An epic wilderness trek over the Pangpo La and Parang La
Refined over half a dozen exploratory treks in the region, our traverse is the best, most adventurous route over successive ranges that includes the elusive Pangpo La at the tail end of the Zanskar Range, another disused pass and the intimidating yet satisfying Parang La over the main Great Himalaya Range. This makes our trek the best Parang La itinerary there is, and features sound acclimatization, and a traverse of one of India's greatest wilderness areas.
Beginning in Leh we settle and sightsee around the ancient, colourful Buddhist gompas of "Little Tibet" then drive along the Leh-Manali highway over the famed Tanglang La with a very necessary acclimatization night en route. Leaving the main highway, we drive to the end of the road then start trekking where few others know, a valley that we saw Tibetan Argali sheep, a vulture chick at our first camp and the usual kiang in 2014. We can really stretch our legs splashing across a delightful river for several days while we acclimatize.
Beyond Pang, we reach the sublime textured valleys where nomads and their yak and pashmina goats and the wolves that hunt them roam. Already we are remote but, turning up a broad side valley, we then leave all trails behind and enter a huge, forbidding wilderness area that really is the refuge of curious kiang, Tibetan argali sheep, foxes and wolves, hares and pikas, all of which we have seen, and the elusive snow leopard, whose fresh foot prints we followed.
Moving cross country, we climb the rarely crossed Pangpo La (which we first explored in 2004 then finally crossed in 2014) and descend its intimidating gorge to the scenically different Pangpo area. Here we have one minor mystery to solve then continue over the "forgotten" pass that we found in 2014 and linked in 2017, and this will be our first time actually crossing it although we have been to either side. This drops us into the huge Takling area that we have previously explored and, this time, we will move through relatively quickly to meet the main Parang La route.
The lightly used Parang La, between Tsomoriri (lake) and the Tibetan-peopled region of Spiti is utterly stunning walking up and over a real glacier, and the rough gorge exit can really only be experienced to understand just how unlikely a route it is.
At the village of Kibber, showered, we meet our jeeps or small bus for our exit, taking in the strikingly set Ki Gompa first. There are several broad choices, however perhaps the foremost is to Manali via the Kunzun La and brand new Rohtang Tunnel under the main Himalayan chain, if indeed it is open to the public.
This is an adventurous journey through nomadic herding area initially, then big sky trekking with peaceful, remote camps, on a route
that we are not likely to meet other trekkers. The satisfaction is having crossed the great divide, the huge main Himalayan chain, via the demanding, glaciated Parang La, as well as crossing the end of the Zanskar Range.
Although a true adventure, our trekking style is surprisingly comfortable with our fully self-contained horse caravan in
a rhythm untouched by the always-on daily stress. After a nourishing breakfast
we trek, sometimes in broad valleys, sometimes tight canyons and over windy passes, having a simple
but delicious lunch and then set up camp when we find that perfect spot. Afternoon tea leads to time to relax or explore, and
a tasty Asian cuisine dinner and an evening of kicking back then finally fitful sleep.
This is a fantastic trekking expedition where nobody else dares; join us!
Insurance, India visa, international flights, equipment rental, alcohol and soft drinks, laundry,
tipping and other items of a personal nature
Tips & extra cash
allow approx $150 for Leh & Manali meals
we suggest $180-200 per trekker for the crew tips pool
Itinerary options
We know and love this itinerary however there is an option for some further exploration that takes the same number of days, and for the end of the trip there are many possibilities. I am open to variations by the first people who book, who then essentially set which variations we will be taking, more known, or more exploratory. There are also 6000m peak options although in its current form, this is a trek only.
Day 0 - 3 Sept - arrive Delhi
Day 1 - Wednesday 4 September 2019 - meet in Leh 3500m
2 - Leh 3500m
3 - Leh 3500m
4 - drive Lhatoo 4000m with sightseeing
5 - drive Sangtha, trek Yabuk Barma/Yogma 4340m
On our 2014 trek here and tomorrow we saw an amazing variety of wildlife.
