Ladakh: Trails of Little Tibet

13 days
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4.7/5 Excellent
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Small Group Tour
Remote, rugged Ladakh is making a name for itself as a paradise for adventurous walkers. The high-altitude desert region in northern India is flanked by the mighty peaks of the western Himalaya, Karakorum range and Tibetan Plateau and soaked with a history stretching back centuries. Our journey starts with a scenic flight from Delhi past the mighty Himalaya t...
$3,443
From$2,550
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Take a sensational flight over the Himalaya
    • Enjoy a short trek through traditional villages and intriguing multi-coloured landscapes
    • Stay in village homestays and local lodges to experience Ladakhi hospitality and learn about the traditional way of life
    • See colourful Tibetan Buddhist monasteries along the Indus and Sham valleys
    • Visit Lamayuru with its lunar landscape and Alchi Monastery with 11th-century paintings

What's this trip about?

    Remote, rugged Ladakh is making a name for itself as a paradise for adventurous walkers. The high-altitude desert region in northern India is flanked by the mighty peaks of the western Himalaya, Karakorum range and Tibetan Plateau and soaked with a history stretching back centuries. Our journey starts with a scenic flight from Delhi past the mighty Himalaya to the regional capital Leh, where we acclimatise and explore the town. We then set off on a fairly gentle trekking adventure, allowing us to marvel at jagged mountain ranges, explore Buddhist monasteries and find out why this culturally rich region has earned the nickname Little Tibet.Discover Ladakh, where mighty mountains conceal a culture unlike any other in India

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range16 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityDelhi
End CityDelhi

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Hiking & Walking
  • National Parks
  • Festivals & Special Events

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture
  • Festivals & Special Events
  • Hiking
  • Nature
  • Trekking

Min Group Size

  • Min Group Size: 4

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • All breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners
    • All accommodation
    • All transport and listed activities
    • Tour leader throughout
    • Free arrival and departure transfers for everyone (in Delhi)

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Start Delhi

Welcome to Delhi, a captivating city full of life and cultural intrigue. To make the start of your adventure easy, free arrival transfers are available for all travellers provided you have supplied your flight details in advance and have requested a transfer. Dependi...

Day 2 Fly to Leh; rest of the day to acclimatise

We have a very early start today for the flight to Leh. We sometimes have to leave the hotel around 2am and drive to the airport for the very early morning departure but the spectacular flight over the Himalaya is worth it. Flying straight to the high altitude of Leh ...

Day 3 Drive to Shey Palace; short walk to Tikse Monastery

Today there is a sightseeing tour to two of the major gompas (Buddhist monasteries) in the area. We first drive to Shey, a former royal palace of the Ladakh kings. Inside is a small temple containing a 350-year-old copper-and-gold statue of the Buddha. From Shey, we ...

Day 4 Half-day walk to Leh Palace and Sankar Monastery; optional 4WD trip to the Khardung Pass

Today we have an acclimatisation walk around the Leh Valley. Set above Leh on the Namgyal Hill are the ruins of the Old Royal Palace; from here, a winding path takes us to the Tsemo Monastery, where our efforts are rewarded with magnificent views of the whole of Leh a...

Day 5 Drive to Yangtang, visiting Basgo fort and Likir

Well acclimatised, we leave Leh this morning, taking a road west towards Kashmir. We climb out of Leh and descend to the Indus River with great views of the Zanskar River as it meets the mighty Indus. Descending to the village of Nimmu, the road climbs to Basgo villag...

Day 6 Start trek to Ullay

We leave Yangtang away from the main trail and head north with spectacular rock formations surrounding us. Ladakh is a mountainous desert and the multi-coloured hills are magnificent in any light. During the first couple of hours of the walk today, we come across som...

Day 7 Cross the Spangpo La to Hemis Shukpachen

We head along an easy trail, climbing to our first pass, the Spangpo La (13,392ft/4,082m), with wonderful views of the hills ahead and down to Hemis Shukpachen (12,018ft/3,663m). This tranquil village with a small gompa, green pastures and a clear stream is a lovely p...

