India
Other suggested itineraries
Northern India - Jammu & Kashmir
The following are some of Remote Lands' recommended experiences that can be incorporated into clients' bespoke itineraries.
Destinations include: Leh, Srinagar and Gulmarg.
Leh
Leh is the main town in Ladakh, and for hundreds of years beginning in the 1600s was a hub for caravan trades from Punjab west into Central Asia and from Kashmir east to Tibet.
Take a day to explore Leh at a leisurely pace, including the maze of alleys in the Old Town, the stalls of the city’s Main Bazaar, a reminder of Leh’s trading past, and the nine-storey Leh Palace, which almost appears to be an outgrowth of its surrounding hills. The palace dates to the 1630s and shares architectural similarities with Lhasa’s Potala Palace, which it predates by nearly half a century.
Drive through the Indus River Valley from Leh 10 miles east to Thikse Monastery, a 15th-century jewel perched on the crest of a hill and one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture. Belonging to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism – that of the Dalai Lama – Thikse has been consecrated by His Holiness and is an active monastery home to about 80 monks.
If traveling in October, your visit may coincide with the Thikse Festival, whose precise dates vary and are dependent on the Tibetan lunar calendar. The festival features sacred mask dances and lively market where villagers trade and barter crafts, and artists create sand mandalas.
On the way to Thikse stop at Shey (about 9 miles from Leh), the ancient capital of Ladakh. Once the royal residence, it is now home to an abandoned palace. Shey is home to a 57-foot tall statute of the Maitreya Buddha (the Buddha yet to come), the largest in Ladakh. Your guide will also take you below the palace to explore the “five Buddhas of meditation,” giant rock carvings from the 11th century.
Drive from Thikse south across the Indus River to Hemis Monastery, the largest and grandest of the monasteries in central Ladakh, known for its spectacular annual summer festival.
Drive to Zinchen, a tiny village consisting of just five houses. From Zinchen, trek five to six hours to reach Rumbak, situated at an altitude of nearly 13,000 feet, keeping an eye out for golden eagles’ nests along the way.
Embark on a one-day trek from Rumbak to Gandala Pass, nearly 16,000 feet above sea level and affording fantastic views of the Himalayan peaks and the Markha Valley.
Another daylong trek takes you from Rumbak along a winding path up to Stokla, a resting point at an altitude of about 16,000 feet, 4,000 feet below the peak of Stok Kangri, the highest Himalayan peak in Ladakh.
Drive from Leh to Alchi, a fantastic monastery complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the early 12th century, located approximately 40 miles west of Leh. Only discovered by the outside world in 1974, when Ladakh was opened to tourism, the complex is filled with remarkably well preserved paintings, carvings, Kashmiri temple architecture, and stupas containing holy relics.
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Srinagar
Situated in the heart of the Kashmir Valley – called “Paradise on Earth” by India’s 16th and 17th-century Mughal Emperors – Srinagar is the capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and is renowned for its lakes and waterways and picturesque wooden architecture.
Stay on a deluxe houseboat on Dal Lake, which is connected by a system of backwaters to Nagin Lake. You will be ferried on a shikara, or Kashmiri skiff, to and from your houseboat, which features intricate woodcarving, embroidery, and carpets from Kashmir.
Have a privately guided tour of the 14th-century Mosque of Shah Hamadan in the old city, which symbolizes the city’s Muslim heritage, compared to Ladakh’s Buddhist tradition. The mosque is built entirely of wood and yet no nails or screws were used in its construction.
Visit the Hazratbal Mosque, constructed of shimmering marble and home to Kashmir’s most revered relic, an enshrined hair of the beard of the Prophet Muhammad.
Go on a one-day excursion to Pahalgam, the gorgeous Village of the Shepherds. En route, you will explore fields of saffron and the 1100-year-old ruins of a temple to Lord Vishnu built by King Awantivarman.
Visit the few surviving gardens of the Mughal Emperors in the Kashmir Valley, situated on the eastern bank of Dal Lake. The elegant 17th-century gardens, including the “Garden of Pleasure” and “Garden of Love,” are distinguished by terraced hills, fountains, and water channels diverted from natural springs.
Contrast your time on a houseboat with a stay at the LaLit Grand Palace Srinagar, a luxury property ringed by the Himalayas and overlooking Dal Lake.
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Gulmarg
Gulmarg, meaning “meadow of flowers,” is a small hill station founded by the British during the time of the Raj, located 36 miles west of Srinagar, about one hour by car. Since the 2003 cease-fire between India and Pakistan in the region, Gulmarg has become one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most popular destinations for visitors. It has no permanent residents, only tourism-industry employees and the visitors they serve. Gulmarg is one of India’s few skiing destinations in the winter months and also offers excellent hiking and trekking experiences during milder parts of the year.
Embark on a trek passing through the highland meadow of Khilanmarg Valley (2.5 miles away), which offers a panoramic view of the Himalayas.
Proceed toward the peak of Apharwat mountain, still enjoying dramatic views of the surrounding countryside, and then make a moderate uphill climb to Alpather Lake, an alpine lake that remains frozen well into each June.
Another worthwhile trek is a seven-mile circuit through pine forests around Gulmarg, a route that offers stirring views of Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain on Earth at a height of 26,660 feet.
Stay at the Highland Park Hotel in Gulmarg, a heritage property built in 1966 and spread over eight acres of pine-covered hills. Currently managed by the third-generation of the Nedou family, the Highland Park has hosted officials of state and celebrities alike over its near half century in operation.
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