KASHMIR: HEAVEN ON EARTH & BUDDHIST LEH 9-23 SEPT, 2023
with Jeremy Woodhouse
(15 days – 14 nights), maximum group size 6-8
Rimmed by layers of alpine peaks, the 140km-long Kashmir Valley opens up as a giant, beautiful bowl of lakes and orchards. Tin-roofed villages guard terraced paddy fields delineated by apple groves and pin-straight poplars. Proudly independent-minded Kashmiris mostly follow a Sufi-based Islamic faith, worshipping in distinctive wooden mosques with central spires, and they are fiercely proud of their homeland. It's a stunningly beautiful place…
Ply the early morning waters in a shikara on Dal Lake and photograph the morning vegetable market. See fishermen casting nets as they have for centuries. Travel and photograph in surrounding villages, around the main mosques in old Srinagar, Mehboobul-Alam and Hazratbal.
Drive in pristine mountain scenery from Srinagar to Leh, Ladakh
Itinerary
Day 1: Sept 9 – New Delhi
After an early morning arrival you will be transported to our hotel which is in close proximity to the New Delhi airport. We will have a meet and greet dinner and trip orientation meeting.
Day 2: Sept 10 – New Delhi/Srinagar
Morning flight to Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir. We will check in to our houseboat and have lunch.
The afternoon photo shoot will be on small shikaras (traditional wooden boats paddled by boatmen) on Dal Lake where we will spend 2 hours paddling through the beautiful canals and vegetable gardens.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 3: Sept 11 – Srinagar
After Breakfast, we will visit the old city of Srinagar. We will start with the Wooden Mosque Shahi Hamdan constructed in the 13th century, followed by walking through ancient streets lined with with beautiful architecture, colourful old markets, ending up at the Jama Masjid which was constructed in the 13th Century. Here we will photograph the surrounding Ladies Market— watch out for the women fish sellers who’s are often willing to be photographed.
We will head back to our houseboat for lunch.
This afternoon we will take another boat ride in the beautiful Dal lake. We will photograph a traditional fisherman casting his net into the still waters.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 4: Sept 12 – Srinagar
The group will have an early morning photo shoot in the floating vegetable market, afterwards returning to the hotel for breakfast.
We will head out for another city walk in the old city of Srinagar.
Afternoon photo shoot in the lakeside market surrounding the Hazratbal Mosque will then be on the agenda.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 5: Sept 13 – Srinagar
Today we will head out to the area of Naranaag.
Our first stop will be the very colourful Kangan Bazaar where will spend a good amount of time photographing the locals. This is the main market where people from around the villages and even Kargil come to shop— a great location to find some great bearded men for some portraits.
We will then continue to the 1,000 year-old Shiva temple in Naranaag. Followed by visit to the local villages. If we are luck, we may hear about a local Gujjar (the local shepherd tribe) wedding in the area which always provides a great opportunity for photography. Lunch will be picnic style on the banks of Sindh River.
We will stop in the village of Wangath where we will photograph the mixed classes of Islamic school children in their 300 year old wooden school building.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 6: Sept 14 – Srinagar
After breakfast, we will proceed for a day trip through rolling landscapes to Doddhpathri where you can experience the life of shepherd men. We will spend time in beautiful villages surrounded by their apple orchards.
After picnic lunch we will slowly drive back to Srinagar, stopping at will in the local villages along the route.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 7: Sept 15 – Srinagar
After breakfast we will get on a long 02-hrs boat ride in shikaras to the Hazratbal Mosque as today is Friday, the main day of prayers in Islam. People from small villages will be gathering here in large numbers. The colourful market around the mosque will be perfect for photography.
Later today, for those that want to buy crafts, we will go to the largest craft emporium in Srinagar.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 8: Sept 16 – Srinagar
This day of the photo tour will be spent entirely in old Srinagar. The morning will be spent in the Sultan-Ularfeen or Mehboobul-Alam Mosque. Photography is permitted here and many sufi singers may be seen walking the perimeter of the mosque. Lunch will be in a local restaurant. Later today, we will visit the Nishad garden where local families gather in large numbers.
