Delhi - Suketi Fossil Park - Manali - Jispa - Tso Khar - Tso Morari - Leh - Nubra Valley - Pangong Lake - Delhi - Agra - Delhi
Land of High Passes
Geology field trip to Ladakh in the Indian Himalaya under the leadership of Dr John Nudds. Dr Nudds will introduce participants to the geological evolution of the Himalayan mountains as we drive along the Manali to Leh highway passing through the different geological provinces from the Siwalik foothills in the southwest, through the Lesser Himalayan Series, the Greater Himalayan Series, the Tethyan Himalaya, into the actual suture zone where India and Asia collided, and eventually into the trans-Himalayan Ladakh batholith and the Karakorum mountains. We will drive across the entire mountain range through some spectacular scenery and will spend three nights in Leh before continuing north to Pangong Lake at 4,000 m elevation and almost into Tibet. As we are travelling over some high altitude passes, we will have a qualified medic with us at all times who has Advanced Wilderness Medical Training. We will fly back to Delhi and end the tour with a visit to the Taj Mahal.
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Tour Plan
Fly from London to Delhi on direct British Airways flight BA 257 Departs from London at 18:50. (Regional flights are avialable - please request).
Arrive Delhi at 08:05. Met and transferred to your hotel. Afternoon possibly things to do and places to visit include a rickshaw ride through the vibrant Chandni Chowk bazaar, Qutab Minar (a religious complex built 1192-1368), the Raj Ghat (memorial to Mahatma Ghandi), the Red Fort, Akshardham (a Hindu temple), Emperor Humayun’s Tomb, the Golden Temple, and India Gate. Overnight stay at The Suryaa New Delhi L, D
Leave Delhi early to escape the heat and travel to the Suketi Fossil Park (aka Shivalik or Siwalik Fossil Park), a National Geo-heritgae Monument in the Sirmaur district in the Indian State of Himachal Pradesh (approx. 4 hours 30 mins). The park boasts a collection of vertebrate skeletons (early elephants etc.) recovered from the Siwalik Hills, which are formed of the molasse sediments deposited on the southeast side of the Himalayas and representing the rapid erosion of the mountain chain immediately following uplift. We will hope to arrive in time for lunch, visit the park in the afternoon and then retire to our hotel nearby for dinner. Overnight stay at Black Mango Resort B, L, D
Today will be a long drive of 8 to 9 hours, so again we will need an early start. Our drivers are experienced, and we will have multiple comfort breaks and lunch along the way. The roads are tarmacked and are good quality the vast majority of the way, only becoming narrow and dusty when we are at the outskirts of Manali. We will have dinner at our hotel in Manali. Overnight stay at Baragarh Resort & Spa, Manali- IHCL SeleQtions 5* B, L, D
We will spend a relaxing morning in Manali to begin our acclimatisation. Manali is around 2,050 m so you may not have the same level of stamina that you are used to. Visit to the local Hidimba Devi Temple and a browse of the local tourist shops where we will have lunch and get our first opportunity of haggling for souvenirs in the bazaar . Meet our drivers after lunch and begin our drive to Jispa. Our journey will take us over the spectacular Rohtang Pass (elevation 3,980 m) to drop down into Koksar, via Keylong (note Khardang Gompa high on the right-hand side of the valley) and onwards to Jispa. Rohtang La is the boundary between the Hindu culture to the south and the Buddhist culture in the north. Look out for spectacular lammergeiers and griffon vultures soaring in the valleys. We will have a short stop on the top of the Rohtang Pass and will arrive in Jispa late afternoon. Jispa sits at ~3,200 m and will be our home for two nights. This extended stay is to acclimatise to altitude. Two nights stay at Gemoor Khar Banjara B, L, D
To assist in our acclimatisation today we don walking boots and explore the stunning landscape of Jispa. We will go on a gentle trek from Darcha Dangma, around 6 km, which is the best way to acclimatise to the altitude. B, L, D
