Overview
Also known locally by the name of Zahar, Zanskar is a small district in Kargil, located in the eastern section of Ladakh. For the ardent traveller, Zanskar Valley is one of the most enchanting places to visit in the Himalayan region. Plan your visit to Zanskar Valley well in advance to ensure that you do not have trouble arranging basic amenities at the last minute. This valley is a semi desert, with a known affinity for Buddhist beliefs.
Zanskar Valley is eternally famous for its high snow capped mountains and surrounding landscape, featuring geographical attributes that are unique to this region. Reaching this place will introduce you to sparkling clean river waters and a pleasant climate that makes it worth exploring. Located 105 km from Leh, Zanskar Valley has earned fame among adventure enthusiasts. With a host of activities that can be tried out at the valley, it has become one of the most popular holiday hotspots for those travelling to the Himalayas.
Quick Facts:
Route: Manali- Darcha – Shinkula Pass – Lakhang – Gumbok Rangan – Kurgaik – Purne – Phutkal Monastery – Pensi La pass- Rangdum -Kargil – Leh
Duration: 13 Days & 12 Nights
Start Point: Manali
End Point: Leh
Passes covered: Shinkoo-la, Pensi La, Nameek-la, Khardung-la (18,000 ft), Chang-la (17,688 ft)
Spotlight
🏩Stay Included 🚗Transport Included 🍲Meals Included 🚶🏼♂️Guide Included 🤝Nomadic Steps Cares
Things Not to Miss:
- Enjoy Thukpa, traditional Ladakhi cuisine at The Tibetan Kitchen restaurant
- Hangout at Lala’s Art Café for a tall glass of Italian coffee
- River rafting at the world’s highest river-rafting point, Sangam
- Ride the remarkable double-humped (Bactrian) camels found exclusively at Nubra valley
- Feast on delicious Maggi at the Khardungla-pass
- Shop souvenirs for friends and family at the Leh Market
- Pay tribute to our brave soldiers of the Indian Army who fought in the 1999 Kargil War
How to reach
The easiest way to travel to Ladakh is by air. The nearest airport is Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL) located in Leh. This airport is connected with many international airports in India like Delhi. It also receives flights from Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh, and other common destinations in India
HIGHLIGHTS
- Located at an average height of 6000 meters above the sea level, Zanskar valley is surrounded by the unmatched beauty of the serene mountains.
- In winters the Zanskar river freezes to form a blanket of thick ice, allowing the thrill seekers to go on a trek on this frozen river, popularly known as the ‘Chadar’ trek.
- One can enjoy white water rafting at the Zanskar river along with camping at night surrounded by the beautiful mountains.
- The treacherous terrain of Zanskar is perfect for adventure lovers to embark on challenging treks such as the Lugnak Trail Trek, Padum-Darcha Trek and Zanskar-Sham Valley Trek among others.
Itinerary
We arrive in Manali in the morning, check into our hotel, and relax today to allow our bodies to acclimatise. Discover Manali’s Local Sightseeing. Our Tour Captain Will Brief You On The Ride, Itinerary, Bike Allocation, Etc. Evening at your leisure. Discover and enjoy an overnight stay in a hotel with dinner.
Your long-awaited journey to Ladakh has finally begun. Pack your bags and prepare for an exciting ride. Pack your bags and prepare for an exciting ride. On the way, you’ll pass through Atal Tunnel, Tandi (the last petrol station before Upshi), and Keylong. Once you arrive in Jipsa, you will be provided with an overnight stay at one of the camps.
Today’s ride will take us to Zanskar Valley. We ride toward our 2nd pass which is Shinkula pass, our first 5000 meters plus pass of the ride also the gateway to Zanskar valley.
Spending time taking pictures we ride towards Purni. On arrival we have our lunch at Purni. The charm of the ride is the water crossing/ river-crossing. Which can be a challenge for new riders and it gets difficult to cross after mid-day (noon) due to increasing in water- level caused by snow/ glacier melting.
After lunch we ride to visit the most popular & scenic monastery of Zanskar “The Phugtal Monastery” in Lungnak valley. We park our bikes and walk for around 10-15 minutes to reach the monastery. We ride back to Purni where we gonna stay the night in camps
Today we are going to enter the administrative Centre of Zanskar “The Padam Town”. On arrival, we explore the village and visit some of the monasteries at Padam.
We explore the town in the evening and stay the night in the camps followed with dinner.
Today we will be visiting Zangla Monastery, Sheela Waterfall & Padum monastery Rest at hotel. Dinner & overnight stay in Padum .
Today we ride towards Kargil, it’s all barren land till we reach kargil, but will stop on the way at Rangdum, an isolated region of suru valley. The ride will be hectic and dusty until we reach kargil the next day.
While riding towards Rangdum we witness the best view of drang-drung glacier which is 23km in the length and is largest other than Siachin Glacier in karakoram and ascend to Pensila pass with the magnificent view of the mountains.
We ride further to Rangdum and set our camp for the night.
