Trek No. 4: LADAKH MARKHA VALLEY (9 days)

Zanskar and Stok mountain range

Season June - October
Duration 9 days
Difficulty moderate

Group size

1 person with overnight in homestay

min. 2 persons with overnight in tent

DAY 1

Leh - Spituk - Zing Chan (5 hours)

Early morning drive to Spituk. From here trek west of the Indus river, through a narrow gorge up to the confluence with the Zing Chan river. A gradual ascent through the valley leads to the village of Zing Chan. O/N camp. 

DAY 2

Zing Chan - Yurutse - Ganda-La base camp (5 hours)

Gradual ascent through the Zing Chan valley along the Rumbak Nala to reach the village of Rumbak. Continue to the village of Yurutse passing cultivated fields and scattered houses. O/N camp.

DAY 3

Ganda-La base camp - Skyu (6 hours)

Gradual ascent and steep climb to the top of the Ganda-La (4'971m, 15'910ft). Spectacular view of snow-capped Karakoram mountains. Descend steadily to Shingo and then reach the village of Skyu. O/N camp.

DAY 4

Skyu - Markha (7 hours)

Pleasant walk along one of the loveliest sections of the Markha valley. Cross several monasteries high on the hillside above our trail, see stupas and mani walls along the path. O/N camp.

DAY 5

Markha - Hankar - Thua Chungtse (5.5 hours)

From Markha the warm, relatively heavily wooded section of the lower Markha is left behind. THe camp below the two twin villages of Lower and Upper Hankar is distinctly cooler. O/N camp.

DAY 6

Thua Chungtse - Nyimaling (3.5 hours)

From the camp the trail climbs steadily up to the narrow valley. The Nyiamling plain is a broad meadow reaching upwards to the base of the ice-clad Kang-Yatse-La (6'553m, 21'500ft). Summer pastures for yaks, sheep, goats, and horses. Occasionally wild sheep and wolf are spotted on this trek. O/N camp.

DAY 7

Nyimaling

Time to relax at Nyimaling and enjoy the wonderful scenery. Take a walk to the base camp of Kang-Yatse-La, the highest peak in the Zanskar range. O/N camp.

DAY 8

Nyimaling (over Kongmaru-La) - Shang- Sumdo (7 hours)

Climb to the top of Kongmaru-La (5'306m, 17'409ft), spectacular view of the Karakoram range. Steep descent to Martselang valley passing through the famous sulphur springs of Chu-skarmo, reach camp site at Shang Sumdo. O/N camp.

DAY 9

Shang Sumdo - Martselang - Hemis (trek 2.5 hours) - Leh

Easy descent along the Martselang river, reach the village of Martselang where transport is waiting to drive back to Leh. O/N Guesthouse in Leh.