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See Our treks
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Himalayan Wild - Zanskar trek
This trek is an epic journey through some of the more
remote and spectacular areas of Ladakh and Zanskar for both newcomers to the
Indian Himalaya and veteran trekkers alike. The trek combines the classic
villages and fascinating culture of Central Zanskar, the vivid history and
colorful, living gompas (monasteries) of Ladakh and a trip deep into the ancient
kingdom of Zangla, resplendent with its spectacular fort perched atop a craggy
peak, with a wild route high into incredible, ochre-hued canyons rarely visited
by trekkers. Last year we trekked this route on an ‘exploratory’ trek for the
first time, and were amazed at the diversity of a day’s trek: snow-bridges,
narrow canyons, crumbling trails cut steeply into the cliffside, Himalayan brown
bears foraging for food across the valley, forested valleys, meandering streams
and, of course, our ‘signature’ multiple high passes.
This could be the latest ‘best of’ trek in Ladakh and
Zanskar, and no other company runs it. Or maybe even knows about it. Yet, so be
among the first, and join us this year for the journey of the summer. Indian
summer at its best!
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.
The itinerary
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.
2 - drive Manali
We have a pre-dawn start, driving north out of Delhi’s soupy
heat to the Himalayan foothills. By noon the air is cooling down, and by 7pm we
are settled in the delightful Hotel Mayflower in Manali, in the quiet woods
above this Indian holiday town.
3 - Manali
We relax and explore the amazing old bazaars of this Indian
holiday town, while our staff prepare for the trek. We can arrange for a local
guide to take you for a walk up to 3000m for views of the Pir Panjal, the range
we cross tomorrow.
4 - drive Keylong 3300m
A leisurely start for our 6-hour drive. Crossing the 4000m
Rohtang pass is reckoned by John Keay, one of the greatest writers on the
region, to be the most abrupt change on the face of the earth. From lush green
valleys to the Tibetan plateau with snow peaks all around. In Keylong we stay at
a simple hotel, where the hardest work you have to do is to work your way
through the delicious Indian banquet they cook us. Over dinner we go through our
trekking route and the daily routine on the trek.
5 - drive Chika, trek Palamo 3600m
A two-hour drive to the road head where we meet our horse
team, followed by an easy one hour walk through pastures to our camp, a short
walk as we are gaining altitude. Taking it easy, drinking lots of water, and
covering up from the fierce sun is vital.
6 - Zanskar Sumdo
Sumdo means river junction, and today’s 4-hour walk along the
river brings us to the junction of the river that leads to our first pass. We
pack sandals today as we have several streams to cross.
7 - to high camp
The first real days trekking as we ascend to one of two high
camps. The choice will be dictated by how well we are acclimatizing. A 5 to 6
hour day should get us there.
8 - Lakong 4470m
An early start to cross the 5050/5200m Shingo La. Despite the
fact that it is one of the most frequently crossed passes in the region, route
finding can be tricky and it is essential that we stay together. The pass is
also known for very unpredictable weather so it is essential to pack warm gear
and wind proofs. By late morning we should be on top, and a steep drop brings us
into Zanskar, ‘Land of White Copper’. We camp at Lakong (‘Gateway’), a pleasant
grassy campsite with beautiful sunsets.
9 - Kargyak 4050m
Todays’ trek is one of the most beautiful in the whole
Himalaya, the space and the colours are amazing. It is an easy days stroll,
arriving by 2pm, but depending on how long we take visiting with the Kargyak
villagers in their summer settlement an hour from Lakong for tea and curd.
Kargyak is our first Zanskari village, and we will be invited to take tea with
our many friends here. Singge, the Zanskari orphan Kim and Joel sponsor, comes
from Kargyak and we will spend time with him as he enjoys his summer vacation.
10 - Purne 3700m
We follow the Kargyak Chu through the villages of Tantse and
Karu, chortens lining our way. This section of the trek is known for sunburn as
it is exposed, so cover up and use lots of cream. After Lunch among the green
fields of Karu, we stroll on through ripening fields of barley, passing the
classic Zanskari village of Tetha before climbing high above the river and
dropping to cross it near the junction of the Tsarap and Lungti Rivers. Purne, a
willow-shaded hamlet of two houses with fields lined with the vivid pink Zanskar
rose, sits high above the junction. Our friend Dolma who runs the village shop
will make her house available for hot showers.
