Ladakh Photography Expedition 2026
Enter the land of high passes, a world above clouds, a place beyond expectations.
Tour dates: 15 – 25 August 2026
Tour length: 11 days
Led by: Seng Mah and Shivam Pandey
Maximum 7 guests. Minimum 5 guests to run this tour.
Pace: Moderate (you need to have a reasonable level of physical fitness as this tour takes place in high altitude regions: 3500m – 5300m above sea level).
Cradled by the high Western Himalayas and shaped by ancient cultures, Ladakh is a land that rewards those who seek out the extraordinary. It is high altitude country, soaring above the clouds between 3500 and 5800 metres above sea level, and is relatively untouched by conventional tourism. It is a land that beckons the explorer, the adventurer and those searching for something more than what can be found down well trodden paths. For photographers, Ladakh offers a blend of photographic opportunities: people, culture and landscapes that have remained unchanged through generations.
From the stark beauty of the Nubra Valley to the serene intensity of Pangong Tso, from the flower-crowned Brokpa people of the Aryan Valley to the resilient Changpa nomads of the high plateau, this tour is your chance to create photographs that are unique, personal and deeply evocative!
The Ladakh Photography Tour is not for the tourist ticking off landmarks, but for the discerning photographer with a patient eye, a curious spirit, and a love for real lives, unfiltered moments, and the raw magnificence of untamed landscapes. Ladakh, often called “The Land of High Passes,” invites you to lose yourself in vast horizons, to find humanity in the folds of forgotten valleys, and to breathe with the rhythm of a place where life moves with the rhythm of seasons and light.
You’ll be supported in your photography by Seng Mah and Shivam Pandey – professional travel photographers and photography teachers. Seng and Shivam have collaborated frequently to offer immersive photography tours that emphasise authentic and engaging photographic experiences. We will share tips and recommendations for optimising your travel photography during the course of the tour.
Welcome to Ladakh
Ladakh is a high-altitude desert that defies convention. Rugged yet welcoming, austere yet breathtakingly beautiful, it offers a wealth of photographic possibilities: wide-open landscapes shaped by wind and time, faces carved by generations of sun and snow, traditions that echo the chants of ancient empires.
We’ll go beyond the usual. You’ll spend time in remote valleys where few travellers go, immerse in the culture of the Brokpa people, meet nomadic herders who still move with the seasons, and find yourself watching the sun rise over silent lakes that seem to touch the sky.
This is a journey for photographers who crave both story and soul in their images.
Tour highlights
Day 1: Arrival in Delhi
Arrive in India’s capital and check into your hotel. Rest and prepare for the journey ahead. A welcome briefing will introduce the group and discuss photographic goals, inspirations and expectations.
Day 2: Into the Himalayas – Arrival in Leh
A breathtaking morning flight carries us over the snow-clad Himalayas into Leh the capital of Ladakh, sitting at 3,500m above sea level. After settling into our hotel and beginning acclimatisation, we venture out to photograph Shanti Stupa, which sits high above Leh. As the sun lowers, the surrounding mountains and valley are bathed in golden hues—a perfect first encounter with Ladakh’s light.
Day 3: Thiksey Monastery and Journey to the Aryan Valley
Dawn sees us at Thiksey Monastery, a majestic 12-storey Tibetan Buddhist complex where monks gather for morning prayer. Witness—and photograph—the beautiful choreography of monastic life: crimson robes, rising incense, and soft-lit interiors.
Later, we follow the Indus River into the Aryan Valley, home to the Brokpa people—a culturally distinct group believed to be descendants of Alexander the Great’s army. Their villages—Garkhon, Da, and Hanu—are nestled in dramatic valleys rarely visited by outsiders.
Day 4: Cultural Immersion with the Brokpa
Today is devoted to intimate encounters with the Brokpa communities. Known for their elaborate floral headdresses, layered jewellery, and pride in preserving a unique cultural lineage, the Brokpa offer rare opportunities for powerful portraiture and environmental storytelling. With the help of local guides and translators, we’ll spend time engaging with families in Da and Hanu, ensuring respectful and genuine interactions.
Day 5: Return to Leh via Alchi Monastery
On our return journey to Leh, we stop at the exquisite Alchi Monastery, Ladakh’s oldest and most artistically rich. Dating back to the 10th century, it features Kashmiri-style frescoes and wooden sculptures in low-lit chambers—a photographic challenge and a delight.
Day 6: Over the Roof of the World to Nubra Valley
We ascend to Khardung La Pass (5,359m), one of the highest motorable passes on earth, and descend into the Nubra Valley—a dramatic convergence of desert, glacier, and river. The landscape is nothing short of otherworldly. Dunes ripple across the valley floor, flanked by serrated peaks, with braided rivers carving through it all.
In the late afternoon, we head into the dunes for our first golden hour shoot, where Bactrian camels—remnants of the old Silk Route—move through the sand in silhouette against burning mountain light. Their shaggy coats and twin humps add surreal texture to the timeless scene.
Day 7: Monasteries, Villages and Mountains
At dawn, we visit Diskit Monastery, which towers above the Nubra Valley with its commanding views and colossal Maitreya Buddha statue that gazes serenely across mountains. Here, monks go about their daily rituals in a setting that invites quiet, contemplative photography, and the search for the rare instances when light, action and decisive moments collide.
Later, we explore Tiggur, a lesser-known Ladakhi village where locals tend to orchards and livestock beneath towering cliffs. A Buddhist village on the fringes of the Tibetan Cultural Area, Tiggur lies on the old Silk Route that connected Central Asia with Kashmir.
As day wanes, we return to the dunes for a second golden hour shoot, making the most of this photogenic terrain. The camels, once used for trade between India and Central Asia, provide striking movement and shape against the shadowed ridges.
Day 8: The Jewel of Ladakh – Pangong Lake
We travel east toward the azure expanse of Pangong Tso, one of Ladakh’s most spectacular high-altitude lakes. At 4,350m and stretching into Tibet, Pangong’s colours are famously changeable—shifting from sapphire to aquamarine as the day unfolds.
We stay in Merak, a quiet lakeside village, where our simple bungalows place us at the water’s edge. Note that accommodation here is simple but cosy, designed to keep us close to the lake at dawn and dusk.
Day 9: Tso Moriri and the Changpa Nomads
A sunrise shoot over Pangong precedes our journey to Tso Moriri, another high-altitude lake set in a windswept plateau surrounded by 6,000m peaks. At its edge is Korzok, a small settlement where perched above the still waters of the lake. Here, we hope to encounter the Changpa people – high altitude nomads.
The Changpa are pastoralists who move seasonally with their herds of Changthangi goats, the source of the world’s finest pashmina wool. Their way of life is shaped by resilience, ritual, and deep connection to land and animal. Time spent with them offers an exceptional opportunity to document a culture that exists at the edge of habitation.
Korzok is a remote village and, as such, accommodation here will be simple, rustic but cosy.
Day 10: Morning with the Nomads and Return to Leh
We begin the day photographing the Changpa as they begin their routines—herding and milking goats, and preparing for the day’s activities. These are scenes of enduring simplicity and strength, rich in authenticity and visual depth.
After this final immersive shoot, we depart Korzok for the return to Leh for our final evening together—full-hearted, and with memory cards rich in story.
Day 11: Return to Delhi
We catch the morning flight from Leh to Delhi. The tour concludes upon our arrival in Delhi. We can provide assistance in connecting you to your homebound flight. If you would prefer an additional night stay in Delhi before departing the next day, we can help arrange this too.
Tour Inclusions
- 10 nights accommodation (single occupancy).
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner during the course of the tour.
- Return airfares Delhi – Leh. Note that domestic flights within India have a 15kg limit for checked in luggage.
- Airport transfers on arrival in Delhi on Day 1 of the tour. If you plan to arrive earlier and depart later, we can assist in organising transfers for you at additional cost.
- Transfer for domestic flight Delhi – Leh on Day 2.
- Land transport in 4×4 or similar vehicle during the course of the tour in Ladakh.
- Photographic mentoring and guidance from two professional travel photographers (Seng Mah and Shivam Pandey) during the course of the tour.
Tour Exclusions
- Gratuities for our driver, guide and assistants during the tour.
- Return flights to Delhi.
- Comprehensive travel insurance (this is required as a condition of your joining this tour).
- Photographic equipment and insurance for equipment.
- Alcoholic drinks. Note that alcoholic drinks is not freely available in Ladakh. Should you wish to bring alcohol with you in Ladakh, you will need to pre-purchase it prior to arriving in Leh.
- Personal expenses including laundry, medication, personal shopping and gratuities.
- Any transport and fees outside the scope of the itinerary.
A note on high altitude travel
This tour involves travel in high altitudes (3500m to 5300m above sea level) and some individuals may be more susceptible to the effects of high altitudes than others. Rest assured, we will be taking time to make sure we all acclimatise to high altitude on arrival in Leh, and the pace of the tour is set so that all guests have time to rest after our photography excursions. To avoid altitude sickness, we suggest consulting your medical professional about any medication you may require, or precautions you need to make to ensure your well being during this tour. The tour operator in Ladakh will have oxygen available in the event that guests require it during travel. If you have any concerns about your travel in high altitudes, please consult your medical professional prior to reserving your place in this tour.
Tour price
AUD$8998 inclusive of single occupancy. If you are traveling with a spouse or life-partner who is also a participating photographer on this tour, and would like to share a room with them, a double occupancy price is available. Please ask.
Reserve your place
A deposit of AUD$2000 will secure your place on this tour. The balance is payable by 14 May 2026. Note that deposits are non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled by its organisers (Venture Photography Workshops and Tours) before 14 May 2026
For details of the Terms and Conditions of our tours, including cancellation charges, please read our Photography Tours Terms and Conditions.
To join this tour or contact us with your questions, please use the form below or email seng [at] venturephotography.com.au or telephone +61 417 604 614.