Destination:Ladakh
Duration:10 nights /11days
Best Time: Aprial to Sept.
Grade:Moderate to Strenuous
Max alt:5200 mtrs.
Overview: The trip is a mixture of monasteries, river rafting and high passes. After arrival in Leh one could explore in
and around Leh visit its ancient Monasteries, Rafting in Indus river, Trek through Hemis national park in Markha valley. Your trek will finish near Martsellang on the upper part of Indus. After having a short stop at Hemis one nof the largest Monastery in Ladakh, you will drive back to Leh via Karu. It will take you about an hr to get back to Leh along the Indus.
Arrive Kushok Bakula airport Leh - 3500m above sea level. Transfer to hotel. Breakfast at the hotel before 09.30 am. Half Day at rest for acclimatization.
Lunch at the hotel. After Lunch drive toVisit Shanti Stupa & Leh Palace, Later in the evening walk around local market. Overnight stay at the Hotel.
After a leisurely breakfast, we drive to visit Hemis Monastery situated 45km west of Leh; Hemis is the largest and the wealthiest monastery in Ladakh. From Hemis, you are driven back taking the same route to visit Thiksey Monastery, located on a hill-lock with formidable views of the Indus valley. Thiksey is especially noteworthy for its gigantic seated statue of the Maitreya and is also known for its (Dukhang) assembly hall which houses hundreds of rectangular prayer books, stacked between wooden covers and bound in silk. After that we continue to drive through series of chortens to visit Shey Palace the former summer palace of the King of Ladakh. Overnight stay at the hotel.
We are now acclimatized and ready to begin trekking. Our brief introduction to the Tibetan Buddhist world of Ladakh (which has been many times threatened by invading forces over the years) will make us better able to appreciate the significance of the hill-top location of many of the monasteries which we will see on our trek through the Markha Valley. A 40 kilometre drives along the road towards Srinagar and Kashmir to Nimmo, where the chill waters of the Zanskar River meet the Indus. We turn onto a dirt road, cross the Indus on a sturdy bridge and then follow the left bank of Zanskar River through a gorge to Chilling - A village well known in Ladakh and Zanskar for the skill of its silversmiths. Chilling is also the gateway into the Markha valley. We camp at Chilling and spend an easy afternoon.
After breakfast star trek crossing the Zanskar by way of a box and cable bridge, we meet our trek crew and our pack-ponies, who will have travelled to this meeting place, via the Markha valley, a day in advance of our arrival. After sorting out the loads for the ponies, we begin our first day of trekking along a narrow trail on the right bank of Zanskar gorge, to a point where the Markha River meets the Main valley. We climb to cross spur and can look southwards to where the impressive Zanskar gorge disappears around a corner. A red - painted collection of chortens on the far side of Zanskar and faint indication of a trail point to the existence of route into Zanskar. In face the only time it is practicable to follows the Zanska River southwards as far as Padum in Zanskar is in the depths of winter. When, for a few short weeks the frozen river allows reasonable progress through the gorge to be made but that is another story. At this point, we turn towards the southeast into the Markha valley and Continue until we reach the irrigated trees and fields of the hamlets of Skays and Skiu, where we camp for the night. The main trail into the Marks valley from the north, over the Ganda La, joins our route at this point. There is a small monastery in Skiu and a derelict fortress/monastery on the cliff above our riverside camp.
It's a very pleasant hike, up the Markha valley today with the trail crossing numerous streams. Markha is a quaint village with a deserted fort and a small village Overnight in camp.
The Markha valley trail continues past old stone-mills, a ruined castle and the auspicious monastery of Techa, which is proudly perched on a toweringcliff that looms above Markha, well worth visiting if we have the energy! The path then intersects the river several times before cutting through the last hamlets in the valley. After leaving the village of Umlung, we will be afforded our first view of Kang Yatse (6400m), which will stay in sightuntil we cross Kongmaru La. After we break for lunch in the village of Hangkar (the last in the valley), we will press onward to the lovely green pasture of Thachungste, where we will camp.
Today the trail will lead us up to the beautiful plateau of Nimaling, where the people of the Markha Valley bring their herds to graze during the summer months. At 4700m, Nimaling is the highest camp on the trek, giving us spectacular views of Kang Yatse to the right, the Zangskar Range and the Markha Valley below. Overnight in camp.
After breakfast, we will cross Kongmaru La, 5200m the highest pass on the trek. Here we have a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The 2-hour descend is quite steep, but will gradually level as we enter Shang Gorge, with its strange and otherworldly rock formations. More river crossings bar our way before we arrive at the sour-spring of Chuskyurmo. Overnight in camp.
Today Instead of hiking towards Shangsumdhoo you will travels through small hump and trek into Shang-phu, Where the villagers of Shang Move with their Cattle for the summer Months. Overnight in camp.
Leh-Delhi-Paris
Le Prix comprends
Les hôtels
Le transport
Petit déjeuner
le dîner
Les visites dans les monuments
Le prix ne comprends pas
Vols internationaux et domestiques
déjeuner
Les boissons
Les pourboires
Les visites qui ne marque pas dans le circuit
