Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Ladakh: Leh, the Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso
9 days from Delhi: fly to Leh for three slow nights among the Indus monasteries, cross Khardung La to the Nubra Valley, sleep by Pangong Tso and finish with Lamayuru and Alchi.
9 days · Round trip from Delhi · up to 12 guests
Pangong Tso, where we spend the night of day 6 Photo: Ksuryawanshi, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pangong_Tso_3.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Delhi
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 6.5 h on day 6
- Activity level
Moderate
The walking is easy: 1 to 3 hours a day in monasteries, old lanes and along the lake, with steep stairs at Thiksey, Hemis and Lamayuru. Altitude is what makes it moderate: you sleep at about 3,500 m in Leh, about 3,100 m in Nubra and one night at about 4,250 m by Pangong Tso, and cross two passes over 5,300 m. Three long road days of 5 to 7 hours, and three 8 am starts. You can sit out any climb, and day 8 can be a rest day in Leh.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 4 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 360 (estimated price)
- Season
- Summer only, when the high passes and the Pangong camps are open
Highlights
Why this trip
- Three slow nights in Leh to acclimatise, with the old town, Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa at sunset
- Hemis, Thiksey and Shey in one morning along the Indus, Hemis first before the day-trip vehicles
- Over Khardung La, above 5,300 m, and down to the Nubra Valley and the 32 m Maitreya at Diskit
- The Hunder dunes in late light, with Bactrian camels grazing below the mountains
- A night by Pangong Tso and the lake at dawn, when the water changes colour by the minute
- Lamayuru above its eroded 'moonland' and the murals of Alchi, painted around 1200
- Bottled oxygen in the vehicles and a guide who checks how everyone is sleeping
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 6.5 h, on day 6.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 360 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 6.5 h, on day 6.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Fly to Leh and rest
Delhi to Leh by air, then your hotel in Leh
- Lunch and welcome dinner
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
Meet your See Sight Tours guide at Delhi airport for the morning flight to Leh, about an hour and a quarter over the Himalaya.
Evening
Flights into Leh run mainly in the morning, before the afternoon winds, so most guests spend the night before in Delhi; it is not in the price, but we can book a hotel near the airport and quote it with your trip. Leh sits at about 3,500 m, and today is for doing very little. A driver takes us the few minutes from Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport to the hotel, where you drink tea, unpack and sleep if you want. Lunch is at the hotel. Your guide checks in with everyone during the afternoon, explains what altitude feels like and when to tell us, and shows the pulse oximeter we use each morning. In the early evening the group meets for a short briefing on the week, then a welcome dinner at the hotel, with Ladakhi and Tibetan dishes such as thukpa noodle soup and steamed momos. No alcohol tonight.
Included
- Economy flight from Delhi to Leh with your guide
- Pick-up at Leh airport (IXL)
- Lunch at the hotel
- Welcome briefing and dinner
Optional experiences
- A hotel night in Delhi before the flight, booked by us and quoted at booking
Free time: Afternoon free to rest at the hotel
Activity: Rest is the plan today, even if you feel fine. Photography is restricted at Leh airport, which is also a military airfield.
Leh old town and Shanti Stupa
Leh old town, Leh Palace and the Central Asian Museum, then Shanti Stupa
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 30 min
A slow start and a gentle day, because the second day at altitude is when most people feel it.
Morning
Mid-morning we drive in under one of the painted Buddhist gateways on the edge of town and walk into the old town, a knot of mud-brick houses, prayer wheels and narrow lanes below Leh Palace. The palace was built in the 17th century for King Sengge Namgyal, nine storeys high, its tapering walls echoing the Potala in Lhasa; we go up slowly and look out from its roof over the town and the Indus valley. Below it, the Central Asian Museum, built like a Ladakhi fort tower, tells how Leh lived from caravans of salt, wool and tea between Tibet, Kashmir and Central Asia.
Afternoon
Lunch is in the bazaar, followed by a free afternoon to rest.
Evening
In the late afternoon our vehicle drives up to Shanti Stupa, the white Buddhist stupa built in 1991 on the ridge above Changspa, for sunset over the town, the palace and the Stok range across the valley.
