Trekking in Ladakh

Ladakh, mountainous region in North India, is trekkers delight. Mountain ranges like Karakoram, Zanskar and Greater Himalayas makes it one of the most sought after destinations for adventure lovers. Ladakh is also referred to as 'Moonland' because of its unusual terrain, barren landscape and hidden valleys. Ladakh is at an elevation of more than 3,000 m and is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and Indo-Tibetan culture. It resembles Tibet so much that it is often referred as 'Little Tibet'. Ladakh is blessed with high mountain ranges, expansive lake system, scenic trails, high passes and deep valleys which make it an ideal destination for trekking. There are many trekking possibilities and options in Ladakh which include short trek of day-long walks up and down the hill slopes and visit villages and monastic settlements while going through picturesque environs or long trans-mountain treks which involves weeks of walking and camping in the wilderness. Traditional trekking season of Ladakh extends from May to mid October. There are some trek routes which can be done only during winters as in the case of Zanskar valley trek which is done along the frozen surface of the Zanskar river.

Some of the trekking routes of Ladakh are as follows.

Lamayuru to Darcha Trek
One of the most popular trail into Zanskar, Lamayuru Darcha Trek starts from Lamayuru monastery and terminates at Darcha, Himachal Pradesh. Though the trek is bit strenuous but worth enough for its scenic beauty and wonderful landscapes. This is a long trek and takes around 20 days to complete. Best period for going on Lamayuru-Darcha trek in Ladakh is June to October.

Markha Valley Trek
Markha Valley trek in Ladakh is immensely rewarding trek through the Hemis National Park of Ladakh. It is probably one of the most beautiful and varied treks in Himalayas. Markha valley trek route takes high into Himalayas crossing over two passes, Ganda La (4850 m) and Kangmaru La (5306 m). Views throughout the route are spectacular and at the end of Markha Valley trek you will see the snowcapped peaks of Tibet and Karakoram range of mountains.

Lamayuru Padum Trek
Lamayuru Padum trek leads to remote villages of Zanskar accessible by foot only. This trek is incomparable in a way that it takes you to three of most stunning and beautiful monasteries of Buddhist world, Karsha, Badran and Phuktal. One of the most adventurous trek as one has to cross maximum number of passes about 8 passes in 11 days of trekking.

Nubra Valley Trek
Average altitude of Nubra Valley is 3,000 m. This trek gives you an opportunity to enjoy camel safari on the rare species of camel, Bacterian Camels. Nubra valley has a mild climate and richer in vegetation and is often referred as 'Valley of Flowers' or 'Orchard of Ladakh'. Valley was part of the caravan route and was a busy outpost in ancient times and today it offers incomparable trekking opportunities and scenic landscapes.

Rupshu Valley Trek
Rupshu valley was restricted region of Ladakh till it was opened for tourists in 1994. One of the most beautiful regions of Ladakh, the valley is a high altitude arid plain. Major attractions of Ruphu Valley are the two high altitude salt water lakes Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. Many endangered species of birds can be spotted here like Bar Headed Geese, Pochard and the critically endangered Black Necked Crane.

Trekking in Ladakh
Information about the trekking routes of Ladakh, India.