First, 3 nights in Leh
Stok Palace Heritage
A handful of antique-furnished rooms in the Ladakhi royal family's 1820 palace at Stok, above the Indus valley. The premium heritage Leh stay.
Leh · Hotel · Premium★★★★
Premium Accommodation7 NightsPremiumAdventure
Ladakh River Rafting Adventure — Premium
About This Journey
Ladakh River Rafting Adventure — Premium
This seven-night route follows the classic Leh–Nubra–Pangong circuit and adds Ladakh's best-known adventure sport: white-water rafting on the Indus. After acclimatising in Leh and visiting the Indus Valley monasteries, you cross Khardung La into Nubra's dunes, then follow the Shyok River to Pangong before returning to Leh.
Rafting on the Indus can be arranged around Leh, on the same stretch of river the road itself follows for much of the trip, giving you a different vantage point on the same valley you've been driving through.
- 01
White-water rafting on the Indus, on request
A rafting run on the Indus near Leh can be arranged on request, typically on a grade II–III stretch suited to first-time rafters — confirm timing with your trip designer, since it depends on river levels.
- 02
Khardung La and the Shyok River road
The drive from Nubra to Pangong follows the Shyok River itself, a scenic counterpart to the rafting on the Indus earlier in the trip.
- 03
A full day at Pangong to recover and unwind
After the adventure legs of the trip, a full day on Pangong's shore gives you a quieter close before the return to Leh.
Chapter Two — Where You'll Stay
3 Real Stays, In Order
Handpicked along your own route — not a hotel chain repeated city to city.
Next, 2 nights in Nubra Valley
Lchang Nang Retreat — The House of Trees
An SLH member on the Nubra riverbank near Sumur — 17 solar-powered mud-and-poplar cottages in a poplar garden. The luxury Nubra stay.
Nubra Valley · Resort · Luxury★★★★★
Finally, 2 nights in Pangong Lake
Pangong Sarai
The most comfortable stay on Pangong Lake — yurt-style tents with hot showers and electric blankets on the Spangmik shore, at 4,300 metres.
Pangong Lake · Resort · Luxury★★★★
Chapter Three — Day by Day
Real Ladakh Attractions in This Itinerary
6 of your 8days — the full itinerary follows below. Scroll to travel the route.
Day 2 · Leh
Leh — Old Town, Palace and Shanti Stupa
A gentle first full day, still close to the hotel. The morning is Leh's old town: the bazaar, the mosque, and the nine-storey palace above it. The climb through the palace floors is slow but short. In the afternoon, drive up to Shanti Stupa for the view over the valley. Sankar Monastery, a working gompa a short way from the centre, fills any spare time. An early night before tomorrow's monastery run.
Day 3 · Leh
The Indus Valley Monasteries — Thiksey and Hemis
A full day among the great monasteries south-east of Leh. Start early at Thiksey, a twelve-storey monastery on a hill, for the dawn prayers if you are up to it. Then Hemis, the largest and richest in Ladakh, hidden in a side gorge. Shey, the old royal palace with its giant seated Buddha, and Stok are on the way back. It is a lot of driving, but the roads are good and the valley is beautiful. Back in Leh by evening.
Day 4 · Leh → Nubra Valley
Over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley
The drive to Nubra crosses Khardung La, at about 5,360 metres one of the highest motorable passes in the world. You stop briefly at the top for photos and tea, but not long, because of the altitude. The road then drops a long way into the Nubra valley, green and wide after the bare passes. You reach your Nubra hotel by mid-afternoon. The rest of the day is at rest by the river. The full drive takes five to six hours with stops.
Day 5 · Nubra Valley
Nubra — Diskit Monastery and the Hunder Dunes
A full day in the Nubra valley. The morning is Diskit Monastery and its 32-metre Maitreya statue, which looks down the valley towards Pakistan. In the afternoon, the white sand dunes at Hunder, with their two-humped Bactrian camels. A short camel ride runs in the last hour of light, when the dunes turn gold. Turtuk, a Balti village near the border that only opened to visitors in 2010, is an option for those with the time. A second night in Nubra.
Day 6 · Nubra Valley → Pangong Lake
Nubra to Pangong — The Shyok River Road
A long, rough and spectacular drive that avoids going back over Khardung La. The road follows the Shyok river east, through a wide, empty valley of braided river channels and bare rock. Parts of it are unpaved and slow. There are no towns and few people for hours. You reach Pangong from the north in the late afternoon, with the lake opening up ahead. Plan on seven to eight hours on the road. It is worth it.
Day 7 · Pangong Lake
A Day on the Shore of Pangong
A slow day by the lake, which is the point of coming this far. The water changes colour through the day, so it rewards sitting still and watching. A short drive along the shore towards the villages of Man and Merak gets you away from the day-trip crowds at Spangmik. The altitude here is 4,350 metres, so walking is slow and naps are normal. After dark, the sky fills with stars. A second night on the shore.
Chapter Four — The Full Itinerary
8 Days, In Full
Every day, start to finish — including the transfers the day-by-day chapter above skipped.
