Shang La - Matho La Trek

The Shang La - Matho La trek takes 7 days, 6 nights, from Leh airport and back. You cross two passes, Shang La and Matho La, both at 4,950 m, and walk out to Stok village.

The first two days are in Leh, at about 3,500 m, on purpose. You arrive, rest, then spend a day around Leh Palace, Chemo Monastery and Shanti Stupa. On day 3 you drive out of Leh to Shang Village (3,900 m), stopping at Shey Palace and Thiksey Monastery on the way, and meet the rest of your trek crew.

Day 4 is the long day, 6 to 8 hours and about 17 km. The path zigzags up for about three hours to Shang La, then drops to the pastures of Gangpoche (4,428 m) and a camp. This is snow leopard country; blue sheep and marmots are the animals you are more likely to see. From the pass, the wall of Matho Kangri stands in front of you.

On day 5 you climb grassy slopes past the stone huts of yak herders to Matho La, with Stok Kangri in view, and camp at Monkormo (4,450 m). Day 6 is a long, mostly downhill walk beside a stream, on rocky trails between folded, eroded mountainsides, to Stok village (3,600 m). Transport takes you to Leh, with a stop at the Stok Palace museum. Day 7 is your flight home from Leh airport.

• Days: 7 days, 6 nights, Leh to Leh, airport pickup and drop included.
• Altitude: 4,950 m, at both Shang La and Matho La.
• Grade: moderate. Most days are 4 to 5 hours; day 4 is longer.
• Season: May to October.

A good first Ladakh trek, and a good step before a bigger peak. Two nights in Leh come first, so you reach the passes acclimatised.

For something longer, see the Markha Valley trek.

• Two passes, two days: Shang La and Matho La, both at 4,950 m, on days 4 and 5. Each is a day of its own, with the walking planned around it.
• Shang La and the Matho Kangri wall: The climb to the pass is about three hours of zigzags. At the top, the mountain wall of Matho Kangri, at around 5,800 to 5,900 m, fills the view.
• Snow leopard country: The Shang La area is declared a snow leopard area by the forest department. Blue sheep, marmots and brown eagles are seen here.
• Shang Phu and Gangpoche pastures: High grazing land that you cross and camp in, at 4,428 m, far from any road.
• Matho La and Stok Kangri: From the second pass Stok Kangri (6,153 m) stands in front of you, and in clear weather the Karakoram can be seen.
• Yak herders' settlements: Stone shelters at the foot of Matho La, used by herders from the nearby villages.
• Stok village and Stok Palace: The trek ends along a stream and a rocky trail at Stok, with a stop at the Stok Palace museum on the drive to Leh.
• Leh first: Two nights at 3,500 m with Leh Palace, Chemo Monastery and Shanti Stupa, so the walking starts acclimatised.
• Private and airport to airport: Your own group, usually 2 to 10, with a local team, from Leh airport and back.

The Shang La - Matho La trek sleeps no higher than 4,450 m, but it crosses two passes at 4,950 m, and it starts from Leh at about 3,500 m. So how the first three days go decides how the passes feel. This is how the itinerary is built.

Day 1: arrive and rest. Our team meets you at Leh airport and takes you to the hotel. The Ladakh administration asks every visitor to rest at least 48 hours in and around Leh before going higher, especially after flying in. Drink plenty of water, starting the night before you fly. The air is very dry, and a little Vaseline at the nostrils keeps the nose from drying out. In the evening you meet the team over snacks.

Day 2: a day around Leh. This is an acclimatisation day, with about 4 to 5 hours and 5 km of gentle walking. Leh Palace, Chemo Monastery and Shanti Stupa are all close, and each can be walked up to if you feel fine. If you don't, a slow walk through the bazaar does the same job. Leh also has shops for any last gear.

Day 3: Leh to Shang Village. You drive to Shang Village at 3,900 m, about 400 m higher than Leh, with monastery stops on the way. The walking starts the next day, after two nights in Leh and one at a modest height above it.

Day 4: Gangpoche. You cross Shang La (4,950 m) and sleep at Gangpoche at 4,428 m. The pass is a big day, but your body has had time.

Day 5: Monkormo. After Matho La you sleep at 4,450 m. The sleeping heights stay close together, so the rise is by day, not by night.

• Tell your guide about any headache or poor sleep as soon as you notice it.
• Keep a spare day around your dates if you can. Flights into Leh operate in the morning only, and delays are common.

Acclimatisation is built into the days and we watch how you are each day. Tell us when you arrive and how you usually do at height, and we will plan around you.

Day 4 of the Shang La - Matho La trek is the longest. It is about 17 km and 6 to 8 hours from Shang Village (3,900 m) over Shang La (4,950 m) to the camp at Gangpoche (4,428 m). Start early, and pace yourself.

The climb. For about three hours the trail climbs steadily on zigzags to the pass. It is steep, but it is a path, not a scramble. Take small steps, drink often and keep a layer in your daypack, because you will be cooler at the top than the start.

