Chamser Kangri (6622m) lies near the Tibetan border in Ladakh and is the highest of our trekking expedition peaks in the Himalaya. The mountains of this region are not as rugged as in Nepal but they do reach significant heights. Our expedition goal is technically very straightforward and gives the strong trekker an excellent chance of climbing a big Himalayan peak without prior climbing experience.
Route details and general observations
We fly from Delhi to Leh where we acclimatize and explore the monasteries of this beautiful region before driving in four wheel drive vehicles to Korzok, located on the shores of Tsomoriri Lake. Here we undertake further acclimatization walks before trekking to Base Camp (4915m). The climb will involve long days on scree slopes, traversing snowfields but rarely does the climb become very steep. We will establish two high camps at 5720metres and 6160metres on the southern ridge from where a long traverse leads to the summit.
- International airport to hotel in Delhi transfer by small coach/ medium or large cars as per the group size
- Delhi Hotel to IMF for briefing and back and to IMF again for de briefing
- Delhi to trek beginning point and back to Delhi transfers
- Transfer to international airport in Delhi after the trip
- Transportation of porters from Uttarkashi to Uttarkashi for 2 times in private coach in case of Garwhal/Munsyari in case of Kumaun/ Leh in case of Ladakh/ Kargil in case of Zanskar/ Manali in case of any peak in Himachal Pradesh and Gangtok/ Pelling in case of Sikkim.
Accommodation with all meals till base camp
- Hotels as per the program
- Trekking duration camps with all meals
- Gala dinner at Delhi with expedition mementoes/ souvenirs
- Low altitude Porters for the trekking part only till base camps
- High Altitude Porters (02) with every expedition team from BC to BC
- Cook (01) from trek beginning to trek end including BC days with 01 kitchen helper
- Trekking guide (01) from trek beginning point to BC and back to trek end point
Equipment
- Trekking tents till base camp for the members
- Trekking tent for cook+ helper and LO at base camp for the full expedition
- Ground mattresses
- Kitchen tent, chairs, tables, stools, utensils, crockery and cutlery
- Toilet tents and toiletries till base camp
Administrative assistance to the expedition team
- IMF formalities
- Uttarakhand government formalities
- Environment fees of the porters
- Insurance of the staff and porters if anyone not already insured by us
Extra services included for LO
- Tent for LO
- Food for LO
- Transportation for LO
The cost doesn’t include
- IMF fee
- Uttrakhand government fees
- Air tickets of the expedition members
- Any kind of insurance of the clients
- Personal expenditures of the clients
- Helicopter rescue
- Expedition tents & equipment
- Food and cooking of the food after base camp in higher camps.
- Cargo handling charges
Suggestions about FOOD during higher camps
- Kindly get the details separately if you want us to provide food during higher camps.
Skiing supplement
- If you want to ski down from some peaks, you can write separately.
The IMF Peak booking charges ( It is not included in our expedition cost)
(a) Below 6500 m US$ 500 for a party of two members. For additional members up to seven, US$ 200 each (i.e. total for 7 members US$ 1500). Thereafter, for each additional member US$ 250 up to a maximum limit of twelve members.
(b) 6501 to 7000 m US$ 700 for a party of two members. For additional members up to seven US$ 300 each (i.e. total for 7 members US$ 2200). Thereafter for each additional member US$ 350 up to a maximum limit of twelve members.
(c) 7001 and above US$ 1,000 for a party of two members. For additional members up to seven US$ 400 each (i.e. total for 7 members US$ 3000). Thereafter for each additional member US$ 450 upto a maximum of twelve members.
(d) For trekking peaks
(Stok Kangri, Ladakhi, Friendship, Hanuman) US$ 100 for a party of two members. For additional members up to seven US$ 50 each (i.e. total for seven members US$ 350). Thereafter for each additional member US$ 100 upto a maximum of twelve members.
For East Karakoram only joint expeditions with Indian counterparts are permitted to climb the peaks.
Uttrakhand EXPEDITION FEE (It is not included in our expedition cost)
For foreign expeditions (all amounts in Indian Rupees)
Day 01: Arrive Delhi, on arrival you will be met with our office representative who will escort you to the hotel.
