Group 2: 11. – 21. July 2008
Day 1 –Arrival in Delhi
On our way to the Tibetan plateau and The Great Tibetan Marathon,
we will stop over in the capital of India, Delhi, but only briefly, as this is the
day that we gather together. You, other runners and your companions from all over
the world will arrive on this date. Upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, we will meet
you at the arrival lounge and send you on to your hotel. Though there are not any
pre-arranged activities on this day, if you arrive early, you are welcome 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 is 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 The flat Indian plains are quickly superseded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! Breakfast, lunch
and dinner are 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. So not until the afternoon will we drive in jeeps
up to the impressive Leh Palace, which with its nine storeys that entirely dominate
the small town. 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 moun-tain, 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 caste. 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 characteristic of the Middle Ages. Along the way we will
visit a traditional Tibetan home, where we are shown around and are told about the
daily life in Ladakh. In the meantime, we’ll drink Chang, a somewhat special Tibetan
version of beer. Those who do not care to drink alcohol before lunch can sample
another speciality instead – yak tea with rancid butter and salt!
Back at the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is at your disposal, because the last
excursion of the day is not until sunset. Just less than 3 kilometers north of Leh
is the Sankar monastery, which like many others in Ladakh belongs to the Yellow
Sect and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. With only 20 monks, it is one of the smallest
in the valley. After having witnessed the monastery’s “evening puja”, we head back
to the hotel. “Puja” is the Ti-betan synonym for church service, when the monks
of the monastery chant the holy scriptures in a monotone accompanied by the sound
of large drums and small tinny bells. For those who are fresh, there is the possibility
for the first light physical exercise – an idyllic stroll back to Leh. The trail
back to Leh leads us down along a stream, past some willow trees and a couple of
barley fields and before you know it, we are back at the main bazaar again. This
day includes full pension.
 Day 4 – 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 a 20-minute drive, we reach the banks of the powerful Indus, where assistants
have large rubber rafts ready to sail down the river with its ancient culture. 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 impres-sive 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 colors
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 flood 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 palaces appear. There is time for a couple of additional stops along the
way, so that we can see how people live in the villages. Many of the older women
still wear the traditional dress, where the headgear is deco-rated with wonderful
pieces of turquoise.
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. Alshi 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. This day includes a full pension.
Day 5 – Leh (3,505m) – Thikse (3,490m)
– Hemis (3,800m) – Leh (3,505m) / Day trip to Thikse og Hemis Monas-teries
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, enormous
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. Con-structed 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 monas-tery.
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 traditional long “Himalayan trumpets.”
Day 6 – Hike along the Indus River
In contrast to the other travellers, there is an extra hiking day
where we will take a 6-hour trip along the Indus River. After an early breakfast,
we drive down to the Indus River and the Zangchuk suspension bridge. There is an
easy and comfortable walk over the bridge and further through some rice paddies
to the village of Zangchuk. From there we continue along a gravel path along the
river and come higher up over the Indus River, where we pass through the villages
of Palam and Pharak. By the Spituk suspension bridge, we eat our lunch down by the
riverside. Then we continue with a gradual ascent to the golden desert plateau,
high above the Indus River. And here on the right we have an amazing view over the
Indus Valley, while on the left we have the local, but still tremendous, Kangri
mountain range.
The route ends by going back down toward the river, where we cross over the Indus
via the suspension bridge near Phe. And well over the strong currents of the river,
we return to our jeeps, which drive us back to the hotel. After that, the rest of
the afternoon is at your disposal. This day includes full pension.
Day 7 – On your own
There is not a planned agenda this day. 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. A combination of walking and
jogging the will probably suit most people best. And there are a number of small
trails to take, both in and around Leh. This day include full pension.
Day 8 - 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/have to manage
to run in the thin air during The Great Tibetan Marathon the following day.
At 06:20 ALL participants in The Great Tibetan Marathon must meet up at the monastery
in Leh. The Danish team of doctors and the Danish Athletic League will give the
final instructions for The Great Tibetan Marathon 2008.
At 07:00 we start the 3-kilometer check-up and pleasure run. The route goes through
the narrow streets and lanes of Leh, and 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. And 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. This day includes full pension, where dinner consists of a pasta party.
Dag 9 - Leh (3,505m) - Hemis (3,800m)
- Spituk (3,400m) - Leh (3,505m) / The Great Tibetan Marathon 2008
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 2008. And at 04:45 both
runners and spectators are driven from their respective hotels the 45 kilometers
to the starting line at Hemis monastery.
Arrival at Hemis will be at about 06:00, followed by the official blessing of the
runners - “Race Puja” - at 06:15. There will probably be masked monks dancing the
ritual dances, where they fight the demons on behalf of the runners, while they
slowly rotate to the deep monotone tones from the several meter long brass horns.
This will certainly wake us as well as the sun, and also frighten off the demons
we must have brought with us from our home countries. The ceremony ends with the
gathering of the runners being blessed by the supreme monk from Hemis monastery.
At 06:35 the half marathon runners gather to be driven out to their respective starting
points along the route. At 07:00 the starting shot sounds for The Great Tibetan
Marathon and at last the worlds hardest marathon begins!