O/N Houseboat on Dal Lake
Day 9: Sept 17 – Srinagar/Kargil
After an early Breakfast drive to Kargil passing through Drass, the second coldest inhabited place on earth, where you can have a spectacular view of famous Peaks - Tiger Hill and Tololing.
We hope to see several Gujjar shepherds with their herds on our way.
O/N Hotel Zojila Residency Kargil
Day 10: Sept 18 – Kargil/Alchi
After breakfast, we will drive to Alchi en-route visiting 11th Century Lamayuru Monastery en-route visiting the mesmerizing Moon Landscapes. Lamayuru is spectacularly located along the valley plain and surrounded by mountains on all sides.
We will also visit Mulbekh monastery enshrined with the 9-meter-tall idol of Maitreya Buddha chiseled in the rocks right on the National highway of Leh/Srinagar.
The idol dates back to the 8th century. There are other ancient edicts near the main sculpture in Kharoshti script. Mulbekh otherwise forms a panorama of sturdy rock with occasional green patches spread across the unending horizon.
O/N Alchi Resort
Day 11: Sept 19 – Alchi
All day in Alchi. Walk in the town and visit the monastery.
This morning to Tia village, regarded as the oldest village in the region (3390m). A guided walk through this relatively large village, which is home to nearly 200 families, will reveal traditional houses with courtyards built in medieval style.
Then, a gradual climb will bring you to the 3,480 meter Bong Bong La pass (11,588 ft). Enjoy stunning views of the distant villages with picnic (packed) lunch, and descend down to the Indus River.
Relax at the hotel and in the evening visit to Rizong Monastery. It is situated at the top of a rocky side valley on the north side of the Indus It was established in 1831 by Lama Tsultim Nima. The monastery is also called “the paradise for meditation” and is noted for its extremely strict rules and standards.
O/N Alchi Resort
Day 12: Sept 20 – Alchi/Leh
After breakfast we will head to Leh. We will stay right opposite the Thiksey Monastery which is a good base to cover all the sounding monasteries.
O/N Chamba Hotel & Restaurant, Thiksey
Day 13: Sept 21 – Leh
Early this morning we will witness the morning prayers at the Thiksey monastery, located on a hillock with formidable views of the Indus Valley. Thiksey is especially noteworthy for its gigantic seated statue of the Maitreya and is also known for its Dukhang assembly hall which houses hundreds of rectangular prayer books, stacked between wooden covers and bound in silk.
After breakfast we will visit the stunning Hemis Monastery, half an hour drive west of Leh. Hemis is one of the largest and most revered monasteries in Ladakh and home to a charming museum as well. After visiting Hemis continue to Matho monastery, before returning to our hotel.
Later, explore the Stok village. The picturesque, quaint village of Stok lies nestled at the base of the Stok range - Stok Kangri peak. The valley, home to Stok Chu river is a green and fertile area and home to traditional Ladakhi houses. A walk through the village will reveal the local way of life.
O/N Chamba Hotel & Restaurant, Thiksey
Day 14: Sept 22 – Leh
We will start our day vising Spituk and Shey monasteries followed by visit to the Leh town – its market, streets, bakeries, Leh Palace, Nyamgal Tsemo Monastery. We will end our day with sunset at the Shanti Stupa as the setting sun turns the surrounding mountains a warm golden shade.
O/N Chamba Hotel & Restaurant, Thiksey
Day 15: Sept 23– Leh/Delhi Departure
We will catch the morning flight back to Delhi. Your rooms are booked till your departure flight.
