Highlights
- Two easy days in Leh to acclimatise
- Thiksey, Shey and Leh Palace
- Khardung La and a night at Hunder in Nubra
- A night by Pangong Tso
- Hall of Fame, Magnetic Hill and the Indus–Zanskar confluence
- Permit fees paid online for you
This is the plan we’d suggest for most people flying in. The first two days are deliberately light, because the Leh administration requires 48 hours of acclimatisation and because rushing it is how trips get cut short. Nubra and Pangong each get a night, so no day is a 10-hour return drive, and the last full day in Leh is low-key before an early flight home.
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Fly into Leh and rest
Pickup at Leh airport. Go to the hotel and rest properly: sleep, drink water, no alcohol. If you feel fine by late afternoon, a short, slow walk in Leh market. We pay your protected-area fees online and hand you the printouts.
Day 2: Leh at an easy pace
Late morning start. Shey Palace and Thiksey monastery, then Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa around sunset. All are close to Leh, so you’re back at the hotel early.
Day 3: Leh to Nubra over Khardung La
Now that the 48 hours are done, cross Khardung La. Stop at the top for photos only, about 15 minutes, then descend into Nubra. Diskit monastery, and the sand dunes and Bactrian camels at Hunder in the evening. Night in Hunder or Diskit.
Day 4: Nubra to Pangong via the Shyok road
A long drive along the Shyok river to Pangong Tso, if the road is open; otherwise we go back via Leh and Chang La, which takes longer. Evening by the lake. Night in a camp or cottage near Spangmik or Lukung.
Day 5: Pangong to Leh over Chang La
Sunrise at the lake, then drive back over Chang La to Leh. Stop at Hemis monastery on the way if there’s time and energy. Night in Leh.
Day 6: Sham valley and the Srinagar road
The Hall of Fame war museum, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill and the Indus–Zanskar confluence near Nimmu. Back to Leh for a last evening in the market.
Day 7: Fly home
Drop at Leh airport for a morning flight. Keep the flight and any connection in Delhi or Mumbai on the same booking if you can, in case of weather delays.
If someone feels unwell
Altitude headaches on the first evening are common and usually ease with rest and water. If symptoms get worse instead of better, the answer is to rest more or go lower, not to push on. On this plan, Nubra is lower than Leh and makes a good place to recover, while Pangong is higher. We can swap the order or turn the Pangong night into a day trip if anyone in your group is struggling. Carry a pulse oximeter and check readings in the morning.
What's included and what isn't
Included
- 6 nights' stay: 4 in Leh, 1 in Nubra, 1 at Pangong (camp or cottage), with breakfast and dinner
- Ladakh-registered car with a local driver for all sightseeing
- Pickup and drop at Leh airport
- Online payment of protected-area fees (environment, Red Cross and wildlife fees)
- Oxygen cylinder in the car
Not included
- Flights to and from Leh (quoted on request)
- Monastery and museum entry fees
- Camel rides at Hunder
- Lunches
- Extra nights from road closures, weather or illness
- Tips and personal expenses
Visa, costs, best time and travel tips: Leh Ladakh Tour Packages.
