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Our previous India treks 2008-2009Friendship treks We love Ladakh, see how many treks we have previously
advertised and ran. * means these wonderful people have trekked multiple times with
us; 2009 Indian SummerOur Zanskar and Ladakh summer treks are some of the best there are! Across The Great Himalayan Divide and Jumlam - IndiaThe tranquil Lahaul Miyar valley with its alpine campsites leads us to the savage beauty of the Miyar Glacier then the snowfields and spectacular panoramas of the Kang La (pass) - from where we descend to the more human beauty of our favorite kingdom in the sky, Zanskar in autumn and a traverse of its wildest domain, the Jumlam. An unforgettable and truly Himalayan passage. 25 Aug-18 Sep, 25 days -- lightweight expedition style -- Joel & Lobsang -- US$2950 Wild Canyons & Remote Villages of Ladakh *ExploratoryReal adventure, the 'best of' past years of exploration, we trek wild routes through spectacular canyons and hidden valleys lead us to the most remote villages of mythical Ladakh and Zanskar. Sparkling rivers and high Himalayan passes lead us to Tibetan nomadic settlements, tucked away below majestic snow peaks. 15 Aug-14 Sept, 31 days -- expedition-style --
Kim &
Lhakpa -- US$3480 Stok Kangri Ascent & Markha ValleyA wonderful introduction to the Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom of Ladakh and Himalayan trekking and climbing, with time to enjoy the rightly renowned beauty of the Markha valley en route to a non technical ascent of Stok Kangri. 27 July-15 Aug, 20 days -- expedition style -- Joel & Lobsang -- US$2550 -- full Zanskar Custom *exploratoryWe traverse Zanskar and more! 12 July-13 Aug, 33 days -- expedition style --
Jamie McGuinness It was a relaxing, unwinding trek with a competent crew, thanks team! And thanks, Daniel and Hema, for enjoying its low key approach. Our ambitious route with two minor variations worked well, partly because we got lucky with the weather. This was mostly perfect and delightfully mild, and so many nights where we slowly watched it get dark, and those stars, and nights sleeping out. Yep, the river crossings from the Baralacha La to Chandra Tal are real, as a horse boy found out the hard way (he was not with us, but "helping" all the same). Ladakh-Zanskar are just the best and I will explore more next year! Nomads, Lakes & High Passes of the Changtang - Ladakh'One of the best treks on the planet' (so says Kim); the turquoise salt-lakes and high plateaus, backed by the Himalaya range, with yak-hair nomadic tents peppered throughout, are simply spectacular. We follow old caravan routes over high passes, fording rivers and setting up camp on the high Tibetan plateau after trekking through the magical Markha Valley (see above). 11 July-10 Aug, 31 days -- expedition-style -- Kim & Lhakpa -- US$3480 Mystical Markha Valley & the Nomads of Kharnak - LadakhLadakh's jewel and beyond; a stunning trek under the soaring Himalaya & Zanskar ranges combining village and nomadic life. Traditional Markha villages, crumbling fortresses, ancient Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and the green Markha river valley lead us over high passes to the high Tibetan & Ladakhi nomadic pasture lands; incredible scenery and lots of wildlife throughout. 11-31 July, 21 days -- expedition-style -- Kim & Lhakpa -- US$2980 Zanskar Traverse - A Summer JourneyAs the passes that guard this mythical mountain kingdom shed their winter snow, we cross it by a route that combines challenging trekking on remote trails with time to explore the villages and monasteries in the most beautiful season. 26 June-27 July, 32 days--expedition style -- Joel & Lobsang -- US$2950 Nomads, Lakes & High Passes of the Changtang - Ladakh'One of the best treks on the planet' (so says Kim); the turquoise salt-lakes and high plateaus, backed by the Himalaya range, with yak-hair nomadic tents peppered throughout, are simply spectacular. We follow old caravan routes over high passes, fording rivers and setting up camp on the high Tibetan plateau after trekking through the magical Markha Valley (see above). 1 June-1 July, 31 days -- expedition-style -- Kim & Lhakpa -- US$3480 The Great Himalayan Traverse - Ladakh and SpitiFrom the high domains of the nomads of Ladakh to the lush forests of the Parvati valley, this trek is a stunning kaleidoscope of landscapes and peoples as we journey across both the Great Himalayan Barrier and the Pir Panjal range. 31 May-24 June, 25 days -- expedition style -- Joel & Lobsang -- US$2950 2009 Spring treksKanchenjunga Trek - Sikkim, IndiaA flight the length of the Himalaya to the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Sikkim, and the classic trek to the Goecha La (pass) with its unrivalled views of Kanchenjunga - add to this a night in the Raj era Windamere in Darjeeling and you have the perfect Himalayan interlude. 24 Mar-7 Apr, 15 days -- expedition-style --
