From emails it is so hard to guess what people are like. Eric and Charlene were a delight! Eric, with witty comments to match Joels', Charlotte with knowing looks and sly digs, and a fondness for rum, roll on Happy Hours! Nicole improved her Tibetan with the crew and had to put up with lots of French jokes - every French group we met turned back, we even met one of them twice, but Nicole didn't. In fact she joined the next trek as well - tougher than all the rest of the French put together!

The trek - we called off the Kang La section because conditions just didn't seem right, and lucky we did too. We crossed the more normal Shingo La while it was snowing for two days, and was nearly knee deep. As usual our team performed heroically, and with good judgement. Lobsang and myself broke trail until the horses caught us, and then they showed what they were made of, easily breaking trail faster than we could, strong as strong. Other horsemen-groups turned back.

I just love the upper Zanskar valley! So beautiful and great trekking. Again we slightly adapted our route because of broken trails, instead of trekking via Shade we resupplied in Padum then off into the Jumlam. God, those gorges! Lobsang said 108 river crossings, and this number gives you a clue... This is a journey of penance - especially as Jamie didn't bring any other boots, and when he couldn't jump, took his boots off. Joel more sensibly had old boots, Nicole a pair of running shoes, and Eric and C, Tevas. The Jumlam is a classic! We will be back. See the Jumlam photo gallery.

Back on the main trail at the Zalung Karpo La, the trek up to Nimaling and then over the Kongmaru La has to be some of the best couple of days trekking anywhere, the huge feeling of space, the delicate colours, the panoramas. Then that final gorge, unlike the others but also utterly captivating. The peak? conditions were a bit tough so we opted for a lower hill and were rewarded with savage winds but a good view. Another memorable trek, even if nobody could draw.

L to R: Eric, Pinku, Tenpa, Charlene, Sherap, Nicole, Jamie, Joel, Lobsang, Punchok

Traditional Zanskar

Across Zanskar by the classic trading route - a popular trek, but still the most stunning one in the western Himalaya. Gompas, high passes & harvest time in the villages.

Dates: 11 Aug-6 Sep, 27 Days. Leader: Joel. Cost: cheap. Team: Wendy

I am not allowed to say anything much, but Wendy did have a really relaxing holiday.

Gompas of Zanskar

We cross the popular Zanskar region by a little known route, visiting Phuktal, Karsha, Rangdum (!) & Lamayuru Gompas then finish in Leh. The starting point is Sarchu reached by jeep from Leh or Manali.

Dates: approx July 15th - August 13th 30 Days. Leaders: Joel & Kim. Cost: cheapish, but not cheap enough for Israelis.
Team members: Offer (Israeli, but nice!) and Sean.

Markha Karnak

What a friends for, but to continue trekking with. A spur of the moment trip, nice as nice.

Team members: Louise**** (yes, fourth trip in a row), Kim, Joel and Don***.

Zanskar Spring - Ladakh, India

Experience Zanskar shaking off winter and spring happening, a truly classic time to trek.

Dates: 4-31 May, 28 days. Services: expedition-style. Leader: Joel Schone. Cost: US$1500/€1750/£1050.
Team members: Louise***, Peter & Susan, Don***.

Last year there was no winter snow, this year the winter-spring snow was so deep that they didn't meet a single other trekker. The heroics of our star crew was the stuff of legends. See Joel's and Peter & Susan's diary.

2001 Indian summer

Wow, We had the best, most fun treks you can imagine and great weather too. The crew were TOTAL superstars: Lobsang as guide-sirdar, Temba as cook, Tsarap and Punchok as ponymen and general help. THANKS everyone!

Zanskar traverse - India

A private departure.

Leaders: Joel and Lobsang. Team members: John, Malc*, Sharon, Allie, Bella and Guy.

Joel writes: .Yes, I wonder why we got so little communication pre-trek?

Well... Malc was told at 30 he would never walk again, he has titanium and teflon hips... John (Sharon and Allie's dad) is 74 with a metal pin in one leg and toe. Small matters like Allie being a chain smoker, Steve being unable to stop dancing after 2 bottles of rum, pale though before Bella having a phobia about heights. It took Lobsang and I a couple of days to stop her going downhill on her bottom... But the trek a stunning success! Shame you (Jamie, who ran in fright to Cho Oyu) could not make it, a great group and a lot of laughter! Sharon, an accomplished artist, has a huge drawing of me in a dress on the tent as a spice girl (Old Spice!!).

