Trans Himalayan Safari

We will begin our trip towards Pahalgam and drive on the National Highway 1A. This road connects the Valley to the rest of the country. We drive past the saffron fields of Pampore, the marvellous ruins of Avantipura and the village of Bijbehara which remains famous as the bread basket of Kashmir. You can even sample a few exotic breads sold by vendors near the road. We switch the the national highway at Khanabal and drive through the second largest city of Anantnag. From here the road turns scenic as we drive parallel on the Lidderriver flowing from the opposite direction. In Pahalgam do half day of sightseeing by driving to the picturesque Chandanwari and Betaab valley or ride by horseback across the wildlife sanctuary towards Baisaran meadows. Then you will drive back to Srinagar. In the evening you will reach at Srinagar check into the hotel and stay overnight.

After breakfast in the morning, we will begin our country tour towards Gulmarg. The drive past colorful villages and rice fields, gives you an insight of the rich cultural past of Kashmir. We arrive at a small picturesque market town of Tangmarg and drive ahead on a scenic drive of 14 kilometers to Gulmarg. We arrive in Gulmarg early in the afternoon and check in at the hotel. Later we will begin a short tour around the meadow familiarizing ourselves with the beauty. In Gulmarg we will board the Gondola cable car system, and ascend towards the Afarwatt Mountain range. The 08 minutes of ropeway will take you past colorful shepherd hutments to the lower ridge of the Afarwatt peak. From here you can click lots of photos of the nearby mountain ranges that stand tall like sentinels guarding the rich natural beauty of Kashmir valley. We descend back to Gulmarg base after an hour or so and later do some horse-riding to the strawberry valley. We will stay at the hotel for overnight. In the evening we will drive back to Srinagar where we can take a walk along the banks of the Dal Lake or simply rest in the cozy rooms of our hotel. Check into hotel and overnight stay.

After breakfast we begin our second day. We will drive to the majestic mountain resort of Sonamarg. The route towards Sonamarg takes us on a picturesque country side drive where we will come across rolling hills, green forests, clear water streams and blooming rice fields. We will zoom past the town of Kangan which handles all the local needs of this region. From Kangan, we will drive towards Mammar, famous for its trout farm and stopover for a warm cup of tea before we head towards Sonamarg. We will once again alight from our vehicles at the tourist spot of Gagangir. The spot is built in the middle of the river Sindh and looks like an island with snow glaciers covering one or the other spot. In Sonamarg we will take a 3 hour walk or horseback trip to the Thajwass glacier. After our return we will visit the small town market for some snacks or just pay a visit observing the local people going with their daily routine. Stay overnight at Hotel /Camps.

In the morning we will depart from Sonamarg and drive to Alchi situated in the Ladakh region. Our drive will take us through lush slopes and pine wood forests till Sonamarg. On arrival in Sonamarg, we will have some light refreshments and later ascend the towering Zojila Pass (11500 ft). The pass is treacherous because of its curves and bends. As we cross the pass, we will have a wonderful landscape of stark naked mountains. We will continue our drive across the Ladakh plateau till we reach Drass. This small hamlet is said to be the second coldest place next only to Siberia. Arrive in Alchi in the evening. Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel. Dinner & Stay overnight in hotel/ Camps.

Today, after breakfast check out from the hotel and drive back to Leh. As we drive past colorful villages and hill side monasteries the journey will get more interesting. We cross the bridge and arrive at Alchi a bit early in the afternoon. We spend the time exploring the small village. One of the interesting aspects of this village is its monastery. Mainly known for its wall paintings of the 11th century, the monastery was built by the great translator "Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo". The wall paintings in Alchi Monastery are some of the oldest surviving paintings in Ladkah and reflect artistic and spiritual details of both Buddhism and Hindu kings of that time in Kashmir. Later as we wrap up our Alchi visit, we drive to Leh. Stay overnight in the hotel.

After breakfast late morning check out from the camp and proceed to leh. We will drive to Nubra valley in the morning, driving over the highest motored pass in the world. The exciting journey through serpentine roads leads us to the Khardungla Pass at an awesome height of 5550 meters. We stop at the pass to admire and click some photographs of the fantastic view, before driving down into the Nubra valley. The valley is situated on an old caravan route at the confluence of the Shyok and the Nubra rivers. We drive to our fixed camp resort. Unwind yourself and enjoy the charming beauty of the valley. Stay overnight at camp.

After breakfast late morning check out from the camps and proceed to leh. We will drive back to Leh, driving on the same route and crossing the Khardungla pass yet again. We arrive at Leh in the afternoon and check in the hotel over night stay.

After early breakfast drive for a visit of Pangong Lake via Chang La pass. The drive takes you through spectacular, amazing scenery, with breath-taking views of the snow covered Himalayas. The Lake is the highest (4267M) salt-water lake in the world, situated along the India / China border. It is about 130 Km long and 5-6 Km wide. The Chang - chenmo range surrounding it from the north provide a spectacular backdrop to the blue and green expanse of its brackish water. Later drive back to Leh. Stay Overnight in the Hotel.

Early morning breakfast and check out the hotel and Drive for Leh airport. We will drive to the airport for your flight home. At the airport the driver will assist you with your luggage screening and drop you at outside the terminal gate.