Ladakh holidays, trekking
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas, Ladakh, Kashmir |
| trip type: | Strenous to very challenging, high altitude trekking holidays |
| departures: | This trip can be tailormade (8th - 23rd of August 2008) and can be adapted to suit your interests, budget and requirements as necessary |
| price: | From £1078 (16 days) excluding flights, based on 2 people travelling together. A discount will be offered to groups of 4 or more. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This remote trek follows the ancient trade route between the people of Spiti, Changthang and Tibet.
Ladakh, ‘the land of high passes’, is surrounded by the two highest and biggest mountain ranges in the world, the Karakoram to the north and the Great Himalaya to the south. In the summer Ladakh is the place to be as it avoids the harsh heat and monsoon experienced in the lower Himalaya. Often referred to as ‘little Tibet’, Ladakh is characterised by Buddhist culture, and breathtaking gumpas (Buddhist monasteries) can be spotted perched high on valley walls or hillsides.
Some people believe that after the Cultural Revolution in Tibet, Ladakh has the only true Buddhist culture left in the world today.
The trek starts in the high altitude meadows of Kibber, the breeding ground of the famous Spiti horses and also home to the mysterious snow leopard. The route descends the Kibber Gorge and then ascends over the Parang La Pass (5600 m), the source of the Pare Chu river, the only river to rise in India, flow into Tibet and re-enter India again in Spiti. Crossing the pass brings an phenomenal change of scenery as we trek towards the Rupshu plains of Changthang, known for the abundance of Kiangs ( Wild Tibetan Ass). For the last two days, we camp in stunning campsites, one being on the southern edge of the Tso Moriri lake (4510 m), 27 km long and nearly 8 km wide. Tso Moriri is the breeding ground for the bar-headed geese, black-necked crane and the Brahminy ducks. We visit one of the Changpa settlements in a circular meadow high above Karzog, where they produce pashmina, one of the main trade items in the area.
On arrival to India you will be met at the airport. Depending on your personal itinerary you will be transferred to the train station or hotel at the end of the trek.
Ladakh, ‘the land of high passes’, is surrounded by the two highest and biggest mountain ranges in the world, the Karakoram to the north and the Great Himalaya to the south. In the summer Ladakh is the place to be as it avoids the harsh heat and monsoon experienced in the lower Himalaya. Often referred to as ‘little Tibet’, Ladakh is characterised by Buddhist culture, and breathtaking gumpas (Buddhist monasteries) can be spotted perched high on valley walls or hillsides.
Some people believe that after the Cultural Revolution in Tibet, Ladakh has the only true Buddhist culture left in the world today.
The trek starts in the high altitude meadows of Kibber, the breeding ground of the famous Spiti horses and also home to the mysterious snow leopard. The route descends the Kibber Gorge and then ascends over the Parang La Pass (5600 m), the source of the Pare Chu river, the only river to rise in India, flow into Tibet and re-enter India again in Spiti. Crossing the pass brings an phenomenal change of scenery as we trek towards the Rupshu plains of Changthang, known for the abundance of Kiangs ( Wild Tibetan Ass). For the last two days, we camp in stunning campsites, one being on the southern edge of the Tso Moriri lake (4510 m), 27 km long and nearly 8 km wide. Tso Moriri is the breeding ground for the bar-headed geese, black-necked crane and the Brahminy ducks. We visit one of the Changpa settlements in a circular meadow high above Karzog, where they produce pashmina, one of the main trade items in the area.
