Trekking holiday in Ladakh, The Markha Valley trek
| country: | India |
| location: | Ladakh |
| trip type: | High altitude trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 17 Jul, 14 Aug, 28 Aug |
| price: | From £1699 (16 days) including flights from the UK, from £1199 excluding flights. Single supplement £430. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Isolated for many months of the year by snow, Ladakh remains one of the best places to experience the unique culture of the High Himalaya. Crossing the Ganda La we follow the Markha River, climbing through gorges, barley and mustard fields and picturesque Ladakhi villages. We hope to spot blue sheep and Ibex scrambling over the rocky slopes, with the stark peaks of the Stok, Matho and Zanskar ranges towering above. From the high-altitude yak pastures we have time to explore some of the surrounding peaks, and from the top of the highest pass, the Gongmaru La (5200m) we can enjoy incredible views of the Karakorum, the Himalaya and into Tibet. We end the trek with a spectacular walk down a gorge to Hemis, the largest and most famous of the Ladakhi monasteries.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Delhi. |
| Day 3: | Fly to Leh: rest of the day to acclimatise. |
| Days 4-5: | Exploring in and around Leh, visiting the town, palace and monasteries at Shey and Thikse. Optional jeep drive to the Khardung La (the highest motorable road in the world). |
| Day 6: | Short drive to Jinchen; trek to Rumbak. |
| Days 7-8: | Cross the Ganda La to Skyu in the Markha Valley. |
| Days 9-11: | Follow the Markha River, passing monasteries and remote villages to the high plateau at Nimaling. |
| Day 12: | Cross the Gongmaru Pass (5200m) with superb views of the high mountains of Ladakh. |
| Day 13: | Finish the trek near Hemis, visit monastery and drive to Leh. |
| Day 14: | Fly to Delhi. |
| Day 15: | Free day in Delhi. |
| Day 16: | Fly to London. |
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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Community
As a part of our continued commitment to responsible tourism, we work closely with our local operator to run this trip in a way that aims to reduce impacts and to give as much back as possible to the local communities. We have worked with the local operator for more than 15 years. The trek visits the Markha Valley Project in Ladakh, part of our Himalayan Social and Educational fund. The aim is the help rebuild people homes after the floods in 2006. We have built 2 houses and provided wire for a local school to build a flood barrier in the Markha Valley. Leaders brief clients on the Markha Project and the trek actually walks past the houses we built so the clients get to see them and meet the families. Leaders also brief clients on other RT issues ie not putting soap in rivers, using boiled or treated water not mineral water. In Leh town clients are taken to and advised to go to a shop which sells high pressurised drinking water instead of buying mineral water. They are also advised on rubbish disposal and appropriate dress code for Ladakh/India. Leader will be either Sonam Chospel, Dilip Bhat or Sanjay Shah. All have visited the project before and met the families. Sonma Chospel is from Ladakh and has supervised the building of the houses and has co-ordinated the whole project. The hotel in Leh is locally owned - on trek we camp. Environment We have at our offices worked to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction of energy use and energy conservation measures. We also actively reduce the waste produced by having active reduction and recycling policies in place. We run regular staff workshops on Responsible Tourism. Global warming is a reality and to help you make a difference by reducing the carbon dioxide that is produced when you travel we offer a chance to carbon balance your flights. We encourage all our clients to do this and do so for all our staff travel. Go on do your bit! |
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. |