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Trekking in Ladakh
 LADHAKH
Trek.
Enjoy trekking in Ladhakh, it is a miniature version of
Tibet, the people are Tibetan in their in their culture and
religion, and there are many Tibetan refugees. Only where rivers,
running from faraway glaciers or melting snow, carry water to
habitation do you find plant life-hence the moon land laber, since
Ladhakh is as dry as the Sahara. But most of all there are the
delightful Ladhakhis, friendly as only Tibetan people can be and
immensely colorful.
General Advice : Without a hat and or sunscreen you'll have
sunburn and a peeling nose in hours. A spell in Manali is a good
halfway acclimatization, but people who fly straight from Delhi to
Ladhakh may feel very uncomfortable for few days.
For Manali and Srinagar to Leh : Sonamarg is the
last major town in Kashmir, shortly before you climb up over the
Zoji La pass (3529 meters) and enter the Ladhakh region.
 Zoji
La: The other passes get less snow because they are
across the Himalaya and in the mountain rain shadow. The road up
the pass is breathtaking and there are times when you'll wonder if
you were sane to make this trip.
Drass: In winter, Drass is noted for its heavy
snowfall and extreme cold. The buses stop here and tourists have
to register their names and passport numbers.
Kargil:
Already you are in a region where irrigation is virtually
important.
Around Leh: There are fine views over the Indus from the
gompa. There is an interesting little village below the gompa. The
road is only open is September and October - it takes the whole
summer for the snow and ice to melt for that brief time. Nearby, a
bridge crosses the Indus to Stock and a rougher road to Hemis.
Beside the car park is the small Zan-La Temple. It's easy to get
there by car or jeep, but on public transport you will have to
spend the night at the monastery as it is not easy to bust out
there, walk the six km up from the river to the gompa, see it,
walk back down and get back to Leh in one day.
The festival takes two days and features elaborate mask dances and
crowds of eager spectators. Both lie in the restricted zone but
tourists are allowed to visit them. Stagna, on the west-bank road,
has a gompa too. You can reach it by crossing the Choglamsar
bridge, but the last few km must be made on foot.
Zanskar Treks: A jeep road has now reached all
the way from Kargil to Padum, the capital, and although is not
open all the time, it has opened the area up to more outside
influence. You can make number of interesting ones either down the
valley or out of it to Ladakh, Kashmir or Himachal Pradesh.
Padum: It's on the southern part of a wide
fertile plain where two rivers join to from the Zanskar River.
Around Padum: Since horses cannot cross the rope bridge from Padum,
this is the first place on this side of the river where they can
be hired for treks further a field to places like Lamayuru. On the
final day you can cross the river directly by ferry or continue
down to the wooden Tungri Bridge and double back to Padum.
Tungri-zongkhul Gompa Round Trip: This four day
trek around Padum takes you to the Sani and Zongkhul gompass by
following the route up towards the Muni La, then cutting across to
the base of the Umasi La. Treks in Ladakh And Zanskar: Srinagar is
the best place to purchase supplies but you will not find trekking
gear like you do in Katmandu, Nepal. Remember to take your garbage
out with you; many areas are already becoming fouled with
trekkers' rubbish.
Kargil to
Padum: When all
bridges are open the route is accessible from early June to late
October. On the last day's walk from Phe to Padum you cross the
river and pass by the Sani Gompa, one of the most important in
Zanskar.
Day 1: Kargil to Namsuru
Day 2: Namsuru/Pannikar/Parkutse you cross Baralacha La, a double
pass where even the lower side is higher than Europe's highest
mountain and twice the height of Australia's highest.
Day 3: Parkutse/Parkachik/Yuldo/Rangdum Gompa
Day 4: Rangdum Gompa to Pensi La
Day 5: Penis La to Abran
Day 6: Abran to Phe.
Day 7: Phe to Padum.
Phuctal Gompa Manali to Padum.
Day 1: Darcha to Mane Bar.
Day 2: Mane Bar to Sarai Kilang.
Day 3: Sarai Kilang to Debni.
Day 4: Debni to Chumik Marpo.
Day 5: Chumik Marpo to Shingsan.
Day 6: Shingsan/Kargiakh/Purni.
Day 7: Purni to Phuctal Gompa.
Day 8: Phuctal Gompato Katge Lato.
Day 9: Katge Lato to Reru.
Day10: Reru to Padum.
Padum to Lamayuru
The alternative route from Padum starts out on the opposite side
of the Zanskar River and takes you to the linghsot Gompa before
joining up with the first route at day 5.
Day 1:Padum to Thonde.
Day 2: Thonde to Honia.
Day 3: Honia/Shing La/Kharmapu.
Day 4: Kharmapu to Nerag La.
Day 5: Nerag La to Nerag.
Day 6: Nerag/Yulching/Singi La/Photosar.
Day 7: Photosar/Shirshi La/ Hanupatta.
Day 8: Hanupatta/Wanla/Shill/Prikiti La/Lamayuru.
Padum to Kishtwar
You cannot use horses on this route but must take porters. On day
4 your Zanskari porters will not continue further and you must
hire local porters or a pony. The last few days are hard work with
many ascents and descents but the road from Kishtwar, already
extending to Galar, is gradually being lengthened.
Day 1: Padum to Ating.
Day 2: Ating to Ratrat.
Day 3: Ratrat/Umasi La/Bhuswas.
Day 4:Bhuswas to Mastel.
Day 5: Mastel to Atholi.
Day 6: Atholi to Shasho.
Day 7: Shasho/Galar/Kishtwar.
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