An extension of the Tibetan plateau, Ladakh is a separate world from the rest of India, yet just over an hour flight from Delhi. This is one of the most beautiful flights in the world, flying directly over the Himalayas. The spiritual heritage of Buddhist mystical teachings travelled from India to Ladakh, then to Tibet. They’ve been preserved and practised uninterruptedly for the last 1,200 years. Ladakh’s continuous and still vibrant tradition of meditation, introspection and Dharma dates from this time.

Our home base for three days in one of Central Asia’s most scenic towns, tranquil, historic Leh, the capital of Ladakh, and long an important stopover on the old Silk Road connecting China, India, and Europe. Our hotel in Leh is within walking distance of the main bazaar—a mixture of Tibetan and Kashmiri curio shops, trekking provision stores, street vendors, and restaurants.

On this pilgrimage, with our Buddhist Ladakhi guide, we’ll wend our way up and down the Indus valley, bordered by two of the world’s highest mountain ranges—the Himalayas and the Karakorams. We’ll meditate in temples and prayer halls—spiritual havens where Buddhist monks and nuns have meditated, prayed and chanted for centuries; and discover exquisitely detailed wall murals, thangkas (religious paintings), and sculptures, amazingly preserved by Ladakh’s rarefied air and dry climate. These old monasteries contain rich collections of paintings and artifacts and the tangible power left by centuries of spiritual masters meditating there. And we’ll dive deep into the silence of Divine Mother’s majestic nature.

In Hemis monastery—one of Ladakh’s richest and most renowned—we’ll meditate where some say Jesus studied during his “lost years.” We’ll drive along the Indus River downstream to the charming ancient village of Alchi, containing deeply peaceful 11th-century temples with wall paintings done in Kashmiri style.

Ananda Pilgrimages are not so much about sightseeing and doing as about being—being in a place of high spiritual vibration and learning to relax and open your heart to receive blessings. Meditating as a group in these holy spots reinforces their power. The flavour of the pilgrimage is both inward and expansive. We’ll meditate together in the mornings and at each monastery, while simultaneously receiving the expansive vibrations of Ladakh’s astonishing natural beauty.