Day
1: Arive Delhi
Day
2: Delhi to Leh,
Reach
Leh by Indian Airlines or Jet Airways flights. Leh is main
Centre of Ladakh. With the inhabitants of 50,000, Leh is
located in small valley just the north of Indus valley. The
tourists are advised to take complete rest for the proper
acclimatization to the high altitude atmosphere.
Day
3: Leh to Hemis Monastery for the festival (48 km)
Just
after the breakfast, the group will visit the Hemis monastery
for the festival and about 3 p.m. in the afternoon the group
will move back to Leh and on the way, the group will visit two
more famous monasteries i.e Shey and Thiksey.
Hemis
Monastery: This is
biggest and the most important monastery in Ladakh. It is
situated 49 kms to south of Leh, a little off the main
Leh-Manali road. It was built in the 17th century by Chapgon
Gyalshas and ever since has enjoyed the patronage of the royal
family. Hemis is the headquarter of the Drukpa order and all
the monasteries throughout Ladakh are administered by it. It
also trains Lamas for the royal monasteries at Leh, Shey and
Bazgo. In the 19th century it faced a siege by General Zorawar
Singh. The Gompa was saved to the skillful handing of the
situation by the head Lama. In 1956 the head Lama Hemis Gompa
disappeared mysteriously never to be seen again. A 12 years
old boy was brought from Dalhousie. In 1976 to be appointed as
head Lama. He will assume authority after his training period
is complete. The monastery contains quite a few gold statue
and stupas decorated with precious stones. It has a superb
collection of tankhas, including one, which is supposed to be
the largest in existence and is exhibited only once every 11
years. The monastery has annual festival, is a big tourist
attraction. Masked dances are held on that day. Thiksey Gompa:
En
route to Hemis Gompa, the Thiksey monastery is a most imposing
structure providing a panoramic view of the green Indus valley
from its vantage atop a hill. It has chambers full of statues,
stupas and tannkhas.
Shey
Palace and Monastery:
Also
on the way to Hemis Gompa and 15 kms from Leh is the summer
palace of the erstwhile, Raja of Leh, set upon a hill sitting
Buddha wrought with copper and gold that leaves one lama
before hand. Many chortens can be seen to the east of the
monastery.
Day
4: Leh to Lamayuru (124 kms)
The
whole is dedicate to for the local sightseeing Lamayuru: After
exploring villages around the area, it comes as a surprise to
find that Lamayuru is a scruffy little place. The gompa is the
completely overshadowed and most famous spectacular monastery
in Ladakh. On the way the group can also visit the Alchi and
Rizong monasteries. Alchi monastery is famous gompa for the
1000-year old wall painting, which make a visit more than
worthwhile. Rizong monastery about the six kms along a
steepish, rocky track from the main road is the starts of the
area with the nunnery of Julochen and the gompa of Rizong
belonging to the Gelukpa factions.
Day
5: Local Sight seeing, Leh Bazaar, Leh Palace and Sankar gompa
The
whole day is dedicated to the shopping and to discover some
interesting things about Ladakhi art and cultural by the
visiting the Tibetan refugees camp Choklamsar, Library and
Ecological Development etc. The women's vegetable market in
the afternoon and some interesting place to visit. And the
evening the Sankar monastery.
Leh
Gompa:
It
is situated above the Leh Palace and was built in 1430. It
contains a 13.7 metres high statue of the Buddha which the
Ladakhi call Chamba. According to the Lamas this splendid
statue is the future Buddha. A butter burns day and night in
front of this statue.
Sankar
Gompa:
Just
3 kms from Leh is this monastery that has a formidable
collection of miniature of pure gold and a number of exciting
painting. It is well lit and may be visited in the evening as
well.
5th
Day: Leh to Delhi Tourists will fly back to Delhi, by the
Indian Airlines flight.
Day
6: Leh to Delhi
Tourists
will fly back to Delhi, by the Indian Airlines flight.
Day
7: Depart Home
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