Markha Valley Trek

Arrival in Leh

Upon reaching Leh, our team will meet you at the airport and drive you to the hotel.

Adapting to Ladakh's Environment

• Sudden Environmental Change: Landing in Leh brings a sudden shift to cool, dry air, which your body may struggle to adapt to in just a few hours.
• Weather Conditions:
  • The dry and cold wind can be harsh on your body.
  • The Sun is scorchingly intense despite the cool air.

Tips for Acclimatization

• Stay Hydrated: Begin drinking plenty of water the night before your arrival, not after landing in Ladakh.
• Moisturize Your Nostrils: Keep Vaseline handy to apply inside your nostrils to combat the excessively dry and cold air, ensuring comfortable breathing.

Day Schedule

• Rest: The remainder of the day is reserved for rest to help your body acclimatize.
• Evening Team Meet-Up:
  • Enjoy light snacks.
  • Participate in the formal team introduction.
  • Receive important information on trek preparation and planning.

Day Activities in Leh

Today, we spend the day exploring Leh and further acclimatizing to the high altitude. This day is crucial for preparing our bodies for the trek.

Places to Visit by Walking

• Leh Palace: A historic site with stunning views.
• Chemo Monastery: A serene place to visit and explore.
• Shanti Stupa: A peaceful spot to relax and soak in the spiritual aura, especially in the evening.

Activities

• Hiking: If not exhausted, hike to the above-mentioned places for acclimatization.
• Light Walks: If tired, take light walks in the town for window shopping or exploring local markets.
• Trekking Gear Shopping: Leh has great shops for last-minute trekking gear purchases.

Preparation for the Trek

• Recheck your gear and ensure everything is ready for the trek.
• Do any last-minute purchases if needed.
• Repack your bag as per trek requirements.
• Have dinner and sleep early to rest well for the trek starting tomorrow.

Drive to Chilling

This morning, after breakfast, we drive to Sara. It takes about 3 hours to drive till Sara - the current roadhead for the Markha Valley trek. 

Start of the Trek to Markha

• After crossing the river bridge over the Zanskar river, we further drive to Sara
• We then begin our trek to Markha Village from Sara.
• Its about 3 - 4 hour trek.
• We stop by in mid-point for hot simple lunch

Trail Details

• Difficulty: An easy trek on a mostly flat trail with occasional short ascents and descents.
• Scenic Landscape:
  • Fascinating and unique scenery with barren, creamy mountains.
  • Sudden green patches create a beautiful contrast in the landscape.
  • Keep an eye out for the classic and illusionary rockscapes and structures of the mountains formed by wind and water erosion
• Wildlife and Locals: Sightings of wild animals and interactions with locals add to the experience.

Arrival at the Campsite

• After trekking for 3-4 hours, we reach the defined campsite at Markha.
• Enjoy a peaceful evening surrounded by the stunning Ladakhi landscape.

Evening Acclimatization Walk

• After resting for a while on reaching the campsite, we walk to explore the Markha village
• Enjoy a peaceful evening surrounded by the stunning Ladakhi landscape.
• Visit old monastery in the village

Trek to Hankar

The trail from Markha to Hankar is a short and simple trek, but it is incredibly scenic and memorable.

Highlights of the Trail

• Surprisingly Green Valley: The lush green valley is surrounded by
• First glipmse of the Kang Yatse Peak: the stunning snow-covered peak of Kang Yatse is visible for the first time from  Hankar, creating a breathtaking backdrop.
• Relaxed Itinerary: The shorter trek allows you to spend ample time soaking in the beauty of the valley.

Experience the Local Culture

• Spend a night in Hankar and immerse yourself in the peaceful ambiance.
• We will stay in a homestay to make the maximum of spending time with the local people and experience the local way of life
• Engage with local herders and farmers to learn about their way of life.
• These connections and stories make your journey meaningful beyond just photographs.

Gateway to the Wildlands

• Hankar is the last village on this route before entering the wildlands.
• These wildlands are home to incredible wildlife, including snow leopards and ibexes.

From Hankar to Nimaling

After a peaceful night in the village of Hankar, we head to the lush green, high-altitude pasture land of Nimaling. The lush green platue of Nimaling with horses grazing around and the backdrop of Kang Yatse and Dzo Jongo will take your heart right away

Trail Highlights

• Change in Terrain: Beyond Hankar, the greens disappear, replaced by striking, barren landscapes with unique mountain and rock formations.
• Wildlife Sightings: This area offers great opportunities to spot blue sheep, ibex, and, if lucky, even snow leopards!

Stop at Thochungtse

• A 2–3 hour walk brings us to Thochungtse, a small grassy plain and designated campsite.
• After a short rest, we continue towards Nimaling.
• After crossing Thochungtse, we climb a mountain hump straight ahead, which can be challenging at this altitude but rewarding.
• At the top, enjoy an up-close view of Kang Yatse, a massive and elegant mountain massif.
• We rest near a small lake where the reflection of Kang Yatse can be seen on the water surface.

Route to Nimaling

• From the lake, the route splits:
  • One path leads to Kang Yatse base camp.
  • The other descends to Nimaling, a vast plateau encircled by tall mountains.
• The final stretch to Nimaling takes about 30 minutes.

A rest day on this wonderful land. We use it to the fullest by exploring it deeper. We have the option to go till Kang Yatse or Dzo Jongo Glacier, climb up nearby tops, etc. Its a vast lush green pasture green land. Just doing nothing here also is worthy enough.

Crossing the Kongmaru La Pass

One of the most beautiful days of the trek. The Markha Valley Trek continues to amaze even 6 days into the journey! Today we cross them ighty Kongmaru La protecting this beautiful place

Highlights of Kongmaru La (5130m)

• High Pass Adventure: The climb to Kongmaru La involves multiple switchbacks and takes about an hour or slightly more.
• Summit Views: The summit is marked by colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind, offering breathtaking views all around.
• Mobile Network: You can finally get a signal here, allowing you to connect with your loved ones
• Descend from Kongmaru La: The trail descends steeply through the stunning and narrow Markha gorge, an unforgettable experience.
• Stop at Lartsa: A sharp descent from the pass brings you to Lartsa, a key point along the route.
• Stop Chyuskirmo: Further down from Lartsa, the trek trail winds down with multiple rives crossings to reach Chyuskirmo. Chyuskirmo serves as a gateway to Gangbachen towards Stok Kangri and abnother route descends down straight to the village of Chikdoh
• End the trek in Chokdoh: Chokdoh is the last point on the trek where the road from Hemis end. We end our trek here, have some hot soup as we wait for the horses to arrive with our equipment, and depart to Leh

Return to Leh and Party

• Our trek concludes as our vehicle waits at the endpoint to take us back to Leh.
• In the evening, we may meet to call it a last dinner together

Departure from Leh for onward journey. We will drop you to the airport as per your flight timing