- Packages Introduction
- Group 1
- Group 2
- Group 3
- Indian Citizens
- Conditions
Packages and Travel Arrangements
We will be making all the necessary travel arrangements with in India, so that you can relax, enjoy the country and prepare for the Marathon. For 2010 you can choose from three different tour packages depending on the time you have on hand and your budget. All the packages cover the relevant costs starting at New Delhi and ending at New Delhi. This would mean that you will have to arrange for your Indian Visa and Flight from your home country to New Delhi yourself. Your local travel agent should typically be able to do this with relative ease.The cost of the three tour packages is:
|
GROUP 1 2590 US$ pr. person 480 US$ Single room surcharge |
GROUP 2 2890 US$ pr. person 690 US$ Single room surcharge |
GROUP 3 3090 US$ pr. person 780 US$ Single room Surcharge |
The price includes:
- Marathon package including startnumber, medal, t-shirt and diploma
- Domestic flights Delhi – Leh – Delhi incl. services and taxes
- Local English speaking guides
- Accommodation as written, including services and taxes
- Meals as written all prepared under supervision
- Sightseeing and excursions as listed incl. entrance fees
- Travel insurance including 18th July emergency treatment.
Group 1: 12. – 20. July 2010
Day 1 – Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon, we will arrive in the capital of India, Delhi. Only for a brief stop though, as this is the day all participants in group 1 gather together. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet you at the arrival lounge and transfer you to your hotel. Though there are not any pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are wel-come to spend the afternoon exploring the chaos of India’s capital city. Please refer to our bulletin board in the lobby of the hotel to find out exactly when and how to meet the rest of your group. No meals are included this day.
Day 2 Delhi (216m) – Leh (3,505m) / Flight to Leh and acclimatization
We leave very early in the morning to drive to the domestic airport in Delhi. We are going directly deep in the Himalaya Mountains and up to the Tibetan plateau.
The destination of this flight is known as the small capital, Leh. The largest city in the area Ladakh. After the flight from Delhi, we set out for one of the most sensational flights in the world. The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded by the deep valleys and white peaks of the Himalayas, which are in turn replaced by the pale pink and brown nuances of the high Tibetan desert plains. Very few flight paths are so dramatic as this flight up to the Tibetan plateau, with its magnificent vistas over the white clad peaks of the Himalayas below us. During the 90-minute flight, we glide less than 1000 meters over some of the world’s highest mountains. And you will not believe your eyes when the pilot directs the plane downward toward the narrow Indus Valley, where we then aim to land in a moonlike landscape along the great Indus River. The airport in Leh is situated at a height of 3,520 meters, less than 5 kilometers southwest of Leh.
At that height, you can become a bit dizzy or light-headed, so we will drive directly to Leh to take lodgings at our small cosy family hotel. Since the city is located so high above sea level, we very strongly recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day. This is in order to get used to the height and to acclimatize. Without exception, everyone will feel the thin air with symptoms such as slight dizziness, headaches or nausea. And the only relief is to rest – in the hotel! That is NO short walk in the pleasant town of Leh. Stay in the hotel! All meals included this day.
Days 3, 4 & 5 – Leh (3,505m) / On your own
For the next 3 days there is not a planned agenda. So there is every opportunity to tone down the training and instead use this period to recharge your energy deposits for THE DAY when it will all be released. But at the same time remember, that it is the thin air and the great height that will cause the most problems. And therefore, one should naturally not discontinue physical exercise, so that muscles become slack and sluggish. Pace yourself at a VERY sedate tempo the first two days, and then a combination of walk-ing and jogging the last days will probably suit most people best. And there are a number of small trails to take, both in and around Leh. All meals included this day.
Day 6 - Leh (3.505m) / Morning run in Leh – On your own
This is the day before the last physical check-up before the sacred long horns sounds off in the courtyard. In other words, there is a 3-kilometer “pleasure run” early this morning, where we can get an idea of how we will manage the run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon tomorrow.
ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic Team will give the final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2009.
After the briefing we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and the run ends op at the same monastery. And here it will be possible to meet with the different groups of officials behind the Great Tibetan Marathon. When that is over and done with, well, this is the day before The Great Tibetan Marathon, and we can only recommend once again that you take it easy the rest of the day and save your energy for the ultimate most difficult run ever. In the evening all runners meet for a pasta party ensuring we get the right fuel before the marathon. All meals included this day.
Dag 7 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m) - Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010
We wake up early for the day that is set aside for the even which most of you are coming for - The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010. At 04:45 both runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers to the starting line at Hemis monas-tery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. The monks of Hemis monastery will be singing mantras and playing drums and horns followed by a personal blessing of each runner. This will certainly wake us and frighten off the demons we must have brought with us from our home countries, so we can run with a pure soul and mind.
At 07:00 the blowing horns of Hemis sounds, signaling the start of The Great Tibetan Marathon and at last one of the worlds hard-est marathon begins!
Runners doing the half marathon and 10 km will be driven to their respective starting points as soon as the last marathon runner has left the monastery.
Although it is an official international marathon race with official times, medals and certificates for all, we must emphasize that it is also a jogging race, where the experience is primary and where completing the course is more important than winning. Therefore, there is no special prize to the first place finisher. As runners eventually cross the finish line at Spituk monastery, there is transport-tion by jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions, we are going to celebrate the com-pltion of the world’s hardest marathon already this evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the venue of the banquet. This day includes breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 8 - Leh (3,505m) - Delhi (216m) - Agra
With regret, we must now leave the Tibetan highland and colourful Ladakh. We wake up tiredly with the sun, eat breakfast and then drive out to the small airport in Leh. On the way back to Delhi, we can however enjoy another wonderful flight over the majes-tic peaks of the Himalayas.
We thus return early in the morning to Delhi, which besides being the third biggest city in the country has been the capital of India since 1911.
From Delhi we drive direct to the city of Agra where we will visit the famous and magnificent Taj Mahal.
Very little is known about the early history of Agra. In fact it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the city became a capital of the kingdom of the great Moguls, and Agra became a powerful center on the Indian subcontinent. The great Moguls were more than just a Muslim tribe that came from the Afghani-Persian area and invaded a huge part of northern India. With a reign that extended from the year 1500 to 1700, the great Moguls were probably the most significant of all of the foreign rulers.
Today Agra is a large widely spread city, which is mostly situated on the western side of the Yamuna River. And the main attraction is without doubt, the Taj Mahal, which can still make the hearts of the most hard-boiled globetrotters to beat at double pace with emotion and enthusiasm. Depicted by the classical Indian poet, Tagore, as “a tear on the face of eternity”, Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the pearl of Indian architecture, and simply one of the most fascinating edifices in the world.
It was the Sultan Shah Jahan who erected Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died under tragic circumstances during childbirth. And the mausoleum, which was founded on a 4-meter high base, was built from 1632-47 in Persian style and surrounded by four thin minarets. In sparkling white marble, decorated with millions of semi-precious stones, the structure radiates an unusual calm and harmony – something that is otherwise rare to find on these wide roads. And it is extremely difficult to detach yourself from this architectural wonder.
All meals included this day.
Day 9 - Agra (169m) - Delhi (216m) / Departure
After breakfast we will visit the Red Fort. The fort was constructed in red sandstone in the years 1565-73 by the ruler Akbar. The fort is an impressive and well-maintained structure, which bears distinctive marks by the shifting rulers, from the red sandstone by Akbar to the silky white marble with inlaid semi-precious stones contributed by Shah Jahan. From a room with a lovely balcony in meticu-lously carved marble, we can see the Taj Mahal over the Yamuna River - the same view that Shah Jahan enjoyed in his last years of his life. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, was power-hungry, and after he forcibly took over rule from his father, he killed his younger brother and made his father, Shah Jahan, a prisoner in the Red Fort. From here, Shah Jahan enjoyed the view of Taj Mahal until his death.
After lunch in Agra we depart for Delhi. In Delhi we will have a few rooms in a nice hotel for wash and change. At the hotel we will also enjoy dinner before we drive to the International Airport.
Hopefully it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both our suitcases and souls are certainly about to burst with the unforgettable experiences as we journey home.
All meals included this day.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and it is subject to change.
Day 1 – Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon, we will arrive in the capital of India, Delhi. Only for a brief stop though, as this is the day all participants in group 1 gather together. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet you at the arrival lounge and transfer you to your hotel. Though there are not any pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are wel-come to spend the afternoon exploring the chaos of India’s capital city. Please refer to our bulletin board in the lobby of the hotel to find out exactly when and how to meet the rest of your group. No meals are included this day.
Day 2 Delhi (216m) – Leh (3,505m) / Flight to Leh and acclimatization
We leave very early in the morning to drive to the domestic airport in Delhi. We are going directly deep in the Himalaya Mountains and up to the Tibetan plateau.
The destination of this flight is known as the small capital, Leh. The largest city in the area Ladakh. After the flight from Delhi, we set out for one of the most sensational flights in the world. The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded by the deep valleys and white peaks of the Himalayas, which are in turn replaced by the pale pink and brown nuances of the high Tibetan desert plains. Very few flight paths are so dramatic as this flight up to the Tibetan plateau, with its magnificent vistas over the white clad peaks of the Himalayas below us. During the 90-minute flight, we glide less than 1000 meters over some of the world’s highest mountains. And you will not believe your eyes when the pilot directs the plane downward toward the narrow Indus Valley, where we then aim to land in a moonlike landscape along the great Indus River. The airport in Leh is situated at a height of 3,520 meters, less than 5 kilometers southwest of Leh.
