Overview
Join us on Ladakh Photo Tour for an epic adventure in Ladakh– the Land of High Passes and explore a canvas of unparalleled beauty, breathtaking views, and cultural diversity of this Himalayan kingdom. A photographer’s paradise, Ladakh is also known as Little Tibet for its unique similarity of scenic beauty, historical connection with Lhasa, and its richness of Tibetan Buddhist culture and spirituality.
This Ladakh Photo Tour will be lead by Travel duo Harsh and Arti. You can see some of their personal work on his website www.harshtravelphotography.com “ With a small group of 6-8 participants, you can expect attention to all finer details. As soon as you land at Delhi airport, you will be in safe hands. A 90-minute flight will take you to Leh, at an elevation of 10000 feet (3500 meters). It takes one or two days to become acclimatized to a lower level of oxygen at this high altitude. ( Please Read our Blog “Travel Guide to Ladakh“) We will have an opportunity to visit some of Ladakh’s most famous and spectacular Buddhist monasteries at Thiksey and Hemis, and we will also explore Leh with its interesting old quarters and local market.
This Ladakh photography tour is specially designed to maximize photography opportunities and capture the real essence of Ladakh. Explore the magical land of Ladakh as you photograph the beautiful landscapes of Ladakh, from snow-capped mountains and clear blue skies to barren mountains changing their colors with the light and shadows interplayed by radiant sun and puffy clouds, from dusty moonscapes to unspoiled starry skies above mountain vistas. Enjoy the incredible views from some of the highest motorable roads in the world, capture the unique wildlife and witness a culture that has kept its traditions alive for almost a millennium. We will also have ample opportunities to photograph exotic ethnic people dressed in their traditional dresses and typical Ladakhi portraits. Visit the friendly, curious, and photogenic locals at their own houses, photograph the hardy nomadic herders with their cattle, or capture the Buddhist monks while they pray at monasteries. We have some ancient Buddhist monasteries and traditional mountain villages featured in our trip. In short, we will be landscape, portrait, and architecture as well as night photography in this Ladakh Photo Tour.
DELHI – LEH- NUBRA- DISKIT- TURTUK- LEH – TSOKAR- TSOMORIRI LAKE -THIKSEY – LAMAYURU – DAH- LEH – HEMIS FESTIVAL -LEH- DELHI
LADAKH PHOTO TOUR 2024 Dates-
04 June- 17 June 2024
Highlights of your journey
- Travel through some of India’s most picturesque landscapes, with breathtaking views at every turn in this Ladakh Photo Tour.
- Visit the ancient Tibetan monasteries and spend time with monks understanding their culture and traditions.
- Drive to the world’s highest motor able roads at Khardung La.
- Experience the sand dunes of the cold desert in the midst of a beautiful river valley, with mountains towering all around.
- Interact and capture portraits of nomads and tribes and exotic people found nowhere else.
- This Ladakh Photo Tour offers ample opportunities for landscape, architecture, portrait, wildlife as well as night photography.
Itinerary at a glance:
Day 1: Arrival in Delhi, India
Day 2: Flight to Leh | Breath-taking Views and Acclimatization
Day 3: Leh | Ancient Tibetan Monasteries
Day 4: Leh – Nubra Valley | Highest Motorable road drive
Day 5: Nubra Valley | Bactrian Camels and Diskit Monastery
Day 6: Nubra valley – Leh – Thiksey | Ancient Monastery
Day 7: Leh – Tsokar | Streets and Landscapes and Nomadic herders
Day 8: Tsokar – Tsomoriri Lake | Changspa Nomads and Star trails
Day 9: Tsomoriri Lake – Leh| Turquoise Blue Lake and wildlife
Day 10: Leh – Lamayuru | Moon land and Star trails
Day 11: Lamayuru – Dah | Land of Aryans | Local Streets and Portraits
Day 12: Dah – Leh | Aryan Valley | Confluence of Indus and Zanskar
Day 13: Hemis Festival | Cham Mask Dance
Day 14: Leh – Delhi (Flight)| Departure
Tour Itinerary of Ladakh Photo Tour
Day 01
Arrival in Delhi
- Arrive at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Our representative will greet and assist you to the coach.
- Transfer to your Hotel. Check-in and overnight in Delhi. This starts with an orientation meeting of Ladakh Photo Tour followed by Dinner.
