Day 1. Aug. 8
Arrive overnight in Delhi from Moscow by Aeroflot (you can also arrive by any other flights).
Meeting with the organizer and domestic flight to
Leh
capital of Ladakh.
We’re checking into a hotel in Leh.
Rest and lunch.
We walk around the city center, visit the Royal Palace , where in 1925, at the invitation of the king, lived Roerichs.
At the palace, we will visit the royal chapel of Goddess Dug-kar, the Savior of the World. A first introduction to ancient Buddhist relics.
After dinner, an introductory lecture on the history of Little Tibet.
The altitude is 3600 meters.
Day 2. August 9.
Breakfast
The first day of the lecture course of the festival Efremov Readings 2024: The Himalayas of the Roerichs and Ivan Efremov.
Presenters:
Natalia Zubchenko. Ethnographer, employee of the International Roerich Centre (Moscow) and the International Roerich Memorial Trust (Kulu, Himalaya) in 2019-2021, organizer of author’s travels to India.
Andrei Konstantinov. Russian fiction writer, researcher of I.A. Efremov’s work. Organizer of the annual festival Efremov Readings since 2009.
1. History of the Roerich family: Russia – India – Himalayas. Cultural and historical heritage of the family, its influence and development today (Natalia Zubchenko)
2. Introduction to Buddhism (Natalia Zubchenko)
Discussion.
Lunch
3. biography of Ivan Antonovich Efremov – scientist, writer, thinker. E.A. Ideas. Efremov on his major works (Andrei Konstantinov)
Discussion.
Free time.
Dinner.
Day 3. August 10.
Breakfast.
The second day of the lecture course of the festival Efremov Readings 2024: The Himalayas of the Roerichs and Ivan Efremov.
Presenters:
Natalia Zubchenko. Ethnographer, employee of the International Roerich Centre (Moscow) and the International Roerich Memorial Trust (Kulu, Himalaya) in 2019-2021, organizer of author’s travels to India.
Andrei Konstantinov. Russian fiction writer, researcher of I.A. Efremov’s work. Organizer of the annual festival Efremov Readings since 2009.
1. Roerichs in the Himalayas: Ladakh and the Kulu Valley. Roerich Pact for the Protection of Cultural Property. Agni Yoga or Living Ethics (Natalia Zubchenko)
2. History and Culture of Little Tibet (Natalia Zubchenko)
Discussion.
Lunch.
3. I.A.Efremov and Agni Yoga. Modern view on the evolution of the universe and the multiverse – comparison of ideas of Living Ethics and books of Ivan Efremov (Andrey Konstantinov)
Discussion.
Free time.
Dinner.
Day 4. August 11.
Breakfast.
We walk around the center of Leh, visit the Royal Palace, where in 1925, at the invitation of the king, lived the Roerichs.
At the palace, we will visit the royal chapel of Goddess Dug-kar, the Savior of the World. A first introduction to ancient Buddhist relics.
Lunch.
Visiting ethnographic centers of Ladak culture.
Dinner.
The altitude is 3600 meters.
Day 5. Aug. 12
All day in
Le
. We meet the dawn, walk along the most beautiful places, acclimatize.
On the program:
Shanti Stupa
This Peace Pagoda was built by Japanese monk Gyemyo Nakamura and inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1991. The people of Ladak and the Japanese who came to build the stupa worked voluntarily and it was important for everyone to build a stupa in the country that gave the world Shakyamuni Buddha.
It feels like the lightest and brightest place in Ladak, sunrises and sunsets are welcomed here.
Tiksi Monastery
The largest monastery in Ladaka with a huge, 15-meter statue of Maitreya Buddha occupying two floors. This Maitreya was described by the Dalai Lama as the most beautiful Buddha he had ever seen.
We get permissions to enter the Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake (these are border areas, so permits are required).
After dinner, an introductory lecture on the Roerich family, their expeditions and legacy.
Day 6. Aug. 13.
In the morning we leave for
Mulbekh
On the way we visit the most important monasteries of Ladakh:
Basgo, Alchi
и
Lamayuru
.
You can talk about them for hours, but it’s better to feel the ancient energies once, see the millennia-old images and hear the mumbling of mantras that have not stopped for centuries.
Mulbek
– A tiny village where there is a rock image of Maitreya Buddha, which is known for Nikolai Roerich’s painting “Maitreya the Victorious”. That’s what we’re going there for.
