School Adventure - Markha Valley
- The best short trek in Ladakh
- Splendid Indian Himalaya views
- Fascinating insight into Buddhist religion and way of life
- Community Project opportunity
- The unforgettable Taj Mahal
With its excellent trekking routes, colourful Buddhist religion and charming inhabitants, India's northern region of Ladakh makes for an exciting location for a school adventure. Geographically, Ladakh is a western extension of the Tibetan Plateau and, as recently as the beginning of the nineteenth century, this mountainous country was a part of Tibet. Buddhism is the dominant religion throughout Ladakh and there are many colourful monasteries, often occupying impressive hilltop sites. The Muslim religion is also important in Ladakh, thanks in part to the influence of Kashmir to the west. A mixture of cultures and religions is an important element in the attraction of Ladakh as a destination for school groups. Perhaps more important, however, is the remarkable landscape of the area, which is absolutely brilliant for trekking. Close to the old capital of Leh, the 8-day circuit trek through the Markha Valley is one of the most popular short treks in Ladakh - with good reason. Our journey starts out by way of the exciting flight to Leh, where we spend 3 days acclimatising, exploring some of the monasteries of the upper Indus Valley or whitewater rafting. We will also drive up into the mountains to the north of Leh, as far as the Khardung La (5380m / 17,684ft), which is probably the highest road pass in the world. The Markha Valley trek makes a complete circuit of the prominent Stok Kangri group of peaks, which lie to the south of Leh and visits several remote settlements and monasteries en route. The valley is a part of the Hemis High Altitude National Park, a wildlife conservation area which is home to many species including wolf and snow leopard. We cross the Ganda La (4900m / 16,075ft) to enter the Markha Valley, whilst at the end of our trek we cross the even higher Kongmaru La (5100m / 16,730ft) on our return to the Indus Valley. North of the Indian Himalaya and sheltered from the influence of the monsoon, the starkly beautiful region of Ladakh is at its best in the summer months. Providing a fascinating glimpse of Ladakh's unique culture and exposure to a range of colourful landscapes, this is a fantastic itinerary for any School Group.
Educational Perspective
The Buddhist religion is central to the way of life of the Ladakhi people. The hill-top monasteries with their red-robed monks provide some of the most enduring memories of any visit to this part of the world.
Amend or Extend
Add days for additional project work in Ladakh, or include a 3-day excursion to Tso Morari, a cobalt blue lake on the Chang Tang plains close to the border with Tibet.
Is this holiday for you?
We recommend a minimum age of 15yrs
This is an excellent school adventure and a great travel experience. It includes a spectacular trek through the Markha Valley, with two tough pass crossings and a whole lot more. To allow group members to acclimatise to the altitude in Ladakh (3500m / 11,480ft), our tried and test itinerary includes 3 days and nights in Leh before setting off on the trek. It is important to note that trekking at high altitude makes greater demands on the body than walking at low elevations. There are 8 days of trekking and most of this is on good trails, which are the main routes between the villages of the Markha Valley. Crossing the two high passes on the trek, we will encounter zig-zag paths on scree. We will trek for an average of approximately 5 hours each day, with a couple of longer days. On most afternoons there will be the opportunity to rest and relax, but there are no rest days during the trek and it is reasonably sustained. For this reason, and on account of the generally quite high altitude and the two high pass crossings, this trip is given the high grade of 8. Each of our School Group Adventures is given a grade, taking into account the amount of walking involved, the difficulty of the terrain, the remoteness, the altitude and the overall length of the trip. The trips are graded on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most challenging.
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