Hotel – Hotel ITC Dwarka, Near Delhi Airport.
Day 02
Delhi-Leh
- Early morning transfers to airport to board flight for Leh. This flight will provide one of the most scenic glimpses of Himalayas which you will not forget soon.
- On your arrival at Leh airport, transfer to Hotel in Leh City.
- Day at leisure, to acclimatize yourself. Due to altitude high than 10000 ft and short flight, it’s highly advisable to take rest to acclimatize.
- In the evening, if you feel ready, a stroll along the main bazaar, observing the varied crowd and peering into the curio shops, is an entrancing experience.
Hotel – Kesaar Palace/ Similar
Day 03
Discover Ladakh with Camera
- Ladakh Photo Tour starts from Leh sightseeing.
- This morning, we head out to visit the Spituk monastery – Matho monastery – Shanti Stupa.
- Spituk Monastery was built in the 11th century. Thi monastery was constructed to develop an exemplary religious community in Ladakh.
- Matho Monastery, or Matho Gompa is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located 26 kilometres southeast of Leh in Ladakh.
- Shanti Stupa- Evening we visit Shanti Stupa at Sun Set time. A magnificent white-domed structure, Back to Hotel. Dinner and Overnight in Leh.
Day 04
Leh – Nubra valley via Khardungla (126 Km / 5 Hours)- Hunder
- On Day 4 of Ladakh Photo Tour, having gotten used to 10,000+ feet heights, we will now head towards the highest point that we will ever reach during the tour. Be ready to see the mountainscapes as you have never seen before. As we slowly climb up the Ladakh Ranges towards Khardung La, you will see jagged snowy peaks of Zanskar Ranges challenging the heights we are climbing.
- Besides the thrill of having gone up the world’s highest (18000 ft.) motor able road, you will get to see vistas that you will never forget for the rest of your life.
- Once over the pass, we will stop for some amazing landscape photography. We will also take some rest and a hot piping tea at a cafe that owns the distinction of being the highest cafeteria in the world.
- We will continue driving past Khardung La and descend on the other side at Nubra, known for its wide valley, green landscapes, a gushing river, gentle streams, lush agrarian landscapes and shepherds herding their sheep in the evening hours.
- There is more! In these mountain landscapes with greenery unusual for Ladakh, you will also see a stretch of white-sand dunes that springs a sudden surprise.
- Nubra valley was once an important transit point of ancient Silk Road. For ages, traders from Central Asia, West Asia, and Europe had travelled these high mountain trade routes. Still, double humped Bactrian camels are found in this part of India.
- It is going to be a pleasant evening today in Nubra, amidst the greenery at the river bed and a beautiful sunset. Dinner and Overnight in Nubra valley.
Hotel- Deluxe Swiss Camps/ Similar
Day 05
Nubra valley- Hunder- Diskit
- We will start early for the shoot of the nomadic Tibetan camel herders on the sand dunes of Hunder. Capture the camels trekking against an incredible vista of sand dunes and dramatic mountain backdrops.
- We head back to the valley for a lunch break after the morning shoot with the nomads.
- Afternoon visit to the 500-year-old Diskit Monastery, situated atop a hill above the flood plains and Shyok River. It’s an amazing piece of architecture that has been very well preserved over the years and features a lot of Tibetan Buddhist art. The huge golden statue of the Buddha here is a sight to behold.
- Night in Nubra valley.
Day 06
Nubra Valley - Leh - Thiksey (138 Kms / 4 Hours)
- After breakfast, drive to Thiksey via Leh. Evening at leisure.
- On arrival, check in at the hotel. Day at leisure.
- Apart from visiting the Thiksey monastery, one can also find some rare and precious stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords in the monastery.
- As we will stay very close to the monastery, we can spend more time in a monastery with monks for some candid shots.
- Overnight in Thiksey.
Hotel – Hotel Chamba Thiksey/ Similar
Day 07
Thiksey – Tsokar (130 Kms / 3.5 hours)
- We will start our day with a visit to Thiksey monastery. Due to its proximity to Leh, the Morning Prayer at the monastery attracts huge crowds. The monastery offers a clear view of the Indus Valley and some monasteries like Shey, Stok, and Matho can also be seen from here.
