Brief Description
This trek has a well deserved reputation of being one of the most challenging and rewarding trek in all. It involves crossing high passes and descending steeply back down to river valleys before climbing yet another pass. The adventurous find it irresistible since it captures the essence of the Himalayas. The serenity and spiritual solace are an experience of a life time.
Itinerary
Itinerary
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Darcha - Palemo (5 hours)
Start from Darcha camp and trek into the valley towards Palemo (3'600m). On the way you will see small monasteries of Chika and Rarik. O/N in Palemo camp.
Palemo - Zanskar Sumdo (5-6 hours)
Follow the river on a rocky path towards the Zanskar Sumdo camp (3'860m). Enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. O/N in tent.
Zanskar Sumdo - Chumik Nagpo (6 hours)
Early morning start the trek to Chumik Nagpo (4'655m): cross the river over a hanging bridge and continue on a challenging path up to the base of Shingo-La (5'090m) and until the campsite at Chumik Nagpo. O/N in tent.
Chumik Nagpo - Shingo-La - Lakhang (6 hours)
We start by crossing the Shingo-La (5'900m), the highest pass on this trek route. From the top enjoy the fascinating views of the glaciers and peaks. Easy descent over the glacier to Lakhang (4'470m). O/N in tent.
Lakhang - Kargyak (6 hours)
Gradually descend along the Kargyak river. Cross the massive peak of Gonbo Rang-jon on the right and continue until Kargyak (4'050m) which is the first village of the Lung-Nak valley in the Zanskar area. O/N in tent.
Kargyak - Testha (7 hours)
The Lung-Nak valley gets wider and the trail leads us along meadows of flowers and barley fields to the village of Testha (3'950m). Chortens (stupas) spread along the way depicting the art work and religious sentiments of the population towards Buddha and his teachings that flourish in the Zanskar valley. O/N in tent.
Testha - Purne (3 hours)
Short trek to Purne (3'700m). Procees towards Phungtal monastery (3'858m) perched on the side of an impressive cliff above the river. Trek back to Purne. O/N in tent.
Purne - Ichar (5 hours)
Trek along the river towards Ichar (3'650m), passing through small Canyons of Pudding stones, Ichar, Hanumi and Surle villages. O/N in tent.
Ichar - Mune (5 hours)
Easy walk up and down along the Tsarap river until Mune (3'900m). Visit the monastery at Mune. O/N in tent.
Mune - Padum (6 hours)
Trek on the unpaved jeep road towards Padum (3'600m). On the way visit Bardan of the prominent monasteries of Zanskar. Padum is the only city in Zanskar, there are a few hotels, rstaurants, shops, Govt. offices. Use this opportunity to purchase essential items for the remaining trek ahead. O/N in tent.
Padum - Karsha (3 hours)
Pleasant trek through the fields. On the way visit Pepiting and Karsha monastery. Karsha is the most important monastery in Zanskar, dating back to the 15th century. From Karsha enjoy the beautiful view of the Himalayan range. O/N in tent.
Karsha - Pishu (5 hours)
Walk on flat and barren land along the Zanskar river until the beautiful village of Pishu (3'470m). O/N in tent.
Pishu - Hanumil (5 hours)
Easy trek along the right bank of the river to Rinam village, continue to the tiny hamlet of Hanumil (3'380m). O/N in tent amidst the trees and fields.
Hanumil - Purfi-La - Snertse (6 hours)
Follow up and down a steep path to the Purfi-La (3'950m), then to Snertse (3'850m). O/N in tent.
Snertse - Hanamur-La - Lingshed (6 hours)
Steep climb to the Hanamur-La (4'950m,), enjoy the impressive views of the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges. Near Hanamur-La visit the Lingshed monastery (4'000m). O/N in tent.
Lingshed - Netuke-La - Khyupa-La (6 hours)
Long and gradual ascent to the Netuke-La (4'280m), enjoy the magnificent view towards the Nierag valley. Descend shortly to the villages of Skimpata and Gongma. Steep climb to the Khyupa-La (4'300m). O/N in tent.
