Kingdom of Zanskar Trek

Day 1 - Fly London To Delhi

Fly overnight from London to Delhi.

Overnight: Overnight flight to Delhi

Day 2 - Arrive Delhi. Transfer to hotel. Time at leisure and half day sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi.

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the morning is free to relax and recuperate from your long flight.

In the afternoon, there is a half-day sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi in the company of an English-speaking local guide, to sample the heat, dust, smells, sights and sounds of the frenetic capital of India. Delhi is basically twelve old towns/cities laced together by the new City of Delhi built by the British in the times of the Raj. The sheer size and scale of the old colonial buildings in New Delhi give some idea of the power of British imperialism in India. Many of the old Lutyens/Baker buildings survive to this day. This sightseeing tour will take in some of the old mosques and markets of Old Delhi, along with some of the sights of grand design of New Delhi.

Overnight: Hotel Oberoi Maidens or Similar, Delhi

Day 3 - Train to Chandigarh - 3 ½ hours. Drive to Manali, 1,950m/6,400ft - 7 hours.

Early morning you will transfer to the noisy, bustling train station to take the train to Chandigarh. Delhi's train station has been greatly modernised but still there are multiple lines bringing trains in from all over India and as such there is a great deal of hustle and bustle, and an exciting atmosphere.

When you arrive in Chandigarh you will drive by a/c mini bus to the town of Manali via Bilaspur, Mundi and Kulu. Manali lies near the head of the Kulu Valley at 1,950m/6,400ft. It is a popular hill resort for Indians and westerners alike. Manali itself nestles in the foothills barely a dozen miles from the main Himalayan peaks.

Overnight: Mayflower Hotel or Similar, Manali

Day 4 - Day at leisure in Manali.

There is plenty to do in Manali. Time can be taken to visit the Hindu temple in the forest above town, visit the bazaar or walk to one of the nearby villages. Also possible is a visit to the large and thriving Tibetan Buddhist monastery, or highly recommended is a visit to the hot spring baths higher up the valley at Vashist; it's your choice whether you walk, or take a taxi. This is all useful rest and acclimatisation after your long journey so far.

Overnight: Mayflower Hotel or Similar, Manali

Day 5 - Drive to Keylong, 3,050m/10,006ft - 195km, 6hrs.

The drive towards the roadhead begins by minibus or jeep, crossing over the Rothang La, 3,978m /13,051ft. This pass featured heavily in the early exploration of the western Himalaya and gives excellent panoramic views of glaciers and the high peaks, from here you drop into the region of Lahoul. A picnic lunch is taken at Mahli, 3,405m /11,171ft, 17km before the pass or on the other side of the pass, depending on whether you make an early start or not. The road is narrow and exciting, following the mighty River Chandra for the last 60 km

Overnight: Dekyid Hotel or Similar, Keylong

Day 6 - Drive to Sarchu,4,266m/13,996ft, over the Baralacha La Pass, 4,883m/16,020ft - 103km, 6 hours.

Your journey continues on the Manali-Leh highway and today you will start to see a big change in the landscape as you move into the rain shadow north of the main Himalayan chain. After about an hour, you will reach the settlement of Darcha, which basically consists of an army checkpoint and a small collection of tea huts and shops. This was originally the place where groups used to camp before starting to trek up the Barai Nala to the Shingo La and into the Zanskar Valley. After some minor checkpoint formalities you continue on your way up to Patseo where there is an army camp. You then start the long ascent of the Baralacha La, 4,883m/16,020ft, which cuts the main Himalayan chain - 3 hours driving. If the weather is good, you should see fine views of the surrounding mountains and the plains around Sarchu. After a long descent you reach Sarchu, where you will meet your crew and camp for the night, near the river.

Overnight: Camp

Day 7 - Trek to Lingti Chu Campsite, 4,392m/14,409ft - 7-8 hours

Today you start trekking and follow the wide Lingti Chu Valley. You will gain stunning views of mountains with beautiful shades of brown and orange. You have your first river crossing today after approximately 30 minutes walking. You therefore will need your river sandals today. After about an hour from camp you come across two strange, large circular depressions in the surface of the plain. They must surely have been caused by meteorite impact. After lunch, you continue past mani walls, which have prayers engraved on them and an old bear trap. You must always keep mani walls and chortens to your right when passing - Tibetan Buddhists believe holy places should be circumambulated in a clockwise direction. All day the main river snakes below you to your right. You are basically crossing the edge of a large plain which is cut occasionally by ravines at the bottom of which are small streams. The position of the campsite will vary according to the availability of water, but is likely to be on a level 'platform' just below the main plain. Plenty of marmots live here.

