At 60, Mr. Murali Finally Chased His Ladakh Dream !
Some travel dreams take years to become a reality. For Mr. Murali, his dream of visiting Ladakh finally came true at 60, just after retiring from the Indian Railways in January 2026. With more time on his hands and no leave to ask for, he decided it was finally time to travel to places he had always wanted to see.
What began as a small plan eventually turned into a Ladakh senior citizen trip with 11 travellers, most of them around the age of 65. From the high-altitude passes of Ladakh to ATV rides, river rafting and a trip to Hanle, this was hardly the quiet retirement holiday one might imagine. It was an adventure filled with preparation, curiosity, a few challenging moments and plenty of reasons to say yes.
For anyone researching Ladakh Tour Packages, this Leh-Ladakh trip experience is a story of preparation, unexpected adventures, and small moments that stayed with the group long after they returned home.
The Ladakh Trip That Started With Three Friends
Unlike most travel plans that start with a WhatsApp group for the millennials and genZs where people back out, this plan is shaped in the exact opposite way.
Upon asking Mr. Murali about how this 11-senior-citizen group was formed, he replied with a short story, “We were just 3 people from Bombay, one of their sisters stay in Bhopal, and she also wanted to join. I did not mind, as it would be beneficial for us to book a whole car for ourselves. She then told her neighbor friend about the plan, and she also wanted to join. I was updating Saksham from your team about the increasing number of Pax. A few more members were to join from Bhopal; all were retired senior citizens. Now their friends who stay in Jabalpur also wanted to join, so eventually we ended up booking a tempo traveller as suggested by Saksham."
By the end, there were 6 members from Bhopal, 2 from Jabalpur and 3 from Mumbai. Since the flight costs were almost similar, everyone decided to travel from Mumbai to Mumbai.
What began as a small plan had quietly turned into an 11-member Ladakh senior citizen trip.
From Planning Every Trip Himself to Trusting WanderOn With Ladakh
Mr. Murali is a frequent independent traveller. He usually plans his own holidays, connects with local drivers and books his hotels himself. Ladakh was different, so he began researching travel agencies and comparing what they offered. During his research, he came across WanderOn’s package and started looking closely at the itinerary. He wanted to cover as many places as possible and add a few nearby places too.
“I did some research on AI and some agencies popped up, so I started inquiring on all. I came across your basic package and went through it. One of my habits is while planning a trip I try to cover as many places as I can and add a few nearby places as well. During my research I found out about Hanle and asked Saksham to add it in the itinerary. He reworked my quote, which was comparatively less costly than others. Upon asking other group members, they all agreed to go with WanderOn, since you also had good Leh Ladakh trip reviews online”.
Here's the Final Ladakh Itinerary for Mr. Murali
This 8-day senior citizen trip to Leh Ladakh covered Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong, and Hanle, with some of Ladakh's most memorable experiences along the way.
- Day 1: Arrival in Leh & Acclimatization
- Day 2: Leh Local Sightseeing: Shanti Stupa, Hall of Fame, Sangam Point, Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, Leh Market
- Day 3: Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardungla: ATV Ride, River Rafting, Diskit Monastery, Hundar Sand Dunes
- Day 4: Turtuk Day Excursion
- Day 5: Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake
- Day 6: Pangong Lake to Hanle: via Rezangla War Memorial
- Day 7: Hanle to Leh via Umling La
- Day 8: Departure from Leh
For travellers planning their own route, the group's journey also gives a glimpse into what a well-planned Ladakh Road Trip Packages itinerary can look like, especially when the route includes both popular sights and lesser-explored places like Hanle.
How The High-Altitude Tested Them
During the post-trip conversation with him, we wanted to know if the group had any pre-trip doubts or hesitations about high-altitude travel, and here’s the reply we got that reflected how prepared the group was.
Mr. Murali said, “I do a lot of research on Google. I read about all the do’s and dont’s. I was little concerned at the back of my mind, as I had planned the entire trip and if something goes wrong I will be responsible for it. But I took all the precautions as mentioned by WandeOn. I also consulted my doctor and took Diamox tablet and I had informed the same to all the group members.”
