Markha Valley Trekking Tour

Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days

Travel Destination: Delhi - Leh - Zinchen - Yurutse - Skiu - Markha - Hankar - Nimaling - Shang Sumdo - Hemis - Leh - Delhi

Day 01: Arrive Delhi- On your arrival at the Delhi Airport/Railway Station, be welcomed by our representatives and get transferred to your hotel. Check in, freshen up and take a little rest. You may spend the remaining hours of the day at leisure. Take gradual walks down the nearby lanes, communicate with the locals, enjoy street food, etc. Return to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 02: Delhi - Leh (3500 m) (by Flight)- Early morning, leave for Leh via flight. On reaching Leh Airport, our representatives help you to get transferred to your hotel. Check in, freshen up and take a little rest. Post lunch, you can enjoy gradual walks to nearby lanes, interact with local people, enjoy street food, explore local markets, etc. Halt for an overnight stay at your hotel.

Day 03: Leh - Spituk - Zinchen (3200 m - 4 hrs)- In the morning, post breakfast, drive to Spituk (approx 8 km). This is the starting point of the Markha Valley Trek. Visit the 11th century Buddhist monastery and enjoy the serenity of the place. Later proceed to Valley of Zinchen River, crossing the Indus River. Here, after 4 hours of long walk, you halt for overnight camping.

Day 04: Zinchen -Yurutse (3844 m in 5 hrs)- Start your trek toward Yurutse via Stok-Kangri and Stok-La. Ascend with very steep zigzag road to Stok-la, trek for 3 hours and then descend through the summer pastures. Moving ahead, cross the river and escarpment, and follow the river coming from Stok-Kangri massif. After full day trek, you reach Yurutse. Halt here at the camp for an overnight stay.

Day 05: Yurutse - Ganda La (4900 m) - Skiu (3510 m - 7 hrs Approx)- Early morning, get ready to reach Skiu via Ganda La. Trek along the mountainside, cross a small valley and pass over Ganda La following steep zigzag path. Thereafter, descend to Shingo. With 2 hours of descend, you arrive at the Markha valley. Then after trek of few hundred meters you reach at Skiu. Reach your camp here for an overnight stay.

Day 06: Skiu - Markha (3850 m - 7 hrs)- Explore great vegetation while trek on the right bank of river Markha. After crossing the right bank of river, pass through the barren plain and reach Chaluk. Ascend towards Markha village after crossing the left bank of the river. You camp is on this site. Thus, you may enjoy the view beyond the village and near river. Spend the remaining time at leisure and later halt for overnight camping.

Day 07: Markha - Hankar (4000 m - 4 hrs)- In the morning, continue with the trek to the main valley, on the right side of the river bank. At times the trek becomes difficult due to high current of the river. Visit the Humlung monastery. Thereafter, continue with the trek towards the right bank of the river and reach Hankar. Here you may interact with the inhabitants. Camp is to be set here for overnight stay.

Day 08: Hankar - Nimaling (4650 m - 4 hrs)- Get ready to trek further across a valley on the right side of the river bank. As you move further, the valley becomes narrow and higher. On the left bank of the river, you cross bridges to reach Tchatchuste. From here, ascend towards pastures and reach Nimaling. This is the most picturesque valley in Ladakh, providing mesmerizing view of the Kang Yatze (elevation 6,400 meters).

Day 09: Nimaling - Kongmaru La (5150 m) - Shang Sumdo (3750 m - 7 hrs)- Start the trek by crossing the valley of Markha and proceed with long climb along the mountain side. Reach Kongmaru La, crossing the zigzag road. With steep descent into canyons, continue to trek to the left bank of the river to reach Chukirmo. Later, cross the right bank and then left bank of the river to arrive at Shang Sumdo. Shang Sumdo is a beautiful camping spot in groves. You may also visit a monastery that is nestled at a distance of an hour from the village. Return to the camp for overnight stay.

Day 10: Shang Sumdo - Hemis (3600 m - 4 hrs Approx)- Visit Hemis, 360 years old and an important monastery of Ladakh. Here, gigantic Tankha (one of the largest in the world) is showcased once in every 12 years. Last it was displayed in the year 1992. Reach the camp and you may use the remaining hours of the day at leisure. Explore the nearby areas of the camp, enjoy serenity of the place and relax. Return to your camp for overnight stay.

Day 11: Hemis - Thikse - Shey - Leh- In the morning, leave the camp to visit Shey Monastery. This monastery is popular for a copper statue of Buddha that is 7.5 meters in length and is plated with gold. Later, we proceed to Thikse (Thiksey)Monastery. Here, on a hill top monastery, there are numerous temples and wall paintings dedicated to Lord Buddha. This monastery is almost 800 years old and silver and gold statues are also seen in this monastery. Adjacent is the summer palace (Leh Palace). Arrive at your hotel in Leh, check in, and freshen up. You may use the remaining hours to rest at the hotel or explore the nearby areas and colorful markets of Leh. Halt at your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 12: Leh - Delhi (by Flight)- In the morning, get assisted and transferred to Leh Airport to board the connecting flight to Delhi. On reaching Delhi, get transferred to your hotel. Check in, freshen up and take a little rest. You are free to enjoy the remaining hours of the day. You may use these hours exploring the local markets, enjoying scrumptious food and take leisure walks. Return to your hotel, post dinner gets transferred to Delhi Airport/Railway Station.

Day 13: Departure from Delhi- On reaching Delhi Airport/Railway Station, continue with your onward journey.