Included
- Leh old town walk with your guide
- Leh Palace
- Central Asian Museum
- Lunch in Leh
- Shanti Stupa at sunset
Easier option: Skip the palace stairs and wait in the museum garden, then rejoin for lunch.
Free time: Afternoon free; dinner on your own in Leh
Activity: About 2 hours on foot, on uneven lanes and the palace's steep inner stairs. We drive up to Shanti Stupa rather than climb its stairway, to go easy on day 2.
Hemis, Thiksey and Shey
Leh to Hemis, then Thiksey and Shey along the Indus, and back to Leh
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
We leave after breakfast for the three great monasteries of the Indus valley, starting with the farthest so we reach it before the day-trip vehicles. Hemis, about 45 km up the valley and tucked into a side gorge, is one of the largest monasteries in Ladakh, re-founded in the 17th century; its courtyard is where the masked dances of the Hemis festival are held each summer, and its museum holds thangkas, masks and old copper. Coming back down the valley, Thiksey climbs its hill in tiers of white and red buildings. Inside, a Maitreya Buddha two storeys tall fills its own hall, and from the roof you see the whole green strip of the Indus. A local monastery guide joins us at each.
Afternoon
Lunch is near Thiksey. Last comes Shey, the old summer palace of the kings, with its large seated Buddha of gilded copper. We are back in Leh by mid-afternoon, with the rest of the day free.
Included
- Hemis Monastery and its museum, with a local guide
- Thiksey Monastery, with a local guide
- Shey Palace and its Buddha
- Lunch near Thiksey
Easier option: Stay in the courtyard at Thiksey while others climb to the roof; the main prayer hall is on the lower level.
More active option: Climb to Thiksey's rooftop and walk up to the small temples above Shey Palace.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Leh
Activity: Plenty of stairs inside each monastery. Shoes off in prayer halls; shoulders and knees covered.
Over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley
Leh over Khardung La to Diskit, then Hunder in the Nubra Valley
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nubra Valley (Hunder)
- Drive about 4.5 h
We leave Leh at 8 am, rested and acclimatised after three nights, for the road north over Khardung La. The climb takes about two hours past the army post at South Pullu to the pass, at about 5,300 m, one of the highest roads you can drive. We stop for photos at the prayer flags, but for no more than 20 minutes, because the air at this height is thin for everyone. Tea is at North Pullu on the way down, then the road drops into the Nubra Valley, where the Shyok river spreads out between sand, poplars and barley fields.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Diskit, and afterwards we climb to Diskit Monastery and the 32 m Maitreya Buddha that faces down the valley. In the late afternoon light we walk on the Hunder dunes, where Bactrian camels graze. The drive is about 125 km and four and a half hours with stops, slightly over our 4-hour cap, because the only road to Nubra crosses Khardung La; the pass stop, tea at North Pullu and lunch in Diskit break it up.
Included
- Khardung La, with a short stop at the top
- Tea at North Pullu
- Lunch in Diskit
- Diskit Monastery and the Maitreya Buddha
- The Hunder sand dunes in late light
- Dinner at your hotel or camp
Optional experiences
- Bactrian camel ride on the Hunder dunes, paid locally
Easier option: Stay in the warm vehicle at Khardung La, and watch the dunes from the edge rather than walking out.
More active option: Climb the stairs from the Maitreya statue to the old monastery buildings on the ridge above.
Activity: Nubra is lower than Leh, at about 3,100 m, so most people sleep better tonight. Warm layers for the pass.
Sumur, Samstanling and Yarab Tso
Hunder to Sumur and Yarab Tso on the Nubra river side, and back to Hunder
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nubra Valley (Hunder)
- Drive about 2 h
Afternoon
A shorter day in the valley, and a free afternoon. After breakfast we cross the Shyok and drive up the Nubra river side of the valley to Sumur, a village of apricot orchards and stone walls. Above it sits Samstanling Monastery, its prayer halls painted in bright colours, with a quiet courtyard and a view down the valley. A few kilometres on, a short, steep path climbs to Yarab Tso, a small sacred lake hidden among rocks and willows, where the water is still and clear; locals ask visitors not to touch it, and we keep to the path. Lunch is in Sumur, at a family-run place if the season allows. Then we head back to Hunder for the afternoon: rest, walk through the village and its barley fields, or sit by the stream. Today and tomorrow are opposites, so take the rest; tomorrow is our longest drive.
