulmarg (8,500 Ft) popularly known as the "Meadow of Flowers". During summers it has a functional 18-hole golf course, probably the highest in the world and in winters, and a premier Ski resort. Check-in to the hotel, rest for a while, then get ready for the Gondola ride, the world’s second highest operating cable car ride that goes up to the height of 13,780 ft. from the base of Mt. Apharwat, which has the Gondola's ticket office. From here you are ferried to the Phase I. You need to take another gondola lift to get to Phase II. The gondola passes over the beautiful pine forests, over lush green hilly terrain offering a panoramic view of the picturesque surroundings. Take a short visit to Gulmarg Golf course - the highest green golf course anywhere in the world. Check-in to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 07: Gulmarg - Sonmarg [APPROX. 4.5 HRS DRIVE / 125 KM]
After breakfast in Gulmarg, we’ll embark on a scenic countryside drive to Sonmarg (9,000 Ft), a journey absolutely worth it, as beautiful Himalayan peaks surround you while you chase the snow-capped mountains. On reaching Sonmarg, check-in to your hotel and relax.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Sonmarg.

DAY 08: Sonmarg – Kargil [APPROX. 4 HRS DRIVE / 125 KM]
After having your breakfast, head out to enjoy the natural beauty of Sonmarg. Sonmarg is blessed with a world of natural wonders combined with flower-laden meadows, panoramic vistas of the snow-covered Himalayan peaks, and numbers of hiking and trekking trails that lead to the high altitude Himalayan lakes and peaks. The valley is home to a variety of mountain peaks. In Sonmarg, you can do some nature walks to unwind yourselves. Take a Jeep OR Horse ride to Thajwas Glacier- from where you can view high altitude Himalayan lakes and peaks. After lunch, drive to Kargil (8, 780 ft). En route, visit War Memorial in Drass. Arrive and check-in to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kargil.

Day 09: Kargil - Leh [APPROX. 6 HRS DRIVE / 220 KM]
After breakfast, check-out and drive to Leh (11,562 ft.), en route visiting Alchi monastery, one of the oldest Buddhist learning monasteries in India built during the 10th century, and Lamayuru Monastery.
Arrive in Leh, check-in to the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Leh.

Day 10: Leh
After breakfast, go for Leh sightseeing tour. Your sightseeing includes the Hall of Fame built in memory of the brave soldiers who lost their lives fighting for India at the Indo-Pakistan war, Stok Monastery, Indus View Point - confluence of River Indus &Zanskar, Patthar Sahib Gurdwara - the famous Sikh shrine, Magnetic Hill - a "Cyclops hill" where objects and cars on the hill may appear to roll "left hill" in defiance of gravity when they are in neutral gear. Then return Leh. In the evening, visit Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace and Leh Market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Leh.

Day 11: Leh - Khardungla Pass – Nubra Valley [APPROX. 5 HRS. DRIVE / 160 KM]
Post breakfast, check-out and leave for Nubra Valley. En route you will cross the famous Khardungla Pass (17852 Ft), which lies north of Leh and is the gateway to the Shyok and Nubra valleys. It is the world’s highest motorable pass. To most visitors, going across the Khardungla pass gives the satisfaction of having triumphed over the unconquerable. On arrival, check-in to the Hotel / Luxury Camp. Dinner and overnight at the Camp in Nubra.

Day 12: Nubra Valley
Post breakfast, visit Nubra valley (10,000 Ft). Visit Hunder; explore the nomadic villages, meet the local Tribes. You can visit a native family to enjoy the traditional Butter Tea and barley drinks. Enjoy a round of Double-humped Bactrian camel ride. Afterward, take a journey to Turtuk Village (3-4 Hrs. drive approx.), which is the last village on the Indian side and very close to the Indo-Pak military line of control (LoC). The place is a part of Balistan, which is across the border. The culture here is different from the Tibetan Buddhist dominant region of Ladakh, as we will see a sudden shift to a more Islamic community. After exploring the village and lunch, we will continue back to your hotel in Nubra and then relax at the hotel. Back to the Camp by afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the Camp in Nubra.

Day 13: Nubra Valley – Shyok – Pangong Lake [APPROX. 8 HRS DRIVE / 275 KM]
After an early breakfast, check-out and visit the Diskit monastery. Then drive to Pangong Lake, en route visiting ShyokValley. Arrive Pangong Lake, check-in to the Luxury camp. Dinner and overnight at the Luxury Camp in Pangong Lake.

Day 14: Pangong Lake - Leh (APPROX. 6 HRS DRIVE / 225 KM)
Watch the mesmerizing Sunrise over The Pangong Lake (14,000 Ft). After breakfast, check-out and leave for Leh via the high mountain Chang-la pass (17,590 ft), claimed to be the second highest motorable road in the world. Enroute, stop at Thiksey Monastery (11,800 ft); explore the twelve-stories Thiksey Monastery complex, which houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings, swords and has a huge statue of seated Maitreya Buddha (15m or 49 ft.) largest in Ladakh. The monastery also resembles Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Also, take a tour of the Shey Palace and Shey Monastery orGompa (a local term for monastery). Afterward, visit Sindhu Ghat and admire the scenic landscape of barren mountains, rocky terrain, and river traversing the region. Resuming drive, arrive in Leh. Check-in to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Leh.

Day 15: Leh - Hemis Festival [APPROX. 1.5 HRS DRIVE / 45 KM]
After a leisurely breakfast, we will drive you to Hemis monastery where you will be attending the grand Hemis Festival. The festival is dedicated to the birth of the spiritual leader Padmasambhava also known as Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism as well as Tantric Buddhism. Watch and enjoy Cham, a sacred masked dance performed by the Lamas (monks), with the underlying theme of victory of good over evil. Built in the 17th century with the earliest evidence dating back before the 11th-century, Hemis monastery is one of the oldest, largest, and most popular monasteries in Ladakh. The beautiful Hemis Monastery is filled with the Ladakhis and the tourists to watch this spectacular festival. Later, proceed for lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Leh.

Day 16: Leh – Delhi (BY FLIGHT) | DEPART FROM DELHI
After breakfast, check-out from the hotel and proceed to the Leh Airport to board a flight to Delhi. On arrival, take internal transit to reach international terminal to board your onward flight.

Hemis Festival Tour Packages

Hemis Festival Tour, a package of 05N / 06D, offers you a chance to relish the festivities during the extremely well-recognised Hemis festival along with exploring the travel attractions of Leh. This two-festival is organized on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month at the Hemis monastery, the largest and richest monastery in India. During this tour, you also relish a same day trip to Pangong Lake and Khardung La Pass.