A Journeys Beyond Horizons

After Breakfast, drive to Drass over the formidable Zojila pass also known as the “Gateway to Ladakh”. This scenic drive is the perfect introduction to the landscape you are about to experience over the coming days.

On arrival in Drass, Check in at Your Hotel.

You will be received by your host and naturalist. Post lunch, rest for some time and if time permits head out for bear sightings in the evening. Later, join in for a talk session about the bears in the area and the conservation work they have been doing with the local community.

Rest of the evening at leisure. BD

After breakfast, we will drive to Suru valley via Kargil. Although it came into prominence after the infamous Indo-Pak conflict of 1999, Kargil’s history goes well beyond it to the times of the Great Silk Route. Kargil was a thriving trade town on the Trans-Himalayan trade route between India and Central Asia.

Once in Kargil, visit the 300-year-old settlement of Hundurman (now in ruins) along the Indo-Pak LoC which is home to the Unlock Hundurman - Museum of Memories, a unique community museum that preserves the Purigi heritage and war history of this frontier settlement.

Take a guided tour of the museum and sit for lunch at a local home and sample traditional Kargili cuisine. Post lunch, join Muzammil for a tour of their family museum, the Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum, that houses over 1000 artifacts from the Silk Route trade period between late 19th to early 20th century for an insight into the lesser-known history of Kargil.

Curated traditional Kargili lunch at Black Sheep Diner, Kargil.

Evening: Leisure time by a bonfire at the campsite. BLD

After breakfast, continue driving to Padum. Stopover at the Rangdum monastery, StaTso LhangTso twin lakes at Penzila top, you will also be able to witness the Drang Drung glacier. At more than 20 kms in length, surrounded by the Zanskar range of mountains it is the longest glacier in the Indian Himalayas (outside the Siachen range).

Enjoy a coffee break at Penzila pass.

Arrive at the hotel by afternoon. Post lunch at the hotel and quick rest, drive to Karsha Monastery for a guided tour which is about 20 minutes from Padum. Karsha is the biggest and the most important monastery of Zanskar with ancient rock carvings at the site.

Return to the hotel for high tea and a talk session by a young local, Lobzang Wangtak who is a water conservationist, climate activist and a filmmaker. BLD

After breakfast, leave to drive back to Srinagar enroute visit Sonamarg. Situated at an altitude of 9000 Ft. Sonamarg is also called as “The meadow of gold” has, as its backdrop, snowy mountains against a cerulean sky. The Sindh River that meanders through the valley abounds with trout and mahseer. Stop at Sonamarg for Photography/tea.

On arrival in Srinagar, check in at your hotel.

later in the evening have a shikara ride. If time permits go for heritage walk in the old city of Srinagar, or visit Nishat Bagh- “The Garden of pleasure”- It is second largest Mughal Garden on the eastern side of Dal Lake, representing the zodiac signs and offer splendid views of the Dal Lake and rectangular layout in Persian style garden architecture from East to West direction housing a few Mughal buildings.

Evening at leisure. BLD