Ninad had yearned to witness those overpowering landscapes of Ladakh ever since he had seen them on the internet. When he finally had the chance, he roped in 2 friends, booked a 7 nights 8 days Ladakh tour package, and set off to make memories! Read the full account of his fun-filled escapade.
Trip Duration: 7 Nights 8 Days
Trip Cost: INR 71,900/-
Agent Name: Kailash Expeditions
Inclusions: Airport Transfers, Accommodation, Breakfast & Dinner, Sightseeing, Watersports
Exclusions: Flights, Entry Tickets, Lunch & Dinner, Adventure Activities
For me, travel is mostly about discovering new places and meeting new people. Each destination has something unique to teach about the world we are a part of! I like to visit places that entice me as long as the important factors are being met – availability of flights, budget, and whether my work is permitting me to travel or not. For me, travel is not just about visiting new cities and countries, but also exploring every bit of my home town – Goa. I usually travel with my family, but also like to escape to a destination with my gang once in a while. I am currently planning a trip to Madikeri in Coorg with my family in the coming Diwali vacations.
Though I don’t have a lengthy bucket list, Ladakh was one place I had always wanted to visit since the moment I had seen its pictures. In fact, my yearning was such that I had decided to go solo had my friends backed out of the plan. Luckily they didn’t, and that made my trip all the more memorable!
After a successful and joyous trip to Thailand with TravelTriangle, I knew I didn’t have to go anywhere else looking for a Ladakh travel package. So I sent in a query and was checking away quotes sent by different travelers within hours. I closed the deal with Kailash Expeditions since they offered me everything I wanted to experience on my trip at the best price.
Once the payment had been made and the bags had been packed, I and my 2 friends set out on a scintillating journey to the cold, yet picturesque landscapes of Ladakh. Upon reaching, we hired Royal Enfields and set about taming the tough trails and landscapes of Ladakh.
Exploring The Beauty Of Himalayas On An Adventure Trip To Ladakh
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Here’s a snippet preview of what all I did on this friends trip to Ladakh
Day 1: Arrival in Leh via flight from Delhi | Day at leisure to acclimatize to Ladakh’s climate
Day 2: Hall of Fame | Dras War Memorial | Indus – Zanskar confluence point | Alchi Gompa & Lamayuru Monastery | Magnetic Hill | Gurudwara Pathar Sahib | Return to hotel in Leh
Day 3: Ride to Nubra Valley via Khardung La – the highest motorable road in the world | Enjoyed snow near Khardung La bottom | Diskit Monastery | Camel Safari in Nubra Valley | Overnight stay in tents at Hundar
Day 4: ATV ride at Sand Dune Leisure Park in Nubra | Saw Hot Water Springs in Panamik | Back to hotel in Leh for overnight stay
Day 5: Ride to Pangong via Changla Pass | Saw cute Himalayan Marmot | Reached Pangong Lake by late afternoon | Overnight stay in camps near Pangong
Day 6: Enjoyed early-morning scenic views of Pangong Lake | Return journey from Pangong via Changla Pass | Shey Palace | Thiksey Monastery | Spituk Monastery | Overnight stay at hotel in Leh
Day 7: Leisure Day | Shopping in the market in Changspa, Leh – bought apricots (INR 200/-) and customised tee shirts | Lunch at World Garden Cafe | Overnight stay at hotel in Leh
Day 8: Flight to Srinagar | Visited Dal Lake | Flight back to Goa
Things to do on a 7 nights 8 days Ladakh tour
Out of all the things I did on my holiday in Ladakh, there were a select few that I simply fell in love with. I would recommend travelers to not miss out on the following activities and experiences in Ladakh, especially on an all-boys-trip like mine!
Engage in a fun ATV ride in Nubra
Fulfilling My Childhood Dream With A Trip To The Amazing Ladakh
The ride cost us a total of INR 1,000/- for a distance of 2 km, while the original price was INR 1,200/-. One should definitely bargain a little if they wish to indulge in this activity. But no matter what you pay, the thrill you’ll experience while riding the tough deserts of Nubra on this quad bike is worth it all! It’s a must for all adventure seekers and even kids who visit Ladakh, considering it’s highly enjoyable as well as easy.
Ride a camel across the picture-perfect deserts of Nubra
It’s a sin to compare a camel safari experience in Nubra with that of, say, Rajasthan and Gujarat. It’s a completely different experience in the deserts of Nubra, right down to the type of camels you’d encounter to the scenic views of the desert and beyond that your eyes will be treated to! Riding the bushy, double humped Bactrian camels on a friends trip to Ladakh amid the stunning landscapes of Nubra Valley with its unending expanse of barren deserts and bordered by poster-like bare mountains is nothing less than nirvana. We paid INR 250/- for a 15-minute camel safari. One must also check out the scenic apricot orchards while here.