Overnight: Camp

Day 8 - Trek to river camp called Berga Songchak, 4,450m/14,600ft - approximately 3½ hours.

The rise in altitude from Manali and over the Phirtse La Pass is more rapid than we would normally like, which is why these first three days trek are taken at a very slow pace. Our crew will also be carrying a Gamow bag (recompression chamber) as a precaution in case any member of the party suffers unduly from the altitude. They will also be carrying a bottle of oxygen.

Today for instance is only 3 or 4 hours. An easy day wandering beside and above the river, and a short climb out of camp onto the plateau. After an hour crossing a large grassy 'flat', and after some rocky slopes, you drop down to a mini plateau with a mani wall and an area shepherds have used for cooking. This is Thoyor on the Swiss map. Up, and back onto the main plateau and after a long flat section there are a series of small climbs and dry stream beds. Later there are two actual streams to hop across. Then a final climb to the high point of the day. Looking up the valley you can see tomorrow's river crossing and can begin to see towards the Phirtse La.

Overnight: Camp

Day 9 - Trek to Chumik Marpo, 4,726m/15,505ft - approximately 6 hours.

You head up the river on the 'plateau' until you come to the major river crossing at Khamirap. The water here may even be waist deep and perhaps one of the horses could be used for this crossing. A huge flat plain follows until you reach a 'gorge'. Not really a gorge but a steep sided valley with scree and sun baked rocks. The path is on the left bank sometimes high above the river until a 'corner' where you will cross to the right bank. It is still a long way to go, up and down, but slowly gaining height. After the 'corner' the valley widens and there are beautiful views of the silver river snaking ahead. Camp on a rocky meadow next to the river. You may pass Zanskari nomadic settlements today. Look out for tents, stone walls and yaks grazing. You may be able to sample some of their delicious fresh curd in exchange for tea and biscuits.

Overnight: Camp

Day 10 - Cross the Phirtse La, 5,574m/18,287ft. Descend to Zingchan, 4,606m/15,111ft - approximately 9-10 hours.

This is a long, long day but a really rewarding one! It is an easy and gradual ascent to the pass, in and out of valleys, two river crossings, and rising traverses. Higher up there are pretty blue flowers and hard mosses that look just like coral. So hard in fact you can stand on them. It takes about 4½ hours to reach the pass, incredible views. Then after hugs all round and shouts of "so so la gyelo" (victory to the gods), you start the descent on moderately steep unpleasant scree until a rocky path leads down the obvious valley towards the edge of Zanskar.Camp is at Zinchan which is set like an indented table on the mountainside.

Overnight: Camp

Day 11 - Trek to Testa, 3,950m/12,959ft) - approximately 4-5 hours.

Today is an easier day, with fantastic scenery along the way. There is a short uphill slope out of camp to gain a path that contours easily around the mountainside. After 2 - 2½ hours you come to the 'Toden La' pass. Not really a pass, but the end of the traverse and the start of the descent into a fantastic gorge which eventually spits you out into the main Zanskar valley. First though, before descending into the gorge you will be drinking in your first views of Zanskar. Near the 'pass' there is a group of orange coloured cliff tops from where you can look down into the Lunak valley. Below you can see the fields and houses of Table, up the valley you can almost see the village of Kargiak, and down the valley are the pretty villages of Tangzen, Kuru and Testa. Beautiful yellows from the barley and splashes of green from the carefully irrigated fields add exquisite colour to a dramatic backdrop of brown, copper and grey mountains. You trek down through the gorge, with its beetling cliffs and a short way down the valley to Tangzen for lunch. People will be working in the fields here collecting the harvest. After lunch, cross the river on a girder bridge and take the long rising traverse to Kuru. Wonderful Tibetan style houses here. A short stretch brings you to the larger village of Testa. Your campsite may be next to a group of chortens, and a grove of willows. There is plenty of opportunity for interaction with the Zanskari people today.