11 - Purne rest day
The beautiful gompa of Phuktal is some 2 hours away up a tight
gorge on exposed trails. If we want to visit one of the oldest sites in Central
Asia, we must leave early to beat the sometimes-scorching heat in this valley.
The walk is well worth it, as the location of the gompa is stunning and the
children in the monastery school are delightful.
12 - Ichar 4000m
We follow the Lungnak valley (‘dark gorge’) through small
hamlets with the peaks of the Zanskar range on the horizon. An hour into the day
we pass a wolf trap, rock enclosures to snare wolves once common here. They are
designed so the predators can climb in, lured by scraps of meat, but not out. We
go on to cross the river by the first suspension bridge. Looking to the right
just before the bridge, you can just discern the fort that once guarded this
valley, built into the rock face. Our camp is an hour past the bridge, in a
pleasant meadow below the hilltop village of Ichar.
13 - Reru 3850m
A wonderful start to the day, greeting the Ichar villagers who
always seem to be heading out into the fields to work as we climb up to their
village. The children here are always fun to pass the time with, and the village
teacher is an old friend. Leaving, we climb to pastures carved out on the
plateau above the village. Take time to look at the intricate irrigation
channels, connected by handy rocks that act as gates to direct water where
needed. Soon the trail climbs vertiginously above the river before dropping to
the bridge over the river, then climbing to the lakeside camp at Reru.
14 - Pipiting 3600m
We pass Mune village and briefly walk on a dirt road before
crossing the river and passing through the wooded villages of Pipcha and Shila.
These forested hillsides are the last of the woods which were once extensive
here. Shila has a 17th century fort worth exploring. By late afternoon we are on
the plains around Pipiting, the once kingdom of Zangla, with views of the
Himalayan and Zanskar ranges that cut it off from the outside world in times
past.
15 - Pishu 3450m
A long, hot, but inspiring day as we first cross the wide
plains to the biggest of the Zanskar gompas, Karsha, with spectacular views
(after a stiff climb!) from the top. We then have a seemingly never-ending walk
to the tea tent at Rinam, with amazing views of the Himalayas behind us. At
Rinam we are very thankful of the shade of the parachute tent for lunch. We
continue to walk past incredible cliffs to Pishu, a village that is truly a
window on the past, villagers all dressing traditionally. From our camp below
the village you can see the once capital of the area, Zangla, with its hilltop
fort that catches the last of the days (fierce!) sun. Tomorrow’s destination!
16 - Zangla Doksa 3350m
We cross the Zanskar River and then climb to the old palace.
It is possible, carefully, to climb up the ruined steps and see the prayer room
and chamber where Alexander Csoma de Koros, the 19th century Hungarian globetrotter and
scholar, passed a winter in the 1820s, living on Tibetan tea and producing the
first Tibetan-English grammar. The views from the roof are amazing. Very rarely
can you see what once was a whole kingdom at a glance! Our day of culture is not
over, though, as we visit the traditional Zanskari home of our friend Stanzin, a
member of our 2002 Zanskar winter trek. After lunch and tea, and perhaps looking
at some of the rugs his family weaves, an easy stroll to camp by the Zanskar.
17 - Kharmafu 4100m
We climb away from Zangla to the remote Namtse La at 4600m, a
desert pass we lunch on, before descending into the remote Kharmafu valley,
heavily wooded with the willow the locals prize, to camp in a pleasant grove by
a stream.
18 - valley camp 4500m
This is a true ’lost world’ down here, as we pass over steep
cliffs and incredible canyons rarely visited by trekkers. We saw bears here in
2003, and we walk with the horses…just in case. An easy 4-hour day, because
tomorrow is, well. Long!
19 - Nyeraks 3470m
Up, up, and up as we climb the first of two amazing passes,
with incredible views back to the canyon system we have penetrated and the
Namtse la. Finally after 5 hours walking we make the long ascent to the village
of Nyeraks, high above the Zanskar River.
20 - Singge La high camp 4430m
From Nyeraks we can see the pass we have to cross, high above
the Zanskar, which we first have to drop to! The valley here, although close to
the main Zanskar route, is the haunt of ibex and wolf, and rarely visited. Above
the Zanskar River are shrines (‘Lathoo’) with ibex horns to appease the mountain
gods that live all around. After we cross the river we pass through the
picturesque village of Yulchang, then climb to the camp below our next pass. The
rock clearing has amazing sunsets, and silhouetted layers of peaks march back to
Zangla.
