Home Stay Sham Valley Trek

Morning after breakfast you will be driven by taxi to Likir which is just 58 kms. away. Likir Village (3650 mts.) is the starting point of our trek. Although the distance is short, the route is warm, without any shade or water and we need to traverse two passes. From Likir the route heads west up to Phobe La (3580m) and beyond this liesSumdo village. The trail goes steadily upwards till you get to Chagatse La (3630m). Across the pass is the village of Yangthang (3630m) where we camp for the night, next to a stream. The Ridzong Monastery lies about an hour south of Yangthang.

Morning after breakfast the guide will lead you to the way of Rigzong. You will follow all the way from the narrow gorge. It will take almost 1:30 hours to reach to the Monastery. At the monastery you will visit the important and secret room of it and have tea with the monks. After that you will come back to Yangthang village. The way back is more difficult because of more climbing up. It will take 2:30 hours. Overnight in the Yangthang.

Today is an easy walk despite the pass because both the approach and the descent are of gentle gradients. The trail heads north, descending for a bit, crossing a stream before climbing up west again to Tsermangchen La (3750m). After a short rest at the pass we head down to HemisShukpachen. The village, named after the grove of cedars, is one of Ladakh's prettiest. There are several sparkling streams surrounded by shady willows and large barley fields that provide a touch of green to the otherwise desolate, Rocky Mountains. You will camp at middle of village.

Again this is a fairly easy day. The trail goes upward between two hillocks west of the village upwards until it veers south and climbs steeply up to the Mebtak La (3750m) marked by prayer flags. From the pass we head down the gorge to Ang,and to Temisgang a charming village with apricot orchards, where we camp for the night.

Today at the starting you will climb the Bongbongla , after that you will decent 2 hours and reach at Leh –Srinagar Highway called Balukher, The Taxi will pick up and drop at Lamayuru. Overnight in the Guest house in lamayuru.

You will Visit lamayuru and then alchi and Drop to Leh. In the late evening you will arrive at leh. Overnight in the Hotel. LAMAYURU GOMPA The monastery was originally founded by the famous Indian scholar, Naropa (956-1041 AD). Allegedly, he caused a lake to dry up which had previously filled the valley. However, the oldest surviving building at Lamayuru is a temple called Seng-ge-sgang which is attributed to the famous monk-builder, RinchenZangpo. During the time when General Zorawar Singh, invaded Ladakh from Kashmir, the monks smuggled all the valuable works of art out of the monastery and hid them in the mountains until the invaders went back to Kashmir. They then brought them back to the monastery and are there to this day. Lamayuru belongs to the Red Hat Sect of Buddhism, and in the past housed up to 400 lamas. Today there are about 50 lamas living here. In the 16th century Ladakh's king, JamyangNamgyal, was cured of leprosy by a lama from Tibet. In gratitude, the king gave the gompa to this lama and also bestowed other privileges. No taxes were to be collected, and the area surrounding the monastery was declared a sanctuary where no-one could be arrested. This is why today Ladakh still refers to Lamayuru as Tharpa Ling, "the place of freedom".

ALCHI The temples here are among the most important in the whole of Ladakh. They were built by the great translator, RinchenZangpo (958-1055 AD). The wall paintings are some of the oldest surviving in Ladakh, and it also has some massive statues of Buddha, which show Kashmiri influence in their artistic style. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is quite fantastic to think that these incredible temples have survived a thousand years and escaped destruction by ravaging armies and the occasional Himalayan earthquake.

Rest in leh.

Fly Back to Delhi. Morning early breakfast you will seeoff to the Leh Airport by our representative. And fly to Delhi.