Day 1: Saturday 15 June
Departure with Turkish Airways flight from Milan Malpensa airport via Istanbul. Meals, film and overnight stay on the flight.
Day 2: Sunday 15 June arr. DELHI (B/-/D)
Arrival in Delhi in the morning. Meeting with the local assistant and transfer to the hotel. Time available to relax. In the afternoon I start with a first visit to the city: the first settlement in the Delhi area dates back to the 9th century, with the mythical city of Indraprashtra, capital of the Pandavas, the Hindu heroes whose deeds are found in the epic poem of the Mahabharata. A period of feudalism followed with the rule of the Rajputs, aristocratic Muslim warriors. Over the centuries, seven cities were built that suffered several incursions from the surrounding territories. From 1526 Humayun and his able successors extended the empire beyond the borders of Delhi, giving rise to an attempt to reunify the country. The eighth city was built when the emperor Shah Jahan moved the capital from Agra to Delhi. The construction of the main monuments of the city dates back to this period. With the arrival of the English, Calcutta was chosen as the capital and only in 1911 was the capital moved back to Delhi. On 9 February 1931 the English viceroy inaugurated New Delhi designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. The new city included the government buildings, the palace housing the National Museum, two churches and most of the residences that are part of the representative area. In 1947 Delhi became the capital of Independent India. Visit to the new city: the central districts where the Government Palaces are located; The old city (Shahajahanabad), built by the powerful Mughal emperor, ShahJahan, was once surrounded by a red sandstone wall with fourteen access gates. A charming and picturesque maze of narrow streets, it is divided into two parts by the “Silver” street, a colorful and lively succession of shops and bazaars. In the same area you can visit the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in the world, built in 1650, it has a more severe structure than the civil buildings commissioned by the emperor. Along the way you pass in front of the Mausoleum of Mahatma (great soul in Sanskrit) Gandhi, so called by the great poet Tagore and the Red Fort. In the late afternoon, if time permits, visit a Sikh temple. Dinner and overnight stay.
Welcome dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight stay.
Day 3: Monday 16 June DELHI – KULLU by flight – MANALI by car (B/-/D)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer with the Italian speaking guide to the station in New Delhi for the Shatalbi Express train to Chandigarh with accommodation in first class. Arrival and continuation by car to Manali, a town located in the northern part of the Kullu Valley from where our adventure in the clouds will begin. Lunch during the transfer. Arrival in the evening and check in at the hotel. Dinner and Overnight stay
4th day: Tuesday 17 June MANALI – KEYLONG (B/L/D) 115 Km – about 5 hours
After breakfast, the real adventure of the TransHimalayan begins, among the clouds of Ladakh, leaving for Tandi (2,580 m) passing through Rohtang Pass (3,980 m). This first stage represents a real challenge for motorcyclists: the road surface conditions are in poor condition and the wet ground makes it really difficult to maintain the motorbike!!!! A route truly full of emotions and fun that after crossing the pass will take us to Tandi, a small village of about 500 inhabitants at the confluence of the Chandra and Bagha rivers, considered one of the most sacred places in the Lahaul Valley. Lunch during the excursion. Arrival, accommodation and relaxation in the hotel. Dinner and Overnight stay.
5th day: Wednesday 18 June KEYLONG – SARCHU (B/L/D) 140 Km – about 6 hours
Breakfast at the hotel. We set off on roads where we can fully enjoy the fantastic Himalayan scenery of the Bara Lachla Pass (4,890 m), the Indian Switzerland. The pass will take us down to the vast plateau of Sarchu, a town located on the banks of the Bhaga River, which forms the border between the regions of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir. We will spend the night at the Swiss Cottage Tents, a tented camp located at 4,250 m above sea level and it will be the coldest night of our trip. Lunch during the excursion. Check In, Dinner and overnight stay in a tented camp.
