Manali - Leh/Ladakh:

15 Days

Delhi - Chandigarh - Shimla - Manali - Keylong Leh

Day 01: Delhi Arrival
Upon arrival at Delhi airport meet our representative and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day is
free.
Day 02: Delhi Sightseeing
Take in a bit of Delhi before you head for the hills. India Gate, Red Fort, Qutb-Minar,
Akshardham.
Day 03: Delhi to Chandigarh (260 km/6 hrs)
Drive to Chandigarh, situated at the base of the Shivalik Range of the Himalayas. Pass historical
battlegrounds of Kurukshetra and Panipat. Stay overnight in hotel.
Day 04: Chandigarh sightseeing
Take a city tour of Chandigarh. The Rock Garden, created by a humble road inspector called
Nek Chand is the pride of the city. Its a marvel of urban waste material transformed into
creative patterns and art objects. Other attractions in Chandigarh include Leisure Valley, Sukna
Lake and Rose Garden.
Day 05: Chandigarh to Shimla (5/6 hrs)
Drive to Shimla, stopping at the monastery in Solan along the way. Set at an altitude of
2,213m, Shimla was once the summer capital of the British administration in India and is now
the capital of Himachal Pradesh. This queen of hill stations still retains its colonial charm in its
architecture. Evening walk around The Mall.
Day 06: Shimla sightseeing
Visit Jakhoo, an ancient temple devoted to Lord Hanuman, situated on Jakhoo Hill. This is
Shimlas highest peak and offers panoramic views of the Shivalik Ranges. Go on an excursion to
Kufri & Narkanda, popular for their trekking trails, pine-scented air and beautiful views all
around. Narkanda is also located close to the prime apple belt and is a ski-resort in winter.
Day 07: Shimla to Manali (8 hrs)
Drive to Manali (2050m) at the Northern end of the Kullu Valley. Manali is surrounded by
towering snow-capped peaks and the snowline is never more than a few hours drive away. Stop
at placid Bilaspur Lake and Hanogi Mata temple set among the mountainous backdrop along the
way. Check in to hotel.
Day 08: Manali sightseeing
Visit the Hadimba temple, Vasisht Baths, Manu Temple and Tibetan monastery. Chill in Old
Manali, imbibe the local ambience and shop for souvenirs at the Tibetan Market on the Mall.
Take a trip to Solang Valley and try your hand at paragliding.
Day 09: Manali - Manikaran - Manali
This extremely scenic drive takes you from the relatively gentle Beas river to the roaring and
angry Parvati. Try your hand at rafting along the way (on the Beas of course!), shop for Kullu
shawls and reach the famous hot springs of Manikaran, sacred to both Hindus and Sikhs.
Day 10: Manali-Bijli Mahadev-Manali
Bijli Mahadev is a famous an ancient Shiva temple situated atop a beautiful meadow. It is a
3km walk from Mansari village and offers stunning views of both the Parvati Valley and Kullu
Valley.
Day 11: Manali-Naggar-Jana-Manali
On the left bank of the river Beas, Naggar is a pictureque village on the wooded slope. It used

to be the capital of the Kullu rajas and you can visit their well-preserved castle there. Naggar
was also home to the Russian artist Roerich, whose house has now been converted into a
museum. Visit some of the famous temples in and around Naggar as well and continue on to
Jana for authentic and tasty Himachali food. Walk up to the beautiful waterfall there and wind
your way back to Manali.
Day 12: Manali - Keylong
Start from Kullu valley and travel along winding roads to cross the 3,979m high Rohtang Pass
and enter the valley of Lahaul. Drive along the River Chandra with views of towering mountains
and glaciers. Arrive at Keylong, a small town and the district headquarters. Check into hotel for
overnight stay.
Day 13: Keylong sightseeing
Spend the day in this little town and visit the 900-year old Khardong monastery, a 4 km uphill
walk from town and the Shashur gompa, about 3 kms away. Shop in the local markets for
shawls, local tweeds, silver jewellery, footwear, rugs, metal craft and olive and almond oil.
Day 14: Keylong - Sarchu
Driving north on the Manali-Leh Highway, you will see some of the most breathtaking
landscapes in the Western Himalayas. Visit the Jispa Folk Museum and the crystal clear lakes of
Deepak Tal and Suraj Tal. The landscape changes to stark and barren as we climb up to the
second mountain pass - the 5,000m high Baralacha La. From the pass you will have beautiful
views of meadows and snow-capped mountains. Reach Sarchu and check-in at your camp.
Day 15: Sarchu Leh
The last leg of your journey consists of more passes, emerald lakes and flat plains. Drive down
from Baralacha La and climb up the Gatta Loops, a series of 21 hairpin bends and wind your
way up Nakeela Pass and onto the Lachung La pass (5,059 m) with spectacular views. Twist your
way to Pang through amazing canyons with sheer cliffs on both sides of the road. Ascend up to
the Pang Plateau, also known as the More Plains, encircled by snow-capped peaks. Climb to
Tanglang La (5292m), one of the highest motorable roads in the world, this pass gives way to
beautiful views of the Karakoram Mountains and the Ladakh valley. Theres lots of opportunity
to see wildlife along the way. Descend till Rumtse and drive through the Indus valley to Leh.
Drop-off at your hotel.