Duration : 09 Nights / 10 Days.
Destinations :
Leh - Spituk - Zingchan Village - Ganda La Base - Skyu -
Markha - Thochuntse
- Nimaling - Shang Sumdo - Leh.
The Markha valley trek is one of the most popular treks in Ladakh. This trek passes through beautiful villages tucked in the deep valley surrounded by towering mountains. The high pass of Kongmaru La offers spectacular views of the Kang Yatse peaks. You can stay in homestays throughout the trek and it’s an excellent opportunity to discover the everyday life of locals. Markha is part of the Hemis National Park, home to the elusive snow leopard. This trek from Chilling is a shorter and easier version of the Markha valley trek from Spituk.
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Detail Itinerary
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Day 01: Leh (Complete
Rest In Leh For Acclimatisation)
On arrival at Leh airport, you will be met by our
representative at the airport and escort you to Hotel.
Complete day for the acclimatization & rest as Leh is at
an altitude of 3500 Mtrs above sea level. Overnight stay
in Leh.
Day 2: Day 2 Explore Leh Market its surroundings
Go out and explore Leh before the start of the Markha
valley trek. Try a cup of traditional ladakhi butter tea
and ladakhi bread for breakfast. Some of the famous
places to visit in Leh are Shanti Stupa, Leh Monastery,
Leh Palace etc.
Places around Leh to explore
Thiksey Monastery: Thiksey Gompa is around 22kms from
Leh on the Leh Manali road. This has to be one of the
most impressive monastery complexes in the Leh vicinity
and resembles the Potala Palace of Lhasa, Tibet. This
brightly coloured monastery set against the deep blue
sky looks spectacular, especially when viewed from a
distance in the sun. Thiksey Gompa (Monastery) also has
good restaurant that serves authentic Tibetan food.
Shey Palace: The Shey Monastery or Gompa and the Shey
Palace complex are structures located on a hillock in
Shey, 15 kilometres to the south of Leh on the
Leh-Manali road. Shey was the summer capital of Ladakh
in the past.
Day 3: Drive from Leh to Spituk and trek to Zingchan
Village
An early start is imperative for the Markha Valley Trek
as there is no shade along the south banks of the Indus
River until you enter the Zinchen Gorge. We will depart
for Spituk from Leh by jeeps. In Spituk our team will be
waiting for us with horses to carry our trekking
equipment. The trek will begin along an old
kucchha(un-metalled) road into a barren & dried region
of Leh Ladakh with wild roses along the trail. After
trekking through the parched land we will enter the lush
Zingchen Valley, where the Rumbak River flows into the
mighty Indus. Further into the valley lies our campsite,
in the two-house hamlet of Zingchen (meaning ‘big
field’).
Day 4: Trek from Zingchen to Ganda La Base.
Today we will enter in the Hemis National Park and if we
are fortunate you will get a rare sighting of a Ladakhi
Ural or Arghali and other wildlife. Hemis National park
is home to the lynx, Ladakhi Ural (a type of goat),
Arghali (great Tibetan sheep), Bharal (blue sheep), red
fox, Tibetan wolf, dhole (wild dog), marmot and mountain
hare etc.(link) . After paying the entrance fee, we will
climb gradually through a beautiful gorge before
reaching the valley leading to the village of Rumbak. At
Rumbak we will stop for tea at tea house made of a
parachute run by women from the same village. After a
cup of warm tea we will continue past the house of
Yuruche before reaching our camp at the base of Ganda La
(4545m). From our campsite there are spectacular views
of Stok Kangri and the whole Stok range.
Day 5: Trek from Ganda La base to Skiu via Ganda La
A big day and if this is your first pass crossing in the
Himalaya you will be impressed.From the Ganda La there
are views north to the Ladakh Range while to the south
the rugged folds of the Zanskar Range extend to the
snow-capped peaks of the Himalaya.