END OF THE TOUR
Leh, Ladakh
Trip Notes
Arrival & Departure
Floating Market, Dal Lake
2 SPOTS OPEN
$7,600
DEPOSIT: $1,000 (NON-REFUNDABLE)
SINGLE: $875
AIR FARE DELHI/SRINAGAR & LEH/DELHI: $300
Group Size: 6-8
Tour Price Includes
- Ground transportation as described in the itinerary
- Group transfers on arrival and departure
- All accommodations based on twin occupancy
- 3 Meals per day
- All excursions, entrance fees, and visits as described in itinerary
- A bottled water per person per day
Tour Price Excludes
- Domestic airfare
- International airfare
- Passport and visa fees
- Medical and trip insurance & evacuation costs
- Airport taxes; excess baggage charges
- Photography and video fees
- Food and beverages not included in the group meals
- Tips to drivers or guides
- Items of a personal nature, including alcoholic beverages, laundry and telephone calls
- Other items not specifically mentioned as included.
Paying by check
If you would like to pay your deposit and/or balance with a check, please make the check payable to: Pixelchrome, Inc and mail it to:
Nicole Woodhouse
Pixelchrome, Inc,
605 Rouen Drive,
McKinney TX 75072
Paying by Wire Transfer
If you would like to pay by Wire Transfer please contact nicole@pixelchrome.com for bank account details.
Equipment Checklist
- Bring you own laptop computer and storage media
- Camera body(s)
- Lenses, 16-35mm, 24-70mm zoom and 70-200mm zoom or similar lenses are very good
- Light bag for easy hiking with camera bodies and accessories
- Cleaning kit for cameras and lenses
- Rain/dust covers for cameras and lenses
- Charger for batteries
- Spare batteries
- Spare Memory cards
- Memory card reader
- USB key to exchange images
Also good to have
- Tripod
- Good quality polarizing filter
Travel in Srinagar—Health Safety Concerns
Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, is located at an elevation of approximately 5,200 feet (1,580 meters) above sea level. While this is not extremely high, it is still considered a moderate altitude, and some travelers may experience mild altitude-related health concerns. Here are some health considerations for visiting Srinagar:
1. Mild Altitude Effects: At this elevation, most people should not experience significant altitude-related issues. However, some individuals may still notice mild symptoms like shortness of breath, mild headache, or slight fatigue, especially during the first day or two. These symptoms generally resolve as the body acclimatizes to the altitude.
2. Acclimatization: If you are traveling from a significantly lower elevation, it's essential to acclimatize gradually. Spend the first day in Srinagar resting, avoid strenuous activities, and allow your body time to adjust to the altitude.
3. Hydration: Stay well-hydrated, as dehydration can exacerbate altitude-related symptoms. Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption.
4. Pre-existing Health Conditions: If you have pre-existing health conditions like heart or respiratory problems, consult your doctor before traveling to higher elevations like Srinagar. They can advise you on how to manage your condition in the mountainous region.
5. Medications: If you're prone to altitude sickness or have experienced it in the past, you might consider bringing along altitude sickness medication like acetazolamide (Diamox). However, at the moderate altitude of Srinagar, this may not be necessary for most individuals.
6. Dress Appropriately: The weather in Srinagar can be cool, especially during the evenings and early mornings. Dress in layers to stay comfortable and warm.
7. Sun Protection: Due to its higher elevation, Srinagar can have stronger UV radiation. Use sunscreen with a high SPF, wear sunglasses, and use a hat to protect yourself from sunburn.
8. Allergies: If you have allergies, be mindful of the pollen count, which may vary depending on the time of year.
Overall, for most people, traveling to Srinagar should not pose significant health concerns related to altitude. However, it's always a good idea to be aware of your own health and how your body responds to changes in elevation. If you experience severe symptoms or any health issues during your visit to Srinagar, seek medical attention promptly.