Day 8 Cross the Mebtak La and the Lago La to Ang and onto Temisgam

From Hemis Shukpachen, we cross the pastures in a northwesterly direction, skirting the sides of the fields. After a stop at a chorten (a Buddhist shrine), we follow the trail past the mature juniper trees (known locally as shukpa), after which the village is named. T...

Day 9 Trek to Khalsi, crossing Bong Bong La and drive to Lamayuru

The size and wealth of Temisgam becomes evident as we continue our hike through the village to the foot of Bong Bong La (11,910ft/3,630m), our last pass. As we hike up, we gain wide views of the Sham Valley, with streams and the Tia Monastery in the background. From h...

Day 10 Drive to Alchi

In the morning, we visit the 11th-century Lamayuru Monastery, which houses more than 150 monks and some of the largest thangas (traditional Buddhist paintings) in the world. On the subsequent journey, we cross one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Ladakh, which ...

Day 11 Alchi Monastery and drive to Leh

We visit the Alchi Monastery this morning, a fascinating complex said to have been built around the 11th century by the Tibetan translator Richen Zangpo. Where other gompas in Ladakh are built on hilltops, Alchi was constructed on the plains with exquisite architectur...

Day 12 Fly to Delhi

We fly from Leh to Delhi. The rest of the day is free for individual sightseeing. You may want to visit the colourful bazaars and the Red Fort in the heart of Old Delhi or visit some of the Mogul monuments dotted around this ancient city. Accommodation: Hotel Deventure (or similar)

Day 13 End Delhi

Your journey in India ends after check-out from the hotel. Free departure transfers are available for any flight, provided you have supplied your flight details in advance. Alternatively, speak to your sales representative about joining our five-day post-trip extension taking in the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. This extension can also be done before the tour.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,550
Price per day$196
Last Updated: 7/26/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Shared Room
Single Room
Availability
13 Jul 2025
25 Jul 2025
$3,225
$3,735
10 Aug 2025
22 Aug 2025
$3,225
$3,735

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
Excellent
13,502
Great
3,265
Average
609
Disappointing
146
Terrible
190
A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Excellent trip

Four of us went on a private tour with Exodus - starting with Trails of Ladakh and finishing with the Golden Triangle. Joshspell our co-ordinator in Leh and Ass...

A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

A true cultural experience.

A truly incredible cultural experience with the added bonus of trekking through the Sham Valley in Lower Ladakh with few other trekkers in the area. Reaching the v...

A

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Perfect combination of remote, Himalayan scenery and culture...

I'm surprised there hasn't been a review of this great trip so far this year, so I'll leave mine. It was a perfect combination of beautiful, remote Himalayan scene...

A

Anonymous

Nov 2016

Trails of Ladakh

An excellent trip, lots of time to acclimatise in Leh and brilliant trekking, not too challenging but stunningly beautiful. The Indus rafting trip was stunning and g...

A

Anonymous

Nov 2016

Trails of Ladakh

If you are looking for a mix of culture, language and stunning scenery, this is the trip for you! Supported throughout by an experienced team (from chef to leader to...

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Sheila Bissell

Apr 2025

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Excellent service

Excellent service

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Apr 2025

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Roger

They were very helpful, polite and knowledgeable

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Gill Barber

Apr 2025

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Travel insurance
    • Single accommodation (available on request)
    • Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation

6 nights hotels (all en suite), 6 nights full-service camping, 1 night guest house 4 days point-to-point walking; 1 daywalk Full porterage throughout the trek Altitude maximum 4082m, average 3500m
We spend six nights in hotels and four nights in lodges and homestays. In Delhi, we use a standard hotel with air-conditioned rooms. In Leh, we stay in a standard hotel, close to the market and town centre. All rooms in Delhi and Leh have private bathrooms. There is wifi available in Leh; however, there is no coverage for international phones in Ladakh. During the trek, we stay in a mix of homestays and lodges. Homestays offer an authentic experience of village life, allowing you to immerse in Ladakhi culture, lifestyles, hospitality, food and drinks. Homestays directly empower and benefit the community as well as the environment, while giving visitors the chance to experience the true Ladakhi culture. They enable a constant flow of travellers to rural economies, creating multiple livelihood opportunities for local people. At some locations on the trek, we also use lodges. These are also run by local people but are slightly more comfortable than a homestay. Homestays and lodges generally provide common/shared Western toilets and showers, although shared squat toilets may be the only option in some locations. The quality of food in homestays and lodges can vary, so we carry our kitchen with us including the cook and the helpers to provide full-service meals during the trek. Single rooms can be accommodated in Delhi and Leh for a supplement (subject to availability); however, single rooms are difficult to guarantee at the homestay and lodges so, if available, an additional supplement charge can be paid locally. Please enquire at the time of booking.
Cancellation policy