Overnight: Camp

Day 12 - Trek to Purne, 3,846m/12,618ft - 3 hours.

Today is a glorious day's walking with lots of cultural interest as you pass through the villages, watching the families working the fields, harvesting the barley and peas. The freshly-picked peas are absolutely delicious! Make sure you have plenty of digital cards in your day sack today for the many photo opportunities. A steep dusty descent takes you to a further bridge which you cross to reach your campsite at Purne. There are a couple of shops in Purne selling soft drinks, chocolate and a few other items. You may wish to trek to another lovely campsite at Kang Sar, a small hamlet in the direction of Phuktal.

Overnight: Camp

Day 13 - Rest day.

A welcome day to rest, potter around, and do some laundry. You could also turn the mess tent into a bath house and take turns with buckets of warm water.

Overnight: Camp

Day 14 - Purne to Phuktal Gompa, 3,895m/12,779ft - 2 hours.

You walk up a very deep and impressive gorge with a fast-flowing river to this remarkable and remote monastery. The great gorge has cliffs of rich red rock where millions of years previously large chunks had fallen down. These great orange blocks are scattered on the floor of the gorge. The path is sometimes sensational, built into the sides of cliffs. The occasional lama may pass you by. The 500 year old gompa is built literally on the side of a cliff. Here you can visit the inner temples.

Phuktal Gompa This is one of the most famous monasteries in Zanskar and is about five hundred years old. The monastery is like a honeycomb cut into a rock under a gigantic grotto, and is of the “yellow hat” sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The name means 'through cave'. There is a story here that a few hundred years ago a Kashmiri robber attempted to break into the monastery (the monks had gone away to visit a festival) and the caretaker monk had locked the door. Failing to gain entry, the robber lowered himself on a rope down the cliff above the monastery and tried to swing into the cave. The rope somehow got caught round his head and his head came off. Apparently, the dried head is kept in the temple and brought out once a year to celebrate the victory of the guardian deity of the monastery. In the cave above the monastery there is a waterhole whose level never changes and it is said to have healing properties. There is also a stone tablet left by the Hungarian explorer, Alexander Csoma de Körös. He was one of the first explorers of Tibet and spent some time here in 1826-27.

Overnight: Camp

Day 15 - Trek to Yaytah, 4,036m/13,241ft - 6 to 7 hours.

A great day! One final look around Phuktal Gompa and then find your way through the bowels of the monastery to the path that heads onwards to Tantak, Shade and the Stongde La. It is quite a deceptive climb up the slope to a chorten that marks the rim of cliffs above Phuktal. Then there is 3 hours of impressive gorge trekking. After an hour you will see a huge stratified cliff on your right, another hour brings you to a memorable contorted cliff and 40 minutes on there are some impressive cliffs that rock climbers would drool over. 20 minutes from here is an enormous scree slope that has a good path but even so it takes 15 minutes to cross. Lunch and then cross a small new bridge followed by a cruel 40 minute climb to a 'pass'. 20 minutes down from here is the improbable camp of Yaytah. It comprises a series of tent platforms engineered from the hillside. The cruel climb might be avoided once the main path around the cliffs, above the river has been repaired.

Overnight: Camp

Day 16 - Trek to Tantak, 3,961m/12,995ft - 6 hours.

As you approach Sumdo, the path can be exposed in places and a head for heights is an asset here. At Sumdo itself, there is a magnificent traditional Ladakhi bridge (the Niri bridge). Not easily seen from the path. This is made entirely of interwoven birch twigs and spans the ravine in a huge arc. This kind of bridge used to exist in many parts of Ladakh, but over the last 50 years have slowly but surely been replaced with more modern steel cable bridges or girder bridges. However, this is in such a remote locality and is so rarely used that it has remained intact. Steve Berry, our MD, says as far as he knows, it is one of only four left in existence in Ladakh.

Descending from camp you quickly hit the main path. From camp it is about an hour to arrive above the Niri bridge. It can be seen before this but you have to look carefully. We do not recommend that you try descending to the bridge as the path down is very 'hairy'. From here there are some bits of path on narrow ledges. The cliffs and gorges just go on being amazing. After the 'difficult' bits there is a section where the river lies at the bottom of a box canyon. 40 minutes from the Niri bridge is a new wooden bridge next to which is a large unusual square boulder. An hour from here contouring on the right bank you come to a beautiful cantilevered wooden bridge with an engineered path beyond. You may take lunch here. It is then an hour to camp. The valley widens, the floor is flat, the river braids, and there is a lot of stunted birch. Camp is near here and before Tantak which can be seen ahead.