Today we leave our camping team behind and ride to kargil. Road condition is bad, you ride through dust and gravel and some water crossing on the way. Today’s attraction is Nun-Kun peaks which are above 7000 meters in altitude. And witness the glacier of Nun Kun peak while riding on the bank of suru river. We ride on the bank of suru river until we reach Kargil. Today we’ll have a comfortable hotel for the night to relax and rest on comfortable bed.
Today we ride on the Kargil- Leh national highway. It’s a tar road on loose rock mountains till we reach leh. On the way we visit Lamayuru Monastery and have our lunch at Lamayuru. Witness the moonland at Lamayuru, and continue riding towards leh.
On the way we visit Indus- Zanskar river confluence and magnetic hills before we enter leh. Overnight in hotel.
After breakfast, we will drive alongside Shanti Stupa and Leh Palace. At evening we will visit Zorawar fort (Laser show) and Mall market which is famous for yummy cafes/ restaurant as well shopping. Return to your hotel and relax for the day.
Dinner and Overnight stay at the hotel.
Today post breakfast check out of the hotel and we will start our journey to Nubra Valley through Khardungla, which is the World's highest motor able road at 18,832 feet above sea level. Turtuk is the last outpost of Indian controlled Ladakh, after which Pakistan-controlled Gilgit-Baltistan begins.The village is one of the gateways to the Siachen Glacier.Turtuk is known for its varieties of fruits, especially apricots.
After breakfast, leave for Pangong Lake at 14, 500 ft. via Agham and Shyok village and reach Pangong Lake. Pangong, the highest salt water lake in the world. Take in the breath-taking views and setting of the blue lake set amidst the lofty Himalaya Mountains.
Check in to your respective camps and enjoy your lunch. Later in the afternoon, spend time on your own at leisure. A popular location for many Bollywood movies, enjoy some unique moments and don't forget to click some nice pictures. Dinner and Overnight stay at the camp.
After sunrise, enjoy your breakfast and check out of the camp and drive back to Leh. Reach Leh by afternoon, check into hotel and relax. Evening at leisure, you may opt to visit the local market to buy souvenirs for your near and dear ones (pick up and drop to the market will be on direct payment basis). Dinner and Overnight stay at hotel
After breakfast, depart to Leh airport to board the flight back for onward journey with beautiful memories.
INCLUSION
- Accommodation on Double/Triple sharing basis as per itinerary in hotels/camps with dinner and brekfast.
- Royal Enfield Himalayan including Petrol only for use as per the itinerary.
- Luggage Van/ Back vehicle
- Mechanic Services with necessary equipment’s
- Professional Tour Manager will be provided 20 pax & Above
- Helmets for the Rider and the Pillion (Returnable basis)
- Basic gears : Knee Guard & Elbow Guard (Returnable basis)
- Environmental, Wild life & Red cross Fee.
- An Oxygen Cylinder 24X7 the car in case of emergency
- All sightseeing and excursions as per the itinerary
EXCLUSION
- Meals which are not mentioned under inclusions
- Any Travel expenses to Delhi/Srinagar and back
- Any travel expenses from Leh
- Leh Airport pick up and drop
- Any personal expenses like laundry, telephone bills, tips etc
- Any kind of Biking gears (Gloves, knee guard, elbow guard etc)
- Any cost arising due to natural calamities like landslides, roadblocks etc. to be borne by the client directly on the spot
- Any other item which is not specified under cost inclusions
- GST extra as applicable
- Any entrance fee to the monastery and monuments
- Travel Insurance
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS [FAQ]
To avoid altitude sickness, proper precautions must be taken, as well as appropriate gear and clothing for the journey.
The mid of September to mid of October months are considered to be the best season to enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of the landscape of Ladakh as well as Leh. While for Ladakh Package Tour, the month of March is considered as the best time to visit Ladakh for adventure trip. While the months from April to mid-May are the peak season for Ladakh Tourism.
The best attractions of Ladakh Package Tour are Suru Valley, Nubra Valley, Zanskar Valley, Chang La Pass, Confluence of The Indus And Zanskar River, Pangong Lake, Hunder Village, Hemis Gompa, Hemis National Park, Khardung La, Alchi Monastery, Lamayuru Monastery, Spituk Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, Shey Monastery, Stakna Monastery, Sankar Monastery, Matho Monastery, Shanti Stupa, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Hall of Fame, Kargil, Drass War Memorial, Zorawar Fort, Magnetic Hill.
Nomadic steps provides various Ladkah Package Tour from all over India with different tour durations along with itineraries. Though company suggest that if you really want to explore Ladakh, keep at least 12 to 14 days in your hand as most of the top attractions in Ladakh are scattered at long distance. So travelling time becomes a factor to explore various tourist attractions in Ladakh.
Yes, it is absolutely possible. To cover Leh – Pangong – Leh Trip in a day you have to start early in the morning, may be with the fist light of the day. The distance between Leh to Pangong is about 150 km and it takes approx 5 to 6 hrs to cover the entire journey one way. After reaching there, you certainly will spend some quality time there to enjoy the splendid beauty of the lake. Then your return journey will start and it will take another 5 to 6 hrs to reach bake. The journey is very strenuous, but if your health and weather permits, it is worth visiting.