At that height, you can become a bit dizzy or light-headed, so we will drive directly to Leh to take lodgings at our small cosy family hotel. Since the city is located so high above sea level, we very strongly recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day. This is in order to get used to the height and to acclimatize. Without exception, everyone will feel the thin air with symptoms such as slight dizziness, headaches or nausea. And the only relief is to rest – in the hotel! That is NO short walk in the pleasant town of Leh. Stay in the hotel! All meals included this day.
Days 3, 4 & 5 – Leh (3,505m) / On your own
For the next 3 days there is not a planned agenda. So there is every opportunity to tone down the training and instead use this period to recharge your energy deposits for THE DAY when it will all be released. But at the same time remember, that it is the thin air and the great height that will cause the most problems. And therefore, one should naturally not discontinue physical exercise, so that muscles become slack and sluggish. Pace yourself at a VERY sedate tempo the first two days, and then a combination of walk-ing and jogging the last days will probably suit most people best. And there are a number of small trails to take, both in and around Leh. All meals included this day.
Day 6 - Leh (3.505m) / Morning run in Leh – On your own
This is the day before the last physical check-up before the sacred long horns sounds off in the courtyard. In other words, there is a 3-kilometer “pleasure run” early this morning, where we can get an idea of how we will manage the run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon tomorrow.
ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic Team will give the final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2009.
After the briefing we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and the run ends op at the same monastery. And here it will be possible to meet with the different groups of officials behind the Great Tibetan Marathon. When that is over and done with, well, this is the day before The Great Tibetan Marathon, and we can only recommend once again that you take it easy the rest of the day and save your energy for the ultimate most difficult run ever. In the evening all runners meet for a pasta party ensuring we get the right fuel before the marathon. All meals included this day.
Dag 7 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m) - Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010
We wake up early for the day that is set aside for the even which most of you are coming for - The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010. At 04:45 both runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers to the starting line at Hemis monas-tery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. The monks of Hemis monastery will be singing mantras and playing drums and horns followed by a personal blessing of each runner. This will certainly wake us and frighten off the demons we must have brought with us from our home countries, so we can run with a pure soul and mind.
At 07:00 the blowing horns of Hemis sounds, signaling the start of The Great Tibetan Marathon and at last one of the worlds hard-est marathon begins!
Runners doing the half marathon and 10 km will be driven to their respective starting points as soon as the last marathon runner has left the monastery.
Although it is an official international marathon race with official times, medals and certificates for all, we must emphasize that it is also a jogging race, where the experience is primary and where completing the course is more important than winning. Therefore, there is no special prize to the first place finisher. As runners eventually cross the finish line at Spituk monastery, there is transport-tion by jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions, we are going to celebrate the com-pltion of the world’s hardest marathon already this evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the venue of the banquet. This day includes breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 8 - Leh (3,505m) - Delhi (216m) - Agra
With regret, we must now leave the Tibetan highland and colourful Ladakh. We wake up tiredly with the sun, eat breakfast and then drive out to the small airport in Leh. On the way back to Delhi, we can however enjoy another wonderful flight over the majes-tic peaks of the Himalayas.
We thus return early in the morning to Delhi, which besides being the third biggest city in the country has been the capital of India since 1911.
From Delhi we drive direct to the city of Agra where we will visit the famous and magnificent Taj Mahal.
Very little is known about the early history of Agra. In fact it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the city became a capital of the kingdom of the great Moguls, and Agra became a powerful center on the Indian subcontinent. The great Moguls were more than just a Muslim tribe that came from the Afghani-Persian area and invaded a huge part of northern India. With a reign that extended from the year 1500 to 1700, the great Moguls were probably the most significant of all of the foreign rulers.
Today Agra is a large widely spread city, which is mostly situated on the western side of the Yamuna River. And the main attraction is without doubt, the Taj Mahal, which can still make the hearts of the most hard-boiled globetrotters to beat at double pace with emotion and enthusiasm. Depicted by the classical Indian poet, Tagore, as “a tear on the face of eternity”, Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the pearl of Indian architecture, and simply one of the most fascinating edifices in the world.
It was the Sultan Shah Jahan who erected Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died under tragic circumstances during childbirth. And the mausoleum, which was founded on a 4-meter high base, was built from 1632-47 in Persian style and surrounded by four thin minarets. In sparkling white marble, decorated with millions of semi-precious stones, the structure radiates an unusual calm and harmony – something that is otherwise rare to find on these wide roads. And it is extremely difficult to detach yourself from this architectural wonder.
All meals included this day.
Day 9 - Agra (169m) - Delhi (216m) / Departure
After breakfast we will visit the Red Fort. The fort was constructed in red sandstone in the years 1565-73 by the ruler Akbar. The fort is an impressive and well-maintained structure, which bears distinctive marks by the shifting rulers, from the red sandstone by Akbar to the silky white marble with inlaid semi-precious stones contributed by Shah Jahan. From a room with a lovely balcony in meticu-lously carved marble, we can see the Taj Mahal over the Yamuna River - the same view that Shah Jahan enjoyed in his last years of his life. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, was power-hungry, and after he forcibly took over rule from his father, he killed his younger brother and made his father, Shah Jahan, a prisoner in the Red Fort. From here, Shah Jahan enjoyed the view of Taj Mahal until his death.
After lunch in Agra we depart for Delhi. In Delhi we will have a few rooms in a nice hotel for wash and change. At the hotel we will also enjoy dinner before we drive to the International Airport.
Hopefully it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both our suitcases and souls are certainly about to burst with the unforgettable experiences as we journey home.
All meals included this day.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and it is subject to change.
Group 2: 11. – 22. July 2010
Day 1 –Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon, we will arrive in the capital of India, Delhi. Only for a brief stop though, as this is the day all participants in group 1 gather together. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet you at the arrival lounge and transfer you to your hotel. Though there are not any pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are wel-come to spend the afternoon exploring the chaos of India’s capital city. Please refer to our bulletin board in the lobby of the hotel to find out exactly when and how to meet the rest of your group. No meals are included this day.
Day 2 Delhi (216m) – Leh (3,505m) / Flight to Leh and acclimatization
We leave very early in the morning to drive to the domestic airport in Delhi. We are going directly deep in the Himalaya Mountains and up to the Tibetan plateau.
The destination of this flight is known as the small capital, Leh. The largest city in the area Ladakh. After the flight from Delhi, we set out for one of the most sensational flights in the world. The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded by the deep valleys and white peaks of the Himalayas, which are in turn replaced by the pale pink and brown nuances of the high Tibetan desert plains. Very few flight paths are so dramatic as this flight up to the Tibetan plateau, with its magnificent vistas over the white clad peaks of the Himalayas below us. During the 90-minute flight, we glide less than 1000 meters over some of the world’s highest mountains. And you will not believe your eyes when the pilot directs the plane downward toward the narrow Indus Valley, where we then aim to land in a moonlike landscape along the great Indus River. The airport in Leh is situated at a height of 3,520 meters, less than 5 kilometers southwest of Leh.
At that height, you can become a bit dizzy or light-headed, so we will drive directly to Leh to take lodgings at our small cosy family hotel. Since the city is located so high above sea level, we very strongly recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day. This is in order to get used to the height and to acclimatize. Without exception, everyone will feel the thin air with symptoms such as slight dizziness, headaches or nausea. And the only relief is to rest – in the hotel! That is NO short walk in the pleasant town of Leh. Stay in the hotel! All meals included this day.
Day 3 – Leh (3,505m) / Relaxing – Outing in Leh
It takes time to get used to the thin air on the Tibetan plateau, so EVERYONE MUST take it easy. That is why we wait until the after-noon before we take a short walk to Leh Palace, which entirely dominates the small town with its nine storeys. The palace was built in the 1600s and is said to be a miniature replica of Potala Palace in the city of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan plains in the east. Here, as it is situated along the side of a mountain, the palace with its thick walls, pennants of prayer flags, its sloping buttresses and protruding wooden balconies project both graceful elegance and massive stability. It also reflects the hold that Buddhism has on the local population.
Although the palace is still owned by the royal family in Ladakh, today it is empty and uninhabited, nearly a haunted castle. But from the roof of the palace, the view over the old section of Leh, the lush green groves and the white mountain peaks is fabulous.
From the palace we continue onward and walk through the quarter of Leh with the bazaars. The quarter is a true labyrinth of small narrow streets and lanes. And there where the buildings are squeezed next to each other the town gives off an atmosphere charac-teristic of the Middle Ages.
Back at the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at your disposal, All meals included this day.
Day 4 – Leh (3,505m) – Thikse (3,490m) – Hemis (3,800m) – Leh (3,505m) / Day trip to Thikse og Hemis Monasteries
Ladakh was an independent Tibetan kingdom right up until the last century. It was governed by a theocracy, where ”God” ruled in the form of a God King. There was and still is a royal family and the ancient monastery still survives, flourishing to different degrees. On the extensive plateau in the region of the Indus River, are the monasteries Thikse and Hemis, each with fascinating collections of intriguing ritual instruments, tanga paintings, ancient texts, frescos and depictions of protective gods and demons. And on this day trip through the eastern part of the Indus Valley, we will visit Thikse and Hemis - the greatest and finest monasteries in Ladakh.