Overnight: Camp

Day 17 - Trek to beyond Jingchikmo, 4,094m/14,432ft - approximately 6 hours. Possible side trip to Shade - 2-3 hours.

25 minutes to Tantak - a small hamlet of only 3 or 4 houses plus a gompa, This small monastery comes under the patronage of Phuktal. A monk visits one per month. The hamlet sits astride a small hill overlooking its fields.

You now drop down from Tantak through fields and a shrub covered plain to an old wall. Just above this is an old hermit's nest in some cliffs. This marks the start of a huge gorge in the bottom of which is a deep, perfect box canyon. At the start of the gorge are the 'lhatoos' or spirit shrines, and a chorten. A few minutes later you come to an incredible side canyon, a narrow slot with impressive rock walls, two lhatoos and a triple chorten. A path from here leads up the side canyon to the unbelievably remote village of Shade. 1 hour up, ½ hour back. It is worth the visit for those with energy to burn.

Back at the side canyon there is a traditional bridge made improbably with boughs of wood and stone. Just a small thing over a huge chasm. Half an hour beyond is a river crossing and 45 minutes beyond you come to an amazing side canyon of cliffs and spires. Great slabs of overlapping rock walls culminating in a peak high above. Next to this monster crag is a line of eroded cliffs and pinnacles. Pigeons play acrobatics, and a stream tinkles in the bottom. The camp is in fact beyond Jingchikmo as there is no water there.

Overnight: Camp

Day 18 - Trek to Suslan Taktak at the base of Stongde La Pass.

A very exciting day! There are at least 13 or 14 river crossings. You wander up the river bed through thickets of stunted willow and silver birch. Before this though there is an hour of long gradual contouring to reach the Sringri La Pass (Niri La), not really a pass but the cutting of a corner. Everywhere today has endless amazing cliffs and mountains. The river crossings change year on year as the river is bound to change its course in the summer.

Overnight: Camp

Day 19 - Cross the Stongde La, 5,175m/16,978ft, and descend to Stongde, 3,846m/12,618ft - 9 hours.

15 minutes from camp you start the long gradual climb to the Stongde La. In the first hour you pass above a fabulous box canyon, heading towards a huge pointed rock peak not even marked on the Swiss map. At the end of two hours you come to the only river crossing of the day. You may be able to boulder hop this rushing torrent. There is a small stone hut on the opposite bank. Then it is engage auto pilot and head slowly for the pass, 5½ hours from camp, and should see emotional celebrations as you realise there are no more false summits. The views are tremendous and actually you can see Stongde Gompa far below, but it is still 3½ hours to reach camp. On the way down you pass some summer pasture where you might meet local women making yak cheese.

The village of Stongde is a river oasis with a monastery enthroned above it, and it sits above the main Zanskar Valley. The monastery is affiliated to the Yellow Hat sect or Gelugkpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said to have been founded by Naropa's disciple, Marpa, in the 11th century and taken over by the Gelugkpa some four centuries later. It is a well-maintained and flourishing place with no fewer than seven temples and is well known for its paintings of rare beauty and delicacy. These include an unusual series in which the figures and deities are outlined in gold on a black background. It also houses a rare antique British Horse Artillery helmet dating from around 1820, No one seems to know how it came to be at the monastery.

Overnight: Camp

Day 20 - Drive to Padum. Drive to Zangla, 3,442m/11,293ft.

It does not take long to drive by jeep to the main township of Zanskar, Padum, perhaps half an hour or so. It's an interesting place to wander around with a small Buddhist monastery on top of the small hill above the town. This is where the kings of Zanskar had a fortress before Zowara Singh invaded from Kashmir and knocked it down. There are good views to be had from here. You may also walk to another temple called Pipiting, which is just outside of Padum on the other side of the valley.

After you've thoroughly explored, you drive back to near the village of Zangla. The camp will have been moved and will be set up somewhere on the plain below Zangla, near the river.

Overnight: Camp

Day 21 - Trek to Sumdo before Charcha La Base, 3,834m/12,579ft - 6 hours.

