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New Chadar route of 12 days (Delhi to Delhi) - Group cost (08 Pax): 1088 USD
Day 1 - Arrive Delhi- transfer to your hotel with our office assistance.
Day 2 - Fly to Leh 3500m -We leave at 4am to join our morning flight to Leh, which in winter is rarely delayed. After an hour long spectacular flight over the Himalayas, we land in the past; Tashi Namgyal's 15th century capital, Leh. The cold air as we drive to our hotel will catch at your throat, and you will definitely feel the altitude. We stay at the comfortable hotel near the main bazaar, which has heated rooms. After a late breakfast, you will meet your local team consisting of Adventure India manager, Chadar guide and cooks. Later the guide will take you on a slow stroll around Leh, a little piece of central Asian history, with its palace dominating the old bazaar and a backdrop of snowy peaks.
Day 3 - Leh 3500m- We have this day to explore the bazaars and alleyways of historic Leh, which might be not crowded as the summer days, and see the striking Indus valley with its snowy backdrop that surrounds it, visiting some of the most ancient forts and monasteries of the Tibetan Buddhist world and there is lots to explore in this wonderful Central Asian town; the fort and palace, colorful Gompas, the mosque, back alleys with steaming Muslim bread and tiny antique shops tucked away, colorful fruit and vegetable bazaars, polo fields ... and of course, the regular 11 am ice hockey match!
Day 4 - Drive to Chilling and trek to Tilad Do camp 3100m - Mornings in Leh in any season are special, with the harsh high Himalayan light softened by the dust in the air. In winter, the call to prayer from the mosque wakes you gently. Breakfast in the hotel is a last touch of civilization. By eight we will be on the move, driving through the suburbs of Leh, then along the Indus valley. The road climbs slowly past Spituk Monastery, and bus loads of Ladakhi kids heading for where the Indus has been diverted into shallow pools for skating. We reach about 3700m where we normally stop to stretch our legs and take in the view behind. Leh nestles at the foot of the Ladakh range, its location dictated by the high route to China behind. From here you can really see how geography dictates history.
We drive on, descending to the Indus again to its confluence with the Zanskar. A dirt road from here takes us to Chilling, as far as the jeep can go. Here we have a simple lunch, and then it is on the ice. It takes an hour or so to get into a comfortable rhythm, and we have found that using crampons tends to be more of a hindrance, as they are not suitable for all ice conditions. As the gear list says, good trekking poles are essential. Again, as on the gear list, you must have boots with good, new soles that 'stick'. Luckily there are rarely any ice puzzles on this first day, except at the camp, where you ascend a frozen stream. The camp is on a sandy plateau to one side of the Zanskar, where on this first day our tent will have been erected for us. We will introduce you to camp routines and our warm and cozy dining tent, followed by dinner, soup and a good, varied vegetarian meal.
Day 5 - Trek to Gyalpo camp 3170m -The morning cold is eased by the heater firing up in our communal tent, and soon hot washing water. Breakfast call is 7.30 - breakfast is as much hot coffee or tea as you can drink, eggs to order (fresh while they last, then powdered), fresh baked bread, jam and honey. Departure time is normally around nine, and the days soon assume a familiar pattern. Our guides will go ahead with the trekkers, followed by our porter team. It is essential always to stay with our guides. This is the only trek in the world where the trail, literally, vanishes beneath your feet.
The first few days are generally problem free, but we can, and will, encounter times when we have to wait while we scout the best route. We prefer to stay on the river, and you will see Zanskaris take real risks to avoid rock climbing. For this reason you must have plenty of warm layers to throw on, and of course, spare socks. The ice conditions are too varied (and beautiful) to list, but there are one or two things to bear in mind. You will find yourself rapidly relaxing as you walk, enjoying the views; watching for wildlife. Look out particularly for snow leopard prints, Ibex on the gorge walls, and the crazy 'Dipper' birds that dive from ice into the river, turning over pebbles looking for edibles. You will develop a sense of the safe and unsafe ice, and learn to catch yourself if you slip. Be sure to use your poles if you want to sound the ice.