Day 02: IMF visit in the morning for briefing and later you can purchase essential things for your expedition in Delhi, overnight at hotel.
Day 03: Morning a very spectacular flight over the high mountain ranges, takes you to Leh, the capital of Ladakh region in one hours time. Leh is known as little Lhasa because of its landscape and several monasteries in the region of hundreds years history. The majority of people practice Buddhism, although there are followers of other religions also. The day is free to relax, have short walks and acclimatize yourself along with our mountain guides.
Day 04: With little walks after meeting your entire staff today we explore the monasteries of Shey (with its two-storey-high statue of Buddha), Thikse (famous for its Thanka paintings and library) and the abandoned Royal Palace. Evening or late afternoon, back to hotel.
Day 05: Drive from Leh to KARZOK; 218 Kms (8 hours approx.) After breakfast, we depart with a packed lunch to Korzok village via Chumathang, a place of natural hot springs. We will be passing several villages while driving alongside the river Indus and we stop for lunch at Sumdo village. In the afternoon we continue our drive and we may see Himalayan marmots, the Chakor partridge and sand-grouse en route. As we approach Korzok, we pass by a small lake, 'Tazang Karu’, and here the nomads of the Changthang area, famous for rearing Pashmina goats, are often to be found camping. At Korzok, we camp close to the Tsomoriri Lake.
Day 06 & day 07: Acclimatization walks; during these two days we explore the area around Korzok trekking up the pasture ground of the Korzok-'Phu' valley to see the nomadic way of life of the 'Changpas', producers of the best pashmina wool in the world. We also explore the shores along the huge Lake Tsomoriri. At an altitude of 4511 meters and with an area of about 140 square kilometers, it is among the largest lakes in the region of Ladakh. The extensive area of the wetlands and sheltered bays with small islands has been prime habitat for breeding waterfowl, bar-headed geese, and black-necked cranes. Back to camp.
Day 8: Trek to Base Camp (4915m) From Korzok we load up our ponies and walk around the lake and ascend the rough slopes of lower Chamser Kangri. This is going to be our base camp of this expedition.
Day 09 to day 11: Preparation of attempt and attempt the peak; we have allowed ten days for our climb on Chamser Kangri. The key to our ascent will be thorough acclimatization and we will place two further camps above base camp to help achieve this. The climb will involve long days on scree slopes, traversing and ascending snowfields but rarely does the climb become very steep. We will however need to rope up higher on the mountain. Our plan is to establish two camps above Base Camp. Camp One will be at 5720 meters and Camp Two will be at 6160metres on the edge of the southern ridge from where a long traverse leads to the summit Whilst we will have high altitude porters to assist with the ferrying of equipment and food above base camp expedition members will have to carry their personal clothing and sleeping bags on the mountain. To achieve success everyone must be prepared to work as a team.
As a general guide the first few days at Base camp will involve ascending to Camp One then descending back to Base Camp carrying light loads, then we will ascend to Camp One, sleep overnight and ascend to Camp Two and descend back to Base Camp the same day. When all camps are established we will return to Base Camp rest for a day then begin our attempt on the peak. Whilst we envisage this to be a tough and demanding challenge the rewards will be fantastic, a chance to make a first Australian ascent as well as enjoying the fantastic views looking over the mountains of Ladakh and Tibet.
Day 12 and 14: Back to Karzok through same route
Day 15: Karzok to Tsokar lake drive/ 88 Kms/ Driving for about 4 hours
from Karzok take us to Tsokar Lake via the Puga Valley. The journey offers dramatic scenery and involves crossing the Polokongkalha Pass, which is over 5000 meters, before descending to Tsokar Lake (4530m) for our camp. The lake is surrounded by extensive areas of fresh and saline marshes and wet meadows that host a variety of water birds, Tibetan wild ass, Great Tibetan Sheep (nyan), Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan wolf. Once this lake used to supply salt to Kashmir and other parts of Ladakh in past. In the evening we take a walk by the lakeside, which will be particularly interesting for birdwatchers. Night at Camp.
