THE HIMALAYAN ADVENTURE A glorious journey taking you to the mystique and mystery of the remote Spiti region, once a part of the kingdom of Nariss Korssum (Western Tibet) on the Indian side of Tibetan plateau, on an odyssey of discovery and delight on the old Hindustan Tibet Road once a part of the legendary ancient Silk Route. The mystical stunning valley of Spiti in the remote cold desert lands of its Trans Himalayan environs of Himachal Pradesh, standing cheek by jowl with the Tibetan Plateau. Isolated from the rest of the country for half the year by the snowbound passes of the mountains encircling it, its rarefied environs offer the intrepid visitor a stunning bouquet of gorgeous landscapes, warm hospitality and cultural highs that leave you with a dazzling array of holiday memories. We will enter into Ladakh by crossing Breathtaking landscape and highest passes in the world. Ladakh-One of central Asia’s most ruggedly beautiful and picturesque towns west of the Tibetan plateau, is the closest experience to the original

version of Tibet in India. At an altitude of 3555 metres above sea level, the place is literally Breathtaking. Graced by the Indus river valley and surrounded by near-barren mountains on a moon-like landscape under clear blue skies. Its intriguing palaces and beautiful monasteries are equally fascinating, and an integral part of the region’s Buddhist culture.

MAP OF DESTINATION

Day 1 – Arrival Delhi Arrive in Delhi, usually in the evening. You're met at the airport and transferred to the Imperial Hotel Unlikely connections of the old and new are seen everywhere in Delhi – bullock-carts and cars; hand-pulled trolleys and trucks; Western fast food café’s and roadside golgappa

‘watery Indian bread’ carts; buses and rickshaws; suits and traditional Indian wear. Delhi is said to have been destroyed and rebuilt seven times during the reign of different royal dynasties, hence the legend of the “seven cities of Delhi.” Modern archeological evidence show settlements in the region dating back to 1000 BC. Apart from Indraprastha, these included Quila Rai Pithora, Siri, Jahanpanah, Tughlakabad, Ferozabad and Shahjahanabad. Much like its hybrid culture, Delhi’s architecture is a fascinating mix of Indo-Saracenic monuments and a new urban metropolis. Its historic heart, Old Delhi, is a dense network of narrow alleys and tightly packed markets and houses while New Delhi conceptualized by the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and designed by Hebert Baker is symmetrical, lined with rows of trees, wide roads and grand colonial buildings. Then there is the “globalized” Delhi of glass-cased corporate offices, shopping malls, brands and dizzying traffic. Also known as ‘Dilli’ by the locals, the smells, sights and sounds of this city sweep your senses, disorienting and fascinating you at the same time. Gateway to the rest of India, Delhi is a truly cosmopolitan city and set to leave a lasting impression on every visitor. Welcome cocktails in Blue rooms and introduction to your team in India. Overnight at The Imperial Hotel Meals: Cocktail in the evening Day 2: Delhi / Chandigarh / Shimla After breakfast transfer to airport for flight to Ahmedabad Jet airways, 9W 651 Delhi / Chandigarh 0920/1045 hrs On arrival we drive about 4.5 to 5 hrs to Shimla with our packed lunch We arrive & check in at The Wildflower Hall, an Oberoi Hotels run property 13 Kms from Shimla rated as the 5th best resort in Asia. Try and arrive early to enjoy the property – check in starts from 1400 hrs.

Overnight at Oberoi Wild flower hall Meals: All 3 meals

Day 3: Shimla / Sangla - Approximate driving day of 9 hours. With an early start, we drive to Sangla in the Kinnaur Valley through parts of the old Hindustan-Tibet road. The night halt will be at Banjara Camp & Retreat. Located at a height of 2,700 mts, the Banjara Camp & Retreat is surrounded by towering mountains on all sides and is set on the banks of the Baspa River that surges through the valley. Overnight at Banjara Camp Meals: All 3 meals Day 4: Sangla Relaxed day with an option for participants to drive 20 kms to beautiful Chitkul, the last inhabited village near the India-China border, or relax at the Banjara campsite. Overnight at Banjara Camp Meals: All 3 meals Day 5: Sangla / Kaza - Approximate driving day of 10 hours. From Sangla, we drive to Kaza in the Spiti Valley. The overnight stay will be at Hotel Grand Dewachen, made with local mud walls and ceilings retaining the Spitian tradition. The hotel

is situated in the desert yet beautiful location of the largest village of Spiti, Rangrik which is a tourist paradise and overlooks the barren desert mountains of Kaza. Overnight at Hotel Grand Dewachen Meals: All 3 meals Day 6: Kaza This is a rest day in Kaza that is known for its colorful festivals and the ancient Sakya Tangyud Monastery. Some other tourist attractions in and around Kaza are the Key Gompa and Kibber village. Overnight at Hotel Grand Dewachen Meals: All 3 meals Day 7: Kaza / Jispa - Approximate driving day of 8 hours From Kaza, we drive across the Kunzum pass to Jispa, a small village on the banks of Bhaga River (a tributary of Chenab) in Lahaul region. Though the next planned overnight halt is just 72 Km away, a halt at Jispa has been planned for proper acclimatization to high altitude. On our way to Jispa, we will be refuelling at Tandi which is the last fuel station before Leh. The overnight stay will be at Hotel Ibex, located on the banks of the Bhaga. Overnight at Hotel Ibex Meals: All 3 meals

