Adventure & Trekking
Area: 98,000sq km
Altitude: 7,500m Max.
Population: 250000
Religion: Buddhism, Islam. Hindu
Locational Status: Cold Desert
¤ Its landscape,
sky, shooting stars, silence, wizened faces, rosy cheeks,
dragons and Zen – everything makes Ladakh a quite place
to visit. This ethereal cold desert that goes by names such as
‘The Last Shangrila’, Moonscape, Little Tibet and
so many others – all of which ring true, is a land that
seldom fails to baffle or surprise.
¤ The start and rugged
landscape is situated amidst multiple-hued mountains,
some smooth enough to rub your cheeks on, others scraggly as though
termites have had a go at them for breakfast. Miles and stretches
of this never-never land, surprised by quaint little vibrant green
hamlets oozing wild roses and lavender, fringe the life-giving
Indus River. Ladakh is a land like no other. Bounded by two of
the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and
the Karakoram, it lies athwart two other, the Ladakh range and
the Zanskar range.
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In geological terms, this is a young land, formed only a few million
years ago by the buckling and folding of the earth's
crust as the Indian sub-continent pushed with irresistible force
against the immovable mass of Asia. Its basic contours, uplifted
by these unimaginable tectonic movements, have been modified over
the millennia by the opposite process of erosion, sculpted into
the form we see today by wind and water.
¤ Yes, water! Today,
a high -altitude desert, sheltered from the rain-bearing
clouds of the Indian monsoon by the barrier of the Great Himalaya,
Ladakh was once covered by an extensive lake system, the vestiges
of which still exist on its south -east plateau of Rupshu and
Chushul - in drainage basins with evocative names like Tsomoiri,
Tsokar, and grandest of all, Pangong-tso. Occasionally, some stray
monsoon clouds do find their way over the Himalaya, and lately
this seems to be happening with increasing frequency. But the
main source of water remains the winter snowfall. Drass, Zanskar
and the Suru Valley on the Himalaya's northern flank receive heavy
snow in winter; this feeds the glaciers whose meltwater, carried
down by streams, irrigates the fields in summer. For the rest
of the region, the snow on the peaks is virtually the only source
of water. As the crops grow, the villagers pray not for rain,
but for sun to melt the glaciers and liberate their water. Usually
their prayers are answered, for the skies are clear and the sun
shines for over 300 days in the year. |
¤
The Markha Valley Trek is certainly one of the most varied and
beautiful treks in the world. It ventures high into the
Himalayas crossing two passes over 15,000 ft. as it circles from
the edges of the Indus Valley, down into parts of Zanskar, and
passes through terrain that changes from incredibly narrow valleys
to wide open vast expanses. It is made all the more interesting
by the ancient form of Buddhism that flourishes in the many monasteries
that dot the landscape perched high atop hills. As we trek to
the upper end of the Markha Valley we are rewarded with spectacular
views of jagged snow capped peaks before cross the 16500 ft. Gongmarlu
Pass and descending to the famous Hemis monastery, where we end
our trek. The trek has alternative route from Spituk also.
¤
This outstanding trek begins with a drive down
the Indus River from Leh to visit the ancient and spectacularly
sited Lamayuru monastery and camp. We then trek through the village
of Shilla to the camp at Wanla. On day 2 we hike along the Yarpola
river to Phanjila, where we enter the Ripchar valley and hike
to Hinju. After a hearty breakfast, we hike up to the Konzke La
pass (16,080 ft) with expansive views of the Karakorum and Zanskar
Mountains. We then descend and camp. We continue down the Sumdah
Chu river to the isolated village of Sumdah-Chenmo and then on
to a camp by the river. We hike through a muti-hued valley and
then turn up a tributary and follow it to our next camp above
Sumdah-Choon. On our final trek day we ascend to the Stakspi La
pass (16,980 ft) where our strenuous efforts are rewarded with
majestic views of the Indus valley. The trail descends down the
valley all the way to the historic village of Alchi with its 11th
century monastery. After visiting the monastery the next morning,
we drive back to Leh, visiting the Likir monastery on the way.
Contact us for Detailed Ity.
¤
This trek goes into the hidden kingdom of Zanskar.
Starting from the ancient monastery at Lamayuru perched on a precipice,
the trek offers close encounters with Zanskari life. Practically
every day of the trek passes through interesting villages with
their little gompas. The route also takes in eight high passes
and, depending on the time of the year, up to a dozen river crossings.
¤
Ladakh and Zanskar form the western edge of the Tibetan
plateau and are popularly known as "Little Tibet" due
to the similarity of the culture and the high altitude desert
landscape. Politically, this region forms a part of India, though
the religious head is still the Dalai Lama. The flora and fauna
is also similar to Tibet and is quite distinct from the rest of
the Himalayas. The region, being beyond the reach of the monsoon,
is dry with sparse vegetation. Willow groves and poplars are found
near villages. Bushes of eidelberry, wild strawberry and sage
brush are also common. The fauna includes marmots, blue sheep
and ibex and an occasional snow leopard, besides many birds of
prey.
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