Travel to Srinagar & Ladakh—Health Safety Concerns
Traveling from Srinagar to Leh by road is a popular route and offers breathtaking views of the scenic landscapes, but it also involves traversing high-altitude areas, which can pose health concerns. Here are some health considerations for this journey:
1. Altitude Sickness: As you'll be crossing high mountain passes, including the famous Zoji La Pass (around 11,500 feet) and Fotu La Pass (around 13,500 feet), altitude sickness is a significant concern. Follow the same acclimatization and precautionary measures mentioned earlier in the "Travel at Altitude in Ladakh" section below.
2. A Long Journey: The road journey from Srinagar to Leh is approximately 250-300 miles (400-480 kilometers) and will take us 4 days. We will have plenty of rest stops and we will take breaks during the journey to avoid fatigue and stress.
3. Road Conditions: The road from Srinagar to Leh is challenging, with rough patches and steep ascents and descents. It can be physically demanding and might exacerbate existing health conditions. If you have any specific health concerns, consult your doctor before embarking on the trip.
4. Remote Areas: During the journey, you'll pass through some remote regions with limited access to medical facilities. Carry a basic first-aid kit with essential medicines and supplies.
5. Weather Changes: The weather in the region can be unpredictable, with sudden temperature drops and weather changes. Dress in layers to adapt to varying conditions and keep yourself warm.
6. Pre-existing Health Conditions: If you have pre-existing health conditions such as heart problems, respiratory issues, or blood pressure concerns, consult your doctor before undertaking the journey. They can provide personalized advice and recommendations.
7. Travel Companions: If you're traveling with others, be aware of each other's health and well-being. Stay together and communicate any discomfort or symptoms of altitude sickness.
8. Communication: Mobile network coverage can be spotty in certain areas, so inform someone trustworthy about your travel plans and itinerary.
9. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water during the journey to stay hydrated, especially in high-altitude regions.
Remember that individual responses to high altitude can vary, and some people may adapt more quickly than others. It's crucial to listen to your body and take necessary precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey from Srinagar to Leh.
Travel at Altitude in Ladakh
Traveling in Ladakh, a high-altitude region in India, is an exciting adventure, but it also requires careful consideration of medical aspects due to its high elevation. Here are some medical considerations and precautions to keep in mind:
1. Acclimatization: Ladakh's average elevation is over 11,000 feet (3,350 meters), and some areas go beyond 17,000 feet (5,180 meters). Altitude sickness is a significant concern, so it's essential to acclimatize gradually.
2. Hydration: Staying hydrated is crucial at high altitudes. Drink plenty of water, but avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they can contribute to dehydration.
3. Medications: Consider consulting a travel medicine specialist or your doctor before your trip. They might prescribe medications like acetazolamide (Diamox) to help prevent or alleviate altitude sickness. Follow your doctor's advice and take any medications as prescribed.
4. Slow Pace: Avoid rapid movements and strenuous physical activities, especially in the first couple of days. Take it easy and allow your body to adjust to the reduced oxygen levels.
5. Diet: Consume a light diet that includes carbohydrates and easily digestible food. Avoid heavy, greasy meals that may contribute to discomfort at high altitudes.
6. Symptoms to Watch: Be aware of symptoms of altitude sickness, which can include headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath. If you or anyone in your group experiences severe symptoms, descend to a lower altitude immediately.
7. Emergency Plan: Familiarize yourself with the location of the nearest medical facilities and emergency services in case of any health issues.
8. Sun Protection: Ladakh is at a high altitude, and the sun can be harsh. Bring sunscreen with a high SPF, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat to protect yourself from sunburn and other related issues.
9. Warm Clothing: Even in summer, nights and early mornings can be quite cold in Ladakh. Pack warm clothing, including layers that you can add or remove as needed.
10. Insurance: Ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance that covers high-altitude destinations and potential medical emergencies.
11. Oxygen Cylinders: Some tour operators and hotels in Ladakh provide oxygen cylinders as a precautionary measure. Familiarize yourself with how to use them and where they are located, just in case.