Inspiration
Coolness! Here are some photos from our 2012 trek and See Jamie's Flickr for more pix.
Click the photo to go to Flickr or use the arrow keys to see them here within this page.
Detailed itinerary
Early arrival
We spend three nights at around 3500m/11,500ft so reasonable acclimatization but if you are new
to altitude or to Leh, perhaps plan to arrive one day early and we will
arrange transfers and hotel and show you around.
Included in all our Ladakh trips is a sightseeing trip, with or
without a cultural guide (your choice) and it is your choice of where to go;
many people joining are previous trekkers so have seen some places previously.
If you are more ambitious we can also help you arrange a day or overnight trip
to Alchi and Basgo Gompas, a day rafting trip on the Zanskar River or even a
mountain bike descent of the Khardung La (best a few days into your Leh
sojourn). If you have been working flat out you are welcome to just relax, kick
back and de-stress too.
Day 1 - meet Leh 3480m
Phew, after a long series of flights, you are here! Look for a sign with your
name on it at the airport, and our wonderful drivers Ang Chuk or Pasang will pick you up.
Jamie meets you at the hotel on your arrival and we discuss altitude over
tea/coffee or breakfast and perhaps introduce Leh and show you the better places
to eat. Most people crash out for a few hours and spend the day relaxing; do drink
plenty of fluids which helps the acclimatization process. We normally go out to
dinner together, let's meet in the hotel lobby at 6:30pm.
2 - Leh
This is a day for sightseeing but with some flexiblity to cope with people who have previously visited Leh and already seen some of the sights. For today perhaps the best plan is to visit some of the world's most revered gompas and
monasteries a short distance from Leh. We will help plan and arrange a jeep, and a local
cultural guide if you like (included). Usually we arrange as a morning sightseeing trip with lunch at the good restaurant at Thikse or a late lunch back at Leh then
you can relax in the afternoon although we can easily arrange a full day trip.
Choosing where to go is the biggest
challenge, there are so many special places to visit. To the east is Shey, Thikse, Hemis, Chemde, Thagthok, Stakna, Matho and Stok, although don't plan on visiting all of them in one day.
Heading west out of Leh are Spituk, Phyang, Nyemo where the Indus meets the Zanskar River, and further afield are Basgo, Likir and Alchi.
Prayer time at Matho Gompa - Jamie
3 - drive Lamayuru 3550m
We drive to timeless Lamayuru
Gompa, exploring it, and meet our horse team here.
**This itinerary is a work in progress and I will add photos from our previous trips sometime.**
The sublime Lamayuru monastery - Jamie
4 - trek Shilla Orchard 3250m
Trekking! We stretch the legs crossing the baby Prinkti La at 3750m and
camp a little above Shilla in an orchard.
A luxury trekking lunch - Jamie
5 - trek Shillakong 4150m
The gorge here is legendary, and still an adventure as the tame morning stream
starts to rage in the afternoon. You are warned!
6 - trek Kanji 3850m via Yongma La 4720m
The reward for the relentless climb is a glorious new vista, delightfully
colourful crinkled mountains. Last year we stayed at a delight camp near Dumbur
but this year we will aim for Kanji to experience once of the more picturesque
villages there is.
Ornella admires the view from the Yongma La - Jamie
7 - trek Kanji La Base Camp 4345m
Today we move smartly, despite the short trekking distance as we should beat
a stream that rages in the afternoon.
8 - trek Kanji Sumdo 4300m via Kanji La 5250m
Glorious! Lunch on top of the pass? We continue down through a delightful canyon
and again, if we can cross the river, we continue to good camping. If we can't
cross then it is interesting camping!
9 - trek near Rangdum 4050m
We trundle down the valley which really opens out and camp within view of the
gompa. This hilltop gompa is stunningly set and still little-visited, being a
long trek or drive from more or less anywhere.
10 - rest Rangdum 4050m
Morning prayers anyone? We explore the area in the morning; perhaps we stay
the day, perhaps we head back up the valley for a few hours. Lets see.
11 - trek Pitung La BC 4400m
Heading back up the valley, we will see where we get to, and which side of
the river we end up on. Hmmm, afternoon river crossings seem to dictate parts of
this trek!
12 - trek 1st Camp 4550m via Pitung La 5020m
I love pass crossings for the new vistas. We plan to camp where we did last
year but there are plenty more good camps further down if we are so inclined,
and this is not dictated by the afternoon river, for a change.
13 - trek Dibling 3850m
It is a glorious half day's trekking to this remote village.
14 - trek Kyerse La BC 4500m via Marpo La 4690m
There are several different routes between Dibling and Lingshed and we will
take the best according to conditions, and perhaps this will be what the locals
call the "new" route, or perhaps he head further down into bear
country and explore a side valley noticed last year.
15 - trek Lingshed 3750m
Although I am not always a fan of trekking main routes, as the last couple
hours into Lingshed are, the panoramas really are breathtaking and it is a
pleasant village with a well set gompa, which we will probably camp near.
Students studying at Lingshed Gompa - Jamie
16 - trek Yulchung
We around ridges and over small passes to delightful off the radar Yulchung.
Ummm, I wrote this in 2012 - now the road ends in Yulchung so it is not off the
radar...
17 - extra day (trek Manichan via Singge La 5150m)
With the extension of the road to Yulchung, we have a day in hand to use
where we want during the trek, or for inclement weather.
18 - drive Leh 3480m
We drive from Yulchung back to Leh with Ang Chuk and friends. En route there are a number of gompas and palaces that we can visit - or head straight to Leh for cold beer and a
good meal.
Leh from Shanti Stupa - Jamie
Day 19 - depart (/Leh 3480m)
Ang Chuk or our other drivers take you to the airport for your morning flight.
Ang Chuk, one of our regular drivers, with his Scorpio jeep - Jamie
If staying, Dzomsa does washing by the kilo and there is plenty to see and do, or just
kick back and relax over a variety of meals.
Day 20 - optional departure
You are free to fly out today to Delhi - or to stay in Leh for longer, or
journey overland to Manali or Srinagar... The Leh-Delhi flight should get
you to Delhi before midday, but do note that on rare occasions it can be delayed a day by bad weather.
Julley!
