Altitude: 3,500–3,700 m / 11,500–12,140 ft

With a full day now behind you for acclimatisation, spend the morning exploring the cultural heart of Leh at a gentle, altitude-friendly pace. Begin at the historic Leh Palace, a nine-storey former royal residence built in the 17th century that towers over the old town in a style often compared to the Potala Palace of Lhasa, and climb to the whitewashed Shanti Stupa for one of the finest panoramic views in the entire region, with the Leh valley and its ring of mountains spread out below.

In the afternoon, wander the vibrant lanes of Leh Market, where Tibetan artefacts, pashmina shawls, prayer flags, silver jewellery and turquoise-studded handicrafts fill the stalls, and where cosy local cafés serve butter tea and freshly baked apricot pastries. 

Overnight at Leh

Distance: Approx. 250 km | Drive time: 7–8 hours | Maximum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft

Today’s full-day excursion into Sham Valley, sometimes called Ladakh’s “Apricot Valley,” is one of the most rewarding single days of the entire itinerary. Begin at the Hall of Fame Museum, a moving tribute to the soldiers of the Indian Army who have served in this high-altitude frontier region, before continuing to the golden-domed Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, a Sikh shrine built around a rock believed to bear the imprint of Guru Nanak.

Continue to the curious Magnetic Hill, where an optical illusion created by the surrounding slopes appears to defy gravity, and to the breathtaking Sangam, the point where the glacial-blue Indus River meets the greener waters of the Zanskar in a striking natural confluence. The afternoon carries you to Alchi Monastery and Likir Monastery, two of Ladakh’s most treasured centres of Buddhist art, home to intricately painted murals, ancient manuscripts and centuries-old wood carvings, before arriving at the crown jewel of the day: Lamayuru Monastery. Perched dramatically above the eroded, silver-grey folds of the famous Moonland landscape, Lamayuru is one of the oldest and most visually extraordinary monasteries in all of Ladakh. Return to Leh in the evening. 

Overnight at Leh

Distance: Approx. 125 km | Drive time: 5–6 hours | Maximum altitude: 5,359 m / 17,582 ft

Today brings one of the tour’s most celebrated moments: the crossing of Khardung La Pass, rising to 5,359 metres and long regarded as one of the highest motorable roads on earth. Prayer flags snap in the thin wind at the summit, and the views across the Karakoram range are as humbling as the altitude itself.

Descending on the far side, the road drops into the wide, dramatically different landscape of Nubra Valley, a high-altitude cold desert wedged between the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges. Visit Diskit Monastery, home to a soaring 32-metre statue of the Maitreya Buddha gazing out across the valley, before continuing to the surreal Hunder Sand Dunes, where an optional ride on the region’s unique double-humped Bactrian camels, a species found almost nowhere else in India, is a highlight in itself. Overnight stay at a desert camp in Nubra Valley.

Overnight at Nubra Valley

Distance: Approx. 180 km round trip | Drive time: 5–6 hours | Altitude: 3,000 m / 9,842 ft

Spend a full day exploring Turtuk, one of India’s northernmost villages and a place that only opened to tourism in 2010, having been part of Pakistan until 1971. The result is a village unlike anywhere else in Ladakh: a Balti settlement of terraced stone houses, apricot and walnut orchards, and irrigation channels fed by Karakoram glacial melt, where the culture, language and cuisine carry a distinctly Balti character shaped by centuries on the ancient Silk Route.

Wander through narrow lanes shaded by fruit trees, chat with local families known for their warm hospitality, and take in sweeping views of the Karakoram peaks rising above the Shyok River valley. Return to Nubra Valley by evening. 

Overnight at Nubra Valley

Distance: Approx. 275 km | Drive time: 7–8 hours | Altitude: 4,225 m / 13,862 ft

Depart Nubra Valley and follow the remote, scenic Shyok River route toward one of the most photographed lakes in the world. The drive itself is a highlight, tracing a ribbon of road between rugged mountainsides and the wide, braided course of the Shyok River. As the road finally crests a ridge and Pangong Lake comes into view, few travellers are prepared for the sheer scale of colour stretching out before them.

Spanning roughly 135 kilometres and straddling the India–China border, Pangong Tso sits among the highest saltwater lakes in the world, its waters shifting through turquoise, sapphire and slate grey as the sunlight changes through the afternoon and into evening. Settle into your lakeside cabin and spend the evening simply watching the light move across the water. 

Overnight at Pangong Lake

Maximum altitude: 5,360 m / 17,585 ft

Rise before dawn for one of the most memorable sights of the entire journey: sunrise over Pangong Lake, as the first light catches the surrounding peaks and slowly spreads gold and pink across the still water. Afterwards, begin the return journey to Leh via the second great pass of the tour, Chang La, rising to 5,360 metres and ranking among the highest motorable passes in the world.

En route, visit Hemis Monastery, the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh, renowned for its centuries-old thangka paintings and its dramatic annual masked dance festival, before continuing to Thiksey Monastery. Often compared to the Potala Palace for its tiered, hilltop architecture, Thiksey houses a magnificent two-storey statue of the Maitreya Buddha and offers sweeping views across the Indus Valley. 

Overnight at Leh

Altitude: 3,500–3,650 m / 11,500–11,975 ft

Spend your final full day tracing the royal history of Ladakh. Begin at Stok Palace, the former residence of the Namgyal royal family and still home to its descendants today, where a fascinating museum displays royal thangkas, ceremonial jewellery, and centuries-old regal costumes. Continue to Shey Palace, once the summer capital of the Ladakhi kings, celebrated for its towering copper-and-gilded statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, said to be one of the largest of its kind in the region, and for panoramic views across the Indus Valley below.

Use the remainder of the day at leisure in Leh, whether revisiting the market for last-minute souvenirs, relaxing at your hotel, or simply reflecting on a week spent among some of the highest and most dramatic landscapes on earth. 

Overnight at Leh

Altitude: 3,500 m / 11,500 ft

After breakfast, transfer to Leh Airport for your onward flight, carrying home unforgettable memories of towering mountain passes, turquoise Himalayan lakes, ancient monasteries steeped in Buddhist heritage, remote frontier villages, and the extraordinary warmth of Ladakhi hospitality.