Page 158 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

156  DELHI & THE NOR TH

Trekking in Ladakh and Zanskar

Trekking in the arid, extremely cold trans-Himalayan desert
of Ladakh and Zanskar, very often at altitudes that exceed LADAKH,
JAMMU
5,000 m (16,404 ft), can be a uniquely exhilarating experience. & KASHMIR
The terrain, as starkly beautiful as any highland setting in
the world, has a number of trails, many of which trace ancient HIMACHAL
trading routes to Central Asia. They lead past spectacularly PRADESH
located monasteries, remote passes that are sometimes Locator Map
staggeringly high, deep river gorges and lush meadows Area shown below
scattered with mani walls and chortens. The best time to
trek is between June and September, when the land is not
snowbound and the terraced fields are being harvested.
Tingmosgang
Likir to Tingmosgang is an easy two-day, Lamayuru
22-km (14-mile) path, past a number of Likir
villages at 4,000 m (13,123 ft). Wanlah • Indus Leh
Alchi Choglamsar
From Lamayuru, a tough Spituk
five-day 65-km (40-mile) trek, Konki-la (6,130 m/20,112 ft)
Stok Kangri
via Konki-la at 4,905 m (16,093 (4,905 m/16,093 ft) Skiu
ft), ends at Alchi (see pp148–9). Hemis
Singe-la
(5,000 m/16,404 ft) Zanska r Markha Kongmaru-la
Padum to Lamayuru (5,274 m/17,303 ft)
This 160-km (99-mile) path Lingshet Yulchung Nimaling
Kang Yaze
follows the Zanskar river via (6,400 m/20,997 ft) Upshi
Karsha, past the impressive
Lingshet Monastery and Zangla
Singe-la (“Lion Pass”), ending Rumtse Indus
at Lamayuru. A slightly easier
route, past Zangla, joins the Karsha Tanglang-la
(5,328 m/17,480 ft)
main trail at Yulchung village.
Durationz: 10 days • Debring
Altitude: 5,000 m (16,404 ft) Padum
Level of difficulty: Tough
Bardhan Tsarap
Phugtal • Puga
Reru Tso-Kar
Padum to Darcha
The 115-km (71-mile) path goes Kurgiakh
from Zanskar into Himachal
Pradesh, along the beautiful
Tsarap river, past Phugtal Monastery
and Kurgiakh, Zanskar’s highest Karzok Tso
village at 4,100 m (13,451 ft). Shingo-la Moriri
Duration: 10 days (5,100 m/16,732 ft)
Altitude: 5,100 m (16,732 ft) Baralacha-la
Level of difficulty: Moderate (4,892 m/16,050 ft)
Darcha •
Other Outdoor Activities
White-water rafting on the Indus and Zanskar rivers, is a popular
activity from July to mid-September. The rafting trips are
organized by local agencies. There are various options to consider
on the Indus river, from calm “float trips” between Hemis and
Choglamsar, to longer stints between Spituk and Alchi. Jeep
safaris, to the lakes of Tso Kar and Tso Moriri and back, take
three days, with tents pitched near Karzok village. The region’s
Rafting down the Indus river on rubber rich wildlife include bar-headed geese, black-necked cranes
dinghies, a popular sporting activity and the kiang (Tibetan wild ass).

156-157_EW_India.indd 156 26/04/17 11:43 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Feature template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.3)
Date 18th October 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm