Leh & NubraLadakh in 5 nights

Ladakh at a gentle pace: a full rest day on arrival, an easy day in Leh, one night in the Nubra Valley over Khardung La, and the great monasteries and the Indus valley before you fly home. It leaves out Pangong's long drive and cold camp night, so it suits parents with a doctor's clearance, families and first-timers to high altitude.

Day 1

Arrive Leh (2 Nights)

About 4 km from the airport · 15–20 minutes

The flight into Leh crosses the Himalaya and lands at about 3,500 m. Your driver meets you at arrivals and takes you to your hotel in a Ladakh-registered Innova or Xylo. From here the day is for rest only: lie down, drink plenty of water, eat light and let your body adjust to the thin air. No stairs, no bazaar, no sightseeing. In the evening, if you feel well, a short, slow walk in the hotel garden is enough. An early dinner at the hotel, then bed. Overnight in Leh.

• Note: A mild headache or breathlessness on day one is common. Tell your driver or our team at once if it gets worse.

Prafull’s tipSkip alcohol and long hot showers on the first two nights. Both make altitude symptoms worse.

Dinner

Day 2

Leh

A late breakfast, then an easy half-day by car. Shanti Stupa, the white Japanese-built stupa above the town, has wide views over Leh and the Stok range; your car drives almost to the top. Leh Palace, nine storeys of mud brick and timber, looks down on the old town; take its stairs slowly. Late afternoon you browse the main bazaar for pashmina, dried apricots and Tibetan handicrafts. Back at the hotel, your driver confirms your permits for Nubra, and you get an early night before the high passes. Overnight in Leh.

• Shanti Stupa
• Leh Palace
• Leh Main Bazaar

• Note: Leh Palace has steep, uneven stairs. It is fine to view it from outside and skip the climb.

Prafull’s tipGo to Shanti Stupa in the late afternoon. The light on the Stok range is softer and the steps are less crowded.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 3

Leh – Nubra Valley (1 Night)

About 125 km · 5 hours over Khardung La

An early start after breakfast. The road climbs in long loops to Khardung La, one of the highest motorable passes in the world at over 5,300 m, where you stop for a few minutes for photographs among the prayer flags. Then down into the Nubra Valley, where the Shyok river spreads across a wide, sandy floor. After lunch you visit Diskit Monastery, with its tall seated Maitreya Buddha looking down the valley, and later the Hunder sand dunes, where double-humped Bactrian camels graze. Overnight in the Nubra Valley.

• Khardung La
• Shyok river
• Diskit Monastery
• Maitreya Buddha statue
• Hunder sand dunes

• Note: Keep the stop at Khardung La to 15–20 minutes; the air at the top is very thin.
• Note: Optional: a short ride on a double-humped camel at Hunder, approx. ₹400–800 per person, paid locally.

Prafull’s tipCarry a warm layer in the car even in July. It can be near freezing at the top of Khardung La while Nubra is warm.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 4

Nubra Valley – Leh (2 Nights)

About 125 km · 5 hours over Khardung La

A slow breakfast in the valley, then back the way you came, climbing again to Khardung La and down into Leh by mid-afternoon. The views look different in this direction: the Karakoram peaks to the north as you climb out of Nubra, and the whole Indus valley and Stok range spread out below as you come down towards Leh. Back at the hotel, the rest of the day is for rest. An early dinner and an early night set you up for tomorrow's day out. Overnight in Leh.

• Khardung La
• Karakoram views
• Indus valley

Prafull’s tipKeep sipping water on the drive. Most people drink far less than they need at altitude.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 5

Leh

A full day out by car, east and then west of Leh. First, Thiksey Monastery, a white monastery climbing its hill in tiers, with a two-storey Maitreya Buddha in its upper hall, and a stop at Shey Palace nearby. Then back past Leh and west along the Srinagar highway to the Hall of Fame war museum, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, and Magnetic Hill, where cars seem to roll uphill. The day ends at the confluence near Nimmu, where the green Indus meets the muddy Zanskar. Overnight in Leh.

• Thiksey Monastery
• Shey Palace
• Hall of Fame
• Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
• Magnetic Hill
• Indus–Zanskar confluence

• Note: Total driving is about 5–6 hours with stops, on good roads.
• Note: Optional: river rafting on the Zanskar or Indus near Nimmu in summer, approx. ₹1,500–2,500 per person.

Prafull’s tipThiksey's morning prayers start around 6 am. If you are well rested, it is worth the early start.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 6

Leh – Departure

About 4 km to the airport · 15–20 minutes

Most flights out of Leh leave in the morning, because winds pick up over the mountains later in the day, so this is usually an early start. Your hotel packs breakfast if you need to leave before it is served. Your driver takes you to Leh airport with time to spare for the extra security checks, which can be slow in season. You fly out over the Himalaya to Delhi, Mumbai or your connecting city, with the snow peaks under the wing for the first half-hour. Your holiday ends here.

• Note: Leh airport has several security checks and can be slow. Plan to arrive about two hours before your flight.

Prafull’s tipAsk for a window seat on the left when flying to Delhi for the best views of the snow peaks.

Breakfast

Tour details

Accommodation

Choose the hotel category. The same route and sightseeing in every category.

Hotels are confirmed when you book. If a hotel is full, we give you one of the same category in the same area, and tell you before you pay.

Optional add-ons

Not in the price. Prafull can book them for you or you can pay locally.

Tour information

Read this to prepare for your holiday.

Good to know

• Leh is at about 3,500 m and Khardung La above 5,300 m. Rest fully on day one, and see your doctor before booking if anyone has heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions.
• For parents: this route avoids Pangong's cold camp night, and every day can be shortened. Tell us about knee or breathing concerns and we plan around them.
• Only postpaid mobile connections from outside Ladakh work here; prepaid SIMs from other states do not. Expect patchy or no signal outside Leh.
• Nights are cold even in summer. Pack thermals, a warm jacket, cap, gloves, sunglasses, lip balm and high-SPF sunscreen.
• Carry original photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or voter ID) and a few photocopies for permit checks on the road. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit; ask us before booking.
• The season runs roughly May to September. Flights can be cancelled in bad weather, so avoid tight onward connections.

When to go

Mid-May to September. The high passes open in late spring and close with the first heavy snow, usually in October. June to August is peak season.

Our favourite months

Cancellation policy & payment terms

• Cancellations must be sent in writing, on email or WhatsApp; the date we receive it is the cancellation date.
• Flights, trains, visa fees and non-refundable hotel or activity bookings are refunded only as their own rules allow.
• Date changes are free when made 30 days or more before travel, subject to hotel availability and any difference in price.
• Refunds are paid within 14 working days of us receiving them from the hotels and suppliers.
• No refund is possible for services not used during the holiday.
• Hotels may ask for a refundable security deposit at check-in, paid directly to the hotel.

Questions about this holiday