6 - trek Tozay Chu camp 4450m
7 - trek Numa camp ~4550m
(Alternative, continue exploring up the Tozay Chu to 4525m water.)
8 - trek Lanyar 4850m via Thelakung La 5020m
(Alternative Tozay Chu 4671m)
9 - trek Manichan camp 4700m
(Alternative Last water 4880m/4940m)
10 - trek Kum Tso 4980m
11 - explore Kum Tso area 4980m
12 - trek Pangpo 4700m via Pangpo La 5350m
13 - explore Pangpo
14 - explore Pangpo
15 - trek Takling via 5252m
16 - trek Pare Chu 4750m
17 - trek Parang La high camp (glacier camp)
18 - trek Jugtha camp via the Parang La 5700m
19 - trek Kibber 4200m
20 - drive Gramphu via Ki Gompa and Kunzum La
21 - drive Manali via Rohtang La/tunnel
22 - Manali clean up
23 - overnight bus to Delhi
The overnight bus is part of the trip, however it is quicker and more comfortable to fly, and we take you to the airport. Alternatively, extend your trip a few days by returning via Dharmasala. Let's talk over options.
24 - Friday 27 September - depart
(Assuming you took the bus, or allowed an extra weather insurance day for the Bhuntar flight.)
Alternative ends
As well as finishing via Manali, there are other options, especially drive through Spiti, as we did in 2017, down to Shimla then taking the toy train and a not so toy train to Delhi...
Old Hindustan-Tibet Highway via Shimla
Rather than a Manali finish, we can drive through Spiti, as we did in 2017, down to Shimla...
19 - trek Kibber 4200m
20 - drive Kaza/Tabo via Ki Gompa
21 - drive Kalpa
22 - drive Shimla
23 - Shimla
24 - train Himalayan Queen and to Delhi
This would leave you free to fly out from 11pm onwards.
Climbing/trekking ends
From Kibber, there is a walk up 6000m peak taking two or three days round trip, which has a slightly higher summit too that needs crampons. The Pin Parvati trek also starts a day's drive from Kibber. Or en route to Manali, is the Hampta Pass, which has long been on my list...
So, there are lots of possibilities and nothing is set in stone until the first bookings for the trek. Let's talk to see what will suit your aspirations best!
2014: looking into the huge Takling area from near Pass 5252m - Jamie
Climbing the Parang La - Jamie
Saving data; use your phone in landscape to see the detailed itinerary and more photos.
Detailed itinerary
We plan to follow the itinerary however roads wash
out, or are extended, occasionally people get sick, logistical challenges arise,
or we hear of a better campsite, and so
we will adapt it as needed.
(Day 0 - arrive Delhi / early Leh arrival)
We spend three nights in Leh, so reasonable acclimatization to the
3480m/11,415ft altitude 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 are a couple of sightseeing trips, 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 (~3100m) and Basgo Gompas or further afield Lamayuru (~3500m), a day rafting trip on the Zanskar River or or hammer down the Khardung La on a mountain bike (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, and adjust a little more slowly to the time zone change.
Sophie admires the mural at Basgo - Jamie
Day 1 - meet in Leh 3480m
Phew, after a long series of flights, you are here! Look for a Project Himalaya sign or a simple 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 health over
tea/coffee or breakfast and introduce Leh (if you are a first timer) 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, perhaps pop some vitamins and let your body adjust to the new time zone.
We normally go out to
dinner together, let's meet in the peaceful hotel garden at 6:30pm. We eat at some of our favourite clean (very important!) restaurants: Chopsticks, G Kitchen, Tibet Kitchen, Open Hand and Summer Harvest.
2 - Leh 3480m
This is a day for sightseeing and relaxing. 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 trip with lunch at Leh (or Thikse) 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. Thikse also has a good restaurant for lunch.
Heading west out of Leh are Spituk, Phyang, Nyemo where the Indus meets the Zanskar River, and further afield are Basgo, Likir and Alchi.
3 - Leh 3480m
After gentle sightseeing yesterday we exercise a little more today. In the morning we wander up to the palace and gompa above Leh, and before dinner, perhaps up to the Peace/Shanti Stupa for a Leh
sunset panorama.
