Ladakh Walking Holiday

Description

Upcoming Trips: 

The word ‘Ladakh’ is derived from Tibetan and it means the land of high passes. What an apt name where passes above 5000m are commonplace! This high-altitude arid region is one of the few regions in the world where the predominant religion is Tantric Buddhism. Jagged rocky mountains, clear blue skies, high-altitude lakes, monasteries perched on mountain tops, fluttering prayer flags are what define the landscape of this little paradise.

In this carefully curated trip, explore the monasteries and other important sights in Leh before moving to Nubra, a neighbouring valley that enjoys a salubrious climate, being at a lower altitude. Top it off with a 3 day trek in Sham valley – a stunningly beautiful trek that is one of the shortest multi-day treks in a valley that is not too far from Leh.

Trip Highlights

• Crossing Khardungla pass, the highest all-weather motorable pass in the world
• Stunning beauty of Nubra valley including its white sand deserts
• Authentic Ladakh village stays and experiencing traditional Ladakhi hospitality
• Basic but comfortable family-run homestays in Sham Valley
• Beautiful monasteries and ancient villages
• Apricot and apple orchards
• Spectacular mountain and valley views

Main Challenges:

• Acclimatization
• Sun feels harsh even though temperatures may be low
• Limited shade along the trail
• Loose sandy sections during descents

Itinerary

• Day 1Landing in the Land of High Passes

  Fly into Leh and step out into thin, startlingly clear air and a sky bluer than it has any right to be. A short drive takes you to a working farmstay on the edge of town, with barley fields, apricot trees and mountains on every horizon. At 3,500 m, the plan for today is to do almost nothing. Rest, sip butter tea or ginger-lemon water, and let your body begin to adjust. A full day of gentle rest is the best protection against altitude sickness.

• Day 2Jullay, Leh! Palaces, Prayer Wheels and Old Town Lanes

  Once rested, meet Leh properly. Climb through the tangled lanes of the Old Town to the nine-storey Leh Palace, where the whole valley opens out below you. Then visit Thiksey Monastery, a whitewashed cascade of buildings on a hilltop, where monks’ chanting drifts across the courtyards. As evening falls, wander the Leh market for pashmina, prayer flags and apricot jam. Return to your farmstay for a second night.

• Day 3Touching the clouds! Drive from Leh to Diskit via Khardungla. Trek to Hunder

  After breakfast, climb through hairpin bends to Khardung La, at about 5,359 m one of the highest motorable roads on Earth. Prayer flags snap in the wind, the air is thin and sharp, and the view runs to the Karakoram. Then descend into the green, warm Nubra valley, where the road follows the Shyok river. After lunch, walk for two easy hours through the dunes to Hunder, with the canyon-like valley opening around you. Shaggy two-humped Bactrian camels, a rarity in India, graze at the edge of the sand. Take a camel ride at sunset if you like. Overnight at a resort by the Shyok river.

• Day 4Maitreya’s Gaze, Then Back Across the Pass. Drive from Hunder to Likir

  Start at Diskit Gompa, where a vast, serene Maitreya Buddha looks out over the valley, then visit the neighbouring monastery. After the morning’s prayers, set off on the long drive back over Khardung La, this time with the road winding down toward the Indus. By late afternoon you reach Likir, the gateway to Sham valley. Settle into a family-run homestay for your first taste of home-cooked Ladakhi food.

• Day 5Into the Stark Mountains: Likir to Yangthang Trek from Likir to Yangthang (10 km, 5 to 6 hours)

  Begin with Likir’s Gelugpa monastery, where red-robed novices and golden Buddhas set the tone for the trek. Then the trail begins. A small pass, Phobe La, comes and goes before you notice it, followed by a gentle 3 km walk to the hamlet of Sumdo. The real effort of the day is the climb to Chagatse La (3,700 m). Cross it, and the path drops through bare, rust-coloured slopes to the edge of Yangthang village, where your homestay awaits.

• Day 6Into Photographer's Paradise. Trek from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachen (8km, 4 to 5 hours)

  This is the highest day of the trek. You cross Tsermangchang La at 3,900 m, but the climb is steady rather than brutal, and the reward is a wide, wild panorama of ridges, valleys and tiny villages. Go slowly, stop often, and keep your camera ready. This is one of the most photogenic days of the trip. About 8 km, 5 to 6 hours. Tonight is a homestay in Hemis Shukpachen, a village known for its ancient juniper trees.

• Day 7Trek from Hemis Shukpachen to Tingmosgang (10 km, 5 to 6 hours)

  Today is a softer finish: about 7 km to the village of Ang (roughly 4 hours), then 3 km more (1.5 hours) to Tingmosgang. Two minor passes, Mebtak La and Lago La, mark the way. In the evening, climb to Tingmosgang’s monastery and old fort walls, which stand on a hillock above the valley, and explore the cave near the walls. Celebrate your last night on the trail in a village hotel.

• Day 8 Jullay, Ladakh! Farewell to the High Passes. Drive from Tingmosgang to Leh airport

  Wake early for the road back to Leh, about 90 km and roughly 2 hours. Leave plenty of time for your flight home, with the valley’s last views, prayer flags and mountains still in your head. Jullay, and until next time.

Inclusions

• Accommodation on a double/twin-sharing basis – 2 nights in a farmstay, 1 night at a resort in Hunder, 1 night at a hotel in Tingmosgang and 3 nights in homestays
• Ground transport – from Leh airport to Leh airport, by Tempo Traveller. All tolls, parking etc. included
• Breakfast and dinner on all days
• Packed lunch while trekking in Sham valley (Days 5, 6 and 7)
• Trip leader and guide
• Basic first-aid with oxygen cylinder
• All required permits

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