Day 1
Delhi · The Arrival
Private airport transfer to The Ambassador, New Delhi — an Art Deco heritage stay by IHCL SeleQtions. A leisurely evening to settle in before the mountains.
Back to India
India
Beyond the Passes
Delhi · Thiksey · Dras · Diskit · Pangong · Changthang · Hanle 18 Days / 17 Nights₹23,40,390 · US$24,450 · for 2 Guests
The Journey
A private eighteen-day expedition across the monasteries, deserts, lakes and dark skies of Ladakh — Nubra's dunes, Pangong's turquoise, Hanle's cosmos.
Our most ambitious Indian wildlife expedition. Eighteen days across five of Ladakh's high-altitude ecosystems — TUTC's Chamba Camp for acclimatisation, brown-bear tracking at Drenmo Lodge in Dras, the sand dunes and Maitreya Buddha of Diskit in Nubra, TUTC Pangong on the turquoise Pangong Tso, a nomadic Changpa camp on the Changthang plateau, and two closing nights at Hanle inside India's first Dark Sky Reserve — home to the Indian Astronomical Observatory.
Day by Day
A sample itinerary.
We use this as a canvas; the days will rearrange themselves around your interests, the season, and where the wildlife is.
Days 2
5 → Thiksey · Acclimatisation
Fly Delhi–Leh and transfer to TUTC's Chamba Camp Thiksey. Four unhurried nights among the 12th-century Thiksey Monastery, guided cycling along the Indus, valley walks, and slow acclimatisation to Ladakh's altitude — with farm-to-fork Ladakhi meals in camp.
Days 6
7 → Dras · The Silent Valley
Drive from Thiksey to Dras via Fotu La (4,108m) and Namika La (3,700m) passes. Check into Drenmo Lodge. Guided valley walks and Himalayan brown-bear tracking with local trackers, closed with a riverside picnic lunch.
Days 8
10 → Diskit & Nubra Valley
Cross Khardung La — one of the world's highest motorable passes — into Nubra Valley. Check into TUTC Diskit. Three days exploring Diskit Monastery and the 32m Maitreya Buddha, the double-humped Bactrian camels of the Hunder sand dunes, and Nubra's apricot orchards.
Day 11
Pangong Tso · Impossible Turquoise
Drive from Nubra to Pangong Tso via the Shyok Valley and Chang La. Check into TUTC Pangong. An evening beside the impossibly turquoise 134-km lake shared with Tibet.
Days 12
13 → Changthang · With the Nomads
Cross the Changthang plateau at 4,500m. Check into TUTC's Nomadic Camp. Two nights among the Changpa herders — Ladakh's semi-nomadic pashmina people — with visits to their homesteads and rebo (yak-hair) tents.
Days 14
15 → Hanle · The Edge of the Cosmos
Drive from Changthang to Hanle at 4,500m. Two nights at Hanle Lodge inside India's first (and only) Dark Sky Reserve. Private guided astro-photography sessions and a visit to the Indian Astronomical Observatory — home to the world's clearest astro-nights on the subcontinent.
Day 16
Return to Thiksey
Long, cinematic drive back across the plateau to Thiksey. Final night at TUTC Chamba Camp — a quiet evening around the camp fire.
Day 17
Delhi · The Farewell
Fly Leh–Delhi. A curated farewell dinner at The Ambassador — Cantonese-Szechuan at Larry's China, or a candlelit courtyard supper.
Day 18
Homeward
Unhurried breakfast and private airport transfer for onward international departure. Where life meets origin.
Journey Gallery
Through the lens.
A small selection of the lodges, landscapes, and wildlife you'll meet on this journey.
What's Included
Your journey includes.
- 17 nights accommodation as detailed — heritage hotel, luxury tented camps, nomadic camp & dark-sky lodge
- The Ambassador, New Delhi (heritage hotel)
- TUTC Chamba Camp, Thiksey · Drenmo Lodge, Dras · TUTC Diskit, Nubra
- TUTC Pangong · TUTC Nomadic Camp, Changthang · Hanle Lodge, Dark Sky Reserve
- Private air-conditioned car throughout, with driver
- Return domestic flights Delhi–Leh–Delhi
- All expeditions with expert naturalists / guides
- Private guided astro-photography at Hanle
- Applicable Tax Collected at Source (TCS)
What's Not Included
Your journey excludes.
- International / domestic airfare to and from Delhi
- Visa fees and travel insurance
- Personal expenses, gratuities and items of a personal nature
- Any permits arising from last-minute regulatory change in Ladakh
The Investment
A bespoke private journey,
curated for two.
Every camp, every drive, every quiet morning designed exclusively for two travellers. A detailed cost breakdown is available on request — including bespoke customisation of pacing, hotels, or seasonal timing.
Total trip cost
₹23,40,390
≈ US$24,450
For 2 Guests
Total trip cost for 2 Guests · Bespoke private expedition
Request a Bespoke Quote
Begin Your Journey
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No automation, no junior planners. Every inquiry goes directly to a senior travel designer who will respond within 24 hours with a curated proposal and the next steps.
Studio
KM09-1701 Jaypee Kosmos, Sector 134 — Noida 201304, Uttar Pradesh, India