Evening
Dinner is at the hotel or camp.
Included
- Samstanling Monastery in Sumur
- Walk to Yarab Tso lake
- Lunch in Sumur
- Dinner at your hotel or camp
Optional experiences
- A day to Turtuk, a Balti village near the end of the road, by separate car in place of the group day (about 5 to 6 hours of driving; on request, paid locally)
Easier option: Wait at the bottom of the Yarab Tso path; the climb is short but steep.
More active option: A morning walk through Hunder village and out onto the dunes before breakfast, with your guide.
Free time: Afternoon free in Hunder
Activity: The Yarab Tso path is about 20 to 30 minutes up on loose rock.
The Shyok road to Pangong Tso
Hunder along the Shyok river via Agham and Durbuk to Pangong Tso
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Pangong Tso
- Drive about 6.5 h
Today is the longest drive, about 165 km and five and a half to seven hours, depending on the slow stretch between Agham and Shyok village, and the reason is simple: the direct road along the Shyok river is the only way from Nubra to Pangong that does not go back over Khardung La and through Leh, which would take longer.
Afternoon
We leave at 8 am and follow the river through a narrow, empty gorge of grey rock and braided water, with a tea stop at Agham and a sit-down lunch near Durbuk or Tangtse. The last hour climbs to the lake. Pangong Tso is a long, narrow lake at about 4,250 m, around 130 km long, most of it beyond the border in Tibet. We arrive by mid-afternoon at our camp near Spangmik, when the water is turning from turquoise to deep blue.
Evening
Walk the shore slowly, wrap up as the wind drops at dusk, and stay outside for the stars. Dinner is at the camp. This is the highest night of the trip.
Included
- Drive along the Shyok river with your guide
- Sit-down lunch on the way
- Free time on the shore of Pangong Tso
- Dinner at the camp
Free time: Late afternoon free by the lake
Activity: We sleep at about 4,250 m tonight, after five nights at altitude. Your guide checks everyone's oxygen level in the evening and morning, and oxygen is in the vehicles. If the Shyok road is closed, we go back through Leh and over Chang La, and we tell you before we set off.
Pangong at dawn, back to Leh over Chang La
Pangong Tso over Chang La to Leh
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 5 h
Morning
Get up before sunrise, wrapped in everything you brought. The lake at dawn is the reason we sleep here: the light reaches the far mountains first, then the water turns from grey to blue, and there are almost no other people on the shore. After a hot breakfast at camp we drive back to Leh, about 160 km and five hours. The road runs past Lukung and Tangtse, where you may see Himalayan marmots in the meadows, then climbs to Chang La, another pass over 5,300 m, where we stop briefly, with tea if the army canteen at the top is open. From the top the road drops through Sakti and its fields to Karu and the Indus.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal on the way down, and we are back at the hotel in Leh by mid-afternoon.
Evening
A hot shower, then the evening is yours, with dinner on your own in the bazaar. The drive is over our cap because there is no shorter road.
Included
- Pangong Tso at dawn
- Chang La, with a short stop at the top
- Sit-down lunch on the way to Leh
Easier option: Watch the dawn from the camp with a hot drink and stay in the warm vehicle at Chang La.
More active option: A walk along the shore at first light with your guide, about an hour on flat gravel.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Leh; dinner on your own
Activity: Dawn at Pangong is close to freezing even in July. Bring gloves and a hat.
Lamayuru and Alchi
Leh west along the Indus to Lamayuru, then Alchi, and back to Leh
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 6.5 h
Our last day goes west along the Indus, the old trade road to Kashmir.
