9 Days Trekking along the Zanskar River Valley

There are many trekking agencies in Leh downtown. You may find one to help you with this trekking. The quotation can include 1 guide, 1 chef, 2 horsemen, horses for carrying luggage and equipment, 2 transfers by jeep from Leh to Padum and from Darcha to Manali, and one-night accommodation in Kargil. If you are not equipped, the trekking agency can also provide sleeping bags and tents.

In the early morning, take a jeep from Leh to the town of Kargil, which is only one mountain away from Pakistan. Kargil is the transportation hub of this area.

You are highly suggested to depart from Kargil at about 05:00 in the morning, so you can see the sunrise of NunKun if the weather is fine. Because of the bad road conditions, the transfer by jeep to Padum needs about 10 hours. But you can see huge snow-capped mountains and towering rock walls every now and then. At noon, you may ask to stop at Rangdum for lunch. Padum is currently the last town open to traffic in the northern part of the Zanskar region, and it is a popular place for people to hike.

In the morning, take a walk around Padum town, and the guide will purchase the food ingredients used along the trekking. After, set off and reach Reru at noon to have a break. In the afternoon, trek from Reru to Ichar, taking about 1.5-2 hours. Compared with driving through bumpy mountain roads, this short warm-up hike is a better good choice. Camp in Ichar tonight.

Depart from the camp site at 8:30 and hike uphill all the way in the morning to reach the altitude of more than 3,000 meters. The road in the afternoon is much flatter. Today, you are expected to arrive at Purne at 16:30 and stay one night there. This is the only camp site with a shop along this trekking trail. Relax with a glass of beer.

Hike to Phuktal Gonpa today. The highlight there is Zanskar, a temple built on a cliff known as one of the most difficult Tibetan Buddhist temples to be reached in the world. The 20-kilometer journey takes about 7 hours. On the road you may hear the singing of Zanskar farmers expressing the joy of harvest.

You may set off at 7:30 in the morning and have a rest at Tangzen at noon. Sit by the farmland and have lunch. It is expected to arrive at the camp site at 15:30, 4,065 meters above sea level. The whole journey is about 21 kilometers and needs 8 hours on foot.

Today, you may start a little bit late, at 7:45, for the trails are relatively flat and slowly uphill roads. You will pass the last village in the Zanskar valley, Kargyak village. What is a bit challenging today is a group of boulders, and it takes half an hour to walk over. The overall 16-kilometer journey needs about 8 hours. The camp site in Lakang is 4,488 meters above sea level.

Set off at 8:00 in the morning and climb up all the way. Today's main task is to climb to the Shingo La Pass and you will walk on the glacier on the way. The Shingo La is at 5,068 meters above sea level. The road followed is downhill, but it takes a long time and is very physically demanding. The whole journey is 28 kilometers, needing 14 hours.

Depart at 8:00 and you can walk out of the valley at 10:30. Take the jeep to Darcha, and then you can go to Manali for your next trip.