The cancellation policies of this trip when booked through Travelstride are determined by the stated policies of the tour operator - Exodus Adventure Travels.

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel a confirmed booking you must notify Travelstride in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by Travelstride and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.

Period before departure in which you notify us

From the date your Booking Confirmation is issued up to, and including, 90 days prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.

  • 89 to 52 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 51 to 31 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 30 days or less prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation, or after the booking has started

Cancellation charge

Deposit can be transferred to a new booking which must be made within 3 months of the date the original booking was cancelled, and depart within 12 months of the new booking date. If a new booking is not made within this period then the deposit will be forfeited. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.

  • 50% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 75% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 100% of the total holiday cost.

For Polar holidays, the following cancellation charges will be made:

Cancellation period (before departure) - Cancellation Fee (per person)

Outside of 180 days - No fee if cancelled within 15 days of booking date. US $1,250 cancellation fee if cancelled 16 days or more of booking date.

179 to 120 days - Loss of deposit.

119 to 90 days prior to departure - 50% of the holiday cost.

89 to 60 days prior to departure - 75% of the holiday cost. 

59 to 0 days prior to departure - 100% of the holiday cost.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of Exodus Adventure Travels at the following web address: https://www.exodustravels.com/us/about-exodus/exodus-booking-conditions

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
All breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners are included. Indian food is highly regarded and there is ample chance to try traditional Ladakhi cuisine, which was influenced by Silk Road traders from Tibet and China. Don’t miss the delicious and popular snacks momos (dumplings) or yak cheese. Also try thukpa, a clear vegetable soup with noodles and often mutton, chicken or yak meat; tingmo (pronounced tee-mo), steamed bread eaten with dal; and a favourite found in most restaurants, chutagi, a thick soup of local vegetables and bow tie-shaped pieces of dough cooked in the broth (also served with meat). Allow at least 1,600-2,000 rupees (approximately US$20-US$25) per day for lunch and dinner (where not included). You can eat out very cheaply in India, but if you go to the more expensive restaurants most of the time, you will spend more than the suggested amount. Please note, service in restaurants can be quite slow. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large) bottle of beer is approximately 300 rupees (approximately US$4). While camping, the staff bring a hot drink (usually tea) to your tent each morning. When you reach camp in the afternoon, tea and biscuits are served. At breakfast, dinner and in the afternoons, there is a choice of hot drinks. Breakfasts typically include cereal, toast and jam, eggs and porridge. Lunch on trek is usually served as a picnic en route (except on shorter days when it is in camp). Lunch and dinner typically include soup to start, followed by a variety of hot dishes (both local and Western) such as potatoes/chips, vegetables, curry, pasta, rice, dal and paneer (cottage cheese). At dinner, a dessert such as tinned fruit and custard, fritters or cake is also served. Please note, although some meals include meat, it is not as readily available while camping. Drinking water Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least 100floz-135floz (3l-4l) per person per day. We strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Ladakh. In Leh, there is a shop called Dzomsa that sells safe drinking water. Your leader will show you where this is on your first day in Leh. The Leh hotel provides safe filtered drinking water. During the trek, the cooks will collect and boil drinking water from the mountain streams and fill up your water bottles for you, but you may need to collect water during the day and may wish to use your own water purification treatment as well. We suggest you bring a reusable bottle with a wide opening (Nalgene or similar) with you and use a SteriPEN (a handheld UV water purifier) or purification tablets to treat any non-boiled water.
Age Requirements
16 years and up
Additional Information
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Trip ID
exodus-TGX

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