“Every traveler must pass by this rock. Two hands toward the sky, as the call of distant worlds. Two hands downward as the blessing of the earth. They know Maitreya is coming.”
N.K. Roerich.
And we will also be able to see the valley from the walls of the ruins of the ancient monastery of Maulbek.
“Those who built Lamayuru and Maulbeck knew what true beauty and fearlessness are. Italian cities dim before such magnitude, before such decorativeness. And these solemn rows of stupas are like joyous lamps on the tourmaline sands. Where is there a country equal to these forgotten places? Let us be just and bow down before true beauty.”
N.K. Roerich
Travel time is 8-10 hours.
Spending the night in Lamayuru. The altitude is 3100 – 3500 m.
Day 7. Aug. 14.
We spend the early morning at the service at the monastery
Lamayuru.
.
We’re having breakfast and heading back to
Le
. Travel time is five hours.
In the evening we stroll through local stores, admiring national clothing, Himalayan shawls and ancient Tibetan jewelry.
After dinner, an introductory lecture on Buddhism.
Day 8. Aug. 15
Early in the morning we drive to the magical energy sanctuary
Nubra Valley.
.
We’re in for a challenge – the way to Nubra is through the highest vehicle pass in the world
Khardung La
. But we are already well acclimatized, so we will enjoy the views of the Karakoram at the pass.
The height of the pass is 5360 m. Travel time 7-9 hours.
Nubra. She’s a sight to behold. It has to be felt. You can eat the air here. It’s sweet and dense. Nubra is an amazement to all the senses. It’s purple mountain tops, that’s on one side.
is the Ladak Range
and on the other.
the Karakoram.
. To walk between them is to meet your real self and be surprised. It is – unexpectedly – sand dunes, the desert where ancient caravan routes traveled.
The altitude is 3,000 meters.
Day 9. Aug. 16
Today we’re going to visit
Diskit Monastery.
XIV century, the oldest and largest monastery in the valley. The views from the roof of the monastery are very beautiful.
Below the monastery is a huge statue
of Maitreya Buddha,
of incredible beauty and power.
The Nubra Valley is famous for its desert and camels, descendants of those left here from the days of the Silk Road. Camel rides are available to take you on a desert tour.
Day 10. Aug. 17
A good, long day. We’re going to the most beautiful place on earth.
Pangong Lake.
. Some of it is in India, some of it in China.
The lake is salty, elevation 4200 meters.
The unearthly landscape, the clearest air, the view of the Karakoram, the meeting with marmots, the feeling of flying, the final scene from the cult movie “Three Idiots”.
Travel time is six hours.
Day 11. Aug. 18
Dawn on Pangong is the best in the world.
After breakfast we drive to another beautiful lake
Tso Moriri.
. It is located at an altitude of 4600m.
The settlement of Korzok is home to descendants of pirates from the Silk Road era. Now they just don’t repair the road at the entrance to the lake for weary tourists to stop for the night. And most importantly, we tourists have no complaints. The time spent at the lake is unforgettable.
Travel time is six hours.
Day 12. Aug. 19.
We meet another beautiful high mountain sunrise on the lake and after breakfast we return to Leh. On the way, we stop at
Hemis Monastery.
We visit Hemis Monastery, a Buddhist monastery dating back to the 11th century, where, according to legend, there is secret evidence that Issa (Jesus) lived and preached in this monastery for some time.
Nikolai Konstantinovich Roerich during the Trans-Himalayan Expedition saw here the very manuscript in which it is written about Issa.
It is the largest and richest monastery in Ladakh. This is where every monk’s classic retreat takes place. They spend 3 years, 3 months and 3 days in total seclusion in caves near the monastery.
Travel time is six hours.
Day 13. Aug. 20.
Today we spend the whole day in the capital city of Ladak Leh. A day of souvenir and jewelry shopping, slow strolls through the historic streets and delicious food at the designer restaurants for which Leh is famous.
Day 14. Aug. 21.
Return day to Delhi on a morning flight.
We are accommodated at the historic Aurobindo Ashram near the airport. Another jewel of our journey through protected India.
Here we will have a rest before going home, meditate in the beautiful meditation hall, buy useful souvenirs in the ashram store: Aurobindo’s scented sticks and oils are known far beyond the borders of India.
We both have lunch and dinner at the ashram.
Day 15. Aug. 22.
Early departure to the airport in time for your morning flight.
.