We will begin already very early in the morning, as we will attend the morning prayers or “puja” in the large Thikse monastery about 20 kilometers east of Leh. About a hundred “Yellow Hat” monks belong to the monastery, and as the sun rises, horns are sounded from the roof of the monastery. This takes place while the monks are seated at attention in the small hall where the holy scriptures are read; afterwards, yak butter tea and “tsampa” (barley or millet flour) are consumed during a ceremonial mantra or puja.
Because of the eternal threat from invading armed forces, many monasteries and palaces in Ladakh were built on mountaintops or other difficult to reach places. Thikse monastery is no exception, and with its 12 levels, this 500-year-old structure is one of the most impressive in Ladakh. Constructed storey by storey up a detached mountain, it seems to float in the air. And its white walls, which shine against the blue sky, are a spectacular sight. We can also go all the way to the roof of the uppermost temple, where there is a glorious view over the willow and poplar trees of the Indus Valley. The trees stand along the fertile green fields, with a background of white-topped mountain peaks.
After our important breakfast back at the hotel, we continue toward the other destination of the day – Hemis monastery. Now we’ll drive eastward through the Indus Valley marked by desert, cross the Indus River, and pass through gigantic religious “manimure” on our way up to Hemis monastery.
The monastery, with over 300 monks, is the largest in Ladakh, and lies about 45 kilometers from Leh, hidden in a narrow valley surrounded by old poplars and picturesque village houses. In Hemis monastery, we can see wonderful frescos, brilliant halls and fine statues. Most important of all, we can see the place, the courtyard of the monastery where the starting shot for The Great Tibetan Marathon will sound. This comes after a great religious blessing from the monks and the deep monotone “ringing” from the tradi-tional long “Himalayan trumpets.” All meals included this day.
Day 5 – Leh (3,505m) – Alchi (3,150m= - Leh (3,505m) / Rafting on the Indus River – Exceptional nature – Alchi Monastery
This day is set aside so that we can truly experience the magnificent Tibetan nature. In jeeps we follow the Indus River westward and come to experience some of the most dramatic and picturesque scenery on the Tibetan plateau. Because of the height, our jeeps cannot drive so quickly, but that just gives us more time to enjoy the unique landscape.
After the drive, we reach the banks of the powerful Indus, where assistants have large rubber rafts ready to sail down the river. And after thoroughly going over all safety procedures, we are equipped with safety vests, helmets and paddles, and the rafting trip can begin. Be prepared for some fun and wet hours, where we sometimes slide through small falls, and sometimes drift pleasantly down the impressive river valley. Our experienced rafting guides know the river inside and out, and have no trouble navigating us safely on the river. And that means we can relax comfortably and fulfil our roles, which consist of paddling... That is done at a comfortable tempo, while we experience the unusual landscape and its alternating mountain desert and the small villages in the green oasis. We pass through extremely lovely scenery with the eroding mountains that have all the colours of the rainbow. And out on the river, you seriously feel how intense “Mother Nature” is up here.
Those who do not care to sail on the river can just stay in the jeep, as we will meet up with our vehicles further down the river by the oasis town of Nimu three hours later. That is where the crystal clear Indus River merges with the muddy waters of the Zanskar River.
From Nimu we continue west on the highway, through deep valleys where the surrounding mountains and gorges are some of the most dramatic in the western part of the Tibetan plateau. By the small town of Basgo, we stop briefly, because the rocks here nearly burn with the most fantastic colors, in a scale ranging from yellow to ochre to terracotta and violet. But even though the landscape is dry and barren, it is clear that there have been people here for centuries - on the high peaks nearby, monasteries, forts and pal-aces appear.
At lunchtime and about 70 kilometers west of Leh, we turn off from the highway to drive up to the fertile green valley where Alchi monastery is located. Most monasteries are situated on steep rock walls and ridges, but Alchi lies very atypically on the bottom of a valley. And the idyllic peace and calm of the monastery seem to stem from its magical location in an oasis of luxuriant fields with golden mountains and ravines surrounding them. Generally, the monasteries in this part of the Tibetan plateau have an architectural and artistic wealth that can easily measure up to the absolute best in the central plateau further east. Aside from that, the religious and social aspects of the Tibetan culture in Ladakh have been more of less untouched in the last 1000 years. This is in great contrast to the Tibetan culture on the Chinese controlled part of the Tibetan plateau.
Alchi Monastery is one of the smallest, oldest and most important building complexes in Ladakh; it was founded in the 11th century and is simply unique. As the only one of its kind, it still contains some magnificent 1,000-year-old frescos and is historically the most interesting monastery in Ladakh. So we allow ourselves plenty of time before we return to Leh, where we arrive at the end of the afternoon. All meals included this day.
Day 6 – Leh/Visit to Stock
In the morning, we drive by jeeps to Stock Palace and home of the present queen of Ladkah. We will have an hour walking tour of the village and on the way; we stop in at a traditional home. Here, you will get a chance to sample the local barley beer called "chang", the staple food "tsampa" a roasted barley flour, and the famous butter tea made with butter and salt! You will also get a chance to see up close the traditional local architecture, dress, and jewelry. We return to the hotel for late lunch. Rest of the after-noon will be at your leisure.
All meals included this day.
Day 7 - Leh (3.505m) / Morning run in Leh – On your own
This is the day before the last physical check-up before the sacred long horns sounds off in the courtyard. In other words, there is a 3-kilometer “pleasure run” early this morning, where we can get an idea of how we will manage the run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon tomorrow.
ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic Team will give the final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2009.
After the briefing we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and the run ends op at the same monastery. And here it will be possible to meet with the different groups of officials behind the Great Tibetan Marathon. When that is over and done with, well, this is the day before The Great Tibetan Marathon, and we can only recommend once again that you take it easy the rest of the day and save your energy for the ultimate most difficult run ever. In the evening all runners meet for a pasta party ensuring we get the right fuel before the marathon. All meals included this day.
Dag 8 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m) - Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010
We wake up early for the day that is set aside for the even which most of you are coming for - The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010. At 04:45 both runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers to the starting line at Hemis monas-tery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. The monks of Hemis monastery will be singing mantras and playing drums and horns followed by a personal blessing of each runner. This will certainly wake us and frighten off the demons we must have brought with us from our home countries, so we can run with a pure soul and mind.
At 07:00 the blowing horns of Hemis sounds, signaling the start of The Great Tibetan Marathon and at last one of the worlds hard-est marathon begins!
Runners doing the half marathon and 10 km will be driven to their respective starting points as soon as the last marathon runner has left the monastery.
Although it is an official international marathon race with official times, medals and certificates for all, we must emphasize that it is also a jogging race, where the experience is primary and where completing the course is more important than winning. Therefore, there is no special prize to the first place finisher. As runners eventually cross the finish line at Spituk monastery, there is transport-tion by jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions, we are going to celebrate the com-pltion of the world’s hardest marathon already this evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the venue of the banquet. This day includes breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 9 – On your own
This day is set aside as a badly needed day of rest. We have not planned any programs. And it will thus be suitable to really sleep in. The energetic can of course use some time to buy extra trinkets, carpets, carvings and similar items before we head back to Delhi and the hot plains of India.
All meals included this day.
Day 10 - Sunday Leh (3,505m) - Delhi (216m) - Agra
With regret, we must now leave the Tibetan highland and colourful Ladakh. We wake up tiredly with the sun, eat breakfast and then drive out to the small airport in Leh. On the way back to Delhi, we can however enjoy another wonderful flight over the majes-tic peaks of the Himalayas.
We thus return early in the morning to Delhi, which besides being the third biggest city in the country has been the capital of India since 1911.
From Delhi we drive direct to the city of Agra by bus.
All meals included this day.
Day 11 - Agra (169m) / Taj Mahal and the Red Fort
Very little is known about the early history of Agra. In fact it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the city became a capital of the kingdom of the great Moguls, and Agra became a powerful center on the Indian subcontinent. The great Moguls were more than just a Muslim tribe that came from the Afghani-Persian area and invaded a huge part of northern India. With a reign that extended from the year 1500 to 1700, the great Moguls were probably the most significant of all of the foreign rulers.
Today Agra is a large widely spread city, which is mostly situated on the western side of the Yamuna River. And the main attraction is without doubt, the Taj Mahal, which can still make the hearts of the most hard-boiled globetrotters to beat at double pace with emotion and enthusiasm. Depicted by the classical Indian poet, Tagore, as “a tear on the face of eternity”, Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the pearl of Indian architecture, and simply one of the most fascinating edifices in the world.
It was the Sultan Shah Jahan who erected Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died under tragic circumstances during childbirth. And the mausoleum, which was founded on a 4-meter high base, was built from 1632-47 in Persian style and surrounded by four thin minarets. In sparkling white marble, decorated with millions of semi-precious stones, the structure radiates an unusual calm and harmony – something that is otherwise rare to find on these wide roads. And it is extremely difficult to detach yourself from this architectural wonder.