- After breakfast, we will drive to an incredible salt lake called Tso Kar. In the past, the lake used to be a source of salt for the people of Ladakh and Tibet. Despite the high salinity of the water, the lake is a marvellous habitat for a large number of bird species including the rare black-necked crane.
- Tso Kar is an important stop In Ladakh Photo Tour as this is also home to nomadic people Changpas, some of whom have made their base at the remote Thukje Village where we will be staying. The residents of this village take their cattle out to graze on the Morae plains during the summer and then they retreat to Thukje in the winter. Both of these incredible lakes are not only home to nomadic tribes people but also wonderful Himalayan wildlife like Kiangs.
- Overnight in Tsokar.
Hotel – Deluxe Swiss Camps/ Similar
Day 08
Tsokar - Tsomoriri Lake (95 / 3.5 Hours)
- Today we will drive from high altitude pastoral areas of Tso Moriri. Enroute we will stop to visit nomadic herders and sightseeing in small villages.
- Tso Moriri Lake in the Changthang region of Ladakh is one of the most picturesque and deep blue high altitude lakes in India. Many animals can be found around the lake including marmots, blue sheep, kiang (wild ass), rare Tibetan wolves and migratory birds.
- In evening, this place is one of the best places to photograph the landscapes with a great sky forming the backdrop of this picturesque lake. We will also capture Milky Way here. Overnight in Tsomoriri.
Hotel – Deluxe Swiss Camps/ Similar
Day 09
Tsomoriri Lake – Leh (210 Km /5 Hours)
- In morning, we will capture landscapes of the Tsomoriri Lake and mountains for mirror-like reflections.
- Today we will drive to Thiksey via Mahe Bridge and Chumathang hot spring on the way.
- On arrival, check in at the hotel. Day at leisure.
Hotel – Hotel Kesaar Palace/ Similar
Day 10
Leh– Lamayuru (127 km/ 3 hours)
- After breakfast, drive to Lamayuru. Lamayuru is one of the largest and oldest gompas in Ladakh. Lamayuru is famous for its moon-like landscape similar to lunar terrain. The landscape founds favor with photographers and trekkers. With the passage of time, erosion from wind and water had created curious patterns all over the slopes some look like castles, some like sand dunes, and some like massive cheese with holes in them.
- Check-in at Hotel. Day at leisure. After dinner, it’s an ideal place to shoot Milky Way. Overnight in Hotel near Lamayuru monastery.
Hotel – Deluxe Swiss Camps/Cottages/Similar
Day 11
Lamayuru- Dah (74 km/ 2 hrs)
- Morning at leisure. You can visit the monastery or walk around village.
- Visit Lamayuru monastery in the morning.
- After breakfast, drive to Dah village of Aryan valley to portray the Brokpa tribe.Nestled deep in the mountains, the Brokpas is a small community of Dard people. According to popular belief, the Brokpas were part of the army of Alexander the Great and came to the region over two thousand years ago. The Drokpas have a unique sense of dressing, especially women wearing ornate head-coverings made from silver, beads and artificial flowers.
- They consider themselves to be the pure bloodline of the Aryans. Mountains, trees, water and flowers are considered very pure. Thus every Brokpa household grows flowers. Flowers are considered auspicious and the Brokpas of Ladakh wear beautiful floral headgear, have long flowing sheepskin coats, they have distinct features- tall and statuesque, with green eyes, high cheekbone, fair with flawless skin and some with blonde hair.
Hotel – Deluxe Swiss Camps/ Similar
Day 12
Dah – Leh (195 Km/ 4 hrs)
- Morning shoot of the Brokpa tribe in a nearby village.
- Visit a house of the Brokpa community to shoot their daily life.
- Later, drive to Leh.
- En route, visit the confluence point of the Zanskar and Indus Rivers. Zanskar River is shiny blue in colour, on the other hand, Indus looks a little green. Zanskar meets Indus in Nimmu valley from the northeast. This is a scenic view for the visitors and they find it fascinating to mark both rivers even after their confluence.
- Later drive to Leh. On arrival, check-in at the hotel.
- We will also photograph some women in Traditional Ladakhi dress with headgear made of blue turquoise.
Hotel – Hotel Kesaar Palace/ Similar
Day 13
Leh- Hemis Festival - Leh
- After breakfast, drive to Hemis monastery. The birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, Hemis Festival is the most important Buddhist celebration in Ladakh.
