Ladakh Zanskar Expedition
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The Ladakh Zanskar Expedition is a 10-day adventure that takes you into the heart of the lesser-known Zanskar Valley, surrounded by the majestic Zanskar ranges. This tour is designed for adventurers and nature lovers, offering a unique chance to explore breathtaking landscapes, visit historic monasteries, and immerse yourself in local culture. Key highlights include the iconic Stongdey Monastery, the remote Phugtal Monastery, and scenic landmarks like Lamayuru, Kargil and Leh.
Highlights of the Ladakh Zanskar Expedition
Our Zanskar Tour is meticulously planned starting and ending in Leh, offering flexibility to begin your expedition from Leh-Srinagar or Leh-Leh. Delve into the heart of Zanskar’s wonders with visits to key attractions, striking the perfect balance between thrill and serenity. The Ladakh Zanskar Expedition is tailor-made for adventure seekers, nature lovers and those craving an offbeat travel experience. Uncover hidden treasures, immerse yourself in local culture and tradition and on a transformative journey through this region. Join us for an enriching 10-day trip, where every moment promises discovery and adventure.
Duration
9 Nights / 10 Days
Trip Start & End
Leh and Srinagar
Total Distance
1090 Km Covered
Hotel & Meals
Included (3-Star Hotels with MAP Plan)
Transportation
Included (Private Vehicle)
Best Months
June – September
Trip Itinerary
You will arrive at the Leh airport, where our representative will be waiting to greet you. From there, you will be taken to your hotel in Leh where you can rest and acclimatize to the high altitude. It is important to take it easy on your first day to avoid altitude sickness. Therefore, the rest of the day is at your leisure, and you can explore the Leh main market on your own in the evening. You will spend the night at the hotel in Leh, where dinner will also be served. Enjoy your first day in Leh, and get ready for an exciting adventure ahead.
Get ready to explore the best tourist spots in the region. Start your day with an early breakfast and head to the centuries-old Leh Palace, which offers a glimpse into the rich history and culture of Ladakh. From there, drive 40 km towards the east of Leh town to reach Hemis Monastery, which is considered to be the wealthiest monastery in Ladakh. On your way back to Leh, make sure to stop at Thiksey Monastery and Shey Palace. Thiksey Monastery is renowned for its stunning architecture and houses a large statue of Maitreya Buddha. Shey Palace, on the other hand, offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the Ladakhi kings.
In the evening, head to Shanti Stupa and witness the stunning panoramic views of Leh town and the Himalayas during sunset. The peace and tranquility at this sacred site will leave you mesmerized. This 3-hour one-way drive will be worth it as you explore the beauty and history of Leh in just one day.
Today we will head from Leh to Lamayuru via the Sham Valley, which is around 120 km away and takes approximately 3-4 hours to reach. After an early breakfast, your first stop will be at Nimoo to witness the mesmerizing confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers, famously known as Sangam. Later, you will continue towards Lamayuru and reach there by afternoon. In Lamayuru, you will explore the centuries-old monastery in the village, which is also called Moon-land due to its unique terrain. You will spend the night at a hotel in Lamayuru and enjoy dinner there.
We will drive towards Padum via the recently opened Singe-la, which is approximately 130 km away and takes around 7 hours to reach. En route, you will pass through the villages of Wanla, Lingshed, and Hanupata before crossing the Singe La. The roads beyond Padum can be patchy, so be prepared for a lot of off-roading. You will reach Padum by evening and spend the night there, enjoying dinner at your hotel.
We will journey towards on a Zanskar sightseeing tour, covering 70 kilometers round trip in a 4-5 hour drive. We will visit the historic Zangla palace and make a stop at the Stongdey monastery along the way. Our overnight stay and dinner will be in Padum.
Today we will be dedicated to the Phugtal one-day expedition, which involves a 4-hour trek. We will leave early morning from Padum and drive to Purne, which takes around 2 hours. From there, we will trek along the Zanskar river from Purne to Phugtal, which takes around 2-3 hours. After lunch at Phugtal, we will descend back to Purne and drive back to Padum for our overnight stay and dinner.
Today our Zanskar sightseeing tour, covering 100 kilometers round trip in a 4-5 hour drive. We will head towards the south of Zanskar valley and enter Lungnak valley. Our itinerary includes visits to the Bardan monastery, Karsha Gonpa, and Sani Gonpa, before returning to Padum for our overnight stay and dinner.
You'll begin your journey from Padum to Kargil, which will take around 10 hours to cover 240 km's distance. You'll cross the Suru valley and Nun-Kun ranges, and the roads might be a bit patchy, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. Once you reach Kargil, you'll have dinner and stay overnight there.
We will begin with an early morning departure from Kargil to Srinagar, covering a distance of 210 km's in 5 hours. You'll cross the Zojila Pass and visit the Kargil War Memorial in Drass en route. Afterward, you'll stop at Sonamarg to enjoy the picturesque beauty of the Kashmir Valley. By late afternoon, you'll reach Srinagar and spend the evening exploring the beautiful Dal Lake on a traditional Shikara. You'll have dinner and spend the night on a beautiful houseboat in Srinagar.
You'll depart early in the morning for the airport, concluding your trip.
