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Escape the monsoon of the Indian Plains. Gaze at the Dalai Lama’s residence, overnight on a houseboat, amble through amazingly beautiful gardens and mosques, and explore palaces and gompas perched in places you wouldn’t believe if you hadn’t seen with your own eyes! If you have never been to Tibet and want to go, this is as close as it gets without being there!

Day 1: Meet in New Delhi and leave for Chandigarh by 08:00 hours
Delhi is the capital of India and arguably India’s second largest city. Delhi is a spacious open city and contains embassies and government buildings. Old Delhi has mosques, monuments and forts. Delhi is also a major travel gateway. Beware though; a number of tourist attractions are closed on Mondays in this city.

Upon leaving Delhi, we head north through Gharaunda where there are gateways of an old Mughal Serai, then through Karnal, and Kurukshetra where as many as one million pilgrims visit during eclipses. Chandigargh was designed by Le Corbustier in the 1950s, and is one of the cleanest and healthiest cities in the country. Overnight Chandigargh. Drive time four to six hours (230km).

Day 2: Chandigarh to Dharamsala
Drive day. For the time being, the plains of India have been left behind and we start to climb the foothills of the Himalayas. Overnight Dharamsala. Drive time seven to nine hours (320km).

Day 3: Dharamsala  
Dharamsala is often referred to as the Headquarters of the Tibetan Government in Exile and the home of His Holiness the 14th  Dalai Lama. This isn’t quite true… it’s located quite close to here at Gangchen Kyishong, between McLeod Ganj and Dharamsala. There will be time to visit McLeod Ganj, Gangchen Kyishong as well as Dharamsala. There are bookshops, restaurants and Internet cafes smattered throughout the area, along with Tibetan monks and organisations… and lots of other Tibetan related stuff! There is also Kotwali Bazaar, which is an interesting and colourful market, as well as the Kangra Art Museum. There is so much to do here; one could just hang out for a week keeping themselves occupied… unfortunately we don’t have this luxury. Over night Dharamsala, though if anyone prefers, it’s possible to take a taxi or bus to McLeod Gange and find alternative accommodation there.

Day 4: Dharamsala to Amritsar
Travel through Pathankot, which is an important railhead, then follow the railway line (which is close to the border of Pakistan) to Amritsar. We hit the Indian Plains again for a few days today. Over night Amritsar. Drive time five to seven hours (205km).

Day 5: Amritsar
Amritsar is a city of over one million people. It’s the centre of the Sikh religion and the Sikhs’ Golden Temple is an exceptionally beautiful and peaceful place. Every day, hundreds of people, if not more, line up for a free meal, there is also free accommodation here and one doesn’t have to be a Sikh or even an Indian to enjoy this privilege. Many other temples and mosques are in the old city. Jallianwala Bagh is a tree and flower filled park, which commemorates an appalling massacre committed by the British in 1919. Over night Amritsar.

Day 6: Amritsar to Jammu
We will be retracing our footsteps to Pathankot and then head northwest from there, still following the railway line and also running quite close to the border of Pakistan until we reach Jammu. Overnight Jammu. Drive time five to seven hours (225m).

Day 7: Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and is situated on the North Indian Plains, a short distance from the rolling Siwalik Hills. The town is predominately Hindu, while Islam and Sikhism enjoy a strong cultural heritage in the region. There are many beautiful mosques and temples to explore as well as immaculate gardens. Over night Jammu.

Day 8: Jammu to Srinigar
Today we leave the Plains of India again… from here its all hills, mountains and passes. Along the route are the hill resorts of Katra, Kud, Patnitop, and Batote. Before the completion of the Jawarhar Tunnel, Srinigar was often cut off from the rest of India. To the west are the snow-capped ridges of the Pin Panjal Range. Over night Srinigar. Drive time seven to nine hours (300km).

Day 9: Srinigar
Srinigar is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir and stands on Dal Lake and Nagin Lake, much of it is a maze of waterways and houseboats flourish these waters. The famous Mughal gardens are in this area. The Old City is a labyrinth of alleyways, mosques and houses. There is an option for an overnight houseboat stay. Over night Srinigar.

Day 10: Srinigar to Kargil
On the southern side of the road there is the lush, green scenery of Kashmir while on the northern side everything is barren and dry. Over night Kargil. Drive time six to eight hours (215km).

Day 11: Kargil to Leh
There are several gompas worth investigating along this route… as well as spectacular Himalayan vistas and passes adorned with Buddhist prayer flags. Over night Leh. Drive time six to eight hours (240km).

Day 12: Leh
Altitude approximately 3500m, Leh is nestled in a side valley just to the north of the Indus Valley. Art and craft shops are to be found in the main bazaar, and Leh is dominated by the dilapidated nine-storey Leh Palace (miniature Potala) and the Victory Fort. The old town is a maze of alleyways and the houses are stacked with dry wood and dung to use as fuel in the long winter months. A mosque and important Buddhist carvings and several gompas are all of interest. The last day of the trip we will explore the surrounding countryside in the BOA truck. We’ll drive to La Khadung Pass, which is allegedly the highest driveable pass in the world. It’s reported to be at an altitude of over 5600m, though many dispute this fact.

Included:     

• hassle free overland transportation in a cool Mercedes Benz vehicle
• a western leader/driver
• a really unique itinerary and all logistical support
• drinking water and battery charging facilities
• choice of accommodation: hotel or use our tents
•truck kitchen/cooking facilities available and heaps of personal storage space
• a well stocked library and games locker
• first aid kit with oxygen
• any applicable permits
• option for overnight houseboat stay in Srinagar   

Not included:

• hotel/guesthouse stays
• entrance fees/guides
• meals or drinks (Apart from drinking water)
• personal expenses
• personal insurance (this is a must guys!!)
• visas
• airport transfers