Because tomorrow we stay 4000m, at minimum we need three nights here in Leh prior to moving
higher.
Leh from Shanti Stupa - Jamie
4 - drive Lhatoo 4000m with sightseeing
Starting a trek in Ladakh always involves the altitude issue and we take acclimating seriously, and have vast experience helping people acclimate. For this trek we break the jump of 870m/2850ft between Leh and our trek start into two parts, spending the night at 4000m between, a proven formula. We have watched other groups ruin their treks with over-large altitude gains out of Leh.
It is only a couple of hours drive to our camp on the Leh-Manali road so we
visit some gompas that are further afield from Leh along the way such as Matho,
Stakna, busy Hemis or Chemre and Thag Thog. What haven't
you already seen?
Ang Chuk, one of our regular drivers, with his turbo Scorpio jeep - Jamie
We camp at Lhatoo with our trek crew, which is more
comfortable than the simple hotels there, and get our first taste of Phuntsok's
wonderful cooking.
The 2014 team camping en route to the trek start - Jamie
5 - drive Sangtha 4420m via Tanglang La ~5328m, trek Yabuk ~4340m
With more altitude under our pillow, we drive over the Tanglang La, claimed by India to be the second highest road
pass in the world, and regardless of the reality, it is scenic with views of the
Kang Yatze mountain range and over the other side, the More/Mare Plains. It is often moody, windy and cold too...
A Tanglang La view - Jamie
We then slip off the main Leh-Manali highway to Sangtha, a deserted-in-summer nomad camp, which we reach around lunchtime.
There is one tricky stream crossing for the jeeps and we need good river conditions to be able to drive all the way, so, if the river is slightly higher, we will start trekking a few kilometers earlier, which isn't a problem.
We trek a few hours in the afternoon to either Yabuk Gongma, our delightful 2014 camp, or its sister camp Yabuk Yogma a little further down, and introduce you to
our camping setup and relax in the peaceful area.
Few trekkers ever use this route and in 2014 our camp was visited by some younger Tibetan Argali sheep,
very rare to see. Above the camp was a lammergeier nest with a chick in it and pikas popped up all around our camp, so we really have landed in real wilderness.
Our delightful Yabuk Barma camp - Jamie
6 - trek Tozay Chu camp 4450m
We follow the champagne Zara Chu (chu is water and river in Tibetan) downriver until the stony junction with the Tozay Chu where
we turn upstream into the broad valley and wander along to one of the many possible grassy camps on the river bank.
Nights 5, 6 and 7 are all at ~4500m so we really can get used to the altitude, a real key
before progressing higher.
Trekking along the river is delightful as it is the warmest time of the year - Jamie
7 - trek Numa camp 4550m
We continue stream hopping along the pinnacle-sided river valley to the Leh-Manali highway, which we cross close to Pang, a startling contrast of "development" versus the cleanliness of the wilderness. So we do cross the road; sadly there are fewer and fewer
treks that are not interrupted by a road, however this is also a chance to resupply with fresh veg and fruit. Soon after, we also pass one of our favourite camps, our "yogurt" camp, full of memories from explorations of yesteryear and yesterdecade.
However rather than staying there we continue on to the next good camping area as this allows us to cross the pass tomorrow...
Our delightful Pang camp is one of the more distant green patches close to the
river - Jamie
8 - trek Lanyar 4850m via the Thelakung La 5020m
At last we trek above 5000m, briefly, crossing this pass that so many people get lost on. Don't follow the main valley to the end!
We are spoilt for camping choices in the huge valley, filled with yaks being herded by Tibetan cowboys in 2014, and often has nomad camps where we can get fresh yoghurt and perhaps even some dried meat. It is also kiang and wolf country and has gorgeous, oh so spacious panoramas.
Note Lanyar is located wrongly on the second edition of the Olizane (Swiss) map...
Local cowboys herding their yak - Jamie
9 - trek Thargang / Manichan
We continue down the valley, probably to the delightful camping area of Manichan, as once we turn up our side valley there is little or no water for long stretches. If we have been moving well, there is an alternative spot, the haunt of wildlife - let's see...
