Rafting holiday in Ladakh
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas, Ladakh |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 25 Jul |
| price: | From £1439 (14 days) excluding flights, based on 2 people travelling together |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The Zanskar river expedition is a classic rafting holiday and is one of the best rivers for kayaking or rafting in India. It has it all, great white-water, amazing scenery and a cultural experience second to none. Also know as the Grand Canyon of Asia, it is located in the lunar-like landscape of western Ladakh. Ladakh is unique in India. With over 90% of the population practising Buddhism it is more like Tibet than India in many ways. This expedition gives a great insight into local culture with visits to monasteries, palaces, villages and markets all included.
Like all adventure holidays in India we begin with a scenic drive with an amazing backdrop. Our first two days on the river are quite easy with smaller rapids, providing a good warm up for exercising at high altitude. The sight of the huge snow capped peaks of the Greater and Zanskar Himalayan ranges coupled with the occasional Gompa (monastery) overlooking the river is something that will stay with you long after this trip is over. After these two days we enter the Canyon and commit to reaching its end where the Zanskar joins the Indus. With Canyon walls over 1000 meters deep in places, big class IV rapids and limited road access we are truly committed on this adventure holiday, where else would you rather be!
We offer holidays of varying levels of physical difficulty. We ask clients for information about their level of fitness at the time of enquiry and then recommend an adventure holiday to suit. Age is not something we generally take into account as often it does not give an accurate indication of fitness. We offer trekking holidays of varying lengths and difficulty and our rafting and wildlife holidays are not physically demanding.
Like all adventure holidays in India we begin with a scenic drive with an amazing backdrop. Our first two days on the river are quite easy with smaller rapids, providing a good warm up for exercising at high altitude. The sight of the huge snow capped peaks of the Greater and Zanskar Himalayan ranges coupled with the occasional Gompa (monastery) overlooking the river is something that will stay with you long after this trip is over. After these two days we enter the Canyon and commit to reaching its end where the Zanskar joins the Indus. With Canyon walls over 1000 meters deep in places, big class IV rapids and limited road access we are truly committed on this adventure holiday, where else would you rather be!
We offer holidays of varying levels of physical difficulty. We ask clients for information about their level of fitness at the time of enquiry and then recommend an adventure holiday to suit. Age is not something we generally take into account as often it does not give an accurate indication of fitness. We offer trekking holidays of varying lengths and difficulty and our rafting and wildlife holidays are not physically demanding.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival in India. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Spend the remainder of day relaxing at the hotel or go sightseeing. Overnight Hotel. |
| Day 2: | Delhi to Leh (3505 m): 1 hr. Take the one hour flight to Leh, capital of Ladakh. This is an incredible flight over the greater Himalaya with spectacular views of K2 (8611 m) among others. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 3: | Acclimatise and sightseeing in Leh. Spend day in Leh to acclimatise. For the more energetic a visit to monasteries such as Shey, Thikse and Hemis will be arranged. Or choose to relax and walk into Leh town, to its exciting market and outdoor restaurants. Enjoy the great views of Stok Kangri (6153 m) and its surrounding peaks. Overnight Leh hotel. |
| Day 4: | Leh to Kargil (2740 m): 7 hrs. We drive to Kargil, through the spectacular Ladakhi moonscape. We drive over the Fotu La Pass (4200 m) and visit the Lamayuru monastery, stopping along the way for photo and chai (sweet milky tea) breaks. Overnight hotel in Kargil. |
| Day 5: | Kargil to Rangdum (3657 m): 6 hrs. This drive is spectacular, taking us past Panikar and Parkachik with magnificent views of the Nun (7135 m) and Kun (7075 m) Massifs, hanging glaciers and large meadows. We drive till Rangdum Gompa (3680 m). Camp overnight. |
| Day 6: | Rangdum to Remala (3635 m): 6 hrs . The last day of driving takes us over the Pensi La pass (4450 m) and offers stunning views of the Zanskar Range and the Drung Durung Glacier. We reach the Stod River - a tributary of the Zanskar - at Remala, our put-in point and enjoy a good nights sleep under the stars in preparation for the first day on the river. Overnight camp. |
