Lamayuru to Alchi
Wellness Trekking Tour
September through May
On Request
9 Days
Min. 4 / Max 12 Trekkers
Strenuous, Moderate
Camping, Mountain Lodges
Max 5250 Mt
Lamayuru to Alchi Ladakh Ttrekking in India
This trekking tour takes place between Lamayuru and Alchi, and it is an excellent combination of ancient Buddhist monasteries and the natural beauty of Ladakh. This relatively short trek starts at the legendary Lamayuru Monastery, which lies in lower Ladakh.
Lamayuru was once a lake. It is believed that a monk who was taken aback by the natural beauty of the body of water moved it up the hills, leaving vacant the spot where the monastery stands today. This 10th-century Buddhist monastery is one of the oldest in the region. Alchi is a unique monastery built in a deep location, unlike most Buddhist monasteries built on high ridges. This three-storied monastery from the 11th century lies close to the banks of the Indus River.
Lamayuru is some 125 km to the west of Leh and is one of Ladakh’s most ancient and spectacular monasteries. The Gompa was remarkably built on sandstone by Rinchen Zangpo: dating back to the 11th century. Some of the best frescoes and murals representing the Kashmiri style of Buddhist iconography are inside this monastery.
Itinerary
Arrive at Indira Gandhi International airport to be met by our representative and transfer to the domestic terminal to catch the early morning Delhi – Leh flight. Overnight Hotel with breakfast.
Morning tour of Hemis, Thikse, and Shey monasteries; afternoon for getting the gear ready for the trek. Overnight Hotel with breakfast.
We leave for Lamayuru in the morning after breakfast. We drive Westward on the Leh-Srinagar Highway. The journey is truly a scenic one along the Indus River.
We will spend the afternoon exploring the surroundings of the Lamayuru vicinity and visiting the monastery. We will also need to prepare for our trek that will begin the next day.
We will be woken up with hot beverages by our support team. We will need to pack our bags and vacate our tents when we come for breakfast. We can enjoy the scenery, watch our team break camp, and load the ponies or donkeys while having breakfast.
We start our hiking day with a gentle climb to the small pass of Prinkiti La 3750 m before hiking down to the village of Shilla and the final 3 km to Wanla 3250 m. Our support team will set up camp for the night. We can spend the afternoon relaxing in the sun or exploring the surroundings and visiting the Gompa in Wanla before dinner.
We follow the river till Phanjila Village and then turn left to pursue a small stream towards Ursi Village. We will stop along the way to have our packed lunch. At the end of the village is the base camp for Tar La.
Today’s hike is the most challenging of this trek. First, we climb up to the highest point of 5250 meters at the summit of Tar La pass. After that, the trail ascends mostly with several descends until we arrive at the top of Tar La pass.
The descent is on a stony terrain with shingles at the beginning of the decline. It is a long and tiring day of hiking to the village of Ta.
Today’s trail brings us along the mountainside to a small pass, followed by an easy descent to the hamlet of Mangyu. This is a beautiful village with an attractive monastery. Our team will set up the camp upon arrival. Later visit the village and monastery.
We have a short hike to the pick-up point at Gera village on this last day. After that, we will drive to Alchi Monastery and back to Leh.
You will be transferred to the airport in the morning to catch the flight to Delhi, and the tour ends.
Inclusions
- ‘A’ class hotel in Leh
- All meals, as mentioned on the trip.
- Experienced regional leader or hire Raj
- Porters or pack animals on the trek
- Trek permit
- Park fees
- Staff insurance
- Non a/c transport
- Accommodation a mentioned in the program.
- Sightseeing as indicated
Exclusions
- International airfare and airport tax
- Hotel in Delhi. The cost of a hotel room in Delhi ranges from US$50 to a couple of hundred dollars, depending on the standard chosen.
- Internal airfare for Delhi / Leh / Delhi sector in economy class. The airfare can cost from US$60 to $500, perhaps even higher each way. July and August are the busiest months. Therefore, it is best to book the flights in advance.
- Travel Insurance
- Any extra activities & optional tours
- Riding horse during the trek
- Personal bills like drinks, bar & beverages, tips, telephone, laundry, any additional and optional trips than the above, etc.
- Anything which is not included in the includes section
- Tips (suggested amount US$75 per week for staff only; leader’s tips at your discretion)
