Warwan Valley trek is one of the ultimate treks of Himalayas for 3 reasons – firstly, it is less traveled and the trails are unexplored. Secondly, it offers all the Himalayan wonders like glaciers, grasslands, ice plains, flower meadows and much more in just one trek. Thirdly, it is a stunning crossover trek from the stark Ladakh region to the lush green Kashmir region. Also, being home to several quaint villages, it is known as the land of bakarwals (shepherds), speaking bakarwal boli (shepherds’ language). Some believe that a part of the earliest clan of Kashmir still stays here unaffected and untainted by the modernism of the world.
Traversing next to river streams, walking through lush green meadows, crossing river delta basins, getting a glimpse of glacial lakes, and walking through bracken glacier lands are some of the classic highlights of the Warwan Valley trek. Every moment on this versatile trek indulges us with infinite thrills and surprises.
But, as the saying goes, the prettiest of places come with the toughest of challenges and dangers. In this article, we will be discussing the difficulty level of the Warwan Valley trek, along with the gear and skills needed for the trek.
Difficulty Level of the Trek:
The Warwan Valley trek is a level 5 trek on the Bikat Rating Scale.
About the BRS: The Bikat Rating Scale rates the difficulty level of all treks and expeditions in our portfolio after taking into account their geographical and climatic conditions.
According to this scale, if you are a beginner who is unsure of your fitness level and don’t know what to expect on a trek, a trek-rated one will be a good place to start. If you liked your very first trekking experience and are looking to test your limits next, the treks rated 2 or 3 will do the job for you.
A beginner who is sure of their fitness level on the other hand is welcome to skip the first two levels and directly start with one of the treks rated 3. From 4 onwards, the rules change a little. It is mandatory to have trekking experience of the previous level to participate in the next level.
The Trails of Warwan Valley Trek:
Though the trails of Warwan Valley do not require any special gears and advanced technical knowledge, it demands essential awareness and experience with trekking on different types of terrain. Because of the remoteness and isolation of the place, the trails tend to change and vanish quickly. There are many narrow sections like the trail before Ghansla Pass filled with scree and daunting areas like the crevasses on the Kaintal Glacier where people easily slip and get fatal injuries. Challenges like these can be avoided with the help of an experienced trek leader who will be with you every step of the way. Now, for the challenges of the trek, read on.
Challenge 1: Long Distances
After reaching Panikhar, we start walking on the third day. Up until the 5th day of the trek, we cover a distance of 7-8 km with minimal ascents and descents. But, for the rest of the journey, we cover a distance of 18-22 km every day through different terrains. On day 6, we ascend for 10 km through boulders, descend for 3 km over scree, and continue to walk on ice for another 9 km to reach the campsite. It is followed by traversing along river streams for 16-18 km on the seventh and eighth day of the trek. While the long walks are thrilling and adventurous, they leave our feet prone to blisters without proper practice.
Challenge 2: Trail-less Sections
The continuous movement of villagers is what usually forms trails on the mountains. Their frequent footsteps make impressions on the terrain and create a well-paved pathway. Devoid of much crowd and because of ever-changing landscapes, some of the trails on the Warwan Valley trek are easily erased, leaving some sections trail-less. On Day 6, while walking on the boulder section, we occasionally experience heavy uphill winds. This causes the small rocks to fall down, in turn pushing the boulders creating a chain reaction. The nature of the trail changes because of this. Mountain springs are another reason that cause erasure of trails. When streams of water flow downwards, they carry slush, mud, gravel and cover the trails- which is why you need an experienced trek leader and guide to not get lost.
Challenge 3: Crevasses
One of the most exhilarating and challenging parts of the trek is crossing crevasses. On day 6, we descend from Ghansla Pass (4,410M) and land on a vantage point that offers an unparalleled view of the Kaintal Glacier. The trails from the vantage point get steeper with a 45-degree descent for 3 km and lead us on a black and bracken glacial surface mixed with moraine, ice, and crevasses. Crevasses are deep cracks on the ice surface formed by the density of the ice while stretching. Sometimes open and sometimes hidden, these can be precarious to navigate.
GEAR REQUIRED FOR WARWAN VALLEY
While we will be providing most of the equipment needed for trekking (tents, sleeping bags, crampons, snow boots etc), there is some basic gear you will need from your end to get through your hike comfortably.
These are a sturdy, lightweight backpack and comfortable trekking shoes. In case, you plan on purchasing them, please refer to the articles below for some helpful tips on how to go about choosing the right gear for your trek.
A branded backpack can be a hefty spend when it comes to trekking. But this needn’t be the case if you know what to look for.
One of our founders, Pankaj, purchased a non-branded pack for INR 1,100 in 2010 and the pack continues to work just fine for him. In the article linked below, he shares some helpful tips on what to look for when choosing a trekking backpack.
Conventional sports shoes don’t suit trekking trails. We recommend wearing high ankle shoes with sturdy soles. These not only provide better support but also reduce the possibility of injuries while hiking. Please refer to the guide linked below for some useful tips on choosing trekking shoes.
How to choose a good pair of hiking shoes
Skills Required for Warwan Valley Trek
Bikat Adventures is primarily an adventure-based learning organization. This means our key objective is not just to help trekkers complete their treks but also to ensure they pick up some valuable lessons and skills in trekking along the way.
To achieve this, we have created learning modules and paired them to different levels on the Bikat Rating Scale.
These modules are taught in real-time on the trails by our trek leaders.
The following are some skills that are likely to come in handy on a trail like the Warwan Valley Trek.
While you will have all the assistance you need on the trek from our capable trek leaders and guides, we suggest browsing through the articles below to get an idea of what is involved.
Ascending and Descending on Trails
The extremely long distances and the moraine and boulder sections of the Warwan Valley trek can be tough on our legs. Maintaining the right rhythm and body posture can help avoid injuries and stress on our ankles and knees. The guide linked above shares some useful tips on how to ascend and descend down trails.
We need to pack backpacks in such a way that the essentials should always be accessible during the trek. The article linked above shares some useful guidelines you can follow to pack your backpacks efficiently while on the trail.
Our trek leaders will be guiding us on how to pitch a tent during the trek. Nevertheless, we are linking the article above for anyone who might be interested in reading about it.
Warwan Valley is a prominent summer trek. A simple 2 layer, quick dry attire with head cover would suffice. However, the downhill winds in the campsites like Humpet amplifies the chillness. The article linked above will give you a fair idea of the layers you will need and guide you on how to layer up at campsites and while hiking.
River crossings are one of the most adventurous parts of the Warwan Valley trek. But, because of the strong force of the water and the cold temperature, it can be dangerous. It takes special knowledge and skillset to cross these sections. Refer to the above link to get an idea of the precautions to take when you cross a rapid river.
Trekking poles can come in handy while trekking, especially during descents. Please refer to the article above to find out the right way to use a trekking pole while hiking.
We hope this article answers all the questions about the trails and challenges of Warwan Valley trek. In case you need further information, please feel free to reach out to us.