Afternoon
We leave at 8 am, stop briefly at the confluence of the Indus and the Zanskar near Nimmu, and reach Lamayuru, about 125 km and three hours from Leh, before lunch. The monastery sits high on a ridge above the village, and around it the land is cut into pale, eroded hills that people call the moonland. A local guide takes us through the prayer halls; lunch is in the village. On the way back we cross the river to Alchi, where the small Choskor temples hold murals painted around 1200, about 800 years old, painted in a style closer to Kashmir than Tibet.
Evening
We are back in Leh by early evening for a farewell dinner. The day is about 255 km and six to seven hours of driving, broken into four parts, over our cap because both sites sit on the one road west; if you would rather rest, stay in Leh.
Included
- The Indus and Zanskar confluence
- Lamayuru Monastery and the moonland, with a local guide
- Lunch in Lamayuru
- Alchi Choskor temples and their murals
- Farewell dinner in Leh
Easier option: Stay in Leh for a free day: a slow morning, the bazaar and the Tibetan market, and a rest before the farewell dinner.
More active option: Walk up from Lamayuru Monastery to the viewpoint above it, about 20 minutes on a dirt path.
Activity: Photography is not allowed inside the Alchi temples. The murals are lit dimly, so a small torch helps.
Fly back to Delhi
Leh to Delhi by air
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
An early breakfast, a last look at the mountains from the hotel, and a short drive to Leh airport for the morning flight to Delhi, about an hour and a quarter. Your guide flies with the group, helps with bags at Delhi and sees you to your onward connection or a transfer into the city.
Evening
Flights out of Leh leave in the morning, and weather can delay them, so book onward flights from Delhi that leave after about 4 pm, or stay a night in Delhi; we can book it. If you are carrying on to the Taj Mahal and Rajasthan, our Golden Triangle trip starts in Delhi. After a week at altitude, Delhi's heat and air will feel thick, so drink water and take the afternoon gently. Bring a warm layer in your hand luggage too: the plane out of Leh can be cold. This is the end of the trip.
Included
- Drop-off at Leh airport (IXL)
- Economy flight from Leh to Delhi with your guide
Activity: Book onward flights from Delhi leaving after about 4 pm.
- Delhistart
- Leh3 nights
- Nubra Valley (Hunder)2 nights
- Pangong Tso1 night
- Leh2 nights
- Delhiend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: June to September is the season: sunny days around 20 to 30 °C in Leh with strong sun, and cold nights near freezing by Pangong and on the passes. July and August can bring rain, landslides and short road closures; if a road shuts, we re-route and tell you on the day.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want Ladakh's monasteries with time inside and someone to explain them
- People who would rather acclimatise slowly than rush to the high passes
- Those happy with three long road days in exchange for Nubra and Pangong
- Solo travellers and couples who want a group of no more than 12
Not for you if you want
- Anyone advised by a doctor to avoid high altitude, or with an untreated heart or lung condition
- Travellers who want hotel comforts every night: Pangong is a simple camp or guesthouse
- People who dislike long drives on mountain roads
- Step-free access: monasteries mean steep stairs and uneven floors
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Leh3 nights
- Nubra Valley (Hunder)2 nights
- Pangong Tso1 night
- Leh2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 3 in Leh, 2 in the Nubra Valley at Hunder, 1 at a fixed camp or guesthouse by Pangong Tso, 2 more in Leh
- Central hotels in Leh within walking distance of the bazaar; private bathrooms everywhere
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Economy flights from Delhi to Leh (day 1) and Leh to Delhi (day 9)
- Transfers at Leh airport (IXL)
- Ladakh-registered vehicles with Ladakhi drivers for the whole trip, as local rules require
- Bottled oxygen and a pulse oximeter in the vehicles
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from Delhi airport on day 1 to Delhi airport on day 9
- Local monastery guides at Hemis, Thiksey, Lamayuru and Alchi
Activities
- Leh: the old town, Leh Palace, the Central Asian Museum and Shanti Stupa
- Indus valley: Hemis Monastery and museum, Thiksey Monastery and Shey Palace
- Nubra Valley: Khardung La, Diskit Monastery, the Hunder dunes, Samstanling Monastery at Sumur and Yarab Tso
- Pangong Tso: an afternoon, an evening and a dawn by the lake, and Chang La
- West of Leh: Lamayuru Monastery and the moonland, the Indus and Zanskar confluence, and the Alchi temples
- Every monastery and museum entry on the plan
- Our filing of your Protected Area Permit
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 8 lunches
- 5 dinners: welcome dinner in Leh, two in Nubra, one at Pangong and a farewell dinner in Leh
Not included
- International flights to and from Delhi
- Hotel nights in Delhi before or after the trip
- Indian visa
- Protected Area Permit and Ladakh environment fees, paid locally
- Travel insurance, which must cover travel up to 5,500 m
- Dinners in Leh on days 2, 3 and 7
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities: the Hunder camel ride and the Turtuk day
- Personal expenses
Local fees
- Protected Area Permit and Ladakh environment fees, paid locally; the current amount is confirmed at booking.