Joel Schone -- US$2250 2009 StartIce walk; The Chadar Expedition - IndiaThe most challenging and exciting trek on our planet - once again we take to the frozen Zanskar river on the route taken by centuries of traders. 16 Jan-10 Feb, 26 days -- expedition style --
Joel &
Lobsang -- US$3650 
The Chadar team minus Manish. From left Ali, Jerry, Hauke and Piotr - photo by Joel A wonderful start to the year as the Chadar and Zanskar threw everything at us that it had, from delays flying up, to bad weather that saw us waiting at Neraks for sun so that snow would clear from the gorge walls - we got the sun, and Joel got the avalanche (see diary soon) but we pushed on into the central Zanskar plateau and had some truly glorious days - a heartfelt thank you to a superb, mature team that took it all in their stride. Jerry wrote: "Glad to hear you escaped from the hospital. Is the pin meant to be permanent? Did it go in during that one trip to the operating room or did they take you back again? I still feel badly that I did not encourage you to allow the porter- orthopedic surgeon to put you on the torture rack and try to fix it. Can't remember if you guys were going to Goa; keep the sand out of the wound! It is four AM here and still experiencing the joys of jet lag, only today I must return to work. I have been struggling to keep my India frame of mind intact by moving in slow motion and doing nothing other than slowly unpacking, studying the variety of dirt that is attached to my gear and drinking tea with the chai masala powder. I never could duplicate at home what I always had in India until now; I should have bought pounds of the stuff. Thanks for a superb trip. There obviously is no one else out there with your experience and contacts to make such a difficult undertaking so enjoyable and be such a great travelling companion." 2008 Indian SummerOur Zanskar and Ladakh summer treks are some of the best there are! Across the Great Himalayan Divide - IndiaThe tranquil beauty of the Lahauli Miyar Valley with its alpine campsites leads us to the more savage beauty of the Miyar Glacier which we follow to the magnificent snowfields and spectacular panoramas of the Kang La - from where we descend to the warmth and beauty of our favorite kingdom in the sky, Zanskar. An unforgettable and truly Himalayan passage. 31 Aug-24 Sept, 25 days -- expedition-style --
Joel & Lobsang --
US$2850 -- full A dream! All of our treks are wonderful, but to have so many good things in abundance was a dream come true! First, probably it was one of the most diverse teams I have trekked with, but mature and unselfish, supportive of each other and myself; all contributing to make it a real team. Next, of course our incredible staff and probably the best trek on the planet! From the greens of Miyar to the ice pinnacles of the Kang La; through the demanding Jumlam gorge and snowstorms in the Markha valley, we saw it all and loved it all through some truly moving and hilarious Himalayan moments! Lucy is back this May and I hope to see you all again soon! "Thanks for a brilliant trip (not holiday!) you were great! I looked at the photos and they were amazing, they give a brilliant account of the trek and each says 1000 words that adds up to a novella! Please give my thanks again to Lobsang, Stanzin and Sonam, a brilliant team that gave us heroic confidence." Lucy, Divide team 2008 "I want to thank you for an amazing vacation. Trekking with you was one of the best outdoors experiences ever! I really appreciated your help, expertise and can-do attitude at all times and I can truly say it was 'outrageous fun' !" Marta, Divide team 2008 |
On the Kang La, L-R: Wilson, Paul, Lucy, Adam, (Lobsang front) Peter, Alan, Marta, Dave, Stanzin, John, Sonam
