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Home » Indian Destinations
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| Trek Ladakh - Markha Valley |
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Destination: Ladakh
Duration:
15 Nights/16 Days
Price: Request A Quote
The Markha Valley trek is one of the most popular and fascinating journeys for eager visitors to Ladakh. The valley is known for the richness of its bio-diversity. After crossing the Ganda-La Pass (at 4900m) the Markha Valley opens up, encircled by the Kang Yatse Peak (6405mts) to the east and the Zanskar range to the south west.
One is very likely to see the endangered snow leopard here and many other species of local fauna. The top of the Pass offers breathtaking views of the high, expansive Korakoram Range, the Saser Kangri peak (7670mts), Stok Kangri (6150mts), Kang Yatse (600mts) and Nun Kun (7135mts.) Many villages enroute, each with its irrigated fields of barley, wheat and mustard add to the excitement of trekking the rugged, moonscape of this high, mysterious and lonely land that is nevertheless populated by a hardy, gentle and softly welcoming people.
Leh is the epitome of a bustling Himalayan tourist town, with all the trappings that go along: scores of travel agencies, souvenir shops, pizza restaurants and the very popular local tea shops. But, if you dig a little deeper, you will lose yourself in non-descript lanes that lead onto ruined palaces in the lee of the Himalaya and the modern town suddenly melts into a crumbling old city of timber and adobe bricks. The sky overhead is a vivid dark blue that borrows its intensity of hue from the altitude – a breathless 3505m above sea level. 
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Delhi - Leh - Spituk - Zinchen - Yurutse - Ganda-La - Skyu - Markha - Tachuntse - Nimaling - Kangyatse Base Camp - Kongmaru-La - Chukirmo - Shangsumdo - Martselang - Leh - Delhi |
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| Itinerary |
| Day
1 : |
Arrive Delhi |
Arrive Delhi by international flight. Meeting and assistance. Transfer to hotel. |
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| Day
2 : |
Delhi |
Full Day sight seeing tour of Old & New Delhi. Overnight at Hotel. |
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| Day 3 : |
Delhi - Leh |
Take and exciting flight to Leh across the snow-clad needle peaks and vast frozen glaciers of the mighty Himalaya. Fly through a tiny, wind-lashed gap in the mountains to land gingerly at a small picturesque airfield that clings precariously to steep, bare mountainsides.
Check-in at your hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest and acclimatize to the high altitude. |
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| Day
4 : |
Leh |
Visit Phyang & Spitok monasteries.
Phyang Monastery lies to the west of Leh town and belongs to the Red Hat Sect of Buddhism. It is home to some of the most exquisite wall paintings. It is better known for its museum that is around 900 years old. It boasts of a rich collection of numerous idols, thangkas and an impressive armoury of Chinese, Tibetan and Mongolian firearms and weapons. The festival of Gang-Sngon Tsedup is held here every year from 17th to 19th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. The monastery also serves as the venue of sacred Buddhist dances, held every year on the 2nd and 3rd of the 6th month of the Tibetan calendar.
Spituk Gompa dates back to the 11th century. The main image in the Monastery is that of Lord Buddha. It also houses an impressive collection of thankas, ancient masks, antique firearms and other forms of weaponry. But its prize exhibit is an imposing image of Mahakaal. The Dukhang or main temple precinct also has a high throne at its far end, reserved for the Dalai Lama. The door beside this central throne leads to the old, now dark chapel. The Gompa also plays the host to the Gustor Festival that is held every year from the 27th to 29th day in the eleventh month of the Tibetan calendar. A sacred dance forms an integral part of the celebrations.
Return to your hotel for an overnight.
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| Day
5 : |
Leh |
Visit Shey, Thiksey & Hemis monasteries.
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| Day
6 : |
Leh - Spituk – Zinchen (3,375 m) |
Leave Leh early and take a jeep-ride to Spituk, where horses will be waiting to carry our equipment. Take the old jeep road into a parched and exposed landscape that makes water and sunscreen absolutely important. Walk through the broken land for around 3-4 hours and enter the lush Zinchen Valley, where the Rumbak River flows into the mighty Indus. Further up the valley we get to rest at our campsite, in the two-house hamlet of Zinchen or “big field.” The rest of the day may be spent relaxing, or even taking a refreshing dip in the stream.
