Stok Kangri summit charity trek in India
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas |
| trip type: | High altitude trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 22 Jul |
| price: | From £775 (11 days) deposit + £3995 fundraised (55% to charity) inc UK flights. Self funders - £775 deposit + £1898 (inc £100 to charity) |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Trek one of India’s highest peaks, Stok Kangri and raise money for your favourite charity at the same time as taking part in an amazing adventure! Highlights include:
This outstanding trek to the summit of India's magnificent mountain, Stok Kangri, (6,114m/20,130ft) is the perfect challenge for trekkers who want to summit an Indian Himalayan Peak. It is one of the main peaks of the Zansker range, situated in the fascinating region of Ladakh. This high and arid landscape has captured the imagination of travellers since it first opened to visitors in 1974. The expedition travels through remote valleys, scattered high villages and past hilltop monasteries to the base of the mountain.
Your trekking adventure begins at Leh where you will have plenty of time to acclimatise to the high altitude. This stark region of high passes and wild mountains is softened by the immense charm of the Ladakhi villages and their inhabitants. You will spend several days acclimatising by visiting the colourful monasteries at Shey, Thikse and Hemis and visiting the world highest motorable road at Khardungla before setting off on the memorable trek to Stok Kangri.
Your route leads through the village of Stok, where you will visit the Stok Palace the current home of an Indian Prince, Prince St Namgyal the Ladakhi prince and great grandson of King Tsespal Tondup Namgyal. This approach to the mountain allows you to gain altitude steadily and acclimatise to the conditions before reaching Stok Kangri.
You will trek for between 10-15kms per day and although the route is very safe and technically straightforward (involving low-angle scree and easy snow slopes), the climb up Stok Kangri is both challenging and interesting. The climb affords stunning views extending across Ladakh to the Karakorams, the Himalayas and into Tibet.
Despite the climb being non-technical, you will be shown how to use crampons and an ice axe, and occasionally conditions will demand the use of rope as well. On completion of your challenge you will head to Agra for a final celebratory meal and to spend your final day exploring the Taj Mahal – one of the greatest monuments to love ever built.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart from London to Delhi, India. You will be flying from London Heathrow direct to Delhi. Our representative will be at the airport to assist you with the check-in and any last minute questions. Flight times to be confirmed. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Delhi. Sightseeing in Delhi. After landing at Delhi you will be met at the airport by our local agent who will transfer you to your hotel to freshen up and rest before some sightseeing in Delhi. You will have a chance to look around India’s bustling capital, with its labyrinth of streets and markets, crowded with exotic produce and a bewildering mix of people. You can take in Delhi’s sights including Jami Masji, Qutab Minar and The Lotus Temple before returning to your hotel from where you can shop at the famous Connaught Place. Dinner & overnight at a local hotel in Delhi. |
| Day 3: | Fly Delhi to Leh, Ladakh (3,200m). After an early morning breakfast you will be transferred from the hotel to the airport, and board a small aircraft for the sweeping panoramic flight to Leh (1hr). You can hope to get excellent views of Stok Kangri as you fly-in. Once in Leh you will have gained an altitude of almost 3,200m and so can expect to feel the effects of the rarefied atmosphere. The expedition is tailored in a way that you have the first few days in your programme to relax and to see how you feel physically as flying straight into 3,200m from sea level is not something you will do often in your lifetime! Today, you can take it easy & relax in the hotel area. Overnight in a hotel in Leh. |
| Day 4: | Leh sightseeing – 3-4hrs acclimatisation walk. This morning you will take a sightseeing tour of the area beginning with Shey monastery. From there you will visit Thikse monastery, an imposing monastery and one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture. The sightseeing will continue on to Hemis monastery, one of the richest, biggest and most famous gompas in Ladakh. You will then have lunch and take a warm up hike visiting Leh Palace & Tsemo Gompa. After this you will go on to visit Tsemo Gompa. If you are feeling capable after this, you can continue on to Sankar monastery and to the Japanese Peace Pagoda. Overnight in a hotel in Leh. |
