Zanskar Traverse - The Wild Route
 

 

Linking some of the 'best of' from our last few years of exploratory trekking in Ladakh, this year's 'Wild' route is an exciting and challenging trek through the remote canyon-lands and hidden valleys of mythical Ladakh & Zanskar ...

Following sublime river valleys such as our 'bear valley', crossing many high Himalayan passes and fording sparkling glacial rivers, we visit some of the most remote and traditional villages in the Indian Himalaya. En route, we traverse the Zanskar Valley and visit many ancient Tibetan Buddhist gompas (monasteries) and traditional villages, all once part of Western Tibet.

This year's first exploratory section starts at the thousand year old Stongde Gompa, perched high on a ridge overlooking the Himalayan Range, and crosses two 5000-meter passes and summer grazing settlements to reach the quaint village of Ichar, from were we head south to visit the spectacularly set Phuktal Gompa. The next exploratory section exits the Zanskar Valley via the Phirtse La (pass), a fantastic route out ...

 The villages, locals and nomadic settlements we encounter along the way are timeless, a vision of days-past in Ladakh and Tibet, and the campsites some of the most unforgettable ever. There is plenty of extra time built in for exploration, too ...

Join us for this exciting journey!

Outline Itinerary

Day 1 - Sunday, 18 July 2010 - Arrive Delhi

2 - Fly Leh

3 - Leh

4 - Leh

5 - Drive Panjilla & Sumdo. Trek Hanupatta

6 - Trek Photoksar

7 - Photoksar

8 - Trek Singge Valley Camp

9 - Trek Yulchung

10 - Trek Nyeraks

11 - Trek Bear Valley Camp

12 - Trek Karmafu

13 - Trek Zangla Doksa River Camp

14 - Zangla Doksa River Camp

15 - Trek Stongde (re-supply in Padum)

16 - Trek Stongde La High Camp

17 - Trek Salang Stakda

18 - Trek Ichar High Camp

19 - Trek Ichar Valley Camp

20 - Trek Ichar

21 - Trek Purne

22 - Purne (Phuktal Gompa day trip)

23 - Trek Tangze

24 - Trek Zinchen

25 - Trek Sumik Marpo

26 - Trek Toyar

27 - Trek Serchu

28 - Drive Leh

29 - Leh

Day 30 - Monday, 16 August - Fly Delhi. Depart

Arrival in India
Most flights into Delhi arrive late at night or very early in the morning; plan the date and time of your arrival carefully. Please email us your flight arrival details as soon as possible, and have our contact details with you when you arrive in Delhi. Kim will have her mobile with her, as will our drivers from Dhruv Travels, so don't hesitate to call.

Detailed Itinerary
Note that although we try to follow the itinerary below, at times local trail, river or weather conditions may make a deviation necessary; rivers may be impassible, snow blocks passes, and landslides wipe out trails. The trekking itinerary and campsites may also vary slightly depending on our trekkers' acclimatization rates.

Day 1 - Arrive Delhi
A representative from Dhruv Travels will meet your international flight at the New Delhi airport, so look for a yellow Project Himalaya sign as well as a sign with your name on it. (See Dhruv Travels contact info on the right sidebar). Prince, Rajesh or their driver will bring you to our hotel for the afternoon or evening, usually not much time before your flight the next morning so try to get to sleep as early as possible. Kim will email you a list of restaurants and things to do in Delhi if you have a part of a day here, and Prince and Rajesh can arrange sightseeing as requested.

Day 2 - Fly Leh 3500m
It's VERY early in the morning in steamy Delhi as you board the spectacular flight out of Delhi, crossing the main Himalayan Barrier and flying over much of Zanskar and Ladakh to reach Leh, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Singge Namgyal's 17th century capital of Ladakh. You should feel the elevation when you arrive; it's a big jump from sea-level to 3500 meters, and it will take your body a few days to adjust to this altitude. Drink plenty of water, take a Diamox, rest and don't over-exert yourself wandering around Leh. Even walking up the stairs of the guest house will make you breathless for the first day or two.

You'll be met at the Leh airport by a representative of Shaynam Hotel, where Kim and the rest of the crew will meet you out in the garden. We'll have breakfast and fresh-pressed coffee and go over the schedule for the next few days, heading out into the old town of Leh later in the day ...