And in the Jumlam: Lobsang, Lucy sitting, Stanzin, John, Paul, Alan, Dave, Peter, Wilson, Marta sitting
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Remote Ladakh & Suru Valley - India *exploratoryLadakh, the land of high passes, cliff-side monasteries and white-washed villages is the setting for our late-summer 'harvest' trek. Heading south to Zanskar through the canyons of Bear Valley, we end the journey via a spectacular exploratory route to the 'Central Asian' Suru Valley and Tibetan Rangdum Gompa. 23 Aug-19 Sept, 28 days -- expedition-style -- Kim &
Lhakpa -- US$3180 
Pictured: Greg, Laura & Dick, Susi & Lhakpa What a stunning trek along remote trails in Ladakh, some real exploration, and no other trekkers in sight en route to Rangdum Gompa in the Suru Valley! We found some new favorite villages such as Dibling, with campsites to die for ... We even threw in a bit of horse-back riding for good measure. Thanks to my wonderful group of trekkers for sharing this exploration with Lhakpa & I! Hidden Ladakh *introductoryA Himalayan kaleidoscope - the timeless Buddhist sites of the Indus valley, then the ancient village of Alchi before a very special trek through villages rarely visited by trekkers - this trek is designed with the first timer in mind, with special attention to acclimatizing to altitude - and India! 9-25 Aug, 17 days -- expedition style --
Joel & Lobsang --
US$1980 
Back row left: Susanah, Mallory, Marylene, Genevieve, Stanzin, Francesca At times this trek seemed like an introduction to all the bugs of Asia as nearly everyone went down with a stomach bug picked up in Leh - and the shorter days of the early days were not what everyone wanted - but everyone enjoyed the days once they had settled in, and were all particularly wonderful to our staff and trainee kitchen boy, Singge - and Lobsang was still showing video clips of the Shynam party in November! High Markha & Nomads Trek *introductoryOne of Ladakh's jewels, a shorter trek in the midst of the Himalayas, with Ladakhi villagers working in their ripening barley fields, crumbling fortresses and ancient Tibetan monasteries. To top it off, we cross a high pass to the spectacular, high Tibetan plateau, where nomads, yaks and pashmina goats camp in their yak-hair tents. 19 July-7 Aug, 20 days -- expedition-style --
Kim &
Lhakpa --
US$2580 
Kiran, Doug, Xavier, Kristy & Lhakpa at the top of the Zalung Karpo La, a long haul! Horses making their way up the pass behind. The photo says it all, eh? We did some serious trekking, and enjoyed every minute of it! New music was shared in the 'Kamzang Style' dining tent, many games played, endless great discussions had, and our usual delicious food enjoyed every morning and evening. Thanks, guys, for a FANTASTIC trek! Nomads & Caravans of the Changtang - Ladakh, IndiaTibetan caravans have journeyed these routes for a millennium, crossing Himalayan passes, fording rivers, setting up camp on the high Tibetan plateau, and trading in remote Ladakhi villages. This timeless, spectacular journey through the nomadic lake regions of the southern Silk Route is deservedly a Project Himalaya classic, one of our most popular treks. 19 July-18 Aug, 31 days -- expedition-style -- Kim & Lhakpa -- US$3180 Strangely, bookings were very low so we rearranged with people to put them on other trips. High Passes of Zanskar - IndiaA journey through both time and space as we cross the Himalayan barrier into the remote Tibetan kingdom of Zanskar. with its beautiful villages and hilltop gompas, and then on over the rarely crossed Phirtse La - to the high pastures of Lahaul. 12 July-3 Aug, 23 days -- expedition style --
Joel & Lobsang -- US$2680 Hello again to old friend Corrin and 18 year old Sander from Belgium, and hello to a wonderful Zanskar circuit; not a trekker in sight as we crossed the Shingo la with Tenpa as sirdar - Lobsang was leading another trek - and Corrin entertaining the locals with his pan pipes! Evenings talking over cameras, days avoiding the brutal sun - and the usual warm welcome from Zanskar! |
From the left: Prasad, Tenpa, Tsampel, Kunsang, Singge, Norbu, Sander and Corrin - Joel Schone