Leh
Arrive in Leh — Rest and Acclimatise
You fly into Leh in the early morning, over the main Himalayan range. The airport sits at 3,500 metres, so the first day is a rest day, and this is not optional. Your guide checks you in and asks you to do very little. Drink water, eat lightly, sleep if you can. A short, slow walk to Leh market in the afternoon is as much as you should do. Giving the body a full day here now prevents altitude sickness later.
Leh
Leh — Old Town, Palace and Shanti Stupa
A gentle first full day, still close to the hotel. The morning is Leh's old town: the bazaar, the mosque, and the nine-storey palace above it. The climb through the palace floors is slow but short. In the afternoon, drive up to Shanti Stupa for the view over the valley. Sankar Monastery, a working gompa a short way from the centre, fills any spare time. An early night before tomorrow's monastery run.
Leh
The Indus Valley Monasteries — Thiksey and Hemis
A full day among the great monasteries south-east of Leh. Start early at Thiksey, a twelve-storey monastery on a hill, for the dawn prayers if you are up to it. Then Hemis, the largest and richest in Ladakh, hidden in a side gorge. Shey, the old royal palace with its giant seated Buddha, and Stok are on the way back. It is a lot of driving, but the roads are good and the valley is beautiful. Back in Leh by evening.
Leh → Nubra Valley
Over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley
The drive to Nubra crosses Khardung La, at about 5,360 metres one of the highest motorable passes in the world. You stop briefly at the top for photos and tea, but not long, because of the altitude. The road then drops a long way into the Nubra valley, green and wide after the bare passes. You reach your Nubra hotel by mid-afternoon. The rest of the day is at rest by the river. The full drive takes five to six hours with stops.
Nubra Valley
Nubra — Diskit Monastery and the Hunder Dunes
A full day in the Nubra valley. The morning is Diskit Monastery and its 32-metre Maitreya statue, which looks down the valley towards Pakistan. In the afternoon, the white sand dunes at Hunder, with their two-humped Bactrian camels. A short camel ride runs in the last hour of light, when the dunes turn gold. Turtuk, a Balti village near the border that only opened to visitors in 2010, is an option for those with the time. A second night in Nubra.
Nubra Valley → Pangong Lake
Nubra to Pangong — The Shyok River Road
A long, rough and spectacular drive that avoids going back over Khardung La. The road follows the Shyok river east, through a wide, empty valley of braided river channels and bare rock. Parts of it are unpaved and slow. There are no towns and few people for hours. You reach Pangong from the north in the late afternoon, with the lake opening up ahead. Plan on seven to eight hours on the road. It is worth it.
Pangong Lake
A Day on the Shore of Pangong
A slow day by the lake, which is the point of coming this far. The water changes colour through the day, so it rewards sitting still and watching. A short drive along the shore towards the villages of Man and Merak gets you away from the day-trip crowds at Spangmik. The altitude here is 4,350 metres, so walking is slow and naps are normal. After dark, the sky fills with stars. A second night on the shore.
Pangong Lake → Leh
Pangong back to Leh — Chang La and the Long Valley
An early start to be over Chang La before the afternoon wind. The pass is at about 5,360 metres and often holds snow even in summer. Below it the road runs down past Hemis and Thiksey, so there is a chance to stop at either if you missed them. You are back in Leh by mid-afternoon, at a lower and easier altitude. The last evening is free for the market and for packing. The drive is five to six hours in all.
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What Our Travelers Say
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Chapter Five — Terms & Conditions
Straightforward, In Writing
Cancellation windows, refund timing, and rescheduling terms for this journey follow our one sitewide policy — nothing package-specific to dig through.
Read the Return & Refund PolicyFrequently Asked
Before You Book
Is rafting included in the package price?
Rafting is arranged on request and confirmed locally based on river conditions and season — it isn't bundled as a guaranteed inclusion, so mention it when you enquire and we'll confirm availability and cost.
Do I need prior rafting experience?
No — the stretch typically used near Leh suits first-timers. Anyone with back or heart conditions should mention this when booking.
Chapter Six — Similar Journeys
More of Ladakh, Privately
Before you go
Planning Ladakh
Travel Tips
Private Tour or Group Tour in India? An Honest Comparison
First-Time IndiaPlanning GuideTravel Tips
Travel Tips
Getting Around India: Trains, Flights or a Private Car?
First-Time IndiaPlanning GuideTravel Tips
Travel Tips
Eating Well in India Without Getting Ill: A Practical Guide
First-Time IndiaFood & CulturePlanning Guide
Why Choose Us
The Same Trust, Sized to This Trip
01
Planning, Built Around You
This route was shaped around Ladakh's real places, not lifted from a fixed template.
13 years — Brijesh Sharma, Bespoke Itinerary Specialist
02
Handpicked Hotels
Every stay on this trip was chosen in person, not off a ratings page.
3 real stays, 4–5★
03
A Private Fleet, Always Yours
One driver, air-conditioned, for the whole route — no shared shuttle.
Premium sedans & SUVs · One driver, the whole trip
Kashmir to Kanyakumari
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