Overnight in camp. |
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| Day
7 : |
Zinchen - Yurutse – Ganda La camp (6hrs.) |
Enter the Hemis National Park, that is home to diverse wildlife species such as the snow leopard, lynx, Ladakhi Urial (a type of goat), arghali (great Tibetan sheep), blue sheep, red fox, Tibetan wolf, dhole (wild dog), marmot and mountain hare, etc... Climb gradually through a beautiful gorge that allows glimpses of the imposing Stok Range from time to time. Just before Rumbak, stop for a hot cup of tea at a teahouse run by the women of the local village. Continue trekking through Rumbak and pass by the house of Yurutse village, before reaching camp at the base of Ganda La (4545m.) From our campsite, we can see a spectacular view of Stok Kangri and the whole of the Stok range.
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| Day
8 : |
Ganda La camp – Col Ganda La – Skyu (6 hrs.) |
After a light breakfast, ascend up towards Ganda La which will take around 2 hours accompanied by breathtaking panoramic views of the lofty Zanskar and Stok Ranges. The usual chorten and prayer flags mark the top of the pass, where one may also see blue sheep and marmots on the surrounding hillsides. After a short rest at the pass, make the short, gradual descent to Shingo and stop for lunch. Finish the day by hiking through a spectacular gorge before pitching camp at Skiu village at 3300m. This idyllic village has an old monastery and the ruins of an old castle that belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Ladakh. |
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| Day
9 : |
Skyu - Markha (7-8 Hours) |
Trek through the lovely valley on a fairly level path that follows the Markha River. The trail criss-crosses the river at various points and passes through the winter settlement sites of nomadic tribes, decorated with Lhatos (religious shrines for local deities) and Mani walls (stones inscribed with Buddhist prayers.) During summers, a number of tented teahouses spring up, providing hearty refreshment to weary trekkers. The last crossing point on the river gets us into Markha, the largest village in the valley which is a cluster of around 20 houses, an old monastery and a ruined fort. (Note: Water and sunscreen are very essential, since the valley is quite exposed to the sun and the strong winds.)
Markha – Tachuntse (6 hrs.) |
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| Day
10 : |
Markha – Tachuntse (6 hrs.) |
Continue our trek, going past old stone-mills, a ruined castle and the monastery of Techa, which is proudly perched on a towering cliff that looms above Markha and considered to be very auspicious. It is worth visiting if one can summon up some reserves of energy after the day’s journey. The path continues criss-crossing the river several times before cutting through the last hamlet in the valley. On passing the village of Umlung, you will catch your first glimpse of Kang Yatse (6400m.) It continues to be visible until we cross Kongmaru-La. Stop for lunch in the village of Hangkar which is the last settlement in the valley. Later, press onward to the lovely green pasture of Tachuntse and set up camp for the night.
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11 : |
Tachuntse – Nimaling (3hrs.) |
Today the trail heads upward to the beautiful plateau of Nimaling, where the people of the Markha Valley bring their herds to graze during the summer months. Nimaling (at 4700 m) is the highest camp on the trek, with spectacular views of Kang Yatse to the right and the Zangskar Range and Markha Valley below.
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12 : |
Nimaling – Kangyatse Base Camp - Nimaling |
Spend the day exploring Nimaling and its environs. Trek up towards Kangyatse Base Camp and perhaps a little further (depending on our reserves of time and energy.)
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13 : |
Nimaling - Kongmaru La – Chukirmo - Shangsumdo |
A hearty breakfast fortifies us for the crossing of the Kongmaru-La, the highest pass on the trek. It provides beautiful, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The 2-hour, steep descent gradually levels off on the approach to Shang Gorge, with its strange and other-worldly rock formations. There are a few more river crossings to be made before arriving at the sour-spring of Chukirmo. The sour waters of Chukirmo are used in traditional medicine by the Amchi doctors. After a short break, the trail passes through a couple of villages before reaching Shang Sumdo, our last camping point on this trek.
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14 : |
Shangsumdo - Martselang - Leh |
A pleasant walk of around 2 hours along a jeep track brings us to Martselang, which is our pick-up point for the drive to Leh.
Overnight is at hotel in Leh.
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15 : |
Leh - Delhi |
Transfer to airport for the flight back to Delhi.
Overnight is at hotel.
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16 : |
Leave Delhi |
Transfer to airport in time to board international flight for homeward journey.
- End of Services - |
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| Departures |
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| Inclusion |
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| Remarks |
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