On arrival to India you will be met at the airport. Depending on your personal itinerary you will be transferred to the train station or hotel at the end of the trek.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Delhi to Manali (2050 m): 12 hrs. Take the train leaving Delhi at 7.40 am to reach Chandigarh at 11.00 am. Then drive uphill into the mountains to Manali. Manali is charming hill station in the Alpine lower reaches of the Himalaya. The town has great vibe and is one of the top skiing destinations in the Indian Himalaya. Overnight Hotel. |
| Day 2: | Relax in Manali. Have an easy day after yesterdays long day of travel. Visit Manali market, Roerich Art Gallery, Hadimba Temple, and wander around town. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 3: | Drive Manali to Takcha (4050 m): 6/7 hrs. We rise early and drive further north into the Himalaya gaining a lot more altitude. We make plenty of stops along the way for chai (sweet milky Indian tea) and photos. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 4: | Drive Takcha to Kibber (4580 m): 6/7 hrs. Over these three days of travel the landscape changes from flat agricultural land, to alpine meadows, peaks and forests, and the barren high altitude terrain of Spiti, a slow but remarkable journey. Overnight camp. |
| Day 5: | Kibber to Thaltak meadow (4900 m): 6/7 hrs. Our first day trekking. We walk up through a steep gorge to reach the Thaltak meadows. We gain over 400 meters on this day. The landscape is fascinating as we walk through cold desert with glaciers, snow capped peaks and grassy meadows. |
| Day 6: | Thaltak to Bongrojen (5120 m): 7 hrs. Todays walk is long, however we only gain 200 m in altitude and is great for acclimatisation. We reach Bongrojen after lunch and relax for the evening enjoying the surrounding views. |
| Day 7: | Bongrojen to Parang La (5600 m) to Dak Karzong (4950 m): 5 hrs. We rise early start to reach the pass. It is easy to begin with but the last four km to the pass are very steep. The pass is the ancient trade route joining Spiti and Ladakh. It offers amazing views of the Changthang valleys in Spiti and Parilungi, a distinctive peak ahead of us. After photos we descend to the source of the Pare Chu River, experiencing a change of landscape, from the gorges of Spiti to the broad plains of Ladakh. |
| Day 8: | Dak Karzong to Datang Yongma (4725 m): 3 hrs. We continue on a well defined trail through an open valley. We stay with the Pare Chu river as it brings us to our camp site at Datang Yongma. |
| Day 9: | Datang Yongma to Racholamo (4260 m): 6/7 hrs. Todays walk is on similar on similar terrain and we reach Racholamo by mid afternoon. Overnight camp. |
| Day 10: | Racholamo to Norbu Sumdo to Chumik Shilde (4390 m): 5/6 hrs. We continue on to Chumik Shilde passing through remote villages and meet yak trains transporting goods in the area. Today’s walk is shorter and we enjoy a relaxed afternoon and evening. Overnight camp. |
| Day 11: | Chumik Shilde to Kiangdom (4510 m): 3 hrs. We walk across the plains to the southern edge of Tso Moriri lake at Kiangdom, named after the kiangs (wild Tibetan asses) that roam wild here. Tso Moriri is a breeding ground for many rare migratory birds. Overnight camp. |
| Day 12: | Kiangdom to Karzog (4570 m): 7 hrs. We start early the view of the lake with Lungser Kangri (6666 m) reflecting in its waters is spectacular. We plan to arrive in Karzog as early as possible to avoid the strong winds that are common there in the afternoon. On arrival to Karzog we visit the ancient Gumpas and then set up camp for the night. |
| Day 13: | In Karzog: Rest day. We meet the Changpas, nomadic herdsmen of Ladakh , with their famous pashmina goats. These nomads still only use yak skin huts as shelters. |
| Day 14: | Drive Karzog to Mahe to Leh (3500 m): 8 hrs. We take the long but beautiful drive to Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 15: | In Leh: Sightseeing Day. Have a relaxing day exploring Leh’s fine markets. Also visits Shey, Thikse and Hemis monasteries can be arranged. Enjoy the great views of Stok Kangri (6153 m) and the surrounding peaks of the Zanskar Range. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 16: | Fly Leh to Delhi. A spectacular one hour flight over the greater Himalayas with incredible views of K2 (8611 m) among others. Arrive Delhi. Trip ends. |
how this holiday makes a difference
 Ladakh is now the only true remaining Buddhist mountain culture in the world. Travelling in Ladakh and the Spiti region 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 Manali 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 flight, and we encourage you to offset the emissions on your international flights to India. We sponsor Clean Himalaya, a recycling and waste management project, dedicated to maintaining the sanctity and beauty of the Ganges and Himalayas. |
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