| Day 5: | Khardung La Pass (5,605m). Today you will take jeeps (39kms / 1.5-2hrs) to Khardungla, the highest motorable road in the world where you will spend some time on the top for acclimatisation purposes (NB: cold winds blast across this point so please take warm clothes). Khardung La, La meaning pass in Tibetan (the local language), is the route between Leh and the Shyok and Nubra valleys. The Siachen Glacier lies partway up the latter valley. This afternoon you will take the jeeps and return to Leh (1hr) where you will enjoy a warm up walk to Shanti Stupa. The view from the stupa is spectacular taking in the town of Leh, the Indus Valley and River and the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Overnight in a hotel in Leh. |
| Day 6: | Drive to Chilling (3,200m). This morning you can take an optional excursion to white water raft along the Indus River (USD$60 to be booked and paid locally). You will raft for 3hrs on grade 2 rapids from point to point ending just after the confluence of River Indus and River Zanskar. Here you will have a hot lunch and then this afternoon, drive (70kms / 3-4hrs) to Chilling and the start point of your trek! The road travelled is set within the confluence of River Indus and River Zanskar and is rough all the way. If you choose not to raft, you will depart with you support team this morning from Leh and drive straight to Chilling in time for lunch. On reaching the camp you can visit the small village of Chilling famous for its copper work. Overnight camping. |
| Day 7: | Crossing Zanskar River & trek to Skiu (3,500m) – 5hrs. This morning you will rise early from your first night’s camping and begin your trek. You will cross over the Zanskar River and trek to Skiu. You will cross the Zanskar River by way of a box and cable bridges and meet your trekking team on the opposite riverbank for the trek to Skiu in the Marka Valley. Overnight camping. |
| Day 8: | Skiu to Ganda La Base Camp (4,100m) - 4-5hrs. The trek today is through a narrow valley with a gradual ascent as some of the valleys in this region are small and narrow and it can be very hot in the day time. You will walk slowly, criss-crossing small streams with trees overhead to sheild you from the heat of the blazing sun. Ladakhi scenery is exceptional as wherever there is a water source or small stream there is beautiful green vegetation. As you see the village of Shingo ahead you will know that your camp is not far away. You will camp just beyond the village at the base of Ganda La base camp. Overnight camping. |
| Day 9: | Trek to Rumback via Ganda La (4,980m) - 4hrs. The trek starts today with a gradual ascent towards Ganda La. The views from this pass are excellent, taking in the whole of the Indus valley with a fantastic view of Stok Kangri and its other peaks including Gulab Kangri and Kangyantse. On a clear day you should have an excellent view of the entire mountain range from the top so if you are feeling up to it, you can take an extra walk (1hr) over the ridge for more great views from a higher point. You then follow an easy descent towards the base of the mountain, passing through the beautiful valley and Yurutse village. You will continue to trek until you reach Rumback village. Overnight camping. |
| Day 10: | Trek to Mankarmo via Stok La (4,800m) - 5-6hrs. Today’s trek follows on through the valley and ascends towards Stok La via a very steep and zig-zagging path for about 3hrs. The path uphill can be tiring as the ground consists of soft sand and one step up and may be two steps down! Nature does wonders as the fabulous view from the top of the Indus valley keeps you motivated. Again, you can carry on up the ridge to even get better views. After the pass you will continue to trek with a gentle descent towards Mankorma, the summer shepherds’ encampment. Overnight camp at Mankarmo. |
| Day 11: | Trek Mankorma Valley to Stok Kangri Low Base Camp (4,900m) – 2.5hrs. After breakfast you will start walking to Low Base Camp. Today you will take it slowly as every step is ascending and you are trekking above 4,000m so will need to take is easy. You will reach Low Base Camp by lunchtime and have a rest and stroll in the afternoon. Overnight camping. |
| Day 12: | Trek to Advanced Base Camp & Acclimatisation (5,200m) – 2.5hrs. Today you will trek to Advance Base Camp where you will spend the remainder of the day resting before your summit attempt tomorrow and have the opportunity to sort out your climbing equipment and be shown by our experienced team how to use it. You can also take an optional acclimatisation walk. This trek should increase your chances of reaching Stok Kangri summit and give you time to get used to your climbing gear. Overnight camping. |