We have planned plenty of acclimatization time into our itinerary, so even if you do have a headache today, you should be feeling better by the time we set off for the trek.

Days 3, 4- Leh 3500m
We've scheduled two wonderful days to enjoy the peaceful, willow-lined streets and bustling bazaar life of Leh, once an integral part of Western Tibet and the southern Silk Route. There is lots to explore in this wonderful Central Asian town; the newly-restored ruins of the 17th century Leh Palace, the ancient, 16th century Leh Fort and the attached Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, other historic Tibetan Buddhist gompas, the Sunni Muslim mosque, Shanti Stupa, back alleys with steaming Muslim bread and tiny antique shops tucked away amidst the many ancient stupas and architectural remnants, the exotic Main Bazaar, even a polo field. And, of course, we'll show you the bakeries, cafes and tandoori restaurants, meeting for dinner and a cold beer in the evening (but perhaps not on our first night at altitude).

Recommended day-trip: Arrange (through Kim, our Tibetan jeep-driver, Ang Chuk and/or the Shaynam Hotel) a 'jeep safari' through the fertile Indus Valley to visit a few of the living Tibetan Buddhist gompas, the crumbling ruins of ancient fortresses and palaces and the traditional villages that dot the banks of the region, the 'cradle of civilization' of much of the ancient world.

Day 5 - Drive Panjilla. Trek Hanupatta 3960m
After breakfast, we jump into our jeeps and head for the start of the trek at Panjilla, a five hour drive through the historical, green Indus Valley. Leaving Leh we drive past the ancient Spitok Gompa, spectacularly perched on a craggy hillock above the cultivated fields of Spitok village and Phyang Gompa and village to the right. We continue along a cliff-side road past the intersection of the Indus River with the Zanskar River, the Zanskar villagers' lifeline during the harsh winters. Look out the back windows for a spectacular panorama of the Ladakh range, which extends westward to meet the Karakorum range in the distance.  About an hour later, we'll spot Basgo Gompa and Fort, a 500 year old World Heritage site, situated spectacularly on a spur above the Indus. Further down the Indus on the right is the link road to Likir Gompa, and to the left the turnoff to the 1000 year old Alchi Gompa, built in the Northern Indian style with wonderful frescos and murals inside the many prayer rooms. Just past Alchi is the link road to Rizdong on the right; soon afterwards we cross the Indus at Khaltse, and continue to the turn off to Panjilla a half hour down the road. Panjilla is a lovely village lined with apricot trees and lively with villagers. We drive further to the Sumdo and then as far as the new road takes us. After a quick lunch, we will start the two hour trek to Hanupatta.

Our first day of Himalayan trekking starts with the trail through the spectacular gorge leading to Hanupatta. Pink Zanskar roses line our trail, leaving behind a scent of cinnamon, and incredible spires of rock tower above at every corner. There is a chance for tea at the corner of our gorge and another leading to Photoksar, and an oasis of a spring soon afterwards to fill up water bottles. After another two hours of hiking, we enter the long village of Hanupatta, with its ancient carved mani walls and chortens, and continue another half hour to the rickety bridge that leads to our camp on the river.  At camp, we will show you how to set up your Big Agnes tents, orient you with our 'Kamzang-style' Tibetan dining tent, re-introduce you to the staff, and go over the trek itinerary for the next three weeks.

*** Note: there is a new road to Hanupatta, so we'll either drive or hike, whichever people prefer. Also, we are scheduled to go over a 4800 meter pass the next day and acclimatize in Photoksar, but if anyone is feeling the altitude we'll have our acclimatization day in Hanupatta.