The group knew Ladakh would require preparation. With most travellers around 65, Mr. Murali did not want to leave things to chance. He researched the do’s and don’ts, consulted his doctor and informed the group about the precautions he was taking.
The first real test came almost immediately after landing in Leh.
“On the very first day as soon as we landed in Leh, we understood the high-altitude problems. Our vehicle was parked at an inclination, and we had to walk there with all our luggage. In that short 100m walk, we were short on breath. We reached our hotel, took some rest, and during the evening hi-tea, we all mutually decided to start having Diamox, just to be cautious. We did not want to trouble anyone, neither the other group members nor the family members back home.”
And with the basics of Ladakh Tourism and altitude safety taken care of, the group was ready to discover what they had actually come to Ladakh for - the adventure.
Fortunately, the rest of the journey went smoothly, and Mr. Murali also credited the pre-trip briefing from the WanderOn team. Travellers can also read Safety Tips for Ladakh before heading into the mountains.
We also asked Mr. Murali if there were any other places that initially seemed difficult but eventually turned out to be manageable.
“There was not any major difficulty throughout the trip, but if I had to mention 1 place, it would be Khardungla. Because when we reached it, the temperature was freezing and there were hailstorms. We thought of leaving immediately, but it was cleared within 5 mins, so we could spend 15-20 more minutes there. There was little rush of the bikers, but it was all manageable.”
He added, “We first thought of skipping the route to Umling La because of the high altitude, but we went, stayed their for 10-15 minutes, and came back. Also the weather was good throughout our trip, which was a plus. We did not face any difficulty throughout the trip, and hats off to the Indian army and BRO, who have built such good roads at such high altitudes and remote locations.”
For Mr. Murali, however, some of the most memorable parts of travelling through these high-altitude routes were not the passes themselves. He also recalls his small interactions with the army who were posted at such high altitudes and did their duty with full grit. He was very fascinated and in awe of our soldiers.
At Rezangla War Memorial, he also got to know more about the bravery and heroism of the soldiers, which just made him admire the army even more. He also appreciated how the army has built so many small cafes in that altitude, where even civilians can stop and take a break to eat something.
The Experiences That Made the Trip Memorable
When we asked Mr. Murali about the top three places or experiences from the trip, he laughed before admitting it was difficult to pick.
“This is a very difficult question” - he said with a laugh. “To be honest, most of the landscapes had mountains, rivers and monasteries which is a very common site, if you visiting the Himalayas - be it Bhutan, Himachal, etc. But the experiences that we had on our Ladakh Trip mattered more to me. I really enjoyed riding the ATV in Nubra Valley and river rafting in Shyok river. I had rafted in Bhutan with a friend, so we weren't eager to do it again. But since many of the other group members wanted to go rafting, I decided to join them, following the saying, “Now that we're here, let's live it up.”
When we asked him about the ATV ride in Ladakh specifically, he had another story to share.
“My son had asked me to definitely try the ATV, so I had to go for it. Some of the group members hesitated initially, so I had to slightly convince them, and watching everyone do the ATV ride then was truly a satisfactory moment for me. You can count these experiences as memorable moments for all the members, as everyone enjoyed them thoroughly."
For the group, it was less about ticking off activities and more about doing them together. The ATV ride and river rafting in Ladakh, experienced together became some of the strongest memories of the trip.
Listening to Mr. Murali was both inspiring and deeply moving. This was no ordinary senior citizens' trip; it was an adventure that matched the energy and spirit of any young traveler.
It Was Also About The Little Things
Not every memorable part of the journey came with the best things to do in Ladakh. When we asked Mr. Murali about moments that made him feel particularly satisfied, he could not point to just one.
“I cannot recall a particular moment, but every place was lovely in different ways. Like Leh was a beautiful city to travel to. We also had many apricots at Sangam Point, where a standalone seller had bought from his garden. One of our group members wanted to have butter tea, and they got it on the way to the Pangong Lake, so that was their moment of satisfaction. We also stopped at the newly opened BRO Cafe Himank on the way to Pangong, where one of our group members had chilly paneer (they had been craving for it since a long time) and they enjoyed that there. We also enjoyed having Maggi in the mountains.”
