INTRODUCTION

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP

What is trekking? 9

With a group or on your own?
Organizing the trek yourself 10 – Guided trekking groups 11
Trekking agencies 13 (Ladakh 13, UK 14, Continental Europe 15,
USA 16, Canada 16, Australia 16, New Zealand 16)

Getting to India
Visas 17 – By air 17 – Overland 19

Budgeting
Costs in towns 20 – Independent trekking costs 20 – Overall budget 20

When to go and for how long
Seasons 21 – Temperatures and rainfall 21 – How long do you need? 23

Route options
Planning your route 24 – Central Ladakh 24 – Route planning map 26-7
Nubra 32 – Pangong 34 – Rupshu 35 – Zanskar 37 – Western Ladakh 42
Mountaineering in Ladakh 42

What to take
Keep it light 44 – Buying gear 44 – How to carry it 45 – Footwear 45
Clothes 46 – Sleeping bag 48 – Toiletries 49 – Medical kit 49
General items 51 – Photographic equipment 51 – Camping gear 52
Mountaineering equipment 53 – Money and documents 53 – Finding out
more (Books 53 – Maps 55 – Tourist organizations 56 – Websites 57)

Health precautions and inoculations
Who should avoid high-altitude treks 58 – Pre-trek preparations 59
Inoculations 59 – Travel/health insurance 60

PART 2: INDIA

Facts about the country
Geographical background 61 – Climate 61 – Historical outline 61
Religion 63

Practical information for the visitor
Visas 66 – Trekking restrictions 66 – Local transport 66 – Language 69
Time 70 – Money 70 – Electricity 71 – Opening times, holidays and
festivals 72 – Post and telecommunications 73 – The media 74 – Food 75
Drink 76 – Things to buy 77 – Security 77

PART 3: DELHI, MANALI, KEYLONG

Delhi to Leh – travel options 78

Delhi
History 79 – International arrival and departure 80 – Orientation 81
Where to stay 82 – Where to eat 88 – Services 89 – What to see 91
Getting to Ladakh 94

Manali
Orientation 96 – Where to stay 96 – Where to eat 99 – Moving on 99

Keylong
What to see 102 – Organizing your trek 102 – Moving on 102

PART 4: LADAKH

Facts about the region
Geographical background 103 – Climate 105 – Historical outline 105
Economy 111 – Education 113 – The people 114 – Religion 115

PART 5: LEH AND BEYOND

Leh
History 117 – Arrival 118 – Orientation 119 – Local transport 119
Where to stay 119 – Where to eat 125 – Services 129
Entertainment 134 – What to see 135 – Moving on 137

Places of interest beyond Leh
West of Leh 139 – Zanskar 141 – South-east of Leh 144 – Protected areas 146

PART 6: MINIMUM IMPACT TREKKING

Cultural impact 154 – Environmental impact 157 – Economic impact 161

Organizing your trek
Pony-men and pack animals 162 – Local equipment 165 – Food for
trekking 167 – Camping 169 – Preparing yourself 170

PART 7: TRAIL GUIDE AND MAPS

Using this guide
Route descriptions 171 – Route maps 171

Markha Valley trek
Getting to the start 173 – Stok to Rumbak (alternative start) 173 – Spituk
to Jingchan 173 – Jingchan to Yurutse 175 – Yurutse to Shingo 177
Shingo to Skiu 179 – Skiu to Markha 179 – Markha to Tahungste 182
Tahungste to Chukirmo 184 – Chukirmo to Karu 187

Stok to Spituk via the Stok La
Stok to Stok La 189 – Stok La to Spituk 189

Likir to Temisgam
Getting to the start 189 – Likir to Yangtang 190 – Yangtang to Hemis-
Shukpachu 192 – Hemis-Shukpachu to Temisgam 192

Lamayuru to Alchi via the Tar La
Getting to the start 196 – Lamayuru 196 – Lamayuru to Wanla 197
Wanla to Phanjila 198 – Phanjila to Ursi 198 – Ursi to Tar 201
Tar to Mangyu 202 – Mangyu to Alchi 204

Lamayuru to Alchi via the Stakspi La
Lamayuru to Phanjila 206 – Phanjila to Hinju 206 – Hinju to
Sumdah-Chenmo 207 – Sumdah-Chenmo to Sumdah-Choon 208
Sumdah-Choon to Alchi 211

Sumdah-Chenmo to the Markha Valley
Link route via Chiling 211 – Sumdah-Chenmo to Chiling 213
Chiling to Skiu 213

Across Karnak
Getting to the start 213 – Karu to confluence of Nimaling & Markha 213
Confluence to Zalung Karpo La 215 – Z’ Karpo La to Sorra 216 – Sorra to
Dat 216 – Dat to Yar La 219 – Yar La to Pogmar 219 – Pogmar to Pang 222

Leh to Nubra
Getting to the start 224 – Leh to Sabu 224 – Sabu Phu to Digar La 225
Digar La to Chumik Yogma 226 – Chumik Yogma to Shyok Valley 226
Along the Shyok Valley to Rong 229

Across Zanskar
Getting to the start 232 – Darcha to Zangskar Sumdo 233 – Zangskar
Sumdo to Shingo La 237 – Shingo La to Kargyak 239 – Kargyak to
Purne 241 – Purne to Padum 245 – Padum to Parfi La 250 – Parfi La to
Lingshed 257 – Lingshed to Potoksur 260 – Potoksur to Phanji La 262

Wild treks in Zanskar
Zangla to the Markha Valley via the Jumlam 266 – Thongde to Phuktal
to Padum 266 – Phuktal to Leh-Manali road via Tsarap River 267
Zanskar’s southern passes 267 – Padum to Rangdum via Dibling 267

Rangdum to Heniskot, Lamayuru or Khalsi 268

Stok Kangri ascent
Getting to the start 268 – Stok to the base camps 268
Advanced base camp to summit 270

APPENDICES

A Itineraries 271
B Health and mountain safety 272
C Flora and fauna 281
D Ladakhi words and phrases 282
E Glossary 284
F Indian embassies 285

Book List | Trekking in Ladakh | Buy This Book | Table of Contents
| Introduction | Planning Your Trek | Sample route guide – Markha Valley trek | Minimum impact trekking |