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Zanskar - the hard way

Since 99 we have had a little bit of unfinished business with a pass called the Kang la, and the time seems ripe to return; over the glaciated pass, then, and on via the Jumlam to the lovely Markha valley and Leh. This is a long trek with a lot of time spent at altitude, including a week spent on glaciers. For climbers we have an optional ascent of a 6000m peak. Please discuss your experience and suitability for this trek.

"Exploration is delightful to look forward to and back upon, but it is not comfortable at the time, unless it be of such an easy nature as not to deserve the name."

Samuel Butler

Well, our trip will be real exploration but in relative comfort too!

The route

This is an extreme route, one of the very few in Ladakh, it is also a classic, traversing the main Himalayan range over into Tibet the Tibetan plateau (ie Ladakh, which is still in India). Forests, lush, flowering alpine valleys, glaciers and REAL mountains, then there's the magic of Zanskar and the most remote route thru to Leh, as big, as rugged and most definitely as starkly beautiful as it gets.

We begin in western Lahaul at the end of the Pir Pinjal mountain range, a range that could only be overshadowed by the Himalaya or Karakoram. The Himalayan range picks up a lot of precipitation hence the large glaciers and sheer, savage mountains, but over the pass is a different land, huge ranges but little snow, instead colourful rock, turquoise bubbly streams, solid villages and that roofless, expanse of a sky. The space, the peace, an impossible challenge to convey the totality of it. So experience it for yourself.

Preparation and trekking with us

There is lots of India trek and preparation information on the left. Also take a look at About us and at the photo galleries to see why we rave about Ladakh and Zanskar.

Other gear

Please carefully check our gear list (opens in a new window) and here are a few more tips:

+ we supply sleeping mats, but if you have your own Thermarest, bring it along.

+ We supply water that has been boiled for drinking in the day, but if you have a water filter you might want to bring it.

+ Your sleeping bag should be 4 season for this particular trip, we have liners available to boost the rating.

+ Please bring a down jacket (we have two for rent, medium and large) Evenings can be chilly.

+ We have a couple of days with multiple river crossings, you need sandals or sneakers that will get wet

The itinerary

In 2002 we trekked part of this route - but still couldn't cross the Kang La, and when I have time I will slightly refine the Jumlam section.

Note that most flights into Delhi arrive late at night/very early in the morning. Plan your arrival time-date carefully and ask if you are not sure.

Day 1 - arrive Delhi

Joel, Kim or a representative from Druk Expeditions will be at the airport to meet you and take you to the atmospheric Metropolis Tourist Home in Paharganj, near Connaught Place in central Delhi.

If your flight is delayed, please phone the hotel or Druk Expeditions.

drive Manali

A 5am start for our drive to Manali in the Pir Panjal range. We have our own comfy Tato Sumo jeeps (7 seaters but we put 5 in each) and we stop for frequent drinks, lunch, or just to stretch our legs. We arrive at our hotel, the Rajans, by 7pm, and head for Johnsons, a family run restaurant in Manali who have been host to our groups for 3 years now.

Manali

Our staff are busy shopping in the market for the last fresh supplies, so it is your day to relax and recover, or shop with them. If you want some exercise, we can point you to many local walks. 

drive Udaipur

We leave by 9am to cross the 3978m Rohtang pass. The road climbs thru pine and fir forests flanked by huge cliffs; it is a drive thru a geographic transition, on the other side we then along the Chandra and Chenab rivers to Udaipur, where we meet the rest of our crew and camp for our first night at 2650m. 

trek Chamrat 2950m

As with most treks in India, the first few hours on this trek are on one of the roads pushing constantly into the Himalayas. Chamrat is one of many Buddhist villages in the Miyar valley we will be passing through.

Urgos 3250m

Meadows and millet fields, to Urgos here at 3250m, where we have an optional rest day to trek up the base of the Urgos pass.

(extra day to camp in high valley)

Plateau camp 3700m

"How did you sleep?" is the question we all have to discuss before moving up to the next camp at 3700m, and if we are all dealing with the altitude increase well, we leave the last village behind and move up to the grazing meadows beyond the tree line where we camp and enjoy the great views of the Pir Panjal range.