The walk to Zangla is not so far, 20-25 minutes or so, and from here the path leads up and past the old castle, which is perched high above the village on a buttress of rock. It is in a dilapidated condition, but some Hungarian archaeologists have been attempting some renovation in recent years. The famous explorer Alexander Csoma de Körös had lived in the castle during his time in Zanskar. It may even be possible to look inside if anyone can be found with the key.

It is then 20 minutes easy traverse from the castle towards the gorge due east to an irrigation channel which you follow for half an hour to where the gorge proper starts. At the very beginning of the gorge is a huge fin of rock on top of which you can clearly see the remains of an even more ancient fortress. It is such an improbable place to have a castle - who built it and why? It really is an astounding feat of building, and very mysterious. This place marks the beginning of the gorge. Really, we have run out of superlatives to describe the next 3½ hours. Firstly, you will need to put on river crossing sandals, as you will be wading the river many times today. In between crossings, you just continue to walk in your river sandals, as it would be completely impractical to swap from trekking boots to river sandals every time you cross the stream. It is therefore important to have a comfortable pair of river sandals. You will cross the small river maybe 20 or 30 times. However, it is never deeper than the knees (or at least that was the case in 2009 and 2013 when Steve did this section of the route). Watch out for small fish, like minnows, in small side pools.

This section is constantly exciting with non-stop breathtaking cliffs and contorted mountain strata. Thrown in are the unusual and the bizarre - thin fins of rock, giant slabs arching heavenwards, narrow passages with cliffs thousands of feet high above and caves high up in the rock walls, and different types and colours of rock. It is in fact an easy hike, though rocky underfoot, and great care is needed. Somewhere you will stop in the shade in the gorge for a quick lunch. Near the end of the path up the gorge, you rise to a natural cleft and shortly after that you are spat out and come to a river junction. This is a lovely place with stunted willows and a delightful camp site. By the way, the river flowing down the gorge is the Zumlung Chu. You could camp half an hour further up, which would afford you a better start tomorrow, but there is probably better grazing for your horses/mules at the first camp

Overnight: Camp

Day 22 - Cross the Charcha La, 4,955m/16,256ft and trek to Chupchak, 4,476m/14,685ft - 8-9 hours.

A big day and an early start. If you camp lower down, then it is half and hour up to the upper camp site where you turn right and start climbing steeply up to another flat area called Charcha La Base. This is a good, flat area and would be good for camping except that there is no water and nothing for the horses to graze on. If you get up early, then the sun does not hit you until after this, so you make good height gain in the shade. Then the path becomes a series of zigzags across and up steep scree. The pass and its chorten can be seen from a long way, and the path up to it looks improbable, but it does exist! After the scree, you start up a rocky area and care is needed. Achieving the pass can be quite an emotional experience! Again there are evocative views of wild remote mountain country. Then it is off easily down and following a riverbed, which is dry to begin with. There may even be patches of snow. The stony path leads down into a deepening gorge and the small stream is squeezed into a series of 'tunnels'. Not really tunnels but a number of narrow clefts. You simply follow the stream. Very exciting. It then widens out a bit before you come to a place where it is only a few feet wide for 100 yards or so. If the water levels are really low, you may even manage to boulder-hop all the way through, or you may need to do some shallow wading. Thereafter, the difficulties are over and you continue wearily down to a sumdo (junction) to camp. This place is called Chupchak, but is wrongly marked on some maps. The crossing of the pass is a fine achievement.

Overnight: Camp

Day 23 - Trek to Tomto, 3,926m/12,880ft - 7-8 hours.

Chupchak is shown wrongly on the 1/150,000 map by Olizan (the best map currently available) and we believe it is at the first major sumdo after the Charcha La Pass, not at the right-angled bend, considerably further on. It is two hours' walk down to the right-angled bend where there is a big junction and you turn right. At this junction you will need to put on your river sandals again and stay in them all day as there are many river crossings. You are following down the Zumling Chu River and as the day wears on the gorge becomes more and more impressive. It is rough, stony ground, so concentration is needed. It is a tiring day and although you may come across possible camp sites, it is best to press on to a final camp at Tomto. Opposite there is a side valley, at the end of which is an interesting-looking big snow peak.