Day 8: Jispa / Leh - Approximate driving day of 8 hours After a relaxed day at Sarchu, an early start will take us to Leh. The road beyond Jispa follows the picturesque Bhaga river across Baralacha La pass. a series of 21 hairpin bends carved into the mountainside and then pass Lachung La and Nakee La passes, Pang & More plains and the Tanglang La pass as well. Enroute visit Hemis Monestry Overnight in luxury tents at TUTC camp in Thiksey Meals: All 3 meals Day 9: Leh This is a rest day in Leh that can be used to soak in the rich local culture & heritage and to visit some of the monasteries of importance to the region. Overnight at TUTC camp in Thiksey Meals: All 3 meals

Day 10: Leh / Pangong Tso lake- Approximate driving day of 5 hours From Leh we drive to across Chang La Pass to Pangong Tso Lake, a saline water lake on the Line of Actual Control (60% of the lake is under Chinese control) between India & China. Overnight stay will be at the Ser Bhum Tso resort at Spangmik. Meals: All 3 meals Day 11: Pangong Tso Lake / Nubra - Approximate driving day of 7 hours We will drive from Pangong Tso Lake to Nubra Valley. This valley, just south of Siachen glacier, separates the Ladakh & Karakoram ranges of Himalayas and is a high altitude desert with scant vegetation. Historically, this was an important trade centre with Central Asia & East Turkestannts of a Greek tribe. Nubra is home to several 17th century Gompas including 132 year old Samstanling Gompa & Chamba Gompa. Diskit monastery located on a hill is the largest and oldest monastery in Nubra. There are several kilometers of sand dunes and one can enjoy a camel ride on the near extinct two humped Bactrian camels. Overnight stay will be at the TUTC luxury camp in Diskit. Meals: All 3 meals Day 12: Nubra / Leh - Approximate driving day of 6 hours Our final drive of the expedition, on which we return from Nubra to Leh across the Khardung La Pass, which was once the highest motorable road in the world. Overnight stay in Leh at The Grand Dragon Ladakh Meals: All 3 meals Day 13: Leh / Delhi Early breakfast and transfer to Airport for flight to Leh Vistara Air, UK766 Leh / Delhi 0900/1030 hrs On arrival transfer to hotel Trident Gurgaon for wash and change room Evening transfer to airport for flight to onward destination Meals: Breakfast Only

End of services

Hotels & camps envisaged

Wild flower hall Shimla

Banjara Camp Sangla

Grand Dewachen Rangrik, Kaza

Hotel Ibex Jispa

TUTC camp Thiksey Leh

Ser Bhum Tso, Pangong

TUTC Camp Diskit (Nubra)

Grand Dragon , Leh

CANCELLATION POLICY 25% of the Tour cost will be charged if the tour cancelled anytime after confirmation till 60 days prior to start date. 50% of the tour cost will be charged as cancellation if tour is cancelled in between 60 to 30 prior to start date. 100% of the tour cost will be charged as cancellation if trip is cancelled in less than 30 days prior to start date. SPECIAL NOTES

Check-In time of hotel is 1400 hrs & Check-out time is 1200 NOON

The itinerary calculations are based on present Government Tax and current fuel prices. In

future if the Government decides to increase the Government Taxes or there is a high-rise

on fuel prices there will be addition surcharges to the prices quoted

Flight schedule is subject to change without notice Dollar Fluctuation: There has been a significant rise & fall of Indian Rupee against the US

Dollar for the last one year. In case the Indian Rupee falls below 62 against 01 US$ we have

to re quote

Food:

You can expect a delicious and sumptuous fare, both very Indian and also Europeanised when in

specific lodges. There will be delicious brunches on days when early mornings will be spent on

game drive. Drinks will not be included in the costs but bottled water will always be provided.

Please ensure you do not drink any other water, not even for brushing your teeth! Vegetarians will

be easily catered for. Indian cuisine varies greatly from region to region. In the north of India, it

tends to be somewhat similar to Arabic cuisine.

A great deal of time is needed to prepare an Indian meal. All dishes are made with fresh foodstuffs

only. The various spices are ground into a paste everyday. It is interesting to know that curry powder frequently used in the West is never used in India. This rather flavourless mixture is a

legacy of colonial times. Curry leaves on the other hand are often used and impart a wonderful

aromatic flavour.

Dietary Requirements:

We do our best to accommodate dietary requirements due to allergies or personal preferences.

However if you are on a specific strict diet (e.g. gluten free or vegan), we advise you to bring some

snacks along with you or ask to go shopping on day 1 while we are still in the city.

In case you have severe allergies and at risk of anaphylaxis please make sure you carry along an

Epipen (or two).

Please let us know of any dietary requirement we should be aware of.

Medical Conditions:

In case you have any medical conditions that could affect you while on the trip (current injuries,

diabetes, allergies, other chronic conditions, any recent surgeries, etc) please make sure you consult

your physician regarding your participation in this trip. By signing up we assume you do not have

any medical conditions that would prevent you from participating in our adventure.

If you have any questions regarding the trip activities or if there is something you’d like to inform

us about please do let us know.

Travel Insurance:

Travel Insurance. It is a condition on booking that drivers and co drivers are adequately insured for

this trip. The clients policy must include travel to India, participation in a driving and emergency

evacuation back to home country. It is recommended that their insurance is in place when they

send you your Booking Form, as we may need to enforce their cancellation conditions.

Medical Evacuation to an Indian Hospital:

A first aid kit will be carried in the support vehicle for general scrapes and minor injuries. Hospitals

of western standard, are between 1- 6 hours away from the driving route. We include medical

evacuation insurance cover by road and air to a hospital should it be necessary.

Health & Vaccinations:

Health: This programme is set up to be a physical challenge. Those participating should have a

certain level of fitness and be in reasonable health.

Vaccinations: An antimalarial prophylactic for India is recommended. Please check with your

doctor on other vaccination precautions against rabies, typhoid, tetanus, polo and meningitis as it is

your responsibility to have the appropriate vaccinations and documentation.