Sharon says (slightly abbreviated):

Hi there - just a quick one to say thanks for everything - it was fantastic (apart from the fact you made us endure Bob and Alice on the way back and that you made me drink 19 litres of army rum and then clear up my own sick afterwards...) - got a few nice pictures of Sharap, Lobsang and Old Spice.

It is a bit of nightmare in London currently - Blair seems to be acting out some kind of action man role, think I would rather be unpeeling snotty kids off my tent - or drinking rum in Purne...

We have obviously recovered from the trip as there have been a few tentative conversations about where to go next and definite converts to Ladakh.

love, Sharon

Stok Kangri 6151m Ladakh

You admire the Stok range across the valley from Leh, it is also a straightforward climb. A perfect scramble for your first 6000m peak.

Dates: 29 Jul-1 Aug. Service: light expedition style. Leader: Jamie McGuinness. Cost: split.
Team members: Cara and Suzy.

Trust Indian Airlines, 'strong stomach*' Cara and 'tooting' Suzy were #1-2 on the waiting list but still didn't get out of Leh, so we went climbing until the next available Jet Airways flight. They had already proved themselves great red wine drinkers in Kathmandu, but could we carry all our gear for the trek and climb? No problem. Light is right, so three in a two person fly, only half a litre of fuel, no problem either.

The walk into Base Camp is stunning, real Ladakh but with low grey cloud for the two days in, we were worried. Summit day dawned fine and we climbed quickly, summitting after 5 1/2 hours to spectacular views. The second highlight was the insane 'Russian Bankers' card game amid the jokes and 'rag on Jamie' days...

Cara's more detailed diary.

Ladakh Himalayan Caravan 6666 - India *exploratory

Across the main Indian Himalayan chain lies the enchanting moonscape of Ladakh. Share tea with Tibetan nomads in the captivatingly beautiful mountain desert-scapes. Rugged colourful rock contrast with the azure rivers and green village oases. Monasteries cling to rock faces and Buddhist chortens dot the immense landscape. In contrast to Zanskar our wild route is virtually unknown and untouched, seven (!) 5000m passes but is a true classic. For the not so superstitious we attempt peak 6666m near Tso Moriri (the superstitious or non-climbers are welcome too).

Dates: 23 Jul-30 Aug, 39 days. Service: expedition-style. Leaders: Joel and Jamie. Cost: US$1980/£1350.
Team members: Retta, Beau**, Catherine**, Don**, Angela and Edwin. Guests: Rinchen and Caroline.

Man, what a classic! The company, trek, crew - everything... Who is going to write about it - Retta?

It was one of the most memorable trips, a memory of 'Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end...'

Perhaps Retta's memories were a little different - see lower down for the Indian Curry Rhapsody...

And Edwin has a more mature diary.

Festivals and passes of Ladakh - India

The Hemis festival is a stunning mix of colour and culture, and to add to the unique experience we trek a pleasant route seldom attempted.

STUNNING! "Perfect for scene-ophiles", as John said. Another was "right out of National Geographic". And then there was the company, Kim and Lucas joined us fresh from the Zanskar Research trek, John was the basis of the trip and our word-ophile, and Joel and Jamie lazed around while Lobsang and Tenpa more than competently took care of every detail. Rupshu the dog and devil incarnate was another star. Did we say relax? Yep, we travelled in the best Central Asian style. Although our 'yurt' was square, carpets and cushions, green tea and a Chinese card game added to the pleasures. What a great trek!

In India, where a river can be a goddess, a laundry and a toilet all at once, nothing is obvious. Sentiments of John.

Dates: 27 June-19 July. Service: expedition style, Delhi to Delhi. Leader: Joel & Jamie. Cost: US$1980/£1350.
Team members: John, Lucas**, Kim** and Rupshu the dog

There are some pictures in the Ladakh 2001 gallery

One of the most memorable trips, partly because of such good people

Ladakh Zanskar Traverse research - India

Yes, Joel has been there before, but he couldn't resist a quick visit with friends.

Dates: 27 June-19 July. Service: expedition style. Leader: Joel Schone. Cost: cheap.
Team members: Lucas*, Kim*, Lara, Dave and Lisa

There are some pictures in the Ladakh 2001 gallery

Kim writes:

I have just finished an incredible 3 week trek thru Zanskar and Ladakh with Lara, Dave, Joel, and 2 others, Lisa from Switzerland and Lucas from South Carolina - and a sirdar (Tibetan trekking guide), Lobsang, a great Tibetan cook, Tenpa, and 2 ponymen (Sherap and Punchok) with their 10 horses! A great group of people, including the crew... We crossed 9 passes and trekked in and out of numerous valleys, ending up a 5 hour jeep trip from Leh, the capital of Ladakh.

