The trip begins with a two-day drive from the verdant Kullu valley across two high passes deep into the easternmost part of Ladakh, followed by an 11-day trek through the heart of Rupshu, finally ending in the Indus valley near Leh. A possible extension to the above trek would be to follow the Markha valley downstream from Hankar and go across the Kunda La and Stok La to end at Stok village, which is located on the Indus across the valley from Leh or another option is from Nimaling cross Chakstang La (5310m) and Puze La (4900m) and continue to Lato on the Manali – Leh Highway.
SEASON: June – October
MAX. ALTITUDE: 5300m
NUMBER OF DAYS: 14 days
HIGH PASSES: Rohtang, Baralacha La, Morang La (5300m), Yar La (5000m), Jalung Karpo-La (5200m) and Kongo Gompa-La (5150m)
TREK GRADIENT: Challenging
Day 01: Participants arrive in Manali.
Day 02: Manali – Jispa (3142m) by road
Duration: 8 hours
Day 03: Jispa – Sarchu (4253m) by road
Duration: 5 hours
Day 04: Sarchu – Takh – Base of Morang La (4600m)
Duration: 6 hours
The trek starts with the army trail for 2-3 km to Takh, a military camp. From there, the trail deviates from the Tsarap River and starts the gradual and long ascent to the base of the Morang La.
Day 05: Base of Morang La – Lun
Duration: 6 hours
A gradual climb takes you to the summit of Morang La (5300m), before you descend into a narrow and muddy valley. Go past a beautiful plateau into the Zara Chu valley. Turn right to follow the river along the left bank for an hour before you reach the village of Lun.
Day 06: Lun – Yabbu (4250m)
Duration: 6 hours
Follow the Zara Chu valley further to the village of Yabbu, which has some wonderful campsites and low stone walls to protect then from the sheep and goats of the Tibetan nomads that live in this area.
Day 07: Yabbu – Lungmoche (4550m)
Duration: 6 hours
Follow the same valley past Yabbu from where you reach the summer settlement of Lungmoche. This nomad village of Yak-wool tents sometimes spreads over a large area and is very picturesque in the late evening with the smoke from the cooking fires floating above the tents.
Day 08: Lungmoche – Dat (4200m)
Duration: 7 hours
A gradual 2 hour ascent to the top of the Yar La (4950m) reveals fantastic views of the Rupshu. The high plateau is clearly visible with range upon range of brown, barren hills and some snow-covered mountains in the far distance. Make a short descent from the pass to a water point, as the next few hours are very dry. A further descent takes you to the Dat Chu valley. Turn right to follow the valley up to Dango and further on to the village of Dat, which has a small Gompa.
Day 09: Dat – Sura via Jalung Karpo La (4800m)
Duration: 7 hours
Follow the very broad valley of Dat, which is inhabited throughout the year, past Mani walls and chortens into a narrowing valley. The stream meets the Sura Chu to form the Chamg Cho of Khurna, a major tributary of the Zanskar river. Follow the Sura Chu into a valley with wonderful woody gorges up to the summer village of Sura. Leaving the lush green pastures of Sura, a 3-4 hour walk leads over the Rubering La to Zangla, the ancient capital of Zanskar. Leaving the valley floor, a steep climb takes you to the west ridge of the Jalung Karpo La (5200m), which affords some great views. Descend into the valley to Sura.
Day 10: Sura – Nimaling (4878m) via Kongo Gompa-La (
Duration: 6 hours
From Sura, it’s an easy walk before a steep ascent to Kongo Gompa-La. Descend on the other side of the pass to the Nimaling plain. The Nimaling plain is a broad, undulating meadow, which slopes up to the base of the ice-clad Kang Yatse, which dominates the area. Nimaling, with its tiny ponds and rivulets flowing all over the meadow, provides pasturage in the summer for an astonishing number of animals – yaks, dzos, sheep, goats, horses – not only from the Markha but from the villages all around. Himalayan marmots and white-tailed hares are seen in plenty and it is not unusual to sight an occasional blue-s heep or Wolf.
Day 12: A day at leisure at Nimaling. An alternative is a walk to the base of Kang Yatse.
Day 13: Nimaling – Shang Sumdo via Kangmaru La (5274m)
Duration: 8 hours
Crossing to the north of the Markha, begin the climb to Kangmaru La (5274m). From the pass, the trail descends steeply to the head of the Martselang valley, past the sulphur springs of Chuskirmo and follows the Martselang stream to the village of Sumdo or Shang-Sumdo, at the confluence of the Shang and Martselang Nullahs, where camp is set for the night.
Day 14: Shang Sumdo – Hemis Gompa (3300m) – Leh
Duration: 5 hours
A jeep will pick you up at Shang Sumdo. After a visit to the ancient monastery at Hemis, you will be dropped at Leh.