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Ancient Trails of Ladakh & Zanskar - IndiaOne of the 'Top Ten' treks in the world and a Project Himalaya classic with some exploratory twists. Join us for an exciting journey through this remote Tibetan region along ancient trade routes, through timeless villages and over high Himalayan passes. 14 June-13 July, 30 days -- expedition-style --
Kim &
Lhakpa -- US$2980 
The Group - Elly, Peter & Hes (Kim & Lhakpa taking photos) 
And some of our great team: Sherap (horseman, assistant in everything, Junar (chef extraordaire), Lhakpa (assistant guide), Santos (Sherap's assistant) & Kiran somewhere under the pile (assistant guide/kitchen). Peter giving a group hug. We had a spectacular trek along this classic route, which we peppered with plenty of 'off-the-map' routes and a bit of adventure; perfect early summer weather, (relatively) painless, beautiful pass-crossings, lots of village and gompa visits including many of Kim's old friends, great times on the trail and in the dining tent and an enthusiastic group who I know will join us soon for another trek! Hes is a photographer and Elly a writer in Amsterdam, so we hope to see an article soon. And of course Skippy was always the enthusiastic kangaroo, despite all the trials of back-pack travel (he's now a permanent member of our staff). The Great Himalayan Traverse - Ladakh & Spiti, IndiaFrom the high grazing domains of the Tibetan nomads of the Changtang to t &he Lush forested Parvati valley, this trek is a stunning kaleidoscope of landscapes and peoples as we journey across both the Great Himalayan Barrier and the Pir Panjal range. 7 June-1 July, 25 days -- expedition style --
Joel & Lobsang --
US$2780 A dream trek is one that traverses all the Himalaya in one journey, from Tibetan vastness to lush forest via snowy passes and verdant alpine pasture - the dream group is one that takes in its stride India, tummy bugs, inexperience, exhaustion, freak weather, high altitude - with compassion and humor. That was our traverse trek. Air France lost Sarah's luggage which we got to her on day three of the trek, Katherine took a while to acclimatize, Kurt had stomach problems and my nephew Ben had never done anything like this in his life...Carolyn had 'issues with snow' and we were nearly flooded by torrential rain at Umlung. On our first attempt at the Parang La our horses found the snow too soft, so gear was unloaded and dragged back on tarpaulins, then at 2am we were up and away, on top as the moon set and the sun rose. Less then a week later with our faithful porter team we were atop the Pin Parvati pass with the most incredible alpine views, then down - on a fixed rope at one point - to the lush green valley, home of the Goddess Parvati who rewarded us with a beautiful array of wildflowers. There is more, and a full account follows, Alan & Alfredo are back this spring, but that meal in Manali at the end and the company of such great people are memories I will treasure forever - Thank you! Carolyn says: Thank you so much for a wonderful trip! Your company is highly recommended and your team are superb! Your ability to pull it all together and remain calm and make everyone feel like they're important astounds me, but I really think overall it was the trek I am afraid that wins the prize.... you share in the prize as you put the trek together!!! I was close to the mountains, every slog was worth it, I have never seen views like it in my life (and we have trekked in a couple of places!) ... |
The Traverse team on the Pin Parvati, L-R: Ben Schone, Katherine, Stanzin, Curt, Lobsang, Alan, Carolyn & Greg (in front) Alfredo and Doriano
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2008 Winter-SpringNanda Devi Pilgrimage - IndiaWe follow the old trade route to Tibet as spring arrives in the luminously beautiful Johar valley, trekking the demanding trails to the base of the sacred sister peaks of Kumaon and Garhwal, Nanda Devi and Nanda Devi East. 5-24 Apr, 20 days -- expedition style -- Joel & Lobsang -- US$2150 Chadar Trade Route Expedition - IndiaThis trek has everything you could want of a winter expedition, with challenging days trekking, the beautiful gorges and monasteries of Zanskar, and time built in to ensure you get the full taste of this ancient kingdom in wintertime. Details to come. 5 Jan-1 Feb, 26 days -- expedition style -- Joel & Lobsang -- US$3650 Did not run: the Chadar expedition seems to run only every second year. 
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