The pass. From Shang La, the mountain wall of Matho Kangri, at around 5,800 to 5,900 m, stands in front of you. This is a good place for a longer break and for photographs.

The descent. You come down along the left-hand hillside into the pastures of Gangpoche, where we camp. The valleys on this side are wide and open, and they are grazing land.

Snow leopard country. The forest department has declared this a snow leopard area. The cat is elusive, and we don't promise that you will see one. Blue sheep, marmots and brown eagles are far easier to spot, and the high cliffs are worth a slow look with binoculars. Please keep to the trail, keep your voice low, and carry out all your waste.

• Early start: the day is long and the pass is better crossed with time in hand.
• Daypack: water, a warm layer, a windproof, sun protection and snacks.
• Binoculars are worth carrying here.

This day, followed by Matho La, is why the trek is graded moderate and not easy. If you want the same landscape with a shorter walk, tell us, and we will talk you through the options.

The second pass and the walk out are shorter than day 4, and they have the best views of the trek. Day 5 is about 5 to 6 hours and 10 km from Gangpoche (4,428 m) over Matho La (4,950 m) to Monkormo (4,450 m). Day 6 is about 5 hours and 10 km from Monkormo down to Stok village (3,600 m).

Day 5: up to Matho La. The trail climbs steadily across a series of grassy slopes. At the foot of the pass, herders from the nearby villages live in stone settlements, which are a sign that this country is used, not empty. The pass is the viewpoint of the trek: Stok Kangri (6,153 m) stands in front of you, and if the weather is clear you may see the Karakoram beyond. From the pass, about 3 km of gradual descent takes you to the campsite at Monkormo.

Day 6: down to Stok. The path follows a stream down through rocky trails, with a landscape of folded and eroded mountainsides on either side. It is a long, relaxed walk, and mostly downhill. At Stok village (3,600 m), transport meets you for the drive to Leh, and on the way we visit the Stok Palace museum.

Stok Kangri from below. If you are thinking about a bigger peak, this is where you get to look at one. Seeing Stok Kangri from Matho La gives a sense of the scale, and the trek is also a way to learn how you do at 4,950 m.

What next. Many guests move on to a bigger Ladakh plan after this. The Stok Kangri Base Camp trek and the Kang Yatse 1 climbing expedition are the neighbouring treks, and the Markha Valley trek is a longer walk with homestays.

Tell us what you have in mind, and we can say which of them follows this trek best.

The Shang La - Matho La trek runs from May to October. The passes are at 4,950 m, so snow decides the early end of the season, and the autumn light decides the late end. Both ends work, and they feel different.

Early season, May and June. There is snow cover on the passes and on the slopes above the camps. The air is cold at night and the ground is firm in the morning. Snow walking on a pass is part of the day, and your guide will show you how to use the gear.

July and August. The snow is mostly gone, the pastures are at their best, and the trail is clear. This is the busiest part of the Ladakh season, so book your flights early.

September and October. Autumn brings clearer skies, stable weather and open, dry ground. Nights are colder, and the days shorten by the end of October, so we plan the walking days with that in mind.

The ground itself. The terrain is meadows, rock and snow field. The days have steep ascents and descents, and some stretches are rocky. The trek is remote, and evacuation is possible from most, but not all, campsites, so your guide plans each day with the nearest road in mind.

On the passes we provide microspikes or other snow gear when conditions call for it, and you don't need to bring it. You do need good boots, a warm layer for the pass tops and sun protection.

• Snow: more likely in May and June, and after any early autumn storm.
• Light: clearest in September and October.
• Flights: Leh flights run only in the morning, and delays happen, so allow a spare day.

Tell us your dates and we will say what the passes are likely to be like then.

The Shang La - Matho La trek is a moderate trek with two high passes, and it is a good one to do with care. Here is how we run it, and who it is for.

A private group. It is your own group, usually 2 to 10 people, with a local team. We meet you at Leh airport and drop you back there.

Acclimatisation first. Two nights in Leh, a day of gentle walks and visits, and a night at Shang Village come before the first pass. We look at how each person is doing each day, and we decide with you whether to go on.

The walking days. Most days are 4 to 5 hours. Day 4 is longer, at 6 to 8 hours and 17 km. The trail is clear, but there are steep climbs and descents, and a good level of fitness helps. Regular cardio before you come makes a real difference to how much you enjoy the passes.

Camps and waste. Nights on the trail are in camps at Gangpoche and Monkormo. We follow Leave No Trace and carry our waste down.

Who it suits.

• First-time Ladakh trekkers who want to cross a high pass and see what the country is like.
• People preparing for a bigger peak such as Kang Yatse, who want to test themselves at height first.
• Walkers who like people and places as well as mountains: monasteries, herders' settlements and Stok village.

Who it may not suit. If you want a gentler walk, the Sham Valley trek stays under 4,000 m. If you want a longer one, look at the Markha Valley trek.

Tell us your dates, your trekking experience and how you do at height, and we will shape the days around you.