Some days we can only have hot tea and an uncooked lunch. The ice conditions change quickly and what takes an hour at noon can take three hours by 3pm. We do not rush; but we do not dawdle! If you hear Zanskaris calling down the valley, particularly at the corners, don't worry; they are screaming to scare away the demons who lurk in the ice.
Today we will pass through what the porters call 'Chadar Gate'. By 3-4pm we should be in camp on a plateau above the river. Today we start putting up our own tents.
Day 6 - Trek to Dib Cave 3225m -This is a stunning day as the river starts to curve and you can see the uphill slope of the ice as we ascend the river into Zanskar. We pass incredible waterfalls on our left, normally frozen into aquamarine ice cliffs. The waterfalls were said to have come from a river given to local people who visited Tibet centuries ago to plead for water for their barren land. They were given a box which they were told they must open only on their return home. The curious Zanskaris were nearly home when one of them opened it; out jumped a tiny fish, and the river sprung from the ground high above here. Also today we will probably have to climb briefly above the river - on the sharp bends the speed of the current breaks up the ice.
Lunch is on a rocky beach by the river, and camp is near one of the many caves that are blackened by centuries of use by the fires of locals. Our porters use these caves to cook and sleep in, and many of them are slowly being turned into small huts by Zanskaris recruited by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) to shelter the road workers as they come through here. This is a popular campsite. We have stringent hygiene rules for our kitchen, abundant hot water, and anti-bacterial hand wash always available.
Day 7 - Trek to Nerak camp 3390m -Another spectacular day. Crags seem to leap up from the frozen river surface, and ibex can usually be seen defying gravity far above. After lunch we pass the 'incense tree', so called because the locals use its branches to burn in their morning rituals, and the prayer flag draped tree marks the entrance to Zanskar proper. The porters will normally take a few twigs from the tree, and then tear a small piece of prayer flag to wrap it in, and present it to you. Welcome to Zanskar!
An hour later we turn a corner, and there, high above the river, is the bridge that links Zanskar with Ladakh, and Neraks village with Lingshed Monastery - in summer. Then the valley gorge opens up, and we see the small huts that mark some of the summer grazing of the Neraks villagers. The village is far above. A trail is normally beaten through the snow to these huts, where we camp. And rum is possible.
Day 8, 9, 10- Trek back from Nerak to Chilling in 3 days and transfer to Leh Hotel.
Day 11: Full day to rest in Leh
Day 12: Morning flight to Delhi
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Chadar with Padum of 19 days (Delhi to Delhi) - Group cost (08 Pax): 1500 USD
Day 1 - Arrive Delhi- transfer to your hotel with our office assistance.
Day 2 - Fly to Leh 3500m
Day 3 - Leh 3500m
Day 4 - Drive to Chilling and trek to Tilad Do camp 3100m
Day 5 - Trek to Gyalpo camp 3170m
Day 6 - Trek to Dib Cave 3225m
Day 7 - Trek to Nerak camp 3390m
Day 8 - Trek to Dib Gongma 3400m -We leave early today as this stretch of river is, well, 'Interesting'. Steep walls and narrow stretches make for some challenging conditions, to say the least! By day’s end, though, we will be camped at Oma Chu, the 'Milk River' that joins up with our summer Zanskar trek route high above. The spires of rock above us have to be seen to be believed. The ice around this camp is usually mushy to say the least - we think the Oma has some warming effect and here too, after sunny days, the snow melt from the plains around Padum makes itself felt.
Day 9 - Trek to Hanumil 3500m -Another amazing day on the ice, and a long one, but we have a warm Zanskari kitchen to look forward to tonight. The Zanskar climbs and curves out of the gorge today, onto the start of the plains around Padum. Early in the morning here, what the early Arctic explorers call 'frost smoke' rises gently. Soon on our right we can see the summer route climbing away to the Parfi La, and high on the left, the faint line that will be a road one day. The last hour or so is a true ice puzzle for us, as we need to cross the river at a wide and flat place. Hard after a long day; and then the going in the snow (if there is snow) off the river is also tough. Once home, though, we stay with villagers that have made us welcome, summer, winter, fall and spring, for many years. We will have cozy stove warmed rooms to sleep in, and a late morning, tomorrow to Pidmo is an easy day.