However, we move on the next point on the program, which is the Red Fort. The fort was constructed in red sandstone in the years 1565-73 by the ruler Akbar. The fort is an impressive and well-maintained structure, which bears distinctive marks by the shifting rulers, from the red sandstone by Akbar to the silky white marble with inlaid semi-precious stones contributed by Shah Jahan. From a room with a lovely balcony in meticulously carved marble, we can see the Taj Mahal over the Yamuna River - the same view that Shah Jahan enjoyed in his last years of his life. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, was power-hungry, and after he forcibly took over rule from his father, he killed his younger brother and made his father, Shah Jahan, a prisoner in the Red Fort. From here, Shah Jahan enjoyed the view of Taj Mahal until his death.
All meals included this day.
Day 12 - Agra (169m) - Delhi (216m) / Departure
After lunch in Agra we depart for Delhi. In Delhi we will have a few rooms in a nice hotel for wash and change. At the hotel we will also enjoy dinner before we drive to the International Airport.
Hopefully it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both our suitcases and souls are certainly about to burst with the unforgettable experiences as we journey home.
All meals included this day.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and it is subject to change.
Day 1 –Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon, we will arrive in the capital of India, Delhi. Only for a brief stop though, as this is the day all participants in group 1 gather together. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet you at the arrival lounge and transfer you to your hotel. Though there are not any pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are wel-come to spend the afternoon exploring the chaos of India’s capital city. Please refer to our bulletin board in the lobby of the hotel to find out exactly when and how to meet the rest of your group. No meals are included this day.
Day 2 Delhi (216m) – Leh (3,505m) / Flight to Leh and acclimatization
We leave very early in the morning to drive to the domestic airport in Delhi. We are going directly deep in the Himalaya Mountains and up to the Tibetan plateau.
The destination of this flight is known as the small capital, Leh. The largest city in the area Ladakh. After the flight from Delhi, we set out for one of the most sensational flights in the world. The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded by the deep valleys and white peaks of the Himalayas, which are in turn replaced by the pale pink and brown nuances of the high Tibetan desert plains. Very few flight paths are so dramatic as this flight up to the Tibetan plateau, with its magnificent vistas over the white clad peaks of the Himalayas below us. During the 90-minute flight, we glide less than 1000 meters over some of the world’s highest mountains. And you will not believe your eyes when the pilot directs the plane downward toward the narrow Indus Valley, where we then aim to land in a moonlike landscape along the great Indus River. The airport in Leh is situated at a height of 3,520 meters, less than 5 kilometers southwest of Leh.
At that height, you can become a bit dizzy or light-headed, so we will drive directly to Leh to take lodgings at our small cosy family hotel. Since the city is located so high above sea level, we very strongly recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day. This is in order to get used to the height and to acclimatize. Without exception, everyone will feel the thin air with symptoms such as slight dizziness, headaches or nausea. And the only relief is to rest – in the hotel! That is NO short walk in the pleasant town of Leh. Stay in the hotel! All meals included this day.
Day 3 – Leh (3,505m) / Relaxing – Outing in Leh
It takes time to get used to the thin air on the Tibetan plateau, so EVERYONE MUST take it easy. That is why we wait until the after-noon before we take a short walk to Leh Palace, which entirely dominates the small town with its nine storeys. The palace was built in the 1600s and is said to be a miniature replica of Potala Palace in the city of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan plains in the east. Here, as it is situated along the side of a mountain, the palace with its thick walls, pennants of prayer flags, its sloping buttresses and protruding wooden balconies project both graceful elegance and massive stability. It also reflects the hold that Buddhism has on the local population.
Although the palace is still owned by the royal family in Ladakh, today it is empty and uninhabited, nearly a haunted castle. But from the roof of the palace, the view over the old section of Leh, the lush green groves and the white mountain peaks is fabulous.
From the palace we continue onward and walk through the quarter of Leh with the bazaars. The quarter is a true labyrinth of small narrow streets and lanes. And there where the buildings are squeezed next to each other the town gives off an atmosphere charac-teristic of the Middle Ages.
Back at the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at your disposal, All meals included this day.
Day 4 – Leh (3,505m) – Thikse (3,490m) – Hemis (3,800m) – Leh (3,505m) / Day trip to Thikse og Hemis Monasteries
Ladakh was an independent Tibetan kingdom right up until the last century. It was governed by a theocracy, where ”God” ruled in the form of a God King. There was and still is a royal family and the ancient monastery still survives, flourishing to different degrees. On the extensive plateau in the region of the Indus River, are the monasteries Thikse and Hemis, each with fascinating collections of intriguing ritual instruments, tanga paintings, ancient texts, frescos and depictions of protective gods and demons. And on this day trip through the eastern part of the Indus Valley, we will visit Thikse and Hemis - the greatest and finest monasteries in Ladakh.
We will begin already very early in the morning, as we will attend the morning prayers or “puja” in the large Thikse monastery about 20 kilometers east of Leh. About a hundred “Yellow Hat” monks belong to the monastery, and as the sun rises, horns are sounded from the roof of the monastery. This takes place while the monks are seated at attention in the small hall where the holy scriptures are read; afterwards, yak butter tea and “tsampa” (barley or millet flour) are consumed during a ceremonial mantra or puja.
Because of the eternal threat from invading armed forces, many monasteries and palaces in Ladakh were built on mountaintops or other difficult to reach places. Thikse monastery is no exception, and with its 12 levels, this 500-year-old structure is one of the most impressive in Ladakh. Constructed storey by storey up a detached mountain, it seems to float in the air. And its white walls, which shine against the blue sky, are a spectacular sight. We can also go all the way to the roof of the uppermost temple, where there is a glorious view over the willow and poplar trees of the Indus Valley. The trees stand along the fertile green fields, with a background of white-topped mountain peaks.
After our important breakfast back at the hotel, we continue toward the other destination of the day – Hemis monastery. Now we’ll drive eastward through the Indus Valley marked by desert, cross the Indus River, and pass through gigantic religious “manimure” on our way up to Hemis monastery.
The monastery, with over 300 monks, is the largest in Ladakh, and lies about 45 kilometers from Leh, hidden in a narrow valley surrounded by old poplars and picturesque village houses. In Hemis monastery, we can see wonderful frescos, brilliant halls and fine statues. Most important of all, we can see the place, the courtyard of the monastery where the starting shot for The Great Tibetan Marathon will sound. This comes after a great religious blessing from the monks and the deep monotone “ringing” from the tradi-tional long “Himalayan trumpets.” All meals included this day.
Day 5 – Leh (3,505m) – Alchi (3,150m= - Leh (3,505m) / Rafting on the Indus River – Exceptional nature – Alchi Monastery
This day is set aside so that we can truly experience the magnificent Tibetan nature. In jeeps we follow the Indus River westward and come to experience some of the most dramatic and picturesque scenery on the Tibetan plateau. Because of the height, our jeeps cannot drive so quickly, but that just gives us more time to enjoy the unique landscape.
After the drive, we reach the banks of the powerful Indus, where assistants have large rubber rafts ready to sail down the river. And after thoroughly going over all safety procedures, we are equipped with safety vests, helmets and paddles, and the rafting trip can begin. Be prepared for some fun and wet hours, where we sometimes slide through small falls, and sometimes drift pleasantly down the impressive river valley. Our experienced rafting guides know the river inside and out, and have no trouble navigating us safely on the river. And that means we can relax comfortably and fulfil our roles, which consist of paddling... That is done at a comfortable tempo, while we experience the unusual landscape and its alternating mountain desert and the small villages in the green oasis. We pass through extremely lovely scenery with the eroding mountains that have all the colours of the rainbow. And out on the river, you seriously feel how intense “Mother Nature” is up here.
Those who do not care to sail on the river can just stay in the jeep, as we will meet up with our vehicles further down the river by the oasis town of Nimu three hours later. That is where the crystal clear Indus River merges with the muddy waters of the Zanskar River.
From Nimu we continue west on the highway, through deep valleys where the surrounding mountains and gorges are some of the most dramatic in the western part of the Tibetan plateau. By the small town of Basgo, we stop briefly, because the rocks here nearly burn with the most fantastic colors, in a scale ranging from yellow to ochre to terracotta and violet. But even though the landscape is dry and barren, it is clear that there have been people here for centuries - on the high peaks nearby, monasteries, forts and pal-aces appear.
At lunchtime and about 70 kilometers west of Leh, we turn off from the highway to drive up to the fertile green valley where Alchi monastery is located. Most monasteries are situated on steep rock walls and ridges, but Alchi lies very atypically on the bottom of a valley. And the idyllic peace and calm of the monastery seem to stem from its magical location in an oasis of luxuriant fields with golden mountains and ravines surrounding them. Generally, the monasteries in this part of the Tibetan plateau have an architectural and artistic wealth that can easily measure up to the absolute best in the central plateau further east. Aside from that, the religious and social aspects of the Tibetan culture in Ladakh have been more of less untouched in the last 1000 years. This is in great contrast to the Tibetan culture on the Chinese controlled part of the Tibetan plateau.
Alchi Monastery is one of the smallest, oldest and most important building complexes in Ladakh; it was founded in the 11th century and is simply unique. As the only one of its kind, it still contains some magnificent 1,000-year-old frescos and is historically the most interesting monastery in Ladakh. So we allow ourselves plenty of time before we return to Leh, where we arrive at the end of the afternoon. All meals included this day.