| Day 7: | Remala to Karsha (3600 m): 6 hrs. After a comprehensive safety talk, we start on the river. Class II rapids offer a great introduction to white-water and exercising at high altitude along this 30 km section. These first two days on the river are in a wide glaciated valley. We take out beside the Karsha Gompa (monastery) near Padum. Settle into camp by afternoon, take an optional hike to the Gompa. Overnight camp. |
| Day 8: | Karsha to Pidmo (3420 m): 5 hrs. This is another mellow day, taking us closer to the Grand Canyon of Asia. The river starts to pick up with some class III rapids allowing us to further acclimatise before entering the gorge. Enjoy great views of the panoramic peaks of the Zanskar and Greater Himalayan ranges that surround us in this small valley. |
| Day 9: | Pidmo to Nyerak (3286 m): 6 hrs. We leave the valley behind us and enter the jaws of the Canyon. The river banks change to vertical walls and the river constricts and speeds up, we are now truly committed. We run some great rapids eventually stopping at Nyerak in the afternoon. Nyerak is one of the rare campsites in the gorge, a place where a side/hanging valley forms a gap in the gorge. Overnight camp. |
| Day 10: | Rest Day at Nyerak. We take a rest day at Nyerak. Take the side hike up to Nyerak village or relax with a good book. A nearby stream makes for a perfect shower. |
| Day 11: | Nyerak to Lamaguru (3190 m): 6 hrs. Today’s 35 km river section takes us from Nyerak to Lamaguru (3190 m) through the core of the gorge. A classic white water day with continuous Class III rapids, and a few Class IV rapid where the river squeezes between a gap of about 6 meters. We stop for lunch near a huge waterfall and continue to camp at the confluence of Markha river with the Zanskar. Rock formations, spires and an amazing palette of colours add to the trip today. Overnight Camp. |
| Day 12: | Lamaguru to Nimu (2743 m): 7 hrs. We run 40 km of Class III/IV white water from Lamaguru to Nimu (3154 m) today. We raft past the village of Chilling and exciting rapids as the Zanskar plunges out of the canyon to meet with the Indus at Nimu. We end our expedition at the confluence of the Zanskar and the Indus (India's namesake). Drive an hour back to Leh. Last minute retail therapy in the Tibetan markets and a hot shower! Overnight hotel. |
| Day 13: | Fly Leh to Delhi.The final day of our trip includes a one hour flight over the Greater Himalayan Range with fantastic views of K2, at 8611 metres, the second highest mountain on earth. Enjoy a full day in Delhi of shopping, sightseeing or relaxing. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 14: | Depart India. After breakfast transfer to the international airport in time for your flight home. Trip ends. |
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. how this holiday makes a difference
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Ladakh is now the only true remaining Buddhist mountain culture in the world. Travelling in Ladakh is an amazing experience as it is dotted with monasteries, usually towering impressively over the surrounding landscape. While in Leh, you have the opportunity to visit the Shey, Thikse and Hemis monasteries. At the monasteries, you can meet monks from the age of six to sixty and learn about their way of live and religion. It is the highest honour to be selected to become a monk and some boys leave their homes as young as four years old.
We use locally run hotels in Kargil and Leh. We have a number of family run hotels we use in these towns. We try to rotate our business equally among them all. These hotels are full of character and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Staying is places like these ensures that money goes directly into the local economy. We have a strong environmental policy, carrying all non-biodegradable produce off this trip with us and disposing of it in a responsible manner. We bury all organic matter deep in the ground, and this breaks it down over a short period of time. We use eco-friendly toilets or pit toilets on this trip. This is essentially a pit dug in the ground where all waste is covered with a mixture of soil and lime, and no water is used. Furthermore, we source almost all of our drinking and cooking water from fresh water springs. If this is not possible, water from the river is filtered. We have teamed up with an environmental organisation, Climate Care, that funds sustainable energy and forest restoration projects in India and all over the world. Climate Care facilitates us to offset or neutralise the harmful CO2 emissions caused by your flight. We offset your emissions on your internal flights, and we encourage you to offset the emissions on your international flights to India. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |