India

Nubra Valley Trek (Ladakh)

June - August

This border area was first opened to outsiders in 1994. Fertile green villages lace the Nubra and Shyok rivers which flow through the wide valley floor formed by the Karakoram Mountains to the north and the Ladakh Range to the south. This valley was a major branch of the Silk Route between Leh and Yarkland. A small herd of camels, that descended from from the early caravans, can still be found in the valley near Hunder. The trek begins on the valley floor and slowly climbs up a side valley to the Wan-La Pass (about 17,000 ft.) in the Ladakh Range, before descending to Sakti, where the trek ends.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Deli - Fly to Leh.

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 a domestic terminal at the airport for the flight to Leh. This is surely one of the most sensational scheduled flights in the world, taking you right over the greater Himalaya before dropping down in a series of steep turns to land at the small military airport at Leh. You will be met on arrival and driven to your hotel. Leh is at an altitude of 11,000 ft and therefore we recommend that the rest
day be spent adjusting to the altitude.

Day 2 Rest day in Leh.

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

Day 3 Drive to the Nubra Valley.

Today we drive to the highest motorable road in the world over the 18,380 ft Kardung-La Pass. The road descends from the pass down a spectacular gorge through the Kardung Village and on down to the valley floor. Here we set up camp at the village of Khalsar.

Day 4 Drive to Diskit and Hunder.

After breakfast we follow the Shyok River to the beautiful village of Diskit. ere we will visit the stunning Diskit Monastery, perched high on a cliff. Further down the river we will visit the village of Hunder. Which is as far as tourists are allowed. In the afternoon we will head upriver to Sumur and visit the Samtaling Gompa. We will then return to camp at Khalsar, where we meet our horseman.

Day 6 Trek to Hotong.

We travel down to the valley floor. The steep mountains rising on either side of the valley are magnificent with snow-capped peaks and rugged rock formations. Located next to a spring, we camp at Hotong.

Day 7 Trek to Akgam.

Upon leaving the camp at Hotong, we climb up the side of the canyon to escape the Shyok River which sweeps in right next to the canyon wall. We finally descend to the valley floor and proceed to the vibrant patch of green in the distance, which is Akgam. We reach our
camping spot in a meadow next to a clear rushing stream, early in the afternoon.

Day 8 Trek to Tangyar.

The trail follows a stream up a narrow, green valley to the village of Tangyar. A gompa perched high on the side of the valley can be seen across the bright green fields of barley. We camp in a broad meadow, where villager spend the summer months tending to livestock.

Day 9 Trek to Wari-La Base Camp.

As we continue up the broad valley, we soon leave the cultivated fields behind for the high mountain pastures of the yak, sheep, and goats. In this alpine environment brightly colored lichen adorn the boulders and delicate wildflowers, including eidleweiss, dot the sparse vegitation. Surrounded by snowcapped peaks, we make our way to to the base camp below the Wari-La Pass. Golden eagles can usually be seen soaring above the base camp.

Day 10 Trek to Sakti - Drive to Leh.

Spectacular vistas await at the Wari-La Pass, with the Karakoram to the north and the Zanskar Range to the south. K2 can be seen on the far left of the Karakorams. The green fields of Sakti can be seen far down the valley to the south. We descend down this valley and meet our driver in the early afternoon for the ride back to Leh.

Day 11 Rest day in Leh.

A day for sightseeing and exploring, finishing off with a final celebration with your guide and crew before the flight tomorrow. In the summer there are usually polo matches on Sunday. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12 Depart Ley for Delhi.

Check into a 5-Star hotel and relax.

Day 13 Rest day in Delhi.

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

Day 14 Fly home.

Trip Cost :
5-7 members=US$ 1820 (per person)
8-12 members=US$ 1540 (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.

Back