TREKKING IN LADAKH
– The areas –
For some treks we have detailed descriptions – until now unfortunately in german language only in PDF-Format – you can klick the links.
Sham-Valley
We call the Sham-Valley in regard as a trekking-area the the region north of the Indus-Valley between Likir and Tingmosgang. There are many villages (Likir, Tarutse, Yangthang, Saspotse, Ulley, Hemis Schukpachen, Ang, Tingmosgang, Tia) with accommodations (especially homestay, but also guesthosues and a few hotels) and being connected with tracks and rarely driven roads. Here are some possibilities of combinations for trekking, but also just stays with day-hikes. The area is not so high (most of the passes are around 4.000 m, just the Karang-la with 4.600 m sticks out) and you get very good in contact with the people. The walking-times can be quite short so that you have enough time for encountering the ladakhi daily life.
Markha-Valley
Just opposite the the capital Leh on the other side of the Indus, the fertile Markha Valley hides behind a mountain range. This was one of the first and nowadays still the most popular and frequented trekking areas of Ladakh. With the short drives to and from the trek you can see a diversified landscape with villages, high passes and the most beautiful Nimaling-High Valley.
There are several possibilities like:
– Zinchen-Stok – 3 days
– Zinchen-Chilling – 4 days
– Chilling-Shang Sumdo – 5 days
– Zinchen-Shang Sumdo – 8 days
– Spituk-Stok as the big circuit: 13 days
Also you can include the summits of Stok Kangri, Kang Yazee and/or Dzo Jongo.
Nubra-Valley
Nubra Valley is separated from the Indus Valley by a high mountain range. Nearly from every village in the Indus Valley you can hike over a pass with a small snowfield in 5-6 days into the Nubravalley (or vice versa – usually the start from the Indus Valley is a bit higher and the ascent more steep compared to the other side). Also there is a connection from the Nubra Valley to the road towards Pangong lake. These treks are without varieties, but can be done one after the other or combined.
From west to east:
– Tia-Parchathang – 6 days
– Saspotse-Skuru – 5-6 days
– Phiyang-Hundar – 5 days
– Sabu-Diggar – 3 days (or better Leh-Sabu-Diggar – 4 days)
– Kyema or Tangyar-Durbuk – 3-4 days
Both of the last treks can be nicely combined (Leh-Sabu-Diggar-Durbuk), either with a visit of Nubra Valley in between or as a nonstop trekking-trip of 8 days.
South of Indus
In this huge area there are countless pissibilities of combined longer or shorter trips. Some are really popular (Lamayuru-Chilling), others are visited rarely. It is also possible to trek the whole distance from Shergol via Lamayuru, Markha-Valley up to Changthang in approx. 30 days.
Here are some possibilities:
– Shergol-Wanla – 8 days
– Lamayuru-Chilling – 5 days
– Kanji-Rangdum – 3 days
– Hanupatta-Kanji-Rangdum – 6 days
North of Indus
Here you also could trek a relatively long distance, which isn’t that high. From Leh it is possible to hike to Skurbuchan in approx. 15 days. On this route from every village you can get in a few hours to the road, that means from every point you can start or finish and therefore trek as long or short as you wish. The heart is the Sham area between Likir and Tingmosgang with many big villages and homestays in approx. 4 hrs. walking distance. There you meet many people – in the western part between Skindiyang and Skurbuchan on the contrary nearly none. Nearly everything between 1 and 15 days is possible. Also this area due to the low altitude is good for trekking in the winter, in the early season, with children or for a really short Ladakh-time with short acclimatisation-time. The homestay-part can also be combined with another tent-trek.
Zanskar
For Zanskar usually one treks either to or from there or traverses it. For the traverse there was once the classic route with former 21 days from Darcha to Lamayuru. Nowadays there are some roads which can shorten the trek. But besides, there are also other options:
– Anmo-Sarchu – 6 days
– Anmo-Brandy Nalla – 9 days
– Anmo-Shankar-Reru – 11 days (also on a glacier)
– Zangla-Anmo – 10 days
– Stongde-Ichar – 4 days
– Padumtal-Homestaytrek – 2 days
– Anmo-Phuktal-Darcha – 6 days
– Stongde-Phuktal-Anmo – 6-7 days
– Rinam-Rangdum – 8 days
– Zangla-Hemis – 8-9 days
Here are still some moreorless undiscoveres routes (Phey-Abram) or one can trek very very long to the Changthang area or even up to Spiti.
Changthang
The Changthang is a huge trekking area with countless possibilities, but one snag: you have to be very well acclimatised as it is nowhere below 4.2000 m. Starting at the Pangong lake area there are different possibilities to reach the Indus, but the passes are very high and not much discovered by us. A nowadays very popular trek is Rumtse-Tsomoriri, going along the Tsokar lake and can be stopped there, too.
Here are some possibilities:
– Rumtse-Tsomoriri – 8 days
– Chumathang-Yayatso – 4-5 days
– Chalungdo-Niddar – 3 days
– Noma/Pang-Korzok – 4-5 days
– Martselang-Tsomoriri – 12 days
– Tsomoriri-Kibber (Spiti) – 8 days
– Debring-Niddar – 11 days
– Korzok – Tingting Khurd – 8 days
We strive for a permanent extension of the trekking possibilities and test nearly every year new routes.