Gumbah Nullah 3900m

Our first glimpse of the main Himalayan barrier from our camp at pastures high in the Miyar valley. 

Base camp 4200m

The last of meadows and trees today as we camp at the foot of the glacier after a 6 hour day.

Glacier camp 4600m

A tiring day on the glacier today, following ill defined trails on the moraine and glacier proper, until our campsite at the confluence with a side glacier.

Over the Kang la to high camp 4800m

A 5 am start to cross the crevassed areas on both sides of the pass, for which we may rope up. Unclimbed 6000m peaks surround us and a steep descent to our grassy camp follows.

trek-drive Padum

A long day as we drop to the road at Bardan Gompa where transport is waiting to take us to our hotel in Padum. Purists could argue that we should walk this section but we see no point in the long, dusty road to Padum where Tsarap, Punchok and our ponies await!

Zangla 3370m

We cross the long desert stretch above the Indus to Stongde and on the Zangla, once the Capital of the tiny kingdom of the same name. We may break the journey at Stongde and visit the school where our friend Dolma will show us around and we can visit the classrooms and the schools' woodcarving workshop where the older children turn out some excellent pieces. 

Chacha La base 3800m

An easy day but a steep climb at the start to the fort above Zangla; we camp in a shaded grazing area.

Over the Chacha La to camp

A four hour climb over rough scree followed by a series of steep glacial steps to the base of the pass at 4750m. There is then a steep 200m to the top, with awesome views back to the main Himalayan chain.

Tilat Sumdo 3750m

Down! And pack your sandals for the many river crossings today, which is a 6 hour walk to the Sumdo (river junction) at Tilat.

Base Rubrang La 4350m

We trek to the base of our next pass, the Rubrang La, passing through grazing areas to our pleasant camp at 4350m. It was here in 1992 that we had just set up camp and a deer-like animal, with a young one walked into camp. We couldn't believe our eyes, they weren’t camera-shy either. Our local guide had the explanation - look around - and about a kilometre away was a hungry-looking wolf. We scared him away with our cameras.

Markha 3850m

A 2 hour climb to the pass, and we see the Stok range; then a descent into the Markha valley, one of the pleasantest in the Himalaya. We camp at the Markha village itself.

Hankar 4000m

An easy days walk with stunning scenery all around us to the few houses of Hankar. From here we get our first view of Kang Yaze.

Nimaling 4650m

Nimaling is one of the most beautiful high altitude grazing areas in Ladakh, where we normally visit the nomads for curd. Here we will discuss our climbing plan for Kang Yaze.

climb Kang Yaze

Jamie and the climbers head to a high camp, and hopefully the summit of this mountain which dominates the area.

Gongmaru high camp 4050m

A steep climb to the pass from where we have stunning views of the Stok and Ladakh ranges, then a steep descent to our campsite in an area known for its herds of blue sheep.

Shang Sumdo 3850m

Down through a red and tinted valley to the first trees for some time; and our jeep back to Leh.

Leh 3500m

A free day. Sightseeing, shopping, eating, showers, Leh is a great place to relax. In and round Leh there is a multitude of gompas and palaces well worth seeing and we can arrange jeeps. There are also some pleasant restaurants and cafes, it is a great place to relax.

Leh 3500m

Another free day.

fly New Delhi

We take the spectacular morning flight to Delhi. The rest of the day is free.

New Delhi

A free day, one possibility is our Taj Mahal extension. Occasionally flights out of Leh are delayed by bad weather, so also this extra day allows for this. Note that you could fly out on the night of 4 Oct, and this still means that you have one day in hand for if the Leh flight is delayed.

depart

We hope you had a fantastic trek!!

Cost

See Our treks for the cost.

The cost includes

+ Hotels: 3 nights in Delhi, 2 nights in Manali, 2 nights guest house in Leh

+ Leh-Delhi flight

+ Jeep transport: Delhi-Manali-Udaipur

+ All meals and full service on trek

Budget $200 of your own money for meals and drinks for Delhi, Manali and Leh.

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