Himalayan Safari

This trip starts from the plains of India. The road enters the hilly area at Bilaspur and later ravels along the Beas River. As it nears Kullu, the valley opens to a wonderful vista of open fields and apple orchards. Near Manali it gets wilder and rougher. The present day onslaught of tourists during the season may spoil the ambience of this once sleepy town, but a little further away from the town, things are as quiet as before. The real adventure begins as soon as you cross the Rohtang pass. The terrain changes along with the people, culture, and religion etc. The entire drive is full of changing colours and you will indeed appreciate the endurance and openness of the human heart!

Season:

June to Mid September (when the Rohtang pass is open for traffic)

Day 01: Delhi – Manali (2050m) (Driving time: 13 - 14 hours approx.)

Take the overnight bus to Manali (AC volvo). The bus stops along the way for dinner and breakfast.

Day 02: Manali

Arrive Manali around lunch time. Check in to a prebooked Hotel. Our attendant will meet you at the bus station and escort you to the hotel.

Day 03: Manali

Full day guided city tour covering a visit to the Naggar castle, Roerich Art galley, Hidimba temple and the Hot water spring at Vashist. Evening is free to walk around the Mall Road – which is the hub of Manali town. Try your hand at bargaining for some new ‘antiques’ at the Tibetan bazaar!

Day 04: Manali – Keylong (Driving time: 05 – 06 hours approx.)

We start the day by driving past the beautiful green alpine country of the Kullu valley to the top of the 3980 meters Rohtang pass. From here, descend to reach Koksar for a brief tea halt, and registration of passports. Passing through the village of Sissu and few others we reach Tandi Bridge, where the river Chandra and Bhaga meet to form the river Chandra Bhaga, which is called river Chenab when it enters Pakistan at Kishtawar. Continue to reach the town of Keylong, headquarter of the district of Lahaul and Spiti. Keylong is a rich town where people earn a living by exporting peas and apricot to the other parts of the country during summers. It is also a very green area. Rest of the evening, explore the local market. You can also walk to the Khardong Gompa (03 hours round trip).

Day 05: Keylong – Sarchu (Driving time: 06 hours approx.)

Today we drive to Darcha – another police check-post. From here, we ascend gradually to the spectacular double pass of the Baralacha-La at 4800mtrs (‘La’ is a mountain pass in local language). There is a small lake just before Baralacha La, known as the Suraj Tal (Sun Lake). (There is a trek route from this lake to the beautiful Chandra Tal (Moon Lake) in Spiti valley that takes 04 – 06 days). After Baralacha-La, descend to the settlement at Bharatpur. The drive from Bharatpur to Sarchu is through spectacular plain valleys. Explore Sarchu on your own. Sarchu camp is located in a very picturesque valley. The view of the area during sunset is indeed a very memorable one! It is also one of the coldest places for overnight on your trip. Sarchu is located at the border between the states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Day 06: Sarchu – Leh (Driving time: 08 - 09 hours approx.)

This morning, we will enter the state of Jammu and Kashmir – you will notice the change in the scenery from green valleys to barren, rugged mountains. The etching caused by the soil erosion is simply beautiful, creating infinite patterns on the rocks in all hues of blue, green, red, yellow and other colours. Keep ascending through the Gata Loops to another high pass called the Lachchalung La at 5100 meters. From Lachchalung La, descend to Pang - another tented colony sprouting only in the summers when the road from Manali to Leh opens. Again ascend to the More (called ‘Morey’) plains, which extend for some hundred square kilometres – we drive through the Plains, experiencing the scenery of the land to ascend to the second highest motorable pass in the world – the Tanglang-La (also spelled as TakLang- La) (5320 m). After the pass, we will cross the beautiful villages of Rumtse, Gya and Lato. Scientists claim that Lato is the site where the two landmasses of Gondawana land and the Asian continent merged during the great shift. The mountains surrounding Gya and Lato are very unique with pink colours and with jagged ridges like that of a tree saw! From here, it is a short and beautiful drive to Leh. There is another check post at Upshi before you enter Leh. We arrive late in Leh and check in to pre-booked hotel (01 night only).

Day 07: In Leh

Day is at leisure. Midday, we will have an orientation walk through the bazaar. Optional: In the evening, visit the Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace - located at a walk-able distance.