Day 6 - Trek Photoksar 4200m
We head off early this morning as we have a big day and a high Himalayan pass in front of us. The trek to the 4820 meter Sirsir La, our first of many Ladakhi passes (Ladakh means 'Land of high passes'), will take us approximately five hours from our Hanupatta campsite. We trek along the right side of the river for the first few hours, contouring around hillsides. 'Himalayan flat', as we say! The valley widens as we slowly ascend, and the rock-spires become ever more impressive, their hues of ochre and tans glowing gently in the morning rays. Crossing a small bridge, we continue along the left bank of the river, soon far above it. We reach a small parachute tea-house where we might stop for tea or lunch, marking the start to the steeper switchbacks to the crest of the pass. Expansive views of the craggy ranges surrounding us reward us at the prayer-flag festooned summit of the Sirsir La, and if it isn't too windy, we will have lunch up top. Afterwards, we descend to the incredibly scenic village of Photoksar, perched precariously on a hillside just past our camp, where if the wild flowers are in bloom, is one of the most beautiful spots in Ladakh, and certainly one of the most photographed. Our campsite is one of the best on the trek, with amazing views downriver to Photoksar, and the villagers, herding their flocks of sheep and goats, will stop by our campsite en route back to Photoksar with their herd of sheep and goats coming down from the high grazing hills ...

Day 7 - Photoksar
We've scheduled an acclimatization day in this wonderful village, so spend the morning relaxing in the sun watching the sun-rays filter through the village haze and the villagers head out to the fields.

Day 8 - Trek Singge Valley Camp 4430m
After a mug of coffee and a good breakfast, we head towards our second pass, the Bumiktse La, at 4400 meters. We hike on the same side of the river as our campsite (the right side), climbing gradually past a summer 'doksa' or grazing area with another campsite on to the pass, an hour and a half or so from camp. The deep gorge leading directly to Panjilla rises dramatically to our left as we climb. We are rewarded with great views of Photoksar and the fertile valley from the pass, as well as the Singge La valley, the Utah-like bulk of the Singge (lion) Peak and the Singge La (pass) ahead of us. This valley is the high pasture of the Photoksar villagers, and we pass their herds of sheep, goats and yaks all day en route to camp at the base of the pass. Bring sandals, as there are two rivers to cross during the day, the first at a line of ancient, whitewashed Tibetan Buddhist chortens.. Camp is set in a wide valley with plenty of space, lots of bird-life, many marmots, but no other trekkers in site, right on the banks of the clean but chilly stream. Grab a camp-chair, pick up a book, take a wash and enjoy the late afternoon sun (the morning sun is also late, unfortunately). We share the campsite with grazing yaks so don't be startled by grunts first think in the morning ...

Day 9 - Trek Yulchung 3900m
We'll have an early start this morning to catch the views across Ladakh and Zanskar from the 5000 meter Singge La, a two and a half hour hike from camp. Continuing on the left side of the stream, we reach the small parachute tents after an hour of gentle climbing through low brush, crossing the stream on small rocks. The climb becomes steeper here as we switch-back for another hour and a half to the top of the Singge La, the 'lion pass'. After a break to hang five-colored Tibetan prayer flags we drop steeply into the dramatic canyon on slightly exposed trails, contouring along old trails lined with Zanskar rose bushes. There are often blue sheep and ibex in this region, so have cameras ready and eyes open for falling rocks. The massive canyon walls to our left as we descend have been smoothed and textured by millenniums of wind and water erosion which have left strange caves throughout. The valley heats up as we follow the small trail that leads to the isolated village of Yulchung, meaning 'small kingdom', a remote and traditional village with a five-hundred year old gompa on the upper reaches of the village and another smaller 'lhakhang' perched on a precarious rock-ledge in front of the crescent-shaped village.

The staff have set up our camp behind the ancient chortens, in the threshing fields on the top edge of the village, right next to some wonderful old Ladakhi dwellings. The views from this village win Kim's vote for 'the-best-of-the-trek', and the villagers, not used to many trekkers, are welcoming and open. Tomorrow's pass is visible in the distance, as is the pass leading to 'Bear Valley', high up in the peaks in front of us, past the powerful Zanskar River.

We'll have many local visitors during the course of the afternoon and evening, and hopefully will have a chance to visit a traditional Ladakhi house and the gompa in the afternoon.

