India

Markha Valley Trek (Ladakh)

June - August

In comparison to Nepal, Ladakh has relatively few trekkers. Even though you are still in the greater Himalaya, the scenery is so different that you would hardly know that you are in the same range. Often referred to as "Little Tibet", Ladakh is situated to the north of the main chain, in the rain shadow of the mountains. The scenery is stark and dramatic. Deep gorges, alluvial fans, contorted strata, large Tibetan monasteries perched high on cliffs, flat top mud-bricked houses in oasis like villages, snow capped mountains, and grand vistas stretching out as far as the eye can see; are but part of the experience of Ladakh.

The Markha Valley epitomizes the best of this scenery. Prayer-flagged passes give evidence of a much older civilization, the history of which has been lost in antiquity. As you trek up the valley, there are the ruins of many forts and castles, some built in very unlikely places!

This is a fairly long trek, crossing passes of over 17,000 ft, with the objective of visiting the the base camp of the highest peak in the Zanskar Range, Kang Yatse, 21,000 ft.

Day 1 Arrive in Deli, fly to Ley.
Flights usually arrive after midnight and you will be transferred to a hotel near the airport for a few hours of rest before an early morning transfer to the domestic airport for a flight up to Leh. This is one of the most sensational scheduled flights in the world, taking you right over the top of the greater Himalaya Range before dropping down in series of steep turnes to land at the small military airport at Leh. Ley is at an altitude of 11,500 ft and therefore we recommend that the rest day is spent resting to help adjust to the altitude.

Day 2 Rest day in Ley.
Take is easy today. Your guide can show you around town. Leh is very Tibetan in many respects. The national dress, "stove-pipe" hats and felt boots with turned up toes are evidence to this. The Royal Palace, which dominates the town, is very reminiscent of the Potala Palace in Lhasa and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, large chortens, prayer flags, and mud brick houses with flat roofs are a dramatic cultural change from the hot, teeming frenetic rush of Deli. Don't try to do too much the first day! Visit the Palace, poke around the bazaars, and if you are feeling really keen and strong, walk out to one of the villages
just to the of town.

Day 3 Phyang Sight Seeing.
The Phyang Gompa has 50 lamas and seven 'novices' of the red-cap order. There are five chapels. The monastery has an interesting museum containing some old Chinese, Tibetan, Mongolian, and possibly Saracen weapons and armor. The museum room itself is said to be nearly 900 years old. The monastery has had several renovations recently, including the addition of a large house for the head lama and a new entrance hall with a large prayer wheel. The 650 year old Dukhany Temple was renovated in the late '70s.

Return to hotel.

Day 4 Drive to Spitok - Trek to Zingchen

After breakfast we drive to Spitok Gompa (about 2 hours) for a visit. The monastery was built about 500 years ago by Gyalpo Bumide, although one temple, dedicated to Mahakala was built about 900 years ago. About 125 yellow-hat sect lamas are considered Spitok Lamas, at least half of them live and pray at Spitok's dependent monasteries at Sankar, Stok, and Sabu. However, all of the lamas gather together for major festivals. Spitok was the Tibetans first monastery in Ladakh. The head lama for Spitok is the head lama for Ladakh and represents Ladakh as a member of Parliament, spending much of his time in Deli. Spitok Gompa contains both old temples and those built in the 1970s. Ancient thankas are preserved there, some being taken from the Potala in Lhasa after the Chinese invaded in Tibet. After leaving the Gompa, we cross the bridge over the Indus River, and meet up with the horseman. The trek begins here and follows the Indus for a short distance, before striking out for the mountains. Soon after, we enter the narrow gorge that leads to the first camp at Zinchen.

Day 5 Trek to Yurutse (6 hours)
Following the trail along the river until the valley widens at Rumbak, where you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Stok mountains. The purple and green rock formations are quite impressive. We will continue past the small village of Yurutse to the base camp of Ganda-La.

Day 6 Trek to Skiu. (7 hours, 9,900 ft)
The climb over Ganda-La pass is not as steep as that up Stok La, but it is a bit longer. There are fabulous vistas of snow-capped peaks from the top of the pass. The descent into Skiu Valley is steady. The wide pastures at the top of the valley close into a narrow 'waist'
at Shingo, where there is a stream junction and a few homes and fields. From here the river swoops exuberantly down a tight, narrow gorge choked with willow and wild rose, with the trail swapping from bank to bank as it goes. The Marka valley here is narrow, and the village of Skiu is at an elevation of only 9,900 ft, so the temperatures here can soar. We camp at Skiu. It is worth climbing back up the valley to where the Skiu Nala meets the Markha River. Here, there is a small monastery cared for by an old nun who comes every evening to light the candles at the altar of 'Chamba', the future Buddha.

Day 7 Trek to Markha. (6 hours - 11,776 ft)

A very pleasant walk up one of the loveliest sections of the Markha Valley. Woody bushes grow thickly along the river, which is spanned by several bridges over which the trail marches to Thinlespa. The camp is beyond this small village, just before the village of Markha.

Day 8 Trek to Thachugtse (6-7 hours - 13,078 ft)

The trail climbs steadily up the valley through the picturesque village of Markha, which has a fascinating monastery well worth a visit. From Markha, the warm wooded country of lower Markha changes as we gain altitude. Between the twin villages of Lower and Upper Hankar is a ruined fort, the walls of which climb sharply up a crag to an aerie lookout tower. If you have a good head for heights, its worth a visit. We follow the Nimiling River up the narrow valley to the camp at Thachugtse. It will be considerably cooler here.

Day 9 Trek to Nimaling (3 hours - 16,097 ft)

The trail climbs up the valley to a picturesque lake reflecting the snow-capped Kang Yatse, the highest peak in the Zanskar Range. From here the Nimaling plain is a broad undulating meadow which slopes upward to the base of ice-clad Kang Yatse which dominated the area. Nimaling, with tiny ponds and rivulets flowing over its meadows, provides pasturage in the summer for an astonishing number of animals. Yaks, sheep, goats, dzos, and horses graze here, not only from Markha, but also from other villages all around. Numerous Himalayan marmots and white-tailed hares can be seen, and it is not unusual to spot the occasional wolf. We should reach camp in the early afternoon and have the rest of the day to explore.

Day 10 Rest day in Nimaling.

A day to recuperate and enjoy this beautiful alpine meadow. You can take a short hike to the base of the glacier on Kang Yatse.

Day 11 Trek to Sumdo. (7-8 hours 13,230 ft)

After crossing the Nimaling River, climb to the top of the highest pass on the trek, the 17,409 ft Kangmaru La with its wonderful views from the top. Snow cover peaks in every direction, and on a clear day the giants of the Karakorams, including K2 can be seen on the
north-western horizon. The trail descends steeply to the head of the Martselang Valley past the sulfur springs of Chyushkarmo, and follows the Martselang stream to the village of Sumdo or Shang-Sumdo, at the confluence of the Shang Nala and the Martselang.

Day 12 Trek to Hemis. (5 -6 hours)

An easy descent mainly along the left bank of the Martselang river to where it broadens into the Valley of the Indus river at the village of Martselang. The trail ends at Hemis Monastery, the largest and richest in Ladakh.

Day 13 Return to Leh.

We visit the monastery in the morning and then meet our transportation for the 2 hour drive to Leh. Overnight at the hotel in Leh.

Day 14 Rest day in Leh.

A day to do any last sightseeing and exploring. There will be a final celebration with your guide and crew before the flight tomorrow. In the summer there are often polo matches on a Sunday. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 15 Fly to Delhi

Check into a 5-Star hotel and relax.

Day 16 Relax in Delhi.

International flights usually leave after midnight, so sleep and relax. Leave for the airport around 10 pm.

Trip Cost :
5-7 members=US$ 1920 (per person)
8-12 members=US$ 1680 (per person)
- Included Internal Air Fare

Single Supplement:
US$ 250

Included services provided by Kirat Treks are:

Airport transfer, deluxe hotel reservation (additional nights can be arranged in advance if you would like to stay a little longer, or arrive earlier), guided sightseeing in India according to the iterenaries and ground transportation, air transportation to trek, National Park entrance fee and all trekking permits.

While trekking you will be provided with a double occupancy tent with a mattress, All meals provided by our experienced staff within the comfort of a dinning tent, portable oxygen chamber and oxygen for high elevation trekking, and toilet tent. All of our senior guides have many years of trekking experience in this region, ranging from ten to twenty five years of trekking in the area. They are also conversant in English and other languages. You can be assured that you are in capable hands traveling with Kirat Treks.

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