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 transportation by
jeep back to Leh and the hotels. In spite of our sore muscles, due to time restrictions,
we are going to celebrate the completion of the world’s hardest marathon already
that evening. And at 19:00 everyone from all hotels will be driven to the banks
of the mighty Indus River, where we have set up huge tents for the occasion, and
where we will hold the banquet. The theme? 1001 Tibetan Nights! This day includes
breakfast, lunch and a formal dinner.
Day 10 - Sunday Leh (3,505m) - Delhi
(216m)
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. 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. A look at the strategic location tells plainly why
this spot has been so sought after over the centuries. Very few cities have been
burned, plundered and conquered as many times as Delhi. Not fewer than 2 queens
and 70 kings have ruled here since 1193 and all have left their mark - something
that makes Delhi a classic capital, a reflection of India in the past, present and
future.
But what makes Delhi different from other large cities is the sharp distinction
between the government and the people. As a capital, Delhi continues to maintain
a dignified facade with its fine official service buildings on the enormous green
areas in the southern part of the city. Nobody sleeps on the huge lawns between
the monuments and the public notice boards, which proclaim in English the different
welfare campaigns. On the other hand, everywhere else in the city you can find the
contrasts of the city in profusion. You do not have to search far before the facade
of order is replaced by the inner soul of India. There are enormous contrasts between
rich and poor, old and new, chaos and order. And there are few places in the world
where it is all so easily accessible.
It is in the streets of Delhi that we come in contact with the cosmopolitan roar
from the masses - the Sikhs with their big turbans, the colorfully dressed women
of the Thar Desert, the sadhus (ascetic holy men) and the ragged homeless on the
sidewalks. Everyone rubs shoulders with each other, and share the limited space,
if not a conversation. And it is here in the streets that the humid heat of India
breaks through the layers of grimy polluted air and functions as a merciless social
stabilizer. Everyone sweats together here! With Delhi’s fascinating mixture of old
and new, the city can best be described as two cities in one. The new district,
which was inaugurated by the British in 1931, is nearly a modern city with broad
boule-vards, green areas and skyscrapers. And we’ll stay here!
The chaotic old part of the city has the furrowed face of Methusalah. The scent
of incense, the sacred cows and an incredible throng of people in the streets and
lanes make this district an orgy of sounds, smells and colors, that testifies to
its ability to undauntedly live on - on its own premises, exactly as it has done
for thousands of years.
From the airport we set out directly to the chaotic “Old Delhi”, where we start
off by visiting the impressive Jama Mosque. With its elegant combina-tion of red
sandstone and white marble, it’s high vaulted minarets, and besides that, it placement
on a platform over a hill, the mosque sits in state over the nearby streets and
lanes. And although the mosque was built between 1650 and 1656, it can house up
to 25,000 believers during the Friday prayers and is therefore the largest in India.
After visiting the mosque, we exchange our bus for bicycle rickshaws. The intention
is to experience the seething dream world of small boutiques, shops, and street
sellers that make up the bazaar in Old Delhi. The trades people of the area offer
for sale fragrant spices, clothes, trinkets, paper, tools, used auto parts and a
wealth of other goods. So it is right here that we lose ourselves in the labyrinth
of alleys and lanes, and before we know it, we find ourselves in a part of the city
where few travellers come. Although getting lost can often be half of the experience,
after an hour’s ride, we arrive back at the mighty Jama Mosque in the center of
the bazaar. And that one-hour ride on the back of a bicycle rickshaw is guaranteed
to be-come one more experience to remember for the rest of your life!
We are then driven by bus back to the organized world and our luxurious hotel, where
the rest of the day is at your disposal. This day includes breakfast and lunch.
Day 11 - Delhi (216m) - Agra (169m)
- Delhi (216m) / Day trip by train to Agra and the Taj Mahal
It is always difficult to get really close to the heart of India,
and that is why travelling by train in the Indian plains is a very special experience.
There may faster or more punctual ways to get to your destination, but you will
never find any way that is more authentically Indian. In the past Indian trains
were tightly packed with rundown coaches and even the running boards and the roof
were filled to the bursting point with scantily clad human bodies. Today the express
trains are fast and efficient, and we are going to ride airconditioned train know
as Shitabdi express, which is particularly comfortable. Already upon arrival at
the station in Delhi, there are crowds of sellers. From their food stalls they offer
fresh fruit, vegetables, “bidis” (cheap tobacco rolled in leaves), newspapers and
magazines. And with the monotone shouts of tea sellers “chai- walla”, the VERY early
express train starts off to the city of 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 in
double time 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.
The morning ends with lunch at one of the luxurious hotels in Agra. After that,
the plans for the afternoon are loose, either relax by the hotel swim-ming pool
or shop at the bazaar followed by dinner in Agra. Later in the evening does our
train, the Taj Express, return to Delhi and from here bus transfer to the International
Airport.
Hopeflly it is a large airplane that we return home with at night, because both
our suitcases and souls are certainly about to bust with the unforget-table experiences
as we journey home.
Kindly note that the above program should be regarded as a general guideline and
it is subject to change.
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