Trailblazer Guide Books

Guides that will send you packing.
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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 ñ†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 - Zí 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

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