Ladakh Peaks, Passes and Lakes
Extended Markha trek with Dzo Jongo Ri 6218m/20,400ft and Tso Kar (lake)
Ladakh is a trekkers delight, and here we combine the popular Markha village trek with some sublime wilderness leading to the Changtang plateau and salty Tso Kar (lake). Naturally we experience the famed gompas and the timeless Ladakhi - Tibetan - culture too, in this delightful corner of India.
Leh is a slice of central Asian history, being part of the Silk Road and still breathes its Buddhist culture, not suffering the Cultural Revolution that was so damaging in Tibet. We explore some active gompas and monasteries, soaking up the vibrant colours and dedication of the monks in the peaceful, calming atmosphere.
Heading out trekking, we warm up with the classic Markha Valley village trek then once in the scenic broad valley of Nyimaling we explore this huge area and scramble Dzo Jongo Ri East, a straightforward, very satisfying 6200m sub-peak. There is more to Ladakh though, and we head away over less frequented passes for jaw-dropping views of the dramatic landscape, descending into steep-walled canyons with sparkling streams, and the domain of wolves and snow leopard, and a very pretty wilderness area.
Why this trip? Face it for a quick peak trip, Stok Kangri is overrun with literally thousands of climbers a season while Kang Yatse II is dangerous, as we found in 2014, yet Dzo Jongo East is surprisingly satisfying as we found in 2015. As far as the trekking goes, using Markha Valley home-stays mean no exploring around Nyimaling as trekkers are not acclimatized (no home-stay at Tachutse), and so miss perhaps the most beautiful and fun to explore high country. In contrast, we explore and experience all of what the region has to offer, including incredible wilderness camping, and are trekking through blue sheep and wolf country, which we have seen, and it is snow leopard country too.
We aim to have a fun, flowing trek - join us!