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 360 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 15% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 1,800 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 1,950. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 2,120.
What does the price include?
Eight nights in hotels and camps, the economy flights from Delhi to Leh and back, Ladakhi vehicles and drivers, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, local monastery guides, every entry on the plan, 8 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 5 dinners. Not included: international flights, your visa, the permit and environment fees paid locally, insurance, drinks and tips.
How will the altitude affect me?
Most people feel Leh's 3,500 m on the first day or two: a mild headache, breathlessness on stairs and poor sleep. That is why we spend three nights in Leh before crossing any pass, sleep lower in Nubra, and reach Pangong's 4,250 m only on day 6. Your guide checks oxygen levels daily, and the vehicles carry bottled oxygen.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately fit and in good health. The walking is easy, 1 to 3 hours a day, with steep monastery stairs. The challenge is altitude and three road days of 5 to 7 hours. You can skip any climb, and on day 8 you can stay in Leh. Ask your doctor before booking if you have a heart or lung condition.
How long are the drives?
Days 2, 3 and 5 are short, under three hours. Leh to Nubra over Khardung La is about four and a half hours with stops, slightly over our cap. Three days run longer because there is only one road: Nubra to Pangong 5.5 to 7 hours, Pangong to Leh about 5, Lamayuru and Alchi 6 to 7. Each has tea and a sit-down lunch; day 8 is optional.
How big is the group?
The small group runs with 7 to 12 guests, travelling in two Ladakhi vehicles so everyone has a window. Twelve is the hard maximum. If you want fewer people, book the private trip for your own party.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with you from Delhi airport on day 1 to Delhi airport on day 9. Local monastery guides join at Hemis, Thiksey, Lamayuru and Alchi, and Ladakhi drivers who know the passes drive every road. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay more?
Only if you want a room of your own, which is from CAD 360 more. Otherwise ask to share with another solo guest of the same gender and we will try to match you; if we cannot, we tell you before you pay anything. The supplement covers a room or tent of your own on all eight nights, including Nubra and Pangong.
When is the best time to visit Ladakh?
June to September, and that is when we run the trip. The passes are open, the Pangong camps are running and days in Leh are warm and sunny. July and August can bring rain and short road closures. Nights at Pangong are cold in every month, so pack a down jacket.
Do I need a visa or permit for Ladakh?
Most visitors need an Indian visa, and many nationalities can apply for the e-Visa online; check your eligibility early. Foreign nationals also need a Protected Area Permit for Nubra and Pangong. We file it with your passport and visa details, and the permit and environment fees are paid locally, confirmed at booking.
What is the night at Pangong Tso like?
Simple and cold. We stay in a fixed camp or guesthouse near Spangmik with a private bathroom, within walking distance of the shore (we confirm how far when we name it), but there are no hotels of a city standard at the lake and power can be limited to the evening. You get the lake in afternoon light, a sky full of stars and the dawn, which is why it is worth one night.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then. The small group starts from CAD 2,120 per person sharing, with taxes, including the Delhi to Leh flights. Prices are indicative until we confirm.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 3,815 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, send us an inquiry from the dates section and we can quote the same hotels, vehicles and permits.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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