Day 10 - Trek Nyeraks 3710m
A fantastically scenic Himalayan day! We leave camp and wind our way through the extensive village and fields, eventually passing the ruins of the old 'lhakhang' and hermitage as we head towards the ridge that drops steeply out of Yulchung to the Zanskar River canyons far below. Keep an eye out for the red fox that lives in the vicinity, and for blue sheep grazing along the hillsides. After contouring around several hillsides, we have a small climb to the Chocho Khuri La, at 3865 meters. We then drop down a steep switchback into the gorge of the Zanskar River, which we cross by a wooden, cantilevered bridge that has definitely seen better days (look at the construction). We climb up the hillside on a winding trail past a unique version of a 'lhatoo' (a shrine to the mountain deities the locals believe live on local peaks), a sculpture made from ibex horns, to the village of Nyeraks, perched on a plateau high above the Zanskar. You begin to understand the harshness of life in such a setting, between pass and river gorge, a seemingly impossible place, with its own beautiful monastery, and even an old, sacred tree. The small village gompa is wonderful, a real relic of times past ... Our campsite is another spectacular one (in a chain of them), with incredible sunset views over the village, gompa and surrounding peaks. The quality of light in this part of the Himalaya is breathtaking, so be sure to have an evening stroll through the village and take some shots.

Day 11 - Trek Bear Camp 3980m
Up early for our steep, 1100 meter climb from Nyeraks up to the 4800 meter Takti La, a difficult climb which will take us four to five hours. We start climbing right out of the village, often steeply; take time to breath and look behind you towards the Singge La and the village, now a patchwork of greens, browns and tans far below us. Walking along an old irrigation wall, we climb and descend several times to cairn-topped hills, finally making our way carefully through the scree-slope leading to the Takti La. Notice the glacier flower blooming though out the walk. By lunchtime, we will be looking back across to the Singge La and the serrated ridges that we have crossed over the past few days, and an hour later, we will have crested our second, smaller pass (named Oh Shit La after the view upon reaching this pass from the other direction, and seeing the Takti La looming ominously ahead of us). We have now entered what we call Bear Valley, and a steep trail down brings us to the clearing that we call Bear Camp (although we haven't actually spent the night there with one) and into our 'lost valley' of Zanskar. The crew will light a fire tonight to keep the bears at bay (although the rumors are that the villagers of Zangla shot them after the bears raided their sheep paddocks) ...

Note: Our only actual bear spotting was in 2003, when our group did this trek for the first time. We spotted a brown bear cub right next to us, and then across the valley what we presumed to be its parents, not looking happy that a large group of trekkers were hanging out with their offspring. The next season we only spotted frozen bear scat and no prints, but in 2005 we again spotted fresh bear scat, so we presume that the bears are back! We hope to see them in 2007 ...

Day 12 - Trek Karmafu 3780m
Our short walk today is an exciting and beautiful one, first along the willow-lined stream, jumping back and forth often, and then over (or under) an ice bridge and through a narrow canyon with ankle deep water (bring sandals). Next on the list of adventures is a high, exposed trail over the river followed by an easy river fording and another canyon trek on crumbling trails. Just past this tricky section, we crest a small rise and have a lovely view down valley towards our plateau campsite, a spectacular one. We often stop for lunch a at the junction of a small stream where in 2005 Kim set off alone to help get camp set up, heard a loud splashing very close to her which she assumed to be a bear, and came running back to the lunch spot. Joel and the boys, ever brave, came running out with the bear spray to do battle. Be on the look-out for the prints and scat of snow-leopard, fox and wolf as well as bear.

We arrive in our fantastic, cliff-side campsite in the early afternoon, in time to enjoy the views, go for a dip in the stream, and possibly spot some blue sheep and ibex that roam the hillsides here. The hoodoos that line the river bank opposite camp are amazing sculptures of eroded rock and mud which hosted a show of acrobatic blue sheep several years ago. We might build a camp-fire in the evening, a practice first started to keep the bears away years ago!

Day 13 - Trek Zangla Doksa River Camp 3430m
A small saddle above our campsite leads us to our small trail, following a willow-lined stream, which we ascend for several hours before heading up a bit more steeply for an easy crossing the Namtse La, a desert-like pass at 4430 meters. If the weather cooperates, this is our lunch spot, a scenic one! Afterwards, we'll drop steeply into another valley of Zanskar roses which, after some three hours walking, brings us out onto the wide plain that was the once kingdom of Zangla.  You really get a sense of why this remained a hidden kingdom for so long as you look around; to your left, the capital, Zangla and its hilltop fort. Past Zangla, the Himalayan barrier, and the Umasi La to Kashmir; the wooden beams that are the centre of most Zanskari houses came from there, laboriously carried by porters. Below the Zanskar curves away into the Muslim Suru valley and the Pensi La, closed for all but three months of every year and in front, behind the villages of Pidmo and Pishu, the Zanskar range cuts off approach for all but those like us, a well equipped caravan. After emerging from the gorge we have a one hour walk through Honya Doksa and along the Zanskar plateau (or along the riverside, a slightly longer but nicer route) to our lovely riverside camp which we call Zangla Doksa River camp. Doksa means seasonal nomadic settlement in Ladakhi, and the locals from Honya Doksa will pass by in the evenings with their large herds of sheep, goats and donkeys, making for some classic photos of traditional life in Zanskar.