Overnight: Camp

Day 24 - Trek to Nyari Nyarsang, 3,764m/12,349ft - 6-7 hours.

A shorter but still fantastic day! If it's possible, this may even be the best day for gorge scenery. At one point the gorge gets narrower and narrower and the leviathan cliffs rise straight out of the earth in Titanic twisted slabs. There are river crossings the whole way so, again, river sandals needed. There are astonishing upturned strata hundreds of feet high, rich colours, even in one place bright red rock, a real powerhouse of nature, a complete wonderland. It is about 5 hours to walk down to Tilat Sumdo. Wading through the various river crossings is a cold shock straight after breakfast. The scenery makes up for it, and Tilat Sumdo is a particularly impressive junction and you may see snow leopard tracks in the trail dust. After Tilat Sumdo the river is a bit deeper, faster and wider, but still should only be just above knee level, all things being equal. Then, after some incredible boiler plate slabs, you suddenly come to camp at Nyari Nyarsang (Karna Sumdo on some maps). This is a lovely spot at a junction with a side valley and stunted willows give some shade. However, it is a very dusty camp site. You will appreciate the rest, and the chance to relax and possibly have showers in the mess tent.

Overnight: Camp

Day 25 - Rest day.

You will certainly appreciate some rest and recuperation. Time again for washing and personal admin. This day is also a useful 'buffer' to adjust for the unexpected.

Overnight: Camp

Day 26 - Trek to Lapurba following the river, approximately 3,800m/12,500ft - 6-7 hours.

The next two days involve more superlative gorges and impressive cliff scenery. In places there are the remains of an old path but you will very often find it is easier to just walk up the river bed.

Overnight: Camp

Day 27 - Trek to Tantse - 6 hours. Alternatively cross the Zalung Karpo La and continue to Tsokra.

It is a very pleasant walk to Tantse. There are again 25 or so river crossings. The valley is more open with lots of trees and bushes.

Overnight: Camp

Day 28 - Trek to Dat, 4,338m/14,232ft - 4 hours.

Tantse is a stunningly beautiful place. There are some gigantic slabs of rock to the south with evidence of a colossal rock fall in relatively recent times. Tantse lies at the junction of two major valleys. The left fork leads to the Zalung Karpo La Pass via Tsokra, and the right leads to Dat. The valley floor is very green with much stunted willow and evidence of human habitation. In ancient times there was a real life shangrila kingdom here, locked off from the outside world. There is in fact a large castle at Tsokra.

In less than an hour you come to 3 remarkable rock peaks and a natural stone arch that sit as guardians to the narrow entrance of a canyon beyond. You enter this canyon marvelling at the massive rock walls. After 30 minutes this widens and there are a number of ruined houses and disused fields. You then come to a huge Lhato (spirit shrine) and beyond that three huge cliffs. As you finally leave the valley and approach the village of Dat there is line after line of ancient mani walls. This must have been an impressive entrance hundreds of years ago to this unknown kingdom. Dat is a large village with fine houses and a monastery, but sadly now it is only used in the winter.

No doubt this will be an appropriate time to have a party and celebrate your adventures and grand achievement! No doubt the first bottles of beer for some long time will be very welcome.

Overnight: Camp

Day 29 - Drive to Leh, 3,500m/11,500ft - 6-7 hours.

Although it will seem strange to be in a vehicle after so long on trek nevertheless it is an interesting journey over the Tanglung La Pass, 5,328m/17,480ft, finally dropping down into the Indus valley. Baths and beers await you.

Overnight: Kang Lha Chhen Hotel or Similar, Leh

Day 30 - At leisure in Leh.

Today is free to shop and explore Leh. It is a fascinating town dominated by the old royal palace. The old part of town has bazaars and narrow back streets and there is bags of atmosphere.

Overnight: Ladakh Residency or Kang Lha Chhen Hotel, Leh

Day 31 - Fly from Leh to Delhi.

The flight over the top of the Himalaya is sensational. On a clear day you can see K2 and the Karakoram giants. You may even be able to pick out some of the route you have just achieved. Your hotel room will be available after mid day. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight: Hotel Oberoi Maidens or Similar, Delhi

Day 32 - Fly to London.

You will have your hotel room until mid-day before transferring to the airport to fly to Delhi and onwards to London.