6th day: Thursday 19 June SARCHU – TSOMORIRI LAKE (B/L/D) 230 km – approximately 8 hours
After breakfast, we will get back on the motorbike towards Lake Tsomoriri, a jewel nestled between the Himalayan peaks, through the Lachungla Pass at 5,065 m above sea level. Lunch stop at Tsogar Salt Lake. Continue through the Puga Valley and climb the Polokongka La Pass (5,191 m) to finally reach Lake Tsomoriri and enjoy the splendor of its breathtaking landscapes. Accommodation in a tented camp. Relax and time at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Friday 20 June TSOMORIRI LAKE – UMLING LA – HANLE (B/L/D) 220 km – about 5 hours
Breakfast in camp. Departure today for the real challenge of this trip: we will reach the Umling La Pass which at 5,840 m above sea level is currently the highest pass in the world. We are above the Everest Base Camp and it is needless to say what a spectacle awaits us at the top. After a short stop we descend to the Hanle Gompa where we will spend the night in a Homestay. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Saturday 21 June HANLE – PANGONG LAKE (B/L/D) 140 km – approx. 5 hours
Breakfast in the camp. We descend along the Chinese border until we reach the shores of the wonderful Pangong Lake, the largest lake in the Himalayan mountain range, located at an altitude of about 4250 m above sea level. Even in this case, temperatures at night can drop to 0° C but the effect of the altitude is mitigated by the presence of water. The lake extends for 134 km in length and has a maximum width of 5 km; it is located on the border between India and China. In winter it freezes completely, despite being a salt lake. Dinner and overnight stay in a tented camp
9th day: Sunday 22June PANGONG LAKE – NUBRA (B/L/D) 180 km – about 7 hours
Breakfast in the camp. Departure by motorbike to reach the Nubra Valley, once a transit route for caravans that from China, through the Karakoram Pass, entered Tibetan territory and then continued towards India, crossing the villages of Tanyar and Kalsar along the banks of the Shyok River. Arrival in the early afternoon and rest of the day relaxing. Dinner and overnight stay in a tented camp.
10th day: Monday 23 June STOP AT NUBRA VALLEY (B/L/D)
Breakfast in a tented camp. Full day available to enjoy along the wonderful Nubra Valley visiting the monasteries of Sumung, Panamik which, among nameless peaks, for centuries, have perpetuated the teachings of Buddha and enjoying our motorbikes among the sand dunes of the Nubra Valley desert. Dinner and overnight stay in a tented camp.
Day 11: Tuesday 24 June NUBRA – KHARDUNG LA PASS – LEH (B/L/D) 140 km – about 5 hours
Breakfast. We get back on the motorbike to reach the ancient city of Leh, which is considered the capital of Ladakh, travelling along the second highest road passable by car in the world up to the Khardung La pass (5602 metres, 56 km from Leh). The view is breathtaking: in the distance you can see the summit of the Karakorum Pass, the peaks of the Karakorum that exceed 7000 metres and the Golden Throne. The snow-capped mountains, the glaciers, the barren valleys: everything here bears witness to the majesty of the Himalayas. A short stop for tea or coffee in the highest café in the world and after lunch we continue to reach Leh. Arrival in the afternoon. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
12th day: Wednesday 25th June LEH – THE LEH VALLEY AND ITS MONASTERIES (B/L/D) 85 km
Breakfast at the hotel and we take possession of our motorcycles. Departure for an orientation tour along the valley of the Indus river to the Hemis Monastery which still houses one of the most enduring communities of Buddhist monks. Nestled between the mountains it dominates the entire valley and offers breathtaking landscapes. Lunch at a local restaurant. On the way back we will stop to visit the other important and ancient monastery, the Tikhsey Gompa before returning to Leh in the afternoon. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay.
13th day: Thursday 26 June LEH – DELHI (B/L/D)
Breakfast. Time to relax. Departure with flight to Delhi with Go Airlines flight at 10:30. Arrival in Delhi at 11:40 and accommodation in the rooms available at the Hotel Le Meridien. After lunch we will continue with the visits of Delhi: the India Gate, an arch erected in memory of the First World War, the Parliament Building, the Qutab Minar, one of the tallest stone towers in India, was started in 1199 by Qutab ud-din and completed by his successors. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
14th day: Friday 27 June DELHI – ITALY (-/-/-)
Breakfast at the hotel. In good time transfer with local assistant to the airport and departure for Italy with direct flight operated by Air India. Arrival in Italy expected in the late afternoon.
