The Markha Valley Trek

Without question the Markha Valley provides the best short trek in Ladakh
and a wonderful introduction to trekking in the Indian Himalaya.

In addition to the superb mountain scenery of the region we also have the opportunity of visiting numerous historic gompas and forts which provide a fascinating insight into the Buddhist culture which thrives in this area, and where the way of life has changed little over the centuries. We begin with a breathtaking mountain flight from Delhi to Leh in the valley of the Indus. Situated at an altitude of over 4000 metres the first couple of days are set aside for acclimatisation, visiting the historic gompas at Shey and Thiksey, as well as the forts and palaces of Leh itself. Crossing the Ganda La (4970m) the trek follows the course of the Markha river through a high Himalayan valley with terrain that varies from steep, narrow gorges to wide open expanses. The trails are decorated with numerous chortens and mani stones, a testament to the rich Buddhist culture of the region. Monasteries and forts dot the landscape, perched on hill tops or ingeniously built into the sides of sheer cliff faces. The green irrigated village fields and the colourful reds and yellows of the gompas contrast starkly with the austere Lunar landscape of the Markha Valley. After a week we reach the delightful alpine meadows of Nimaling in the shadow of Kangyatze (6400m). Himalayan blue sheep graze on the lower slopes of the mountain and the rare snow leopard also inhabits these parts. We spend a full rest day in this idyllic setting and for the more adventurous it may be possible to climb to a foresummit of Kangyatze at 6100m. As we cross the Kongmaru La (5150m) we are rewarded with spectacular views northwards to the Eastern Karakoram and into China, and on a clear day it is possible make out the huge pyramid of K2. Finally we descend to the famous gompa at Hemis and a spectacular road journey back to Leh at the end of a magical trek

Season: June - September

Grade: Strenuous

Duration: 15 days

Suggested Itinerary

DAY 1 Depart UK
We depart from the UK for our overnight flight to Delhi. We arrive into in the early hours and transfer to our hotel.

DAY 2 Fly to Leh
We return to the airport very early in the morning for our flight to Leh (3500m) which departs at 05.40 hours. All flights to Leh leave Delhi very early in the morning to take advantage of the best flying weather as in the afternoon the weather is often bad at Leh which can prevent flights from landing. We arrive in Leh at 06.55 and transfer by private bus to our hotel where we can enjoy a morning of rest and relaxation after the long and tiring journey. Leh is the ancient capital of Ladakh and has many imposing hilltop forts and palaces to visit. Having been situated on the southern route of the old Silk Road, Leh has a colourful history and its position as a trading centre lives on. All manner of goods from both India and China can be found in its colourful bazaar which we can wander around at our leisure. The Royal Palace, which dominates the town, is an ideal excursion for the afternoon. Built in the 17th century, the Palace was occupied by the Ladakhi royal family until the 1830s before they were exiled.

DAY 3-4 Acclimatisation and sightseeing in and around Leh
We have a further two days in Leh for acclimatisation and sight-seeing. On the first day we can visit the monasteries at Shey and Thiksey. Shey gompa is situated on a small hill 10 miles south of Leh and was once the residence of the royal family. It was constructed by the first king of Ladakh, Lhachen Palgyigon, and was the seat of power of the pre-Tibetan kings. Thiksey gompa is located 15 miles from Leh. It is a very imposing monastery and one of the finest example of Ladakhi architecture of any type. The 12 storey building contains numerous stupas, statues, thankas and wall paintings as well as a large pillar engraved with the Buddha's teachings. The main prayer hall has a 50 feet high seated Buddha figure. On the second day, as part of our acclimatisation process we take a jeep drive up to the Khardung La, a spectacular pass which at 5300 metres is probably the highest motorable road in the world. This remote road leads to the Nubra valley and the mountains to the north of Leh, and until recently it was closed to foreign travellers. The panoramic views from the pass extend right into the Zanskar Range beyond the Indus River. We can spend an hour or so at the pass, gasping in the rarefied atmosphere, before returning to our hotel in Leh.

DAY 5 Drive to Spitok, trek to Zinchen
We depart from Leh by road, travelling in jeeps to the village of Spitok. There is an important Gompa here which is one of the finest in Ladakh. Built over 500 years ago, the Gompa contains many ancient thankas (Buddhist paintings) which were rescued from the Potala in Lhasa after the Chinese invaded Tibet. At Spitok we will meet our trek crew and the mule men whose animals will be carrying all our equipment and belongings during the trek. We cross a bridge over the Indus and trek south-west, following the mighty river through barren open countryside until it enters a narrow gorge at its confluence with the Zinchen river. From here we climb steadily up through the pleasant tree-lined Zinchen valley to the tiny village of Zinchen with only four or five scattered houses. We camp here near to the village.

DAY 6 Zinchen - Yurutse
From Zinchen the trail ascends slowly alongside the fast-flowing Rumbak Nala river all the way to Rumbak village itself. We have lunch here, after which we cross the river and continue to the village of Yurutse (3900m) where we camp.

DAY 7 Cross the Ganda La to Skiu
Immediately after we leave camp the trail begins to climb fairly steeply towards the Ganda La (4900m). This is the first of two high passes on the trek and we will definitely be feeling the altitude as well pull up the final long slope to the crest of the pass. From the top of this pass there is a superb panorama of the snow capped peaks of the distant Karakoram range, as well as the arid summits of Ladakh. The trail descends quite steeply from the pass down into the upper reaches of the Skiu valley. A number of small streams have to be waded before we reach the small village of Shingo, lying at the junction of the Skiu Nala. We then continue descending down the fantastically narrow cleft of the Skiu river gorge, crossing and re-crossing the river many times until the valley broadens. Numerous chortens line the path as we reach Skiu village with its cluster of flat-roofed houses, situated beneath towering rock faces. At only 3400m Skiu will feel quite warm, in contrast to the fairly chill temperatures we will have encountered at the summit of the Ganda La.