Day 6 – Leh/Visit to Stock
In the morning, we drive by jeeps to Stock Palace and home of the present queen of Ladkah. We will have an hour walking tour of the village and on the way; we stop in at a traditional home. Here, you will get a chance to sample the local barley beer called "chang", the staple food "tsampa" a roasted barley flour, and the famous butter tea made with butter and salt! You will also get a chance to see up close the traditional local architecture, dress, and jewelry. We return to the hotel for late lunch. Rest of the after-noon will be at your leisure.
All meals included this day.
Day 7 - Leh (3.505m) / Morning run in Leh – On your own
This is the day before the last physical check-up before the sacred long horns sounds off in the courtyard. In other words, there is a 3-kilometer “pleasure run” early this morning, where we can get an idea of how we will manage the run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon tomorrow.
ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic Team will give the final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2009.
After the briefing we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and the run ends op at the same monastery. And here it will be possible to meet with the different groups of officials behind the Great Tibetan Marathon. When that is over and done with, well, this is the day before The Great Tibetan Marathon, and we can only recommend once again that you take it easy the rest of the day and save your energy for the ultimate most difficult run ever. In the evening all runners meet for a pasta party ensuring we get the right fuel before the marathon. All meals included this day.
Dag 8 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m) - Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010
We wake up early for the day that is set aside for the even which most of you are coming for - The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010. At 04:45 both runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers to the starting line at Hemis monas-tery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. The monks of Hemis monastery will be singing mantras and playing drums and horns followed by a personal blessing of each runner. This will certainly wake us and frighten off the demons we must have brought with us from our home countries, so we can run with a pure soul and mind.
At 07:00 the blowing horns of Hemis sounds, signaling the start of The Great Tibetan Marathon and at last one of the worlds hard-est marathon begins!
Runners doing the half marathon and 10 km will be driven to their respective starting points as soon as the last marathon runner has left the monastery.
Although it is an official international marathon race with official times, medals and certificates for all, we must emphasize that it is also a jogging race, where the experience is primary and where completing the course is more important than winning. Therefore, there is no special prize to the first place finisher. As runners eventually cross the finish line at Spituk monastery, there is transport-tion by jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions, we are going to celebrate the com-pltion of the world’s hardest marathon already this evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the venue of the banquet. This day includes breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 9 – On your own
This day is set aside as a badly needed day of rest. We have not planned any programs. And it will thus be suitable to really sleep in. The energetic can of course use some time to buy extra trinkets, carpets, carvings and similar items before we head back to Delhi and the hot plains of India.
All meals included this day.
Day 10 - Sunday Leh (3,505m) - Delhi (216m) - Agra
With regret, we must now leave the Tibetan highland and colourful Ladakh. We wake up tiredly with the sun, eat breakfast and then drive out to the small airport in Leh. On the way back to Delhi, we can however enjoy another wonderful flight over the majes-tic peaks of the Himalayas.
We thus return early in the morning to Delhi, which besides being the third biggest city in the country has been the capital of India since 1911.
From Delhi we drive direct to the city of Agra by bus.
All meals included this day.
Day 11 - Agra (169m) / Taj Mahal and the Red Fort
Very little is known about the early history of Agra. In fact it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the city became a capital of the kingdom of the great Moguls, and Agra became a powerful center on the Indian subcontinent. The great Moguls were more than just a Muslim tribe that came from the Afghani-Persian area and invaded a huge part of northern India. With a reign that extended from the year 1500 to 1700, the great Moguls were probably the most significant of all of the foreign rulers.
Today Agra is a large widely spread city, which is mostly situated on the western side of the Yamuna River. And the main attraction is without doubt, the Taj Mahal, which can still make the hearts of the most hard-boiled globetrotters to beat at double pace with emotion and enthusiasm. Depicted by the classical Indian poet, Tagore, as “a tear on the face of eternity”, Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the pearl of Indian architecture, and simply one of the most fascinating edifices in the world.
It was the Sultan Shah Jahan who erected Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died under tragic circumstances during childbirth. And the mausoleum, which was founded on a 4-meter high base, was built from 1632-47 in Persian style and surrounded by four thin minarets. In sparkling white marble, decorated with millions of semi-precious stones, the structure radiates an unusual calm and harmony – something that is otherwise rare to find on these wide roads. And it is extremely difficult to detach yourself from this architectural wonder.
However, we move on the next point on the program, which is the Red Fort. The fort was constructed in red sandstone in the years 1565-73 by the ruler Akbar. The fort is an impressive and well-maintained structure, which bears distinctive marks by the shifting rulers, from the red sandstone by Akbar to the silky white marble with inlaid semi-precious stones contributed by Shah Jahan. From a room with a lovely balcony in meticulously carved marble, we can see the Taj Mahal over the Yamuna River - the same view that Shah Jahan enjoyed in his last years of his life. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, was power-hungry, and after he forcibly took over rule from his father, he killed his younger brother and made his father, Shah Jahan, a prisoner in the Red Fort. From here, Shah Jahan enjoyed the view of Taj Mahal until his death.
All meals included this day.
Day 12 - Agra (169m) - Delhi (216m) / Departure
After lunch in Agra we depart for Delhi. In Delhi we will have a few rooms in a nice hotel for wash and change. At the hotel we will also enjoy dinner before we drive to the International Airport.
Hopefully it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both our suitcases and souls are certainly about to burst with the unforgettable experiences as we journey home.
All meals included this day.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and it is subject to change.
Group 3: 9 – 22 July 2010
Day 1 – Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon, we will arrive in the capital of India, Delhi. Only for a brief stop though, as this is the day all participants in group 1 gather together. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet you at the arrival lounge and transfer you to your hotel. Though there are not any pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are wel-come to spend the afternoon exploring the chaos of India’s capital city. Please refer to our bulletin board in the lobby of the hotel to find out exactly when and how to meet the rest of your group. No meals are included this day.
Day 2 Delhi (216m) – Leh (3,505m) / Flight to Leh and acclimatization
We leave very early in the morning to drive to the domestic airport in Delhi. We are going directly deep in the Himalaya Mountains and up to the Tibetan plateau.
The destination of this flight is known as the small capital, Leh. The largest city in the area Ladakh. After the flight from Delhi, we set out for one of the most sensational flights in the world. The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded by the deep valleys and white peaks of the Himalayas, which are in turn replaced by the pale pink and brown nuances of the high Tibetan desert plains. Very few flight paths are so dramatic as this flight up to the Tibetan plateau, with its magnificent vistas over the white clad peaks of the Himalayas below us. During the 90-minute flight, we glide less than 1000 meters over some of the world’s highest mountains. And you will not believe your eyes when the pilot directs the plane downward toward the narrow Indus Valley, where we then aim to land in a moonlike landscape along the great Indus River. The airport in Leh is situated at a height of 3,520 meters, less than 5 kilometers southwest of Leh.
At that height, you can become a bit dizzy or light-headed, so we will drive directly to Leh to take lodgings at our small cosy family hotel. Since the city is located so high above sea level, we very strongly recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day. This is in order to get used to the height and to acclimatize. Without exception, everyone will feel the thin air with symptoms such as slight dizziness, headaches or nausea. And the only relief is to rest – in the hotel! That is NO short walk in the pleasant town of Leh. Stay in the hotel! All meals included this day.
Day 3 – Leh (3,505m) / Relaxing – Outing in Leh
It takes time to get used to the thin air on the Tibetan plateau, so EVERYONE MUST take it easy. That is why we wait until the after-noon before we take a short walk to Leh Palace, which entirely dominates the small town with its nine storeys. The palace was built in the 1600s and is said to be a miniature replica of Potala Palace in the city of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan plains in the east. Here, as it is situated along the side of a mountain, the palace with its thick walls, pennants of prayer flags, its sloping buttresses and protruding wooden balconies project both graceful elegance and massive stability. It also reflects the hold that Buddhism has on the local population.
Although the palace is still owned by the royal family in Ladakh, today it is empty and uninhabited, nearly a haunted castle. But from the roof of the palace, the view over the old section of Leh, the lush green groves and the white mountain peaks is fabulous.
From the palace we continue onward and walk through the quarter of Leh with the bazaars. The quarter is a true labyrinth of small narrow streets and lanes. And there where the buildings are squeezed next to each other the town gives off an atmosphere charac-teristic of the Middle Ages.
Back at the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at your disposal, All meals included this day.
Day 4 – Leh (3,505m) – Thikse (3,490m) – Hemis (3,800m) – Leh (3,505m) / Day trip to Thiksey & Hemis Monasteries
Ladakh was an independent Tibetan kingdom right up until the last century. It was governed by a theocracy, where ”God” ruled in the form of a God King. There was and still is a royal family and the ancient monastery still survives, flourishing to different degrees. On the extensive plateau in the region of the Indus River, are the monasteries Thikse and Hemis, each with fascinating collections of intriguing ritual instruments, tanga paintings, ancient texts, frescos and depictions of protective gods and demons. And on this day trip through the eastern part of the Indus Valley, we will visit Thikse and Hemis - the greatest and finest monasteries in Ladakh.