There were other little moments too. The group loved the location of their stay at Pangong. They also visited Hanle Observatory, where they got a glimpse of how the sky looks on a clear night, although clouds meant they couldn't properly stargaze during their visit. Even Rezang La War Memorial became more than just another stop on the route because of what Mr. Murali learned about the soldiers and their work in the region.
These are the details that make a leh ladakh trip experience feel personal - the apricots, the butter tea, the Maggi, the meal someone had been waiting for.
The highlight of the trip was the Dhurandar Tea Shop
On the last day, the group had plenty of time before heading to the airport. Mr. Murali had read about the famous Dhurandhar tea shop in Leh, so he booked a local taxi and took everyone there.
The reaction from the group made it sound like this little stop had suddenly become the highlight of the trip.
“On the last day before leaving for the airport, we had plenty of time until we headed towards the airport. I had read that the famous “Dhurandar tea shop” is in Leh. So we booked a taxi and went there. My fellow group members were so happy when we reached there, as if the whole trip could be kept on one side, and this Dhurandhar tea shop in Leh was the only place they had come to see. The funny part was the tea there cost 30 rs, and the photo at the cafe costs 40rs. We sat on that exact same table and clicked a few photographs as well. The owner has nicely sketched out the exact movie scenes and has framed them inside the cafe.”
Sometimes, a ₹30 cup of tea becomes one of the stories everyone carries home.
First Trip With a Travel Agency and Why He Will Choose WanderOn Again
There was one thing about Mr. Murali's Wanderon Ladakh trip review that stood out. He had spent years planning his own trips, so this was his first time booking through a travel agency.
“I have been planning all my trips on my own, by connecting with local drivers and booking the hotels myself, this was the first time when I had actually booked a trip with the travel agency”
When asked why Ladakh made him choose an agency, his answer was simple, “I was not familiar with the terrain was the primary reason. Also now I’m no longer that confident young guy, so I thought it would be better to get my trip planned with a reliable travel agency, so that we could go and come back safely. Obviously, I will keep planning my trip wherever I can, but yes, we would definitely travel with WanderOn again whenever we will be requiring a helping hand. We thoroughly enjoyed the Ladakh trip experience with WanderOn”.
His own Google review after returning home added another perspective to the Wanderon Ladakh trip review: “This was our first tour with Wanderon to Leh in August 2026. We were 11 members and most of us were Sr. Citizen. The accommodations at all places were excellent. Good food. Mr. Mukul Sharma was always available for any help during the tour.Thanks Wanderon team for an unforgettable memories of Leh tour.” read the full review here.
For readers going through Leh Ladakh trip reviews, the review reflects what mattered to the group after returning home: comfortable stays, good food and having someone available when they needed help.
For Mr. Murali, this was not just another organised holiday. It was his first time trusting an agency with a journey he had planned carefully, and the Wanderon Ladakh trip review came with a clear reason for that choice: unfamiliar terrain and the need for reliable support.
Concluding - “Just Pack Your Bag and Go For It”
Before ending the conversation, we asked Mr. Murali what he would tell other travellers who may be thinking about a senior citizen trip to Leh Ladakh.
He brought up the movie Unchaai, which the group had discussed one evening during their trip.
“If you are going with a positive attitude, nothing can stop you. One evening, during the trip when everyone had gathered around to chitchat, we thought of that movie “Unchaai” (starring Ambitab Bacchan where 3 old friends take the Everent Base Camp trek to fulfill their dying friend’s last wish), so yes, that was it for us. You just need to follow all the safety precautions and have a strong will. One of our group member was also travelling after an open heart surgery but was still confident to travel to Ladakh, as he had also travelled to Kedernath after the surgery. So ultimately it’s your positive attitude and strong will that will keep you going. And for me the personal achievement was that everyone went and got back safe and sound. We came back with so many beautiful memories.”
For Mr. Murali, that was the real achievement of this senior citizen trip to Leh Ladakh: 11 people set out together, and all of them returned safely with stories to tell.
And then he summed up his approach to travel in one line:
“Just pack your bag and go for it. If anything bad has to happen, it is bound to happen anywhere, so don't overthink; just live the moment.”
What a fun, energetic person to talk to - a reminder that adventure has no age limit!