After a few stretching exercises and breakfast, we will
begin a 2-hour ascent towards Ganda La (4900m). The
ubiquitous chorten and Tibetan prayer flags mark the top
of the pass, where one may see Blue sheep, Marmots and
Arghali roaming the hills around us. Views of the lofty
Zanskar Range and the distant Himalaya Range are great
as well. After a short rest, we will make a gradual
descent to Shingo and break for lunch. We will finish
the day by hiking for 2-hours through a spectacular
gorge before making camp at Skiu (3300m). There are
ruins of an old monastery and a castle which makes a
perfect setting for a photography session with deep blue
skies and barren landscape of Leh Ladakh in the
background.
Day 6: Skyu to Markha
From Skiu we head east up the Markha Valley. After 2km
the trail winds high above the riverbed. Floods in 2005
wiped out most of the then existing trails. There are a
number of tiring 50m ascents and descents before the
trail reaches a side gorge and potential campsite about
3km above Skiu. There is a dhaba selling buckthorn juice
and locally made wheat biscuits run by the Women’s
Association of Ladakh.
En route there is an abundance of willow thickets and
poplars where ancient mani walls and chortens line the
trail and barren cliffs rise high above the valley.
The trail continues through a series of willow and gorse
thickets to a bridge over the Markha River. Trekking
along the Markha River we get stunning views of the
valley below. We will cross the river at and reach
Markha (3800m). Markha is the largest village in the
valley, consisting of around 20 houses, an old monastery
and a ruined fort. We have an option of staying in a
village homestay in Markha or in our tents for the
night.
Day 7: Markha to Thochuntse.
The Markha valley trail continues passed old
stone-mills, a ruined castle and the auspicious
monastery of Techa, which is proudly perched upon a
cliff that looms above Markha. 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 mighty Mt.
Kang Yatse (6400m), which will stay in sight until we
cross Kongmaru La. After we break for lunch in the
village of Hangkar (the last one in the valley), we will
continue onward to the lovely green pasture of
Thachungste (4100m), where we will camp for the night.
Day 8: Thochuntse to Nimaling
After breakfast we will follow a trail which leads 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 (4600m) on the trek, giving us spectacular views of
the huge peak of Kang Yatse to the right.
Day 9:Nimaling to Shang Sumdo and drive to Leh
We will cross Kongmaru La (5200m), the highest pass on
the trek, and from there we will have a wonderful view
of the Indus Valley and Ladakh Range. The descent is
quite steep, but will gradually level out as we enter
Shang Gorge, with its fascinating rock formations. More
river crossings bar our way before we arrive at the
sour-spring of Chuskurmo (used in traditional medicine
by the Amchi doctors).
Day 10: Departure from Leh
Morning transfer to airport for departure..
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- Our Services:
- Includes
- What's Included :
1.Accommodation during Trek (Camping) and 2 day
stay at Leh in guest house as per itinerary.
2.Meals while on trek (Veg)
3.First aid medical kits
4.Qualified and experienced Trek Leader, Guide and support staff.
What's not Included :
1.Wildlife Permit fee if any
2.Mineral Water
3.Meals in Leh
4.Cost Escalation due to natural reasons
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- Terms And Conditions
- Package Rates are Per Person and is subject to minimum 02 Passenger traveling together.
- Package is completely subject to availability at the time of confirming the booking.
- Cancellation & other policies as per the Hotel/Company rules.
- Entrance fees at any point shall be paid by customer directly (if any)
- In case of unavailability in mentioned hotels, alternate hotel options of same category will be arranged.
- All Packages quote are subject to change in case of any increase in the hotel cost, transport cost, forex fluctuation or any other increase of government taxes.
- All our packages are based on Nights basis and the last day is for check out which will be as per the hotel policy. We will not be responsible for any extension of stay in the hotel unless explicitly approved in writing by us.
- Payment policy:
- The airfares and taxes are calculated as on a mentioned date and any increase in the airport taxes or airfares will be borne by the customer.
- You need to make an advance payment as per the specific package terms at the time of confirming the tour and make the balance payment as per the payment conditions of the package.
- Cancellation policy:
- If due to some unforeseen circumstances you cannot avail of package, you should intimate your cancellation in writing, for which there will be cancellation charges applicable non refundable deposit of Current Package Price- per person.