We will begin already very early in the morning, as we will attend the morning prayers or “puja” in the large Thikse monastery about 20 kilometers east of Leh. About a hundred “Yellow Hat” monks belong to the monastery, and as the sun rises, horns are sounded from the roof of the monastery. This takes place while the monks are seated at attention in the small hall where the holy scriptures are read; afterwards, yak butter tea and “tsampa” (barley or millet flour) are consumed during a ceremonial mantra or puja.
Because of the eternal threat from invading armed forces, many monasteries and palaces in Ladakh were built on mountaintops or other difficult to reach places. Thikse monastery is no exception, and with its 12 levels, this 500-year-old structure is one of the most impressive in Ladakh. Constructed storey by storey up a detached mountain, it seems to float in the air. And its white walls, which shine against the blue sky, are a spectacular sight. We can also go all the way to the roof of the uppermost temple, where there is a glorious view over the willow and poplar trees of the Indus Valley. The trees stand along the fertile green fields, with a background of white-topped mountain peaks.
After our important breakfast back at the hotel, we continue toward the other destination of the day – Hemis monastery. Now we’ll drive eastward through the Indus Valley marked by desert, cross the Indus River, and pass through gigantic religious “manimure” on our way up to Hemis monastery.
The monastery, with over 300 monks, is the largest in Ladakh, and lies about 45 kilometers from Leh, hidden in a narrow valley surrounded by old poplars and picturesque village houses. In Hemis monastery, we can see wonderful frescos, brilliant halls and fine statues. Most important of all, we can see the place, the courtyard of the monastery where the starting shot for The Great Tibetan Marathon will sound. This comes after a great religious blessing from the monks and the deep monotone “ringing” from the tradi-tional long “Himalayan trumpets.”
All meals included this day.
Day 5 - Leh (3,505m) - - Likir (3,500m) / Rafting on the Indus River and hiking in exceptional nature
This day is set aside so that we can truly experience the magnificent Tibetan nature. In jeeps we follow the Indus River westward and come to experience some of the most dramatic and picturesque scenery on the Tibetan plateau. Because of the height, our jeeps cannot drive so quickly, but that just gives us more time to enjoy the unique landscape.
After the drive, we reach the banks of the powerful Indus, where assistants have large rubber rafts ready to sail down the river. And after thoroughly going over all safety procedures, we are equipped with safety vests, helmets and paddles, and the rafting trip can begin. Be prepared for some fun and wet hours, where we sometimes slide through small falls, and sometimes drift pleasantly down the impressive river valley. Our experienced rafting guides know the river inside and out, and have no trouble navigating us safely on the river. And that means we can relax comfortably and fulfil our roles, which consist of paddling... That is done at a comfortable tempo, while we experience the unusual landscape and its alternating mountain desert and the small villages in the green oasis. We pass through extremely lovely scenery with the eroding mountains that have all the colours of the rainbow. And out on the river, you seriously feel how intense “Mother Nature” is up here.
Those who do not care to sail on the river can just stay in the jeep, as we will meet up with our vehicles further down the river by the oasis town of Nimu three hours later. That is where the crystal clear Indus River merges with the muddy waters of the Zanskar River.
When the rafting adventure is over and we are all out of the rafts we begin a four-day trek along the Indus River and through some of India's most spectacular mountain scenery. While trekking, we will have personal porters who will carry all our food, water and supplies. Camp will be set up for us every evening including sleeping, dining and toilet tents. The porters will heat water for washing each morning and cook us three hot meals a day to give us the energy for this challenging, but very doable trek.
Our first camp is set up near the village of Likir. Arriving by early afternoon, the tents will be set up and we will have plenty of time to explore this picturesque village and the Gompa that towers over it. Sleeping bags will be provided from the tour organiser in Leh.
Overnight in camp near Likir.
All meals included this day.
Day 06: Hiking from Likir to Yangtang
Our porters will wake us up with tea or coffee in bed – a very pleasant way to start the day. When we have finished breakfast and the camp is packed up, we continue our trek.
Today our journey in the Himalayan mountains takes us from Likir to Yangtang village. The trail crosses over a small pass called Pobe-la to the village of Sumdo. From Sumdo it continues to the Yangtang village, where we set up camp for the night.
Overnight in camp near Yangtang. All meals included this day.
Day 07: Hike from Yangtang to Hemis-Shukbachan
Our third day in the magnificent mountain scenery will be a fairly easy walk over the Sermanchan La pass before we start making a gradual descent towards Hemis-Shukbachan, a small, but locally important village. The name comes from the cedar conifers (shukpa) that are found in this valley. On our way to Hemis-Shukbachan we will have unforgettable views from the reddish rock of Ladkahs mountains. We also pass a beautiful gompa, where we will make a stop to explore more of it and the surrounding nature.
Overnight in camp near Hemis-Shukbachan. All meals included this day.
Day 08: Hemis-Shukbachan – Alchi - Leh
We wake up for the last time with tea and coffee served in bed by our friendly porters. The last part of our trek finishes with a walk to Themisgam village where we will be met by our driver who takes us to Alchi.
When we turn off from the highway, we drive up to the fertile green valley where Alchi monastery is located. Most monasteries are situated on steep rock walls and ridges, but Alchi lies very atypically on the bottom of a valley. And the idyllic peace and calm of the monastery seem to stem from its magical location in an oasis of luxuriant fields with golden mountains and ravines surrounding them. Generally, the monasteries in this part of the Tibetan plateau have an architectural and artistic wealth that can easily measure up to the absolute best in the central plateau further east. Aside from that, the religious and social aspects of the Tibetan culture in Ladakh have been more of less untouched in the last 1000 years. This is in great contrast to the Tibetan culture on the Chinese controlled part of the Tibetan plateau.
Alchi Monastery is one of the smallest, oldest and most important building complexes in Ladakh; it was founded in the 11th century and is simply unique. As the only one of its kind, it still contains some magnificent 1,000-year-old frescos and is historically the most interesting monastery in Ladakh.
After visiting Alchi we drive back to Leh and our hotel. All meals included this day.
Day 9 - Leh (3.505m) / Morning run in Leh – On your own
This is the day before the last physical check-up before the sacred long horns sounds off in the courtyard. In other words, there is a 3-kilometer “pleasure run” early this morning, where we can get an idea of how we will manage the run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon tomorrow.
ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic Team will give the final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2009.
After the briefing we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and the run ends op at the same monastery. And here it will be possible to meet with the different groups of officials behind the Great Tibetan Marathon. When that is over and done with, well, this is the day before The Great Tibetan Marathon, and we can only recommend once again that you take it easy the rest of the day and save your energy for the ultimate most difficult run ever. In the evening all runners meet for a pasta party ensuring we get the right fuel before the marathon. All meals included this day.
Day 10 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m) - Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010
We wake up early for the day that is set aside for the even which most of you are coming for - The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010. At 04:45 both runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers to the starting line at Hemis monas-tery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. The monks of Hemis monastery will be singing mantras and playing drums and horns followed by a personal blessing of each runner. This will certainly wake us and frighten off the demons we must have brought with us from our home countries, so we can run with a pure soul and mind.
At 07:00 the blowing horns of Hemis sounds, signaling the start of The Great Tibetan Marathon and at last one of the worlds hard-est marathon begins!
Runners doing the half marathon and 10 km will be driven to their respective starting points as soon as the last marathon runner has left the monastery.
Although it is an official international marathon race with official times, medals and certificates for all, we must emphasize that it is also a jogging race, where the experience is primary and where completing the course is more important than winning. Therefore, there is no special prize to the first place finisher. As runners eventually cross the finish line at Spituk monastery, there is transport-tion by jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions, we are going to celebrate the com-pltion of the world’s hardest marathon already this evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the venue of the banquet. This day includes breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 11 - Leh (3,505m) - Delhi (216m)/ by flight and then Jaipur by bus
With regret, we must now leave the Tibetan highland and colorful Ladakh. We wake up tiredly with the sun, eat breakfast and then drive out to the small airport in Leh. On the way back to Delhi, we can however enjoy another wonderful flight over the majestic peaks of the Himalayas. On arrival we drive to Jaipur, which is known as the “Pink City” or the seething capital of Rajasthan. All meals included this day.
Day 12 - Jaipur / Amber Fort - City Palace - Jantar Mantar Observatory – Palace of the Winds - Bazaar
Jaipur has not always been the capital of the area. Earlier, it was the city of Amber, which is less than 11 kilometers north of Jaipur. But space in Amber became too cramped, and in 1727, the capital was moved south to what is now Jaipur. In Amber, there is still the Amber Fort, which is situated on a high hill with a broad ring of rugged watchtowers and fortifications, from which there is a unique view over Lake Moata. The dramatic location of the fort does not fail to impress. And in the morning when we will ascend to the fort, we will not climb the stairs as we usually do. We will actually hail an elephant to ride up!
After lunch we will discover Jaipur itself. We will visit the palace in central Jaipur, as well as the Janrar Mantar Observatory. In addi-tion, we will see the Palace of the Winds, from which, at the time of the Maharaja, the women of the harem could observe the lively street life without being seen themselves. At the end of the sightseeing tour we will visit the bazaar in Jaipur.
All meals included this day.
Day 13 - – Drive to Agra /Taj Mahal and Red Fort
In the morning we drive 235 km towards Agra .