Trip Inclusions
- Comfortable Vehicle: For sightseeing on all days as per the itinerary
- Accommodation: At all locations on double (for couples & special requests) and triple sharing basis in standard hotels/camps
- Buffet Breakfast and Dinner: Starting with Dinner on Day 1 & ending with Breakfast on Day 9 as per itinerary
- Fuel: For the whole trip as per the itinerary
- Inner Line Permits & Ladakh Union Fee: Assured
- Experienced Driver: For the entire journey
- Oxygen Cylinder & First-Aid: During the tour
- Driver Expenses: Toll tax, fuel, parking included
Trip Exclusions
- Airfare: Not included
- Lunch: Lunch throughout the tour is not included
- Monastery Fees: Not included
- Adventure Activities: Any kind of adventure activities are not included
- Tips: Tip for the Supported Team is not included
- Travel Insurance: Not included
- Other Expenses: Anything not mentioned in the inclusions
Clement L2024-10-20 Incredible Experience in the Himalayas I had a truly unforgettable experience climbing all 6070m of UT Kangri with Rigzin, supported by his team from Mountain Intelligence. Rigzin provided incredible help in pushing me up the mountain despite the going getting tough for me, especially in the final 500m of elevation or so. My acclimitization was not the best (my fault) and so the altitude was a challenge. Nonetheless, Rigzin supported me every step of the way and helped when he was needed the most. On the descent, I accidentally fell into a river and suffered some cuts and abrasions. Rigzin and team went out the way to send me to a hospital and got me checked. It goes without saying that I could never have made it up and down safely without their help!I wish them all the best and definitely look forward to the next adventure with them! William Dickens D2024-09-08 An incredible time in the Himalayas We had an unforgettable experience touring Ladakh, all thanks to Rigzin and Mountain Intelligence. From the moment we first inquired, their team stood out for their quick, prompt responses and excellent value compared to other operators. Our entire trip was seamlessly planned, from airport pick-up to drop-off, with every detail in between—accommodation and the itinerary—carefully organized to suit our needs. Rigzin and his team made everything feel effortless, allowing us to fully enjoy the stunning landscapes and rich culture of Ladakh. We can’t recommend Mountain Intelligence highly enough for anyone looking to explore this beautiful region. Thank you Rigzin for an incredible trip! Alpine Trail2024-09-08 Amazing UT Kangri Expedition with an Excellent Team I just returned from an incredible UT Kangri expedition at 6070 meters with Mountain Intelligence Company and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. The trip was perfectly organized, and everything went smoothly thanks to the fantastic team. Rigzin, our main guide was outstanding. He is a true expert in mountain climbing and made sure we were safe every step of the way. His experience and careful planning helped us reach the summit and get back to base camp without any issues.The whole organizing team did a great job with all the details from the gear we needed to the logistics. They made the whole process easy and stress-free.If you’re planning a high-altitude adventure, I strongly recommend Rigzin and his team. They made our climb an amazing experience and I’m grateful for their hard work and expertise. Thanks Rigzin and Mountain Intelligence for a fantastic adventure! Sonam Lama2024-09-01 Leh Ladakh Private Tour by Mountain Intelligence I had an amazing trip to Leh Ladakh with Mountain Intelligence Treks led by Rigzin Angdu. From booking to the end of the journey, everything was perfect. The itinerary was well-planned, the accommodations were comfortable and the guides were knowledgeable. The trip was safe, enjoyable and great value for money. I highly recommend Mountain Intelligence Treks for an unforgettable Ladakh experience. Jose María S2023-09-03 A memorable tour in Zanskar We just completed the "Ladakh Zanskar Expedition" by Mountain Intelligence.What a magnificent experience! Losal, our guide and driver, made of this a memorable trip. Being a Zanskari himself, his insights about everything we were seeing along the way were priceless. An excellent an calm driver, he safely drove us across Zanskar all the way to Srinagar in Kashmir.Zanskar is such a beautiful territory. We can only wonder how all the new roads and construction will transform this beautiful and still remote region. As for now, it preserves the beauty of nature in its most overwhelming and magnificent form. Peter2023-08-08 Good value for money Very good organisation.Rigzin the owner came to visit us in our guesthouse for all the explanation and to arrange the permit.We went out for 4 days.Beautiful views, authentic homestays.Our guide Urgyan was great, received a lot of explanation and an expert in his field.Will definitely come back.Because our daughter had to stop the trek due to altitude sickness, they adjusted the price afterwards, very fair. Dreamer497832538212023-06-30 Unforgettable stay in Ladakh We spent 10 days in Ladakh and it was really great. The visits were well organized. The monasteries and landscapes are magnificent. We started the Markha trek but asked to change itinerary en route because of a health problem, and Rigzin proposed a great alternative route that allowed us to discover daily life in a Ladakhi village. We really enjoyed our stay in Ladakh with Mountains intelligence Treks. Vebhu Bhatnagar2022-06-22 Wonder Experience Our trip to Leh & beyond was well planned & executed by Rigzin Agndu Mountain Adventure.The stay & food was good.They also had good support for medical services. Akansha M2021-06-27 Nice experience Organize ur trip with mountain intelligence the guide is so good nd the ladak trip give us best experience of my life James I2019-08-28 Stok Kangri Rigzin and his team were fantastic on our trip. We arrived in Leh and he arranged everything for us, a nice hotel, taxi rides and a visit around all of the fantastic sites before attempting Stok Kangri. He also helped us get all the gear we needed to climb. The actual expedition was everything we had hoped and very well run. Safety was paramount and the guides carried oxygen and ensured we were okay at all times. Food was lovely and all water very hygienic. Unfortunately we didn't quite summit because of challenging weather conditions and altitude sickness but we will be back and using the same company because Rigzin and his team were fantastic!
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