Tourists planning for Ladakh Tour Package from all over India should keep in mind that although there are ATMs (SBI, HDFC, J&K Bank) available in Leh and Kargil (availability of cash is not assured) Also there are ATMs in Nubra Valley- Diskit and Pangong Lake-Tangtse Village. So it is recommended to carry the required amount of cash during your Ladakh Trip because you never know when ATMs will run out of cash or you may face inconvenience due to no link or poor internet connectivity.
Things to do
- Nomadic Steps reserves the right to rearrange or change the itinerary for any reasons that are beyond control like Natural calamity, weather conditions, road block, vvip interference, political manifestation etc.
- Items of personal nature like drinks, laundry, telephone calls, tips, camera fees etc or any other item not specifically mentioned above as ‘INCLUDED’ is to be considered an exclusion of the deal.
- Liability for change in itinerary due to reasons beyond our control like change in flight and train schedule; cancellation of flights/trains, political disturbances, natural phenomenon, etc. will not be accommodated in the cost.
- No bill will be reimbursed against any missed service/facility.
- Do not consume alcohol or any other intoxicants during the tour.
- ID proof is mandatory for each individual guest at the time of booking, and also upon arrival. PAN card will not be considered as a valid address proof.
- Any breakage or damage of any items will be charged at actuals.
- In case the customer misses out on a scheduled pickup/drop due to delay from their end, the charges involved to get a different means of transport may not be refunded.
- The hotels are subject to their availability. In case they are not available, the travelers will be accommodated in a property of similar standard.
- Please note that lunch is not included in the meals
- Usage of the swimming pool at any accommodation is strictly according to government guidelines.
- Please note that BSNL and Airtel Postpaid mobile connections are operational and roaming Prepaid SIMs are non-functional in Ladakh.
- All the travelers are requested to carry a copy of their medical certificate (if any) with them.
- The execution of the trip is solely the responsibility of the tour operator assigned.
- If in case any traveller wants to or decides to leave the trip in the middle, all the expenses from that point onwards will be borne by the traveller. Neither the operator nor Nomadic Steps will be held responsible for such decisions or for any refund.
- It is recommended to carry enough warm clothes a kind of shoes for the tour.
- Entrance tickets of monuments are not included in the package.
- For safety purposes, a biking tour is not recommended for women who are more than 3 months pregnant, anyone that has had major surgery, or has a broken leg/arm, has chronic back or neck pains, etc.
- Check your bikes properly before every day’s ride and keep the tour guide informed of the same.
- Any fuel for the bikes, any charges for spares parts and damage caused to the bikes, etc. will be charged at extra.
- During a bike trip, in case the roads are blocked due to landslides or a reason that is beyond control, Nomadic Steps will rearrange the itinerary for the travellers real-time, however, the cost of alternative accommodation will be borne by the customer as the hotels pre-booked execute their cancellation policies and are nonrefundable.
- In case a rider leaves the bike in the middle of the trip, charges for re-transporting the bike to the destination will be borne by the rider.
- While riding on a bike, it is advised to carry luggage in rucksacks/backpacks instead of trolleys or suitcases as they generally get damaged due to driving on tough terrains.
- There will be a refundable security deposit per bike depending on the variant selected. Please ensure you pay that in advance and carry the receipt with you at all times to get a refund later.
- Rates may fluctuate with any change in services/hotels. The difference in the cost shall be borne by the client in case of any amendment in the package due to an increase in the number of guests, hotel change, etc., before the beginning of the trip.
- Pay heed to the tour guides and instructors in order to enjoy a safe and sound tour.
- All entry tickets for stupas, monasteries, sightseeing, state and entry fees, monument entrances, camera charges, permits, etc. are not a part of the package.
- GST is applicable to the package cost.
- Carry enough cash as the number of ATMs in high-altitude regions is comparatively less and there are long queues at times.
- Guidelines issued by the State-Government are to be followed. Social distancing to be maintained. Frequent hand sanitization and use of mask recommended.
Things to Carry
- Warm clothes
- Caps
- Toilet paper & wipes
- Back pack (50-60l)
- Water bottle
- Fleece jackets and thermals
- Walking shoes
- Woollen cap, socks, mittens & scarf
Payment Term Policy
- 100.0% of total tour cost will have to be paid 7 days prior to date of travel.
Confirmation Policy
- As soon as you pay, you will receive a confirmation email from Nomadic Steps.
- The remaining amount needs to be paid before the date of travel.
Cancellation Policy
- If cancellation are made 30 days before the date of travel then 25.0% of total tour cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- If cancellation are made 15 days to 30 days before the date of travel then 50.0% of total tour cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- If cancellation are made 0 days to 15 days before the date of travel then 100.0% of total tour cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
Refund Policy
- The applicable refund amount will be processed within 10 business days