Day 10 - Trek to Pidmo -This is an easy day if the snow is good, but if fresh and deep it can take up to four hours to reach Pidmo, one of the original centers of the Kingdom of Zangla, sitting on its plateau high above the Zanskar. Although the village itself is safe, the sounds of avalanches can disturb a nights rest here.
Day 11 & 12 - Trek to Zangla and DRIVE TO PADUM -Not a hard day if there is a trail, but in fresh snow, it may be. We descend and cross the Zanskar leaving a food dump for the return journey, then slowly climb and traverse the wide plateau - that Gibraltar-like rock pinnacle in the distance is the fort above Zangla. Soon the main Himalayan barrier appears on the horizon, and you can make out Pishu over on the right. Then Zangla proper comes into view, sprawling below avalanche strewn slopes.
Zangla has hordes of children, they seem to be everywhere, running, skiing, sledging on shovels. We also will try and visit the 15th century fort with its ancient prayer rooms, where the Hungarian scholar Alexander Csoma de Koros spent the winter of 1823 studying Tibetan. We will have the pleasure of staying in local house for two nights and will also visit the thriving village nunnery for the morning ceremony.
Next day we drive to PADUM and come back to ZANGLA.
Day 13- 17- Trek to Tilad Do and drive to Leh
We follow the same route, but the Chadar changes by the every passing minute, and so the colors and perspectives all change. Now it is slightly quicker downhill, we camp in different places and hope to visit another ancient monastery, if conditions allow.
Day 18- Free day in Leh
Day 19- Fly Delhi and fly home.
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Classic route of 25 days (Delhi to Delhi)- Group cost (08 Pax): 1800 USD
Day 1 - Arrive Delhi- transfer to your hotel with our office assistance.
Day 2 - Fly to Leh 3500m
Day 3 - Leh 3500m
Day 4 - Drive to Chilling and trek to Tilad Do camp 3100m
Day 5 - Trek to Gyalpo camp 3170m
Day 6 - Trek to Dib Cave 3225m
Day 7 - Trek to Nerak camp 3390m
Day 8 - Trek to Dib Gongma 3400m
Day 9 - Trek to Hanumil 3500m
Day 10 - Trek to Pidmo
Day 11 & 12 - Trek to Zangla and DRIVE TO PADUM
Day 13 - Trek to Stongde/ Tongde -There is a semi-regular bus service in winter from Zangla, but we cannot count on it. So we walk! In summer the sun on this section in brutal. In winter, with snow and sun, it can still fry, so plenty of cream, shades and a hat for our five hour walk across the snow. We stay, again, with local friends, and enjoy the relative warmth of a Zanskari house. Here in the evening starlight as you gaze across at the twinkle of solar-powered lamps in Pishu and Karsha, listen carefully - the horns to announce evening puja floating across the snowfields, a way of life unchanged by the passing of time.
Day 14 & 15 - Trek to and rest in Karsha -It really seems on these days crossing the plateau, be it summer or winter, we stand still and the huge landscape revolves around us. Distant dots on the other side of the river are Zanskari horsemen; an echo in the distance is river ice cracking, or avalanches in a far valley. By lunch we are at the river bridge, and after a long day we are in Karsha, the huge monastery built into a cliff face. Two nights here, morning pujas (Buddhist prayers) and time with the delightful monks, from 11 to 75 years old is always so welcoming. The view from high in the monastery makes all the cold days worthwhile.
Day 16 - Trek to Pishu -Our circuit of this old kingdom is nearly complete as we bid the monks farewell and take the flat straight trail to Pishu, past multi hued cliffs that have seen more then a few rock climbing trekkers thirsting for their crash mats. The joy of this circuit of the area is difficult to put into writing.
Day 17 - Trek to Hanumil -We look forward to our last night indoors, as tomorrow we are back on the ice.
Day 18-23 - Trek to Chilling and drive to Leh -The same way back but in fact the Chadar changes by the minute and the colors and perspectives all change, and yes, it is quicker downhill. We camp in different places, and hope to visit another ancient monastery, if conditions allow. We do know that the Chadar will be as challenging on the return trip.
Day 24 - Spare day in Leh
Day 25 - Fly to Delhi and fly out in the night.
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