The grass is green and the stream warm, so go for a wash and settle in for the evening. Sunsets and sunrises are amazing from camp!

Day 14 - Zangla Doksa River Camp
Finally a rest and exploration day; options are to hang at camp and relax in this sublime setting or to hike up and explore the wonderful and historic Zanskari village of Zangla.

Zangla option: Climbing gradually out of our campsite, we hike along the plateau past a weathered rock carved with thousand-year old Mon chortens, soon reaching Zangla Chomo Gompa (nunnery) to the northern side of the village, and then follow the village road past the King of Zangla's house, where we had tea last summer with the royal residents, including the Queen Mother. The young King of Zangla is now in his 40s, and the new house right next to the somewhat dilapidated royal residence is the house of the village carpenter! The piece de resistance of Zangla, however, is its fortress, presently being restored by an organization called 'Cosmos Room'. The ruins of the 500 year-old Zangla Fort, the old dzong (palace fortress) of the ancient Kings of Zangla, are a breathtaking site, built precariously on top of a ledge of rock at the intersection of the Zanskar River and the small river leading out to the Jumlam, or middle route. This route was an autumn trading route to avoid the high passes of Ladakh, and must have been open to invasions, thus the fort and series of look-out towers down the Jumlam valley. The dzong houses a wonderful prayer room, which we happened upon a few years ago. In 2005, over two straight weeks of continuous rain and wind literally 'melted' the dzong, and it is now quite as safe as it was previously. The famous Hungarian scholar Alexander Csoma de Koros spent a winter in the 19th century studying Tibetan in order to make a dictionary in a room in the fort, now commemorated as his room. The fort is guarded over by a giant, new stupa built in 2009, while more ancient chortens with tsatsas in the niches line the trail as we descend back to the village and eventually to camp.

Day 15 - Trek Stongde 3600m
Unless we hitch a ride, we will have to walk much of the day along the paved road, but we can get 'off-road' a bit and wander through the villages of Tsazar and Shillingskyid, well off the main trekking route, to get a taste of life in old Zanskar. Last year we ran into a red fox just above the road while exploring alternative routes, so this year we'll try to 'pioneer' new ways to avoid the road as well. We will reach our campsite at Stongde by lunchtime, and have the afternoon free to wander through this interesting and traditional Zanskari village. Stongde is a large village of almost eighty households, and many of the men joined the Indian Army years ago. Our campsite sits right below the impressive Stongde Gompa (see below), and we'll be visited by some rather energetic village kids in the afternoon.

*** Kim & Lhakpa will go to Padum to re-supply for the next section of the trek. Others are free to head in with us, shop around, use the internet and stop for a plate of momos at the small Tibetan restaurant in town. Padum is a very Central Asian feeling village, a transit point for goods coming and going from Leh to Kargil, with a large Muslim population. There are some thousand year old pre-Tibetan Buddhist Buddha carvings just below Padum, worth a look if you're stopping in town.

Day 16 - Trek Stongde Doksa High Camp 4200m
After breakfast we'll hike steeply up the dusty traverse, a 45 minute climb, to the Stongde Gompa for some wonderful views of the patchwork of Stongde village and the Zanskar valley. Beyond are the snow-capped Himalayas, a magical site. Stongde Gompa, approximately 950 years old, is one of the oldest in Ladakh or Zanskar, and one of the most colorful, perched precariously up on a craggy rock ledge, and surrounded by lovely birch woods. Kim has many friends there; Geshe Stenzin, one of the head lamas, will probably invite us for tea and give us a tour of the gompa, including it's room of treasures in back of the oldest 'lha khang', or prayer hall. We will try to catch the mystical morning puja (generally 7-8:30 am) in the butter-lamp lit prayer room, a surreal experience with resonating, deep chanting, cymbals, Tibetan drums, a step back hundreds of years in time ...