Day 16: Drive to Leh/ 160 Kms/ 6-7 hours; after an early breakfast we leave Tsokar to drive through Thukjey village where we visit the local monastery. Our journey continues via the Morey Plains and up to the Taglangla Pass (5333m), the second highest in the world. We descend to Rumtse village and continue on to Upshi through a narrow gorge in what is perhaps the most picturesque part of Ladakh. The different hews of the colored and barren mountains make this an extraordinary part of our journey. We descend from the Zanskar Range to the Indus Valley and pass through pass the villages before arriving back in Leh where we check into our hotel for the night.
Day 17: Fly Leh to Delhi and visit to IMF for de briefing and checking cargo.
Getting there: Your nearest international airport is Delhi where you will meet with our expedition manager. After essential visits to IMF and cargo (if required), you will be escotrted towards the initial point of your adventure as per the program details.
After the expedition/ adventure journey, you arrive back to Delhi. After de briefing (in case of expedition) and farewell ceremony, you will be driven to international airport to board flight back to your home.
Airtickets: We have our partners in almost every foreign countries, so if you need any assistance in your air tickets bookings, you are always welcome to speak to us to know about our partner close to you.
Cargo Management: We have strong tieups with the cargo management companies to get your consignments clear timely in Delhi. In maximum cases, you will only need to spend just 2 hours for getting your consignmwent delivery. Once you send the documents and the boxes details, we start locating them in India.
Insurance : It is a condition of joining our trips that you must be adequately insured. All persons are expected to arrange their own insurance. Polices should cover any potential risks involved in such adventure.
Our hotels and camps: We offer you best economy hotels in cities and towns and till base camp we provide you very comfirtable tents with maximim possible faciltiies in the mountains. For the trekking, Jeep Safaris, MTB and other adventure journeys, we provide the most luxurious camps fitted with dining areas and modren toilet facilities.
Adventure India briefing: We have excelent maps, images and movies of majoriety of our adventure expeditions/ joiurneys and sports. A short briefing in our offices is highly recommended so the team understands logistics, forecarst problems and know where the solutions would be. We stress on planning, planning and planning in any adventure expediton and till now we have remained successful in all of our expeditions just because of our planning. So we need you to be an active part of it.
Rescue and helicopter evacuation: if the expeditons are well planned, rescue operations can be avoided. In the history of 14 years, we didn’t encounter any seviour requireemtn of rescue but still we can tie up with the agencies to provide helicopter evacuation on your request and willingness to pay the charges.
Peak booking formalities: already mentioned in detail in our mountaineering formalities in India link. For necessary applications either you can check the website of IMF or speak to us.
Ground transportation: We provide the ground transportation compriseing of best available cars/ copaches in fine roads and rough trucks in remote areas of the Indian mountains.
Porters and ponies: We provide ponies till base camp and HAP/ LAPs as per the requirement of the expedition.
Fuel and gases: Fuel (aftwer BC) is not a part of cost included section, but we will manage Butane / Butane propane gases for you on your timely request.
Trek & BC food : We offer a mixture of Vegetarian and Non vegetarian food till BC including the several herbs we have individually discovered with the medicinal values and capacity to keep the body warm. We have cooks who make Korean, Japnese and Continental food along with Indian food.
Our guides & instructors: Our guides are basically trained till BC trekking and support to establish BC. But our instructors do have good experience of mountaineering who can join the expeditions to higher levels too.
Ground Support system: We have fantastic ground support system developed in collaboration with the local people of nearest villages, army camps, porters and local guides. We have re discovered the use of traditional communication system also along with the setellite phones to stay in touch with the groups after BC. Our BC staff is trained to keep information of the groups at ABC and between and act as per the situation.
Cost Includes & not: The cost includes all hotels, guest houses, camps till BC, food till BC, ponies, porters, LAP/ HAP, food & tents for the porters, cooks and staff at BC, insurance of our permanenet staff, food for LO, cargo management, all transportation, all sightseeing, liasioning and coordination, trekking guides and BC management. The cost doent include IMF fees and environment levies, State Government fees and environment levies, porters insurance, clients air fares, helicopter evacuation, extra porters requirement from the BC, extra days at or above BC and any expenditure on personal level including clients insurance/ visa etc.