Ladakh & Zanskar are incredibly beautiful ... different from almost anywhere else on earth ... it's in a state of constant flux, you feel ... mountains of scree falling down to blue & brown rivers ... the rocks are amazing shades of blues, greens, yellows, golds, reds, and browns, but all subtle. the peaks are jagged and arid though many ranges are snowcapped. (we crossed the Himalaya and traversed the Zanskar range). We passed thru lots of Zanskari & Ladakhi villages, some of which are quite remote, and all of which are very traditional, beautiful people and architecture. Lots and lots of very sketchy trails, the most terrifying of which crossed a 2 foot wide trail of dry, loose sand over a 1000 foot cliff - no joke! I'm quickly overcoming my fear of scary trails!

I've spent the last week in Leh exploring the monasteries and 2 days at an incredible monastic festival ... lots of photos.

Leaving tomorrow for yet another 2 week trek in Ladakh - but a different area, going with Joel and Jamie.

From the back left: Dave, Lobsang, Lara, Kim, Lucas. Sitting Joel and Lisa.

*substitute sphincter for a truer picture.

2000

Ladakh Himalayan Caravan - India *GHT

Across the main Indian Himalayan chain lies the enchanting moonscape of Ladakh. Tibetan culture and captivatingly beautiful mountain desert-scapes. Rugged colourful rock contrast with the azure rivers and green village oases. Monasteries cling to rock faces and Buddhist chortens dot the immense landscape. Our special route is virtually unknown and untouched - another classic - how do we do it?! Joel researched it in 1999 and lead this trip.

It was a classic trek by all accounts but with a few challenges, that Joel rose to. One member, who will want to remain nameless, was a particularly picky eater and found that he didn't like rice, dal or chapattis - the staple food, and after the chocolate was gone, virtually collapsed. Joel to the rescue, sitting beside him, he asked if the member had a ballpoint pen, and got a predictably indelicate response "why the $#@% do you need a pen when I am dying here?" "So that I can give you an enema," and continued "the kero funnel (cleaned) would be good for the larger particles of dal", and there was an immediate amazing transformation, he wanted to eat and drink, did, and survived! Luckily also they managed to resupply with a variety of food a few days later.

Although it was designed to complement the British teaching vacations, the only teacher was Joel. But he was a life saver in more ways than with a biro, there was snow, chest deep river crossings and challenge on the 5700m pass. They stayed above 4500m for nearly 4 weeks. Lovely gorges, lush grasslands, high desert, and butter tea with the nomads. Culture, clear skies, and of course Lobsang's great cooking!

Joel's diary is in the Trip diaries section

Dates: 23 Jul - 28 Aug. Service: basic expedition-style, meet and end in Delhi. Leader: Joel Schone. Cost: US$1580.
Team members: Don*, Max*, Casey and Beau*

1999 treks

Wild Ladakh - *exploratory trek

Across the main Indian Himalayan chain lies the enchanting moonscape of Ladakh. Tibetan culture and captivatingly beautiful mountain desert-scapes. Rugged colourful rock contrast with the azure rivers and green village oases. Monasteries cling to rock faces and Buddhist chortens dot the immense landscape. From near Manali, we cross over the challenging Kang La and trek to Leh the wild way, drenching ourselves is the best of 'Little Tibet'. Yak curd, tsampa and starry nights. Lead/organized by Joel Shone, a Ladakh addict from way back, and a great guy to trek with.

Ha, the Kang La proved to be too logistically challenging, after being bureaucratically challenged on the Indian visa front, so we opted for the more standard Darcha to Padum. We rescued porters, admired/loathed naked Germans and Jamie met some of the same people he trekked this route with in 1992! While it seemed everyone else was flooded out we survived dry in a Mountain Hardwear tent and a single-skin Ferrino but the journey from Padum to Leh was the highlight (in the Trip diaries section)...

Oh, and Jamie climbed Stok Kangri. He would like to say solo but a dog followed him up.

Dates: 1 Aug - approx 25 Aug. Service: basic expedition-style. Team: Joel and Jamie.

Previous treks

Ladakh-Zanskar extras

Our previous India treks

2003 Ladakh summer

Caravan | Short Caravan - Ladakh, India

2002 Ladakh & Tibet summer