DAY 8 Skui - Thinlespa - Markha
After the exertions of crossing the Ganda La we have an easier although still fairly lengthy day today, following a pleasant trail along one of the prettiest sections of the Markha Valley. We start early in the morning in order to make the most of the cooler temperatures at that time of day. Because it is relatively low lying, this section of the trek can be quite hot in the afternoon. Sweet smelling bushes cling to the rocky slopes of the river valley as we trek along the river, crossing back and forth over small wooden bridges. If the river is in spate we will need to follow a higher path on the slopes above. We pass through the small village of Chaluk where ponies graze in the grassy meadows, and as we progress along the river this pattern is repeated, with uniformly arid brown sections of the trek interspersed with green irrigated fields and meadows of the villages. We climb up through the fields of Thinlespa to reach a ridge with many chortens and mani stones. Shortly afterwards we get our first views of Kang Yatze (6400m), a striking peak which we will be camping beneath in a couple of days. We cross another ridge line and cross the river one last time to reach our campsite in a beautiful meadow just before the village of Markha. Surrounded by mature willow trees, this is one of the prettiest campsites on our trek and in the evening we will be able to sit out under the stars around our camp fire. Markha is the largest village in the region, comprised of about 50 white-washed houses with fields of barley and buckwheat.

DAY 9 Markha - Hankar
In the morning we can explore Markha Village and its fascinating Gompa, after which we continue our trek eastwards along the Markha River. At a bend in the river we encounter a remarkable rock spire rising the full height of the valley walls. Here the terrain changes quite starkly from the warm and fertile lower Markha to a cooler and more barren landscape. The trail now climbs quite steeply along a narrow path cut into the steep cliff sides opposite the spire, and care is required on this section as the drops are almost sheer. If this trail is in any state of disrepair we may chose to follow a low level riverside route which involves wading the Markha stream several times. We pass through the small settlement of Umlung with its isolated Gompa, and the valley then widens out, giving us a great view of Kang Yatze standing at the head of the valley. We trek through delightful fields of barley and past long rows of mani stones and several ancient derelict gompas, testimony to the region's rich Buddhist heritage and the fact that this valley was once more heavily populated than it is today. Finally we reach the prosperous village of Hankar (3950m) where we camp.

DAY 10 Hankar - Nimaling
Today we trek to Nimaling, a magnificent walk and one of the finest days on the whole Markha Valley trek. The trail first crosses the Markha stream over an old wooden bridge to the south side of the river and reaches the village of Tchutchse (4150m). It then passes through delightful lush green pastures covered with wild flowers. At the head of the valley the snow capped peak of Kang Yatze draws our gaze. We cross another wooden bridge across the river and begin a steep climb up to the high plains of Nimaling where ibex and Himalayan blue sheep (bharal) graze. In the winter months wolves often come down from the mountains to hunt in this area, but in the summer they are a rare sight. Nimaling is situated at an altitude of over 4600 metres making this the highest campsite on our trek so far. The grassy plains make a fantastic campsite and on almost all sides we are surrounded by high peaks and passes. To the south the view is dominated by Kang Yatze, whilst to the north we can look towards the Kongmaru La, the high pass we must cross in order to return to Leh. Nimaling can be pleasantly warm during the day but in the late afternoon when the sun dips behind the mountains temperatures can plummet resulting in night time temperatures well below zero. But with crystal clear skies the night time stars cape from here is unbelievable.

DAY 11 Cross the Kongmaru La to Chogdo
A long and tiring day across the Kongmaru La (5100m). We begin by climbing the hillside immediately behind the campsite and although steep at first this soon levels out, becoming a wide and open moorland. We continue climbing steadily towards the pass until we reach the final 1000 foot section which ascends a steep zig zagging path up scree. The top of the pass is adorned with many colourful prayer flags which flutter wildly in the breeze and the views in all directions are outstanding. To the north we can gaze out towards Tibet, the Eastern Karakorams and China across the endless reds and browns of the hillsides which are interspersed by the green fields of villages in the Indus valley. To the south lies Kang Yatze whilst in the west the dry mountains of Zanskar are spread our before us. And in the distance the snow capped peaks of Sickle Moon, Nun and Kun can be seen in the distance. The descent from the pass is fairly steep to begin with but the angle soon eases and we enter a narrow gorge with many varied and colourful rock formations carved out of the Earth by the actions of wind and water over thousands of years. We descend to the valley floor and our campsite at Chogdo (4100m) with its small clear stream and a few stone houses.

DAY 12 Trek to Hemis, drive to Leh
We continue the descent from the slopes of the Kongmaru La, passing the occasional stone shepherds house amid rugged and rocky scenery. At one point the we pass through a narrow gorge but soon after that the valley widens out and we pass the small village of Sumdo. We continue descending and finally reach the Gompa at Hemis. We will have some time to explore this before travelling back to Leh.

DAY 13 Fly to Delhi
We leave our hotel very early in the morning for our flight back to Delhi. We transfer by private minibus to our hotel.

DAY 14 Delhi
At leisure in Delhi. We will have a full day free for sight seeing in India's vibrant capital city. We can visit the Red Fort and colourful bazaars in Old Delhi, or simply stroll around the shops at Connaught. It is also possible to arrange an optional full day excursion to visit the Taj Mahal.

DAY 15 Arrive in UK
We depart Delhi and arrive into London the same day.