Khyupa-La - Senge-La - Photoskar (6 hours)
Today climb to yet another pass, the Senge-La (5'050m) from where you can see an amazing scene of hanging icefalls. Descend towards the Photang river and walk through barley fields to reach Photoskar (4'200m, ). O/N in tent.
Photoskar - Sirsir-La - Hanupata (6 hours)
The Photang valley turns into a gorge labyrinth forcing us to make a detour via the Sirsir-La (4'850m). Three chortens mark Hanupata (3'700m) and its giant hundred-year old cedar flanked by colourful prayer flags. O/N in tent.
Hanupata - Wanla (5 hours)
Head down towards the Photang valley and climb up to the Phanzi-La (3'410m). Descend to Wanla (3'250m) and visit its small ancient monastery. O/N in tent.
Wanla - Lamayuru (4 hours)
After an easy trek visit the famous Lamayuru monastery (3'420m) which is the biggest monastery in lower Ladakh and built in the 16th century on the site of a much older temple. The monastery is very well kept and famous for its many colourful wall paintings and the meditation point of Naropa. O/N in tent.
Lamayuru - Leh (129Km, by taxi in 4 hours)
In the morning visit again L amayuru monastery and its magnificent architecture. This monastery consists of several temples of which the Senge Lakhang dates back to the 11th century. Proceed towards Leh by taxi, on the way visit Alchi Choskor one of the oldest and most remarkable Buddhist temples in whole of Ladakh. O/N hotel in Leh.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why Bikat
Why Bikat
Learning Experience
- We are an Adventure Learning Organisation first.
- We want you to not just complete a trek safely but also pick up some basic trekking knowledge and skills along the way.
- To achieve this we have integrated learning modules into our itineraries.
- These modules will help you build the necessary skills to progress from trekking to mountaineering over time.
Loyality Programs
Our community is an integral part of us and we take pride in our trekkers and climbers. When you complete at least three days on any trek or expedition with us, you become eligible for our membership and referral programs.
- Currently we have three levels:
- Basic Membership
- Summiteer Membership
- Leader Membership
Personalized Attention
- Our group sizes on treks don’t exceed 15 members in order to maintain a healthy Participants : Leader Ratio of 8:1.
- Over time we have found this number to be optimum when it comes to ensuring personalised attention to every member of our group.
- On mountaineering expeditions this number is even smaller. Our group sizes are capped at 12 members ensuring a Participants : HAP Ratio of 2:1.
Best Expedition Leaders
- Our Expedition leaders are advanced mountaineering course qualified, specially trained in rescue procedures from NIM and certified first-aid responders.
- Even our local guides are certified first-aid responders.
Eco-friendly Practices
- Group sizes are capped at 15 people.
- Batch sizes are capped at 250 people per trail per season.
- We follow a rolling campsite model.
- We are constantly exploring and introducing new trails to reduce the burden on existing ones.
Safety
For us, a successful summit is not about reaching the highest point of a mountain but about making it safely back to base.
- To ensure this:
- Every region of ours is mapped with an emergency evacuation plan.
- The equipment we use is UIAA certified.
- Our trek leaders are AMC certified with specialisation in rescue procedures.
- Our support staffs are trained in first aid as well.
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Cancellation Policy
Cash Refund
Cancellations up to 30 days prior to departure date
5% Deduction
Between 30 days to 15 days prior to departure
50%
deduction
Less than 15 days of departure
No Cash Refund
Voucher Refund
Cancellations up to 5 days prior to departure date
No Deduction
Cancellations less than 5 days prior to departure
No Refund
Please note
- Cash refund is applicable only in case of bookings made without using any promotional offer code or vouchers.
- This is only a brief of cancellation terms. For finer details please refer Detailed Cancellation Policy.
Blog Posts
How to Choose the perfect pair of Trekking Shoes?
Sarthak Madan 21 May 2021
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Your choice of trekking shoes can make your trek a blissful or blister-full experience based on how well it fits you. A good pair of trekking shoes is the most essential piece of equipment you will use while hiking.&n
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