Today it was back to Leh, following the same route that we had come in two days ago – so again about 120km, four hours – and again going through thin air at Khardung-La.

This time we had a longer break a the pass – for a chance to check out the small shrines (both Buddhist and Hindu) at the top – and actually climb the last few meters to make it to 5400m above sea level (per my GPS measurement).

After arrival in Leh and a filling lunch, we had free time – for souvenir shopping, some fairly heavy bargaining and Bienenstich.

We got to the outskirts of Leh around midday – with another monastery waiting for us – Spituk Monastery, founded in the 11th century and sitting on a hill just South of Leh’s airport – a great place for plane-spotting (though, I am sure the military will disagree).

From Spituk it was back to our hotel in Leh (where we were ended up in the same rooms as a few days back) and lunch. In the later afternoon we met again, to walk over to a local family and get an introduction to butter tea, its preparation and (of course) an opportunity for a tasting (spoiler: it tasted better than the butter tea, I had tried in Bhutan). With time to spare before dinner I spent some time exploring the residential area around the hotel.

We had made it back from the city tour in the early afternoon and in time for a late lunch. I could certainly feel the altitude having a toll on my, so had another restful afternoon, again with a pot of tea and my book.

In the early evening the group did come together again for the trip up to Shanti Stupa for sunset. The stupa, complete with a golden Buddha statue – opened in 1991 – sits on a hill overlooking Leh and the valley. We spent time here checking out the stupa, watching people go by their religion – and taking in the great views all around.

Today was another slow day, as we continued to get acclimatized to Leh’s elevation. As such we had a leisurely trip around Leh’s main sights.

First it was up to the old castle on Tsemo Hill for great views over town and valley – views even turned out better after the climb of some steps up to Tsemo Maitreya Temple (which unfortunately was closed).

It was now back to the cars for the short drive to the next stop a hundred meters below – Leh Palace. Leh Palace is the former royal palace, today a museum and open to the public. After learning about the palace’s history, taking in more views and (occasionally) taking a rest to catch our breath, it was into town for masala chai and Leh Market for a first souvenir shopping opportunity (Kashmiri Kahwa Tea anyone?) and (more important to me) a proper espresso.

We had a very early start today, leaving our hotel in Delhi at 01:30 to catch the 04:55 flight to Leh. The flight turned out quiet spectacular as we reached the Himalaya range – with great mountain views (limited for me, due to me being in an aisle seat).

After a bit more than an hour flight time we arrived in Leh at around 06:00 to a fresh, sunny morning. Despite this being a short domestic hop, our surroundings were very different now compared to just a few hours earlier. We had swapped the hot and humid monsoon with a very dry desert-climate; the air – now at an elevation of 3500m above sea level – turned out much thinner. Also there was a clear cultural shift – this did not feel like India anymore … with a Tibetan-style Buddhism being the main influence here. Only the food remained distinctly Indian – daal, paneer and galub jamun continued to be our (almost) daily staples.

A quick drive got us to the hotel, where our rooms were already waiting for us – as was breakfast. I made it back to bed after breakfast to catch up on a bit of sleep and ease the adjustment to the elevation. After lunch I continued to take things easy – over a pot of tea and a book … and enjoying the views from the rooftop of the hotel.