Very little is known about the early history of Agra. In fact it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the city became a capital of the kingdom of the great Moguls, and Agra became a powerful center on the Indian subcontinent. The great Moguls were more than just a Muslim tribe that came from the Afghani-Persian area and invaded a huge part of northern India. With a reign that extended from the year 1500 to 1700, the great Moguls were probably the most significant of all of the foreign rulers.
Today Agra is a large widely spread city, which is mostly situated on the western side of the Yamuna River. And the main attraction is without doubt, the Taj Mahal, which can still make the hearts of the most hard-boiled globetrotters to beat at double pace with emotion and enthusiasm. Depicted by the classical Indian poet, Tagore, as “a tear on the face of eternity”, Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the pearl of Indian architecture, and simply one of the most fascinating edifices in the world.
It was the Sultan Shah Jahan who erected Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died under tragic circumstances during childbirth. And the mausoleum, which was founded on a 4-meter high base, was built from 1632-47 in Persian style and surrounded by four thin minarets. In sparkling white marble, decorated with millions of semi-precious stones, the structure radiates an unusual calm and harmony – something that is otherwise rare to find on these wide roads. And it is extremely difficult to detach yourself from this architectural wonder.
However, we move on the next point on the program, which is the Red Fort. The fort was constructed in red sandstone in the years 1565-73 by the ruler Akbar. The fort is an impressive and well-maintained structure, which bears distinctive marks by the shifting rulers, from the red sandstone by Akbar to the silky white marble with inlaid semi-precious stones contributed by Shah Jahan. From a room with a lovely balcony in meticulously carved marble, we can see the Taj Mahal over the Yamuna River - the same view that Shah Jahan enjoyed in his last years of his life. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, was power-hungry, and after he forcibly took over rule from his father, he killed his younger brother and made his father, Shah Jahan, a prisoner in the Red Fort. From here, Shah Jahan enjoyed the view of Taj Mahal until his death. All meals included this day.
Day 14 - Agra (169m) - Delhi (216m) / Departure
After lunch in Agra we depart for Delhi. In Delhi we will have a few rooms in a nice hotel for wash and change. At the hotel we will also enjoy dinner before we drive to the International Airport.
Hopefully it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both our suitcases and souls are certainly about to burst with the unforgettable experiences as we journey home. All meals included this day.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and it is subject to change.
Day 1 – Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon, we will arrive in the capital of India, Delhi. Only for a brief stop though, as this is the day all participants in group 1 gather together. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet you at the arrival lounge and transfer you to your hotel. Though there are not any pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are wel-come to spend the afternoon exploring the chaos of India’s capital city. Please refer to our bulletin board in the lobby of the hotel to find out exactly when and how to meet the rest of your group. No meals are included this day.
Day 2 Delhi (216m) – Leh (3,505m) / Flight to Leh and acclimatization
We leave very early in the morning to drive to the domestic airport in Delhi. We are going directly deep in the Himalaya Mountains and up to the Tibetan plateau.
The destination of this flight is known as the small capital, Leh. The largest city in the area Ladakh. After the flight from Delhi, we set out for one of the most sensational flights in the world. The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded by the deep valleys and white peaks of the Himalayas, which are in turn replaced by the pale pink and brown nuances of the high Tibetan desert plains. Very few flight paths are so dramatic as this flight up to the Tibetan plateau, with its magnificent vistas over the white clad peaks of the Himalayas below us. During the 90-minute flight, we glide less than 1000 meters over some of the world’s highest mountains. And you will not believe your eyes when the pilot directs the plane downward toward the narrow Indus Valley, where we then aim to land in a moonlike landscape along the great Indus River. The airport in Leh is situated at a height of 3,520 meters, less than 5 kilometers southwest of Leh.
At that height, you can become a bit dizzy or light-headed, so we will drive directly to Leh to take lodgings at our small cosy family hotel. Since the city is located so high above sea level, we very strongly recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the day. This is in order to get used to the height and to acclimatize. Without exception, everyone will feel the thin air with symptoms such as slight dizziness, headaches or nausea. And the only relief is to rest – in the hotel! That is NO short walk in the pleasant town of Leh. Stay in the hotel! All meals included this day.
Day 3 – Leh (3,505m) / Relaxing – Outing in Leh
It takes time to get used to the thin air on the Tibetan plateau, so EVERYONE MUST take it easy. That is why we wait until the after-noon before we take a short walk to Leh Palace, which entirely dominates the small town with its nine storeys. The palace was built in the 1600s and is said to be a miniature replica of Potala Palace in the city of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan plains in the east. Here, as it is situated along the side of a mountain, the palace with its thick walls, pennants of prayer flags, its sloping buttresses and protruding wooden balconies project both graceful elegance and massive stability. It also reflects the hold that Buddhism has on the local population.
Although the palace is still owned by the royal family in Ladakh, today it is empty and uninhabited, nearly a haunted castle. But from the roof of the palace, the view over the old section of Leh, the lush green groves and the white mountain peaks is fabulous.
From the palace we continue onward and walk through the quarter of Leh with the bazaars. The quarter is a true labyrinth of small narrow streets and lanes. And there where the buildings are squeezed next to each other the town gives off an atmosphere charac-teristic of the Middle Ages.
Back at the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at your disposal, All meals included this day.
Day 4 – Leh (3,505m) – Thikse (3,490m) – Hemis (3,800m) – Leh (3,505m) / Day trip to Thiksey & Hemis Monasteries
Ladakh was an independent Tibetan kingdom right up until the last century. It was governed by a theocracy, where ”God” ruled in the form of a God King. There was and still is a royal family and the ancient monastery still survives, flourishing to different degrees. On the extensive plateau in the region of the Indus River, are the monasteries Thikse and Hemis, each with fascinating collections of intriguing ritual instruments, tanga paintings, ancient texts, frescos and depictions of protective gods and demons. And on this day trip through the eastern part of the Indus Valley, we will visit Thikse and Hemis - the greatest and finest monasteries in Ladakh.
We will begin already very early in the morning, as we will attend the morning prayers or “puja” in the large Thikse monastery about 20 kilometers east of Leh. About a hundred “Yellow Hat” monks belong to the monastery, and as the sun rises, horns are sounded from the roof of the monastery. This takes place while the monks are seated at attention in the small hall where the holy scriptures are read; afterwards, yak butter tea and “tsampa” (barley or millet flour) are consumed during a ceremonial mantra or puja.
Because of the eternal threat from invading armed forces, many monasteries and palaces in Ladakh were built on mountaintops or other difficult to reach places. Thikse monastery is no exception, and with its 12 levels, this 500-year-old structure is one of the most impressive in Ladakh. Constructed storey by storey up a detached mountain, it seems to float in the air. And its white walls, which shine against the blue sky, are a spectacular sight. We can also go all the way to the roof of the uppermost temple, where there is a glorious view over the willow and poplar trees of the Indus Valley. The trees stand along the fertile green fields, with a background of white-topped mountain peaks.
After our important breakfast back at the hotel, we continue toward the other destination of the day – Hemis monastery. Now we’ll drive eastward through the Indus Valley marked by desert, cross the Indus River, and pass through gigantic religious “manimure” on our way up to Hemis monastery.
The monastery, with over 300 monks, is the largest in Ladakh, and lies about 45 kilometers from Leh, hidden in a narrow valley surrounded by old poplars and picturesque village houses. In Hemis monastery, we can see wonderful frescos, brilliant halls and fine statues. Most important of all, we can see the place, the courtyard of the monastery where the starting shot for The Great Tibetan Marathon will sound. This comes after a great religious blessing from the monks and the deep monotone “ringing” from the tradi-tional long “Himalayan trumpets.”
All meals included this day.
Day 5 - Leh (3,505m) - - Likir (3,500m) / Rafting on the Indus River and hiking in exceptional nature
This day is set aside so that we can truly experience the magnificent Tibetan nature. In jeeps we follow the Indus River westward and come to experience some of the most dramatic and picturesque scenery on the Tibetan plateau. Because of the height, our jeeps cannot drive so quickly, but that just gives us more time to enjoy the unique landscape.
After the drive, we reach the banks of the powerful Indus, where assistants have large rubber rafts ready to sail down the river. And after thoroughly going over all safety procedures, we are equipped with safety vests, helmets and paddles, and the rafting trip can begin. Be prepared for some fun and wet hours, where we sometimes slide through small falls, and sometimes drift pleasantly down the impressive river valley. Our experienced rafting guides know the river inside and out, and have no trouble navigating us safely on the river. And that means we can relax comfortably and fulfil our roles, which consist of paddling... That is done at a comfortable tempo, while we experience the unusual landscape and its alternating mountain desert and the small villages in the green oasis. We pass through extremely lovely scenery with the eroding mountains that have all the colours of the rainbow. And out on the river, you seriously feel how intense “Mother Nature” is up here.
Those who do not care to sail on the river can just stay in the jeep, as we will meet up with our vehicles further down the river by the oasis town of Nimu three hours later. That is where the crystal clear Indus River merges with the muddy waters of the Zanskar River.
When the rafting adventure is over and we are all out of the rafts we begin a four-day trek along the Indus River and through some of India's most spectacular mountain scenery. While trekking, we will have personal porters who will carry all our food, water and supplies. Camp will be set up for us every evening including sleeping, dining and toilet tents. The porters will heat water for washing each morning and cook us three hot meals a day to give us the energy for this challenging, but very doable trek.