| Day 13/14: | Summit Stok Kangri (6,114m) and return to Low Base Camp – 10-13hrs or Contingency Day. Today is your very early morning summit of Stok Kangri and back to Low Base Camp. Your journey will take 6-7hrs tough trekking to reach the top. Once at the summit you will feel as if you are on the top of the world, with the majestic peaks of the Karakoram Range surrounding you. The summit is a superb reward for your efforts, giving magnificent views in every direction. The city of Leh is so small that you can barely see it. After a rest and photo opportunity, you will begin your descent back to (3-4hrs) Advanced Base Camp where celebratory refreshment will be served! You will then make the return trek back to (1-2hrs) Low Base Camp where you will have an early dinner and overnight at the camp. If the weather is poor on Day 13 or you are personally unable to summit, Day 14 has been left free to provide the opportunity for a second summit attempt. If a second attempt is not needed, you will return to Leh one day early to rest and relax after your challenge. |
| Day 15: | Low Base Camp to via Stok Leh – 4hrs. Today you will take your final trek out of the valley and back to Stok village. The trek down hill to Stok village will take nearly 4hrs. After reaching the summit of Stok Kangri walking down hill to Stok village will be child’s play and having been more than nearly a week above 3,500m you will have become very fit and should feel as if you can walk for hours as your trekking challenge ends. Your vehicles will meet you at the end of the trail and will drive you to Leh (45mins). Once back in Leh you can check into your hotel and have a well deserved hot shower and relax. Overnight in a hotel in Leh. |
| Day 16: | Fly to Delhi, transfer to Agra. Celebration! This morning you will fly back to Delhi. On arrival at Delhi airport you will be transferred straight to Agra. You can witness in comfort the bustling culture of daily Indian life. Your hotel in Agra has a swimming pool, so after the days of walking in the Himalayas you can enjoy a swim. Tonight you will enjoy a celebratory meal as a reward for all your hard work. Overnight in a hotel in Agra. |
| Day 17: | Taj Mahal. You final day brings its rewards for all your hard work with a trip to the Taj Mahal. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, it is the most extravagant monument ever built for love by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631, in memory of his beloved wife. This afternoon you will drive to Delhi for dinner. Early evening or tomorrow morning (dependent upon flight availability) you transfer to Delhi airport at for your return flight to the UK. |
| Day 18: | Arrive UK. Your international flight to UK will arrive back in the UK today. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
As a company we have also drastically reduced the carbon footprint of our UK operations, and are making a huge effort to do so in their destination countries too. We are also investing to offset the emissions from the international flights required to take part in our challenges. We also provide travellers with a responsible tourism policy detailing ways in which you can be an ethical traveller. From packing conscientiously to advice on local customs & environmental awareness overseas to maintaining contact with your new international friends upon your return – our policy is a comprehensive document providing all the info you need to trek, climb of cycle responsibly. Community Our responsible commitment extends to helping the local communities we visit. We employ local guides, porters and other essential support staff, and use locally owned accommodation. We donate USD$500 per trek to various projects including The International Porters Protection Group (IPPG) in the Himalayas. The International Porters Protection Group is a non-profit organisation run completely by volunteers from around the world (35 representatives in 18 countries). They are active in the Himalayas, Nepal, South America and Africa. Their aim is to raise awareness of the problems endured by trekking porters and to educate and change the practices where necessary. IPPG’s mission is to improve health and safety for the trekking porter at work in the mountains and reduce the incidence of avoidable illness, injury and death. The work of the IPPG has far reaching implications for the livelihood of tens of thousands of people in developing countries who carry the loads that help trekkers to enjoy their holiday in the mountains. IPPG actively encourages people to go trekking and employ porters but to do so in an ethical and sustainable manner. By participating you have helped us in making a vital contribution to The International Porters Protection Group work. |
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