- Hemis Monastery is revered as the largest monastic institution and richest monastery in Ladakh. The Hemis Monastery also has an important library of Tibetan books and a very impressive and valuable collection of Thangkas, gold statues and Stupas embedded with precious stones.
- On this day of Hemis Festival, Hemis Monastery is adorned beautifully to host the ceremonies. Cham Dance and other traditional dances are performed by monks wearing colorful robes and elaborately decorated frightful masks in Hemis Monastery on the beats of drums and cymbals and on the tunes of long pipe-like Tibetan music instruments.
- In the evening, back to Leh. Overnight in Hotel.
Day 14
Leh- Delhi
- On-time, transfer to Leh airport for flight to Delhi.
- You can stay in Delhi for further tour extension or a Taj Mahal photo tour.
- On time, you will be transferred to International airport for onwards journey or Hotel.
Hotel- NA
Other Details
Dates: 04 June- 17 June 2024- 14 Days/13 Nights
10 June- 23 June 2025– 14 Days/13 Nights
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Who can join?
- This tour is primarily designed to provide insight into India’s most picturesque landscapes and cultural experiences of Ladakh for first-timers and enthusiastic travellers.
- Explore the great photo opportunities of this tour using your DSLR, mirrorless, point and shoot compact cameras or iPhone. Beginner, amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers that want to explore their photography skills. Our photography tour leader Harsh is eager to share his ideas and creativity as well as the knowledge of the technical aspects of your camera settings.
- This tour is also ideal for travel enthusiasts who are not photographers but keen to experience the multiple facets of Ladakh.
Weather: June – Temp- 70/45 F (21/7 C)
Ladakh climate at this time is quite pleasing and comforting. During the daytime, the sun shines brightly and the temperature remains in the range of almost 21°C. However, at night, there is a sudden drop in temperature to almost 7°C. A blanket is needed to keep oneself warm. It gets really cold in the early morning and late evening, so extra layers are advisable. The probability of rain is almost negligible to very low rain with 7-8 hours of sunshine each day.
Starts/Ends: Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India
It takes 5-10 minutes depending on our traffic to reach our accommodation near Airport. Our tour starts on Day 1 at 18.30 pm. Your flight must land at the airport at/before 4 pm on Day 1. The tour ends on Day 16 at 13.00 hrs. at Airport. You can take onwards flight at/ after 17.00 hrs.
Register: To register, $ 500 will hold your space. Final payment will be due before 60 days of starting the tour. Please contact us for further details.
Tour Starts On
June 04th- June 17th, 2024
Price Details
Group Size – 2-6 pax (Minimum 2 pax traveling)
Cost- 2550 USD Per person
Single Room supplement – 850 USD Per person
Flight Supplement – 245 USD Per Person
- Prices are in USD, Per Person, based on double occupancy.
- The prices mentioned are for a Private Group Tour.
- Also available customized tours
- Flights supplements depend on the time of booking325
Package Inclusions
- 13 Nights accommodation at listed hotels or similar
- Daily Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (Full board basis)
- Private air-conditioned vehicle in Delhi for arrivals and departures.
- Private non-air-conditioned vehicle during the tour in Ladakh
- All activities and visits specified in the itinerary
- English speaking Photographer Tour Guide.
- Unlimited bottles of mineral water.
- Sightseeing & Entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Camera fees and video fees, wherever applicable.
- All permits
- Monastery Entrance Fee (M.E.F)
- Inner line permit (I.L.P)
- All service tax (GST) included.
Package Exclusions
- Internal flights as mentioned- Delhi-Leh-Delhi
- Personal extras, such as drinks, laundry, telephone, etc
- Tips & gratuities to porters, drivers, and guides.
- Clothing of personal nature like trek shoes, kit bags, day packs, sleeping bags, down jackets, and other special clothing’s, etc.
- Medical expenses (apart from first aid) and insurance of any kind.
- All the arrangements for the trip as preplanned and prepaid. In case of not completion of the tour due to any reason whatsoever, there will not be any refund for any unutilized services. Any extra expense due to the same has to be paid extra.
- Any expenses arising out of unforeseen circumstances like flight delay/cancellation/hike in fare, strike, or any other natural calamities or any emergency evacuation expenses.
- Visa fees and airport taxes
- Optional tours
- Travel Insurance
- Any other item not mentioned as included.
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