Title:

Manali - Lamayuru - Leh

Duration:

19 Nights / 20 Days

Best Season:

July to August

Altitude:

4300 M

Itinery:

This is a strenuous trek and requires a lot of will and stamina. The thrill includes trekking in the beautiful Zanskar region, the topography of which at times is compared to that of moon. It involves grossing high passes and descending steeply back down to river valleys before climbing yet another pass. This trek finally leads you to Lamayuru monastery from where you will be picked up by a jeep to your final destination Leh.

Darcha - Palano (5 hours) Straight forward walking to pleasant campsite at 3700 M. View an amazing gorge enroute.

Palano - Zanskar Sumdo (5 hours) Again very little climbing but a lot of scrambling over rocks and a river crossing near the campsite at 3900 M.

Zanskar Sumdo - Chumik Nakpo (5 hours) After the cattle trolley there is a steep climb for half an hour and then a steady climb for the rest of the day to camp at 4500 M.

Chumik Nakpo - Shingola - Lakong (7 hours) An eventful day for those who have never climbed to this height (5100 M). Walk over the glacier and descend to a good campsite   (4400 M).

Lakong - Kargyak (5 hours) Easy walking along this beautiful valley past Mount Gumbarajon to the first village of the Zanskar region (4000 M).

Kargyak - Zamthang (6 hours) Now you are walking through the Buddhist region passing quaint villages.      (camp at 3400 m).

Zamthang - Phuktal - Zamthang (4 hours) This is a free day to see the incredible monastery situated in a cave. Crossing the hanging Rope Bridge is an unforgettable experience (3400 M).

Zamthang - Bipul (4 hours) Easy walking along the River Tsarap (Camp at 3650 M).

Bipul - Baruk (4 hours) A steep half-hour climb and then a gentle down hill walk to a beautiful lake (camp at 3680 M)

Baruk - Padam (5 hours) Past Bardan camps about half way. It is being restored, well worth the steep climb to explore. There are some good relics there. Beyond a road under construction upto Padam (camp at 3500 M)

Padam - Karsha (4 hours) The trek out of Padam crosses over a dusty plain toward the Doda River. After crossing the bridge, we'll start the climb upto Karsha where a beautiful, 500 year's old Buddhist monastery is perched above the village (3700 M)

Karsha - Pishu (5 hours) Today we will have easy level trekking along the banks of Zanskar River. Just before reaching a camp in Pishu, we'll have a look at the longest hanging bridge in Zanskar (3700 M).

Pishu - Hanumil (5 hours) Again following the left bank of Zanskar River, we'll trek over the morainic plateau until coming to a bridge near the village of Pidmo. Two more hours camp at Hanumil (3700 M).

Hanumil - Snertse (7 hours) After breaking camp, we'll have one hour of easy trekking along the river bank before starting the steep ascend to Parfi La Pass at 4000 m. After cresting the pass, the trail descends steeply back down until we reach the bridge. We'll trek up a sandy slope to the sheepfolds of Snertse, where we'll establish our next camp (3700 M).

Snetse - Lingshed (7 hours) Today will be a challenging day involving a 1000 m climb up to the Hanuman La Pass (4877 M). After crossing the pass, we'll descend 900 m to the small village of Lingshed. We'll setup camp near the monastery (4000 M).

Lingshed - Sengge La Pass high camp (7 hours) After crossing a small pass after an hour's trekking, we'll begin our ascent to the Sengge La Pass (5060 M). Climbing steadily through spectacular landscape, the trail takes up through the villages of Gongma and Skiumpata before climbing steeply to the Kiupa La Pass (4350 M). Continuing on to the foot of the Singge La, we'll establish our next camp in a small meadow 4300-M.

High camp - Photoksar (7 hours) Climbing up the steep trail, we'll reach the pass in about two hours of hard trekking. A short descend before climbing again to another pass at 4300 M. The views from the crest of the Bumiktse La Pass are breathtaking. So we'll spend some time on the pass before descending to the beautiful village of Photokar (4000 M). We'll camp below the huge mountain walls surrounding the village and visit the monastery which is a 20 minute walk away.

Photoksar - Hanupatta (6 hours) After breaking camp in Photoksar, we'll climb gradually up until we reach a large Buddhist Chortan. From there we'll begin the long ascend to Sirsir La Pass (5000 M). After cresting the pass the trail descends easily to the river. We'll cross over a bridge to the left bank and begin the long descend into a stoney valley. Just before the village of Hanupatta there is a small meadow with water, so we'll establish camp there (4000 M).

Hanupatta - Wanla (5 hours) From Hanupatta, the trail continues across a slope before entering a series of gorges. Trekking on a rugged trail for about three hours will bring us to a small village of Phenjila. A bit further on is the village of Wanla, which has a very beautiful Monastery. We'll camp there for the night (3800 M).

Wanla - Lamayuru Monastery (3-4 hours) Following the trail which runs along the right bank of the Shillakong river, we'll come to a bridge which brings us to the village of Shilla. Passing through Shilla pasta large Buddhist Chortan, the trail then ascends to the final pass of the trek. Crossing over the Prinkiti La Pass (3950 M) and descending to the river below will bring us to the trail that leads to the spectacular monastery setting of Lamayuru Gompa perched majestically on a granite throne. Lamayuru monastery is the oldest monastery in Ladakh and has a big library of Buddhist literature. You will be picked up from here to Leh, which is only 147 kms. The tour ends in Leh.

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