Coming across kiang, the dominant male is protecting the rest of the herd - Jamie
10 - trek Kum Tso
We feel very small when we turn left up a huge, wide side valley. This area is complete wilderness, not used by shepherds, instead is where kiang, argali and wolves freely roam. Again, in a first, we will continue up the main valley (rather than taking roundabout side valleys) directly to a neat camp with a tinkling stream near Kum Tso (Tso means lake).
Way off the beaten track - Jamie
11 - Kum Tso exploration
After many days on the move it is time for a rest and perhaps time to clean a few clothes. The lake is a stop for migratory birds, binoculars are useful, and as well as some bird spotting at the lake there is an extensive area to explore with many hidden valleys - what are they hiding?
Exploring the region (yes, it was grey and cloudy; there was flooding and a particularly heavy monsoon south of us) - Jamie
12 - trek Pangpo 4700m via Pangpo La 5350m
The trail to the pass seems never ending but it gets really interesting on the way down; at least this is not our first time.
2014 Pangpo La exploring; Ram Lal and the superb horse team find a way though that
13-14 - explore Pangpo
This is an amazingly panoramic region and we might explore south towards a potential pass, make camp there and then the next day look up the pass and perhaps return back to Pangpo.
Trekking cross country, exploring as we go - Jamie
A woolly hare poses for Demet - Jamie
15 - trek Takling via 5252m
Although Jamie has been to the top of this pass from either side, this will be the first time we have actually crossed it.
Our 2004 Takling area camp - Jamie
16 - trek Pare Chu 4750m
17 - trek Parang La high camp (glacier camp)
This is familiar territory for Lobsang and Ram Lal, who crossed this pass many times; Jamie has only crossed once previously; crossed with fond memories of trekking with Joel, our sadly now dead business partner. We head up the valley to a high camp so that we can make an early start for the pass crossing tomorrow.
18 - trek Jugtha camp via the Parang La 5700m
We begin early so that we have good snow conditions for the horses. Amazingly, we are trekking over a real glacier, surrounded by the grey monumental peaks of the Himalaya.
We are aiming to descend as much as possible, to the best campsite, our "Chicken Run" camp, where years ago, bizzarely as the kitchen tent was put up, a lonely chicken suddenly ran inside. It wasn't lonely for much longer.
19 - trek Kibber 4200m
Our last day of trekking is spectacular as ever, with a gorge to cross to our first village since Tsomoriri. Kibber now has pleasant guesthouses and there might be a few takers for a hot shower.
Ram Lal, our wonderful horseman - Jamie
20 - drive Gramphu via Ki Gompa and Kunzum La
...
The road climbs out of Spiti to cross the Kunzum La and just before it Jamie has one last investigation, asking locals about a pass for teh future.
Down the Kunzum La, the terrain turns utterly brutal, this is the real, monumental Himalaya, building-sized boulders, and an intimidating area compared with the wide open spaces we have recently crossed.
21 - drive Manali
We have one last pass, the infamous Rohtang Pass, often rough and muddy, and it will be a blessing when the tunnel is completed, late 2019 - hopefully in time for us to test it out! The Rohtang also crosses the main Himalayan chain and descending to Manali on the pine-flanked road, we are now in the steep foothills.
On the Gramphu road early in the season - Jamie
22 - Manali
Manali is part a hippy tourist hangout, Israelis on Enfields, and increasingly the face of Indian tourism, an escape from the heat of the plains.
Day 23 - overnight bus to Delhi
We have most of the day in Manali then take the overnight HPTC bus to Delhi, which is safer than taking a private jeep/car. To avoid this tough night bus journey, you can book a Bhuntar to Delhi flight. Kullu's Bhuntar airport is around 60km from Manali and we provide the transport. For a slower journey, head to Dharmasala... Lots of options and we are happy to help you plan what might be best for you.
Day 24 - arrive Delhi
We should arrive in Delhi by 11am, if not earlier and so you are free to fly out this afternoon or evening.