Our first camp is set up near the village of Likir. Arriving by early afternoon, the tents will be set up and we will have plenty of time to explore this picturesque village and the Gompa that towers over it. Sleeping bags will be provided from the tour organiser in Leh.
Overnight in camp near Likir.
All meals included this day.
Day 06: Hiking from Likir to Yangtang
Our porters will wake us up with tea or coffee in bed – a very pleasant way to start the day. When we have finished breakfast and the camp is packed up, we continue our trek.
Today our journey in the Himalayan mountains takes us from Likir to Yangtang village. The trail crosses over a small pass called Pobe-la to the village of Sumdo. From Sumdo it continues to the Yangtang village, where we set up camp for the night.
Overnight in camp near Yangtang. All meals included this day.
Day 07: Hike from Yangtang to Hemis-Shukbachan
Our third day in the magnificent mountain scenery will be a fairly easy walk over the Sermanchan La pass before we start making a gradual descent towards Hemis-Shukbachan, a small, but locally important village. The name comes from the cedar conifers (shukpa) that are found in this valley. On our way to Hemis-Shukbachan we will have unforgettable views from the reddish rock of Ladkahs mountains. We also pass a beautiful gompa, where we will make a stop to explore more of it and the surrounding nature.
Overnight in camp near Hemis-Shukbachan. All meals included this day.
Day 08: Hemis-Shukbachan – Alchi - Leh
We wake up for the last time with tea and coffee served in bed by our friendly porters. The last part of our trek finishes with a walk to Themisgam village where we will be met by our driver who takes us to Alchi.
When we turn off from the highway, we drive up to the fertile green valley where Alchi monastery is located. Most monasteries are situated on steep rock walls and ridges, but Alchi lies very atypically on the bottom of a valley. And the idyllic peace and calm of the monastery seem to stem from its magical location in an oasis of luxuriant fields with golden mountains and ravines surrounding them. Generally, the monasteries in this part of the Tibetan plateau have an architectural and artistic wealth that can easily measure up to the absolute best in the central plateau further east. Aside from that, the religious and social aspects of the Tibetan culture in Ladakh have been more of less untouched in the last 1000 years. This is in great contrast to the Tibetan culture on the Chinese controlled part of the Tibetan plateau.
Alchi Monastery is one of the smallest, oldest and most important building complexes in Ladakh; it was founded in the 11th century and is simply unique. As the only one of its kind, it still contains some magnificent 1,000-year-old frescos and is historically the most interesting monastery in Ladakh.
After visiting Alchi we drive back to Leh and our hotel. All meals included this day.
Day 9 - Leh (3.505m) / Morning run in Leh – On your own
This is the day before the last physical check-up before the sacred long horns sounds off in the courtyard. In other words, there is a 3-kilometer “pleasure run” early this morning, where we can get an idea of how we will manage the run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon tomorrow.
ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic Team will give the final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2009.
After the briefing we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and the run ends op at the same monastery. And here it will be possible to meet with the different groups of officials behind the Great Tibetan Marathon. When that is over and done with, well, this is the day before The Great Tibetan Marathon, and we can only recommend once again that you take it easy the rest of the day and save your energy for the ultimate most difficult run ever. In the evening all runners meet for a pasta party ensuring we get the right fuel before the marathon. All meals included this day.
Day 10 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m) - Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010
We wake up early for the day that is set aside for the even which most of you are coming for - The Great Tibetan Marathon 2010. At 04:45 both runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers to the starting line at Hemis monas-tery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. The monks of Hemis monastery will be singing mantras and playing drums and horns followed by a personal blessing of each runner. This will certainly wake us and frighten off the demons we must have brought with us from our home countries, so we can run with a pure soul and mind.
At 07:00 the blowing horns of Hemis sounds, signaling the start of The Great Tibetan Marathon and at last one of the worlds hard-est marathon begins!
Runners doing the half marathon and 10 km will be driven to their respective starting points as soon as the last marathon runner has left the monastery.
Although it is an official international marathon race with official times, medals and certificates for all, we must emphasize that it is also a jogging race, where the experience is primary and where completing the course is more important than winning. Therefore, there is no special prize to the first place finisher. As runners eventually cross the finish line at Spituk monastery, there is transport-tion by jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions, we are going to celebrate the com-pltion of the world’s hardest marathon already this evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the venue of the banquet. This day includes breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 11 - Leh (3,505m) - Delhi (216m)/ by flight and then Jaipur by bus
With regret, we must now leave the Tibetan highland and colorful Ladakh. We wake up tiredly with the sun, eat breakfast and then drive out to the small airport in Leh. On the way back to Delhi, we can however enjoy another wonderful flight over the majestic peaks of the Himalayas. On arrival we drive to Jaipur, which is known as the “Pink City” or the seething capital of Rajasthan. All meals included this day.
Day 12 - Jaipur / Amber Fort - City Palace - Jantar Mantar Observatory – Palace of the Winds - Bazaar
Jaipur has not always been the capital of the area. Earlier, it was the city of Amber, which is less than 11 kilometers north of Jaipur. But space in Amber became too cramped, and in 1727, the capital was moved south to what is now Jaipur. In Amber, there is still the Amber Fort, which is situated on a high hill with a broad ring of rugged watchtowers and fortifications, from which there is a unique view over Lake Moata. The dramatic location of the fort does not fail to impress. And in the morning when we will ascend to the fort, we will not climb the stairs as we usually do. We will actually hail an elephant to ride up!
After lunch we will discover Jaipur itself. We will visit the palace in central Jaipur, as well as the Janrar Mantar Observatory. In addi-tion, we will see the Palace of the Winds, from which, at the time of the Maharaja, the women of the harem could observe the lively street life without being seen themselves. At the end of the sightseeing tour we will visit the bazaar in Jaipur.
All meals included this day.
Day 13 - – Drive to Agra /Taj Mahal and Red Fort
In the morning we drive 235 km towards Agra .
Very little is known about the early history of Agra. In fact it was not until the beginning of the 16th century that the city became a capital of the kingdom of the great Moguls, and Agra became a powerful center on the Indian subcontinent. The great Moguls were more than just a Muslim tribe that came from the Afghani-Persian area and invaded a huge part of northern India. With a reign that extended from the year 1500 to 1700, the great Moguls were probably the most significant of all of the foreign rulers.
Today Agra is a large widely spread city, which is mostly situated on the western side of the Yamuna River. And the main attraction is without doubt, the Taj Mahal, which can still make the hearts of the most hard-boiled globetrotters to beat at double pace with emotion and enthusiasm. Depicted by the classical Indian poet, Tagore, as “a tear on the face of eternity”, Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the pearl of Indian architecture, and simply one of the most fascinating edifices in the world.
It was the Sultan Shah Jahan who erected Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died under tragic circumstances during childbirth. And the mausoleum, which was founded on a 4-meter high base, was built from 1632-47 in Persian style and surrounded by four thin minarets. In sparkling white marble, decorated with millions of semi-precious stones, the structure radiates an unusual calm and harmony – something that is otherwise rare to find on these wide roads. And it is extremely difficult to detach yourself from this architectural wonder.
However, we move on the next point on the program, which is the Red Fort. The fort was constructed in red sandstone in the years 1565-73 by the ruler Akbar. The fort is an impressive and well-maintained structure, which bears distinctive marks by the shifting rulers, from the red sandstone by Akbar to the silky white marble with inlaid semi-precious stones contributed by Shah Jahan. From a room with a lovely balcony in meticulously carved marble, we can see the Taj Mahal over the Yamuna River - the same view that Shah Jahan enjoyed in his last years of his life. Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, was power-hungry, and after he forcibly took over rule from his father, he killed his younger brother and made his father, Shah Jahan, a prisoner in the Red Fort. From here, Shah Jahan enjoyed the view of Taj Mahal until his death. All meals included this day.
Day 14 - Agra (169m) - Delhi (216m) / Departure
After lunch in Agra we depart for Delhi. In Delhi we will have a few rooms in a nice hotel for wash and change. At the hotel we will also enjoy dinner before we drive to the International Airport.
Hopefully it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both our suitcases and souls are certainly about to burst with the unforgettable experiences as we journey home. All meals included this day.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and it is subject to change.
The Packages listed here as Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 are essentially meant for the International Runner, however Indian Citizens are also welcome to join these groups if they so desire..
We would like to inform that there are special pacakges for Indian National and Residents.. To get more information about these pacakges, please:
Email us at "gtm@mountainadventuresindia.com"
or
Call: Mr. Nazir Rah on +91-129-4117492 and 4117493
Conditions
Refund
No refund will be given for any tours, meals, accommodation, sight-seeing, transfers or any other services included in the tour cost which for reasons of illness, strikes, and alteration by client or otherwise were not utilised.
Travel insurance
Travel Insurance, provided by European based GOUDA, covers all participants, runners and spectators alike. To learn more about what is covered by the insurance, please download conditions below.
Conditions, GOUDA Travel Insurance
Passports and visas
Travellers must have a valid pass-port and require visa for India. It is solely the client's responsibility to ensure they are in possession of the necessary documentation, and in compliance with the laws and regulations of the country visited.
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