- The high pass route from Leh to Kargil
- Crossing the Kanji La
- Spectacular views of Nun and Kun
- The remote and rarely-visited Ripchar Valley
Sandwiched between the Indian Himalaya and the peaks of the Karakoram, the isolated Buddhist region of Ladakh is home to some of the finest mountain walking on earth. After acclimatising at Leh and in the upper Indus Valley, our challenging trek through this 'land of passes' starts out at Chilling beside the Zanskar River and follows an ancient trade route westwards. Crossing the first of 5 high passes on our route, we can look back across the Markha Valley to the popular peak of Stok Kangri. Dropping down into the remote Ripchar Valley, our trek continues by way of centuries-old hill-top monasteries and scattered villages, each with its fields of barley and potatoes which add colour to the stark Zanskari landscape. Increasingly impressive views culminate at the Kanji La (5150m), where the twin peaks of Nun (7085m) and Kun (7135m) dominate the western horizon. This is one of Ladakh's finest adventure treks.
Trip Guide
Before we start trekking, we allow 5 days for acclimatising to the altitude in Ladakh (3500 metres / 11,500 feet at Leh). During this time we will visit several of the monasteries of the upper Indus Valley and also drive up to the Khardung La. The time that we actually spend on trek is 12 days. Generally, on our trek through western Zanskar, we will be following reasonable trails, which are used by villagers and by shepherds as they travel between villages and between high grazing areas. Crossing the several high passes on the trip, we will encounter rocky trails and zig-zag tracks across scree. This is not a particularly sustained trek, although the generally high altitude will be a factor and the numerous passes that we cross on our route will feel quite tough. There are numerous stream and river crossings to negotiate. The usual walking day is around 6 hours, with a couple of longer ones. We have allowed plenty of time for resting and acclimatisation. The trip is given the DEMANDING grade on account of the high altitude and the remote location.
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