21 - Photosakar 4080m
An easy climb to the chorten atop the 5000m pass. The rock
monolith to the left of the pass gave it the name (‘lion’) but it takes some
imagination to make it out. This time of year the descent is easy, and the
valley below is normally full of marmots whistling like genial referees. Here
the villagers of Photosakar graze their yaks, and we lunch in their pastures
before the next pass, the small notch we can see on the ridge ahead, the Bumitse
La. As we descend from the pass we see the incredibly situated village at the
foot of the peak it takes its name from. Our camp is past the village in
meadows.
22 - Photosakar - rest day
Wash clothes, visit the village, or laze in the sun. In a week
you will look back on this with a smile!
23 - Honupatta 3840m
Soon all this will be gone, by 2010 there will be a road here,
but we have time to linger on this easy day. From the Sirsir La we can look back
to the Singge la and marvel at the distance you can cover on foot. Then we drop
to another classic Ladakhi village and a lovely camp by the river.
24 - Panji/Panjilla and Leh
Ladakh never fails to delight, and on this last day our 3-hour
walk to our jeep pick up takes us along narrow trails through spectacular
gorges. A fairly full day, as our jeeps with the ever-reliable Angchuk waits to
take us to Lamayuru Monastery, then along the beacon highway to Leh. You really
get a sense of the history of the region as we approach the mountains receding
to ancient Tartary, and there will be plenty of picture stops. Hot showers and
our smiling hosts in the Tongspon hotel await us, and cold beer and Tandoori in
the Ibex bar.
25 - Leh 3500m
Leh is a little piece of old Tibet, and you can easily imagine
the caravans from Yarkand entering the bazaar after their long journey. Kim and
Joel are enthusiasts and experts of this great Asian bazaar and will love to
show you around what they consider their home.
26 - Leh
The area around Leh is rich in ancient Buddhist sites. We jeep
to Tikse, Shey, and other pieces of history before our farewell dinner.
27 - Fly Delhi
We are up early for our Jet Air (nothing but the best!) flight;
goodbye to the stunning 'Kingdom in the Sky'.
Your leader may fly to Delhi but sometimes stays in Leh, and in
that case you will be met at Delhi airport by Druk expeditions and driven to the
Metropolis Tourist Hotel.
You could fly out of Delhi later in this day; most flights are
at night and you should be back in Delhi by lunchtime. If you have successive
international flights that are not all part of the same ticket or following
domestic flights we suggest planning more cautiously and departing tomorrow.
Your hotel room at The Metropolis is included in the cost of the trip for all,
whether you leave the same day or stay the night.
Optionally you can take a day or even overnight trip
(depending on your flight time) to the Taj Mahal. (Not included in the trip
cost.)
Friday 3 September 2004, day 28 - depart Delhi
If the Leh flight yesterday is delayed then you can still
arrive in Delhi this morning and leave tonight.
This is a free day. The hotel is a 20 minute walk from the main
shopping and restaurant area in central Delhi. The Metropolis will safely store
your bags until it is time to leave for the airport. You will be picked up by
Druk Expeditions and transported to the International Airport for your trip back
home.
For those who want to book a room past 12 noon, ie for a late
flight, the price of the rooms at The Metropolis ranges from $16 - $26 per
night, and we will book this for you in advance, although the cost for the extra
night is not included in the trip price.
We hope you had a fantastic trek!!
Cost
See Our treks for the cost.
The cost includes
+ Hotels: 2 nights in Delhi, 2 nights in Manali, 3 nights guest house in Leh
+ Leh-Delhi flight
+ airport transfers
+ Jeep transport: Delhi-Manali-Chika
+ All meals and full service on trek
Budget $200 of your own money for crew tips, meals and drinks for Delhi, Manali and Leh.
Not included: international airfares, meals in Delhi, Leh or Manali, equipment rental
(if any), alcohol, laundry, tipping and other items of a
personal nature.
So you fancy visiting the Taj Mahal?
Have a look at what we offer...
Come have a riot with us - what now (Contacting us)?
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