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Play with snow at Khardung La
Nothing can beat the joy of riding on the highest motorable road in the world at Khardung La. Add to it the 360 degree panoramic views of the snowy landscapes around and it will take your breath away! (Like, literally, if you stay here for too long!) Upon getting down from there on your way to Nubra, you’ll come across a beautiful area where you can take a halt and enjoy being in the knee deep snow. We stayed here for some time, clicked pictures, and though we didn’t exactly ‘play’ with snow, we saw the absolutely euphoric faces of people who did and that was enough to tell us how the experience must be!
Visit religious sanctums for their peaceful aura & gorgeous architecture
Adventure Trip To Ladakh: Bike Lovers Ride Around Scenic Ladakh On Two Wheels
Though I am not a very religious person, the breathtaking architecture of the many monasteries and other religious sanctums in Ladakh compelled me to pay them a visit. I saw most of them from the outside, and that was enough to put me in a trance! On my 8 days friends trip to Ladakh, I visited the following religious shrines – Alchi Gompa, Lamayuru Monastery, Diskit Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, Spituk Monastery, and Gurudwara Pathar Sahib.
Dine at the World Garden Cafe
A plush little restaurant with a cosy ambiance on Changspa road, World Garden Cafe is a must visit on a holiday in Ladakh for every foodie. The cafe offers delicious food at affordable rates and deals in cuisines like Tibetan, Italian, and Israeli.
Gaze at the breathtaking early-morning panoramas of Pangong Lake
Pangong Lake is beautiful regardless of what time of the day it is, but it transforms into an absolutely stunning spectacle early in the morning. The experience of waking up to the heavenly panoramas of Pangong Lake gave us goosebumps! In fact, I feel that Pangong Lake can give the beaches of Goa a run for their money any day!
While on the beach, we encountered various local agents offering scooty rides for INR 30/- to let one have the ‘3 Idiots’ kind of experience! They even had arrangements for female travelers to dress up in Kereena’s wedding outfit from 3 Idiots and get pictures clicked while riding a scooty across the white expanse of Pangong. The entire scenario of people dressing up as ‘Kareena’ and riding a scooty was rather amusing. Don’t forget to visit the vivid Rancho School on your way back to Leh from Nubra.
Tips & recommendations for travelers who visit Ladakh in the future
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- It is highly advisable to carry oxygen cylinders while going to Nubra, as the place is at a considerably high altitude with a scarcity of oxygen.
- Do not stay at Khardung La top for more than 15 minutes, as a scarcity of oxygen can cause severe breathing problems.
- Toilets are in a very bad condition all across Ladakh, so carry sufficient amount of toiletries.
- The roads too are in a very bad shape throughout Ladakh, so drive/ride carefully. Also, patients with back problems are not advised to ride a bike in Ladakh as the consistently bumpy rides can cause severe problems later.
- While booking tents/camps in Pangong and Hundar, make sure you book deluxe tents as they are way better than standard tents in keeping the cold away.
- Do not underestimate the climate of Ladakh. Carry layers and layers of thermals to keep the biting cold at bay.
- Carry rum too if you can (not kidding)! It’ll help phenomenally in keeping you warm. You can carry some from your home destination as rum in Ladakh can be as expensive as INR 700/-.
- Don’t indulge in an ATV ride near Magnetic Hill, as the area is rough and rocky and you won’t enjoy the experience. Nubra Valley is best for ATV rides.
- The Hot Water Springs in Panamik INR 30/- per person) are relatively unclean and not well maintained, so be careful when you tread in that water!
- Himalayan Marmots have a strictly organic diet comprising of things like grass, berries, etc. It is not advised to feed them anything else as it triggers an addiction and eventually kills them when they don’t find the same.
- Try opting for a group trip to Ladakh as it helps distribute the expenses and lets one conveniently enjoy Ladakh on a budget!
- No network other than BSNL works in Ladakh as per what I figured. Also, WiFi connectivity is extremely poor throughout Ladakh. So make arrangements accordingly.
- Book your package from Kailash Expeditions as they will help make your trip as comfortable and memorable as possible at the most affordable rates.
An All Boys Trip To Ladakh That Led To A Perfect Adventure!
Ladakh was more beautiful than I had ever imagined. Mere pictures can never completely capture it’s beauty. The desktop-wallpaper landscapes, breathtaking architecture, and friendly people make Ladakh an indispensable part of every traveler’s bucket list.
Our WOW Moments: Camel Safari & ATV Ride in Nubra | Pangong Lake | Snow at Khardung La | The vivid monasteries and shrines | The friendly, helpful locals | Encountering a marmot | The scenic beauty everywhere in Ladakh
Our Not So WOW Moments: Lack of maintenance and cleanliness at various places, especially toilets | The bad condition of roads | The poor quality of food at various places
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