India: Rajasthan and Ladakh

Due to their geographical or cultural proximity or their political influence on the history of Nepal, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Darjeeling and Ladakh each find their place in our Altaï Nepal travel offers ...

Rajasthan, the pearl of India! It is said that the heart of India beats here! Bright colors, saris and turbans; magnificent Maharajas palaces, imposing forts and Havelis with finely carved and painted stone decorations. Not forgetting the hidden villages of the desert of Thar... Journey back in time and discover the splendors of Rajasthan and its succession of Maharajas. A little further east, we discover a true architectural gem. Straight from the mist, it seems to float, the levitating monument, the Taj Mahal, stands up in front of us as if smiling! Built by Emperor Shah Jahan, who reigned over India in the seventeenth century, this architectural masterpiece is undoubtably one of the greatest marvels humankind has ever created. Sikkim sits nestled in the green hills between Nepal and Bhutan, with the Himalayas further to the north. At the crossroads of trade routes between Nepal and Tibet, the multicultural population of the ancient kingdom of Sikkim welcomes everyone with warm hospitality. Here, Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan cultures gracefully co-exist in harmony. Renowned for its tea, the city of Darjeeling lies at the foot of Kanchenjunga (8586m), the third highest peak of the planet. This city holds an equal sense of welcoming for the curious traveler. In western India, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, surrounded by the Himalayas and the Karakorum Mountains, we find Ladakh. The remarkably preserved Buddhist culture here is thanks primarily to its isolation. Large numbers of Buddhist monasteries still very alive and active here; some, like those in Alchi, date back to the 11th century. Our trips explore the monasteries of the Indus Valley, the remote villages and mineral landscapes. Meet the inspiring local people in these isolated and preserved areas, where time appears to be frozen…