Today we will see some stunning scenery on our journey (driving time c. 5 hrs 30 mins). We travel via Zingzingbar (4,270 m), maybe stopping for tea at one of the Tibetan-run dharbas, over the Baralacha La (‘La’ means ‘Pass’) (4,890 m), and after passing through Sarchu we enter Ladakh. Then follows the dramatic Gata Loops – 21 hairpin bends, stopping half way up to look for Jurassic marine fossils ! Onwards, via Nakeela Pass (4,738 m) and Lachung La (5,065 m) to Pang, where we will see some incredible desert landforms and hunt for Megalodon bivalves. We then leave the Manali-Leh highway at the Pang-Debering intersection driving towards Tso-Kar salt lake for our overnight stop. Overnight stay at Tsokar Eco Resort B, L, D
Today we drive over Pologongka La and will explore Puga Hot Springs and then hunt for eclogite near Sumdo. Eclogite is a rather rare rock that formed at huge depths in the Earth’s crust and is rarely seen on the surface. Our destination is the much larger salt lake of Tso Morari and we will spend the night on the western shores at Korzok which is the only village near Tso Morari. Here we can meet with nomadic people, and just 40 minutes from the village you will reach the summer grazing area where they stay with their yaks, pashmina goats, sheep and horses. There is a small monastery in the village. Overnight stay at Tso Morari at Tso Miriri in or Tso Miriri Lake View Hotel. B, L, D
After hunting for minerals along the shores of the lake and looking at varieties of gneiss at the north end of the lake, we have a long drive to Leh via Taglang La (elevation 5,328 m [17,582’]) – about the height of Everest basecamp, and one of the highest motorable road in the world! We travel through Upshi (better roads now) and here we join the Indus Valley for the first time (drive time approx 6 hrs 30 mins). Three nights' stay at Hotel The Zen Ladakh B, L, D
2 free days in Leh spent visiting Sankar Gompa (a Buddhist monastery), the Shanti Stupa (a Buddhist white-domed stupa built in 1991), and Leh Palace (the former royal palace constructed in 1600, a smaller version of Potola Palace in Lhasa, Tibet), along with shopping for souvenirs and relaxing. Stay at The Zen Ladakh B, L, D
2 free days in Leh spent visiting Sankar Gompa (a Buddhist monastery), the Shanti Stupa (a Buddhist white-domed stupa built in 1991), and Leh Palace (the former royal palace constructed in 1600, a smaller version of Potola Palace in Lhasa, Tibet), along with shopping for souvenirs and relaxing. Stay at The Zen Ladakh B, L, D
Today we drive from Leh up the Khardungla Pass (elevation 5,602 m [18,380’] and claimed to be the highest motorable road in the world), which connects the Indus Valley with the Nubra Valley. It is part of the old Silk Road trade route. Nubra Valley is dominated by the 32 m high Maitreya Buddha, part of the Diskit Monastery which we will hope to visit. Sand dunes and Bactrian camels are a surprising element of the scenery. Overnight stay at Misty Hills Cabins, Nubra B, L, D
Today we drive east to see the dramatic Pangong Lake at an elevation of 4,225 m; it is 134 km (83 miles) long and divided into 5 sub-lakes. Approximately 50% of the length of the lake lies within Tibet in China, 40% in Ladakh in India, and the remaining 10% is disputed and acts as a buffer zone between India and China. Overnight at Pangong. (Long drive approx 5-6 hrs total). Overnight stay at Misty Hills Cabins, Pangong B, L, D
Today we drive back to Leh through the gneiss mountains and glacial topography of the Chang La Pass at 5360 m, looking for marmots, yaks and wild asses as we drive! (Drive time approx 5 hrs). Overnight stay at Hotel The Zen Ladakh . B, L, D
We will fly mid-morning from Leh over the Himalaya (might see K2 !) back down to Delhi; the flight will take about an hour. Arrival in Delhi and transfer to Agra by coach (about 4 hours driving timing). Afternoon visit the magnificent Agra Fort and Tomb of Itmad-udula. Overnight stay at Grand Mercure Agra 4* B, L, D
Sunrise visit to Taj Mahal. After rest and breakfast at the hotel leave for sightseeing of the deserted Mughal City of Fatehpur Sikri and then drive back to Delhi. Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka 5* B, L, D
Morning transfer to airport to board your direct British Airways flight BA 256 depart from Delhi at 10:10 and arrives London Heathrow at 15:15. Alternative / regional flights avialable - please ask for a quote. B
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