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Ladakh
Mountain Biking
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| DAY
01 |
Delhi |
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Previous day or early morning, arrive in Delhi
and transfer to hotel.
Sightseeing : QUTAB MINAR - HUMAYUN'S TOMB
- RED FORT - RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN - INDIA GATE...
NEW DELHI : New Delhi is the capital of India and its third-largest
city. In Old Delhi you will find many mosques, monuments
and forts relating to India's Muslim history. The other
Delhi in New Delhi, the imperial city created as the capital
of India by the British. It is a spacious, open city and
contains many embassies and government buildings. |
| DAY 02 |
DELHI - LEH (3500 m) |
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Morning transfer to airport to catch
the flight to Leh. Upon arrival in Leh, transfer to Hotel.
Rest of the day free for acclimatization. Overnight at
Hotel |
| DAY 03 |
LEH |
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LEH : India's link with the exotic
past, when lengthening caravans piled the ancient silk
route and lingered long at Leh to rest to buy to plan
or just to visit . What Hong Kong is to the Far East .
Leh was in the not so ancient times to Central Asia .
In the north lay the caravan route to Yarkand and Kashger
both in Sinkiang in the east is Lhasa, the holy city in
the west is Baltistan and Kashmir and to the south lay
Himachal Pradesh. Traders from Afghanistan, Turkey and
the Arabian kingdoms all congregated in the main square
displayed their wares and in the evening played an invigorating
game of polo. Situated at the apex of a triangular plateau
formed by the Indus at an altitude of 3368 Mts. It is
a small town of narrow intersecting lanes and one main
street leading to the old palace of the raja of Ladakh.
SIGHTSEEING OF THE MONASTRIES
SHEY : Situated on a hillock 15km. upstream
from Leh was once the residence of the royal family .
According to tradition, it was the seat of power of the
pre-Tibetan kings. A 7.5 meter high copper statue of Buddha,
plated with gold, and the largest of its kind is installed
here.
THIKSE : Spectacularly sighted, Thikse is one of
the largest and architecturally most impressive Gompa.
There are several temples in this Gompa, containing images
stupas and wall paintings of Buddha which are exquisite.
HEMIS : It is the wealthiest , best known and biggest
Gompa of Ladakh. Its popularity stems from the major annual
festival held here in summer. The festival is in honor
of Guru Padma Sambhav's birth anniversary. It also has
the largest Thanka in Ladakh, which is unfurled once in
12 years ( next in 2004 ).
Hemis was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal
, an illustrious ruler of Ladakh. It flourished under
the Namgyal dynasty for the royalty favored for Drugkpa
Sect, which managed the monastery.
It is divided into two, the Assembly Hall on the right
and the main temple on the left. The hall, Dukhang, is
also used as a ' Green room ' by the dancers during the
festival. The temple is known as Tshogkhang. The verandahs
have a surfeit of frescoes among them the Buddhist Wheel
of Life ( Kalachakra ) and the Lord of the four quarters,
besides rows of prayer wheels. |
| DAY 04 |
LEH - SARAI (4572 m) |
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Cycle trek starts
- all luggage, camp staff will go in a truck.
SARAI : Starting from Leh at a height of 3368
Mts. ascend steadily along a bridle path for few kilometers
to Sambog a height of 4500 Mts. From here the ascent
is steep and though the snow ( till August ) rises 1030
Mts. Within 16 km. Is a two hour back breaking climb
to reach the Khardong-la pass at 5602 Mts. Braving the
ever present threat of avalanches the route is a steep
descent goes down over rocky and slippery terrain to
4572 Mts. reaching the Sarai village enclosed in a cluster
of willows.
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| DAY 05 |
SARAI - SUMUR (3500 m) |
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| SUMUR : The next stage is the most
precarious negotiating a steep descent within 8 kilometers
through narrow gorges down to the left bank of the Shyok
river which leads to the village of Khalsar or Khartsar,
6 km. Away. After a 5 km. Stretch along the bank a suspension
bridge crosses over to the otherside. Following the river
bank for 18 km. Over s sandy maiden with thorny bushes
one reaches extensively cultivated villages, Ran Kralzung
and Sumur on the fringes of this valley. |
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| DAY 06 |
SUMUR - PANAMIK (3000 m) |
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| PANAMIK : The last stop, Panamik
is another 19 km. Away, after crossing a sandy and stony
road and fording swiftly flowing side stream. The ascent
from Leh, and descent from the pass to the Khardong valley,
but once the ordeal is over the hardy soul is rewarded
with a smiling valley and villages flowing with apples,
apricots and mulberry trees amidst and amidst the patches
of thick scrub jungle that dot the valley. |
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| DAY 07 |
PANAMIK |
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| Free day to explore the area. |
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| DAY 08 |
PANAMIK - TIGAR (3200 m) |
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Mountain Biking from Panamik to Tiger
& back to Panamik. |
| DAY 09 |
TIGAR - LEH |
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Mountain biking to Leh |
| DAY 10 |
REST DAY IN LEH |
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Day free to explore the surrounding
area & last minute shopping |
| DAY 11 |
LEH - DELHI |
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Transfer to Airport to catch the flight
to Leh. Upon arrival in Delhi, transfer to Hotel. Later
full day sightseeing tour of Old & New Delhi. |
| DAY 12 |
DELHI. Rest and shopping.
Transfer to airport. |
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