Once past the stalwart chain of white-washed chortens in back of the gompa, we have a further two hours of ascending towards the Stongde La, with Stongde Peak to our right, brings us to our camp near a local doksa, probably empty, a breath-taking site. The villagers of Stongde use this doksa for grazing in the summertime as well as the doksas on the other side of the Stongde La. They bring wood from the opposite valley as they return to Stongde with their yaks in September.

Day 17 - Trek Salang Stakda 4290m
Having ascended a good portion of the way to the pass yesterday, today will be a bit easier than when we first crossed the pass from Stongde village! But it will still be a hard, long day of seven to eight hours so be ready with plenty of water and extra snacks. We have another few hours of climbing to reach the windy and often cold Stongde La. From the crest, we are rewarded with great views of the Namtse La, Zangla village, Stongde Gompa and village and the wrinkle of craggy mountains which make up the Zanskar Range. Rinamphu Peak, 5800 meters, is just in back of the village of Rinam across the Zanskar River. The descent is also long and gradual, following a rocky, scree-filled trail along the left side of the turquoise river which winds its way through the canyons below us. It's a spectacular walk; I remember being blown away by the beauty and colors of the hillsides and canyons years ago when we did this exploratory section for the first time. Three plus wonderful river-side hours and two river crossings (the first is about an hour and a half past the pass, the next just before camp) later, we finally arrive at our campsite atop a plateau, sinewy willows crowding the riverbanks surrounding us. We are at the intersection of the trails leading to Ichar and Phuktal, a route we didn't manage to complete last year. We might share the campsite with local Stongde-pa, bringing back their yaks from the doksas along this river.

Days 18-20 - Trek Ichar High Camp, Ichar Valley Camp & Ichar
Two days of exploratory trekking, starting from our last known point, Salang Stakda, and relying on local knowledge to lead us through the valley to the right of our campsite to Ichar, two or three days walk away. We have kept an extra day in the itinerary in case high water re-routes us to Phuktal via another exploratory route. We make numerous inquiries last summer while on the Sum Shade section of our exploratory trek, and locals assured us that either one way or the other are possible. Via the Ichar valley route we have to cross one high pass before reaching the narrow valley that leads to the fortress-like Ichar, a bustling Zanskari village of approximately thirty white-washed houses and three hundred inhabitants that we know well. Our campsite at Ichar is a welcome site, a grassy, flower-filled field overlooking the Zanskar river. Enjoy the adventure!

Day 21 - Trek Purne
Leaving Ichar, we have a seven hour day along the main Zanskar trail to our next campsite at Purne. We cross the Japanese-style bridge just below camp and continue south along a flat, hot trail which often descends right to the river-beach. Look to your left as you first cross the river and reach a group of old chortens - an old monastery or fort, now crumbling, is built right into the inaccessible rock face above the river. We follow the easy trail lined with Zanskar rose bushes and bustling with bird life, descend to a black beach and soon after reach the one teahouse at Pepula. Crossing another small bridge, this time over a stream intersecting the Tsarap Chu, we hike another hour, dropping way down to a natural rock bridge and then switch-backing up to the small, green hamlet of Tsetang, also called Changpa. Another hour of cliff-side hiking along the undulating trail brings us to the tea-house across from Cha where the reclusive Cha Ani Gompa is perched unbelievably in the cliff-side opposite us. We keep following the dramatic, cliff-side river trail past the small hamlets of Kalbok and Surle with Purne and the confluence of the Tsarap Chu and the Kargyak Chu coming into view. The views are expansive, dramatic, a fantastic photo day. Soon afterwards we take a sharp right, descend steeply on a sandy trail, cross a small bridge and hike back up to the two-house hamlet of Purne, our base for the next two days. Camp is lovely, grassy and warm to take advantage of the free time to relax, do some laundry and have a cold beer from Dolma's shop. Dolma is the local amchi, a good friend of ours, and also has hot bucket shower on offer.

Day 22 - Purne. Daytrip to Phuktal Gompa
The spectacularly perched Phuktal Gompa, a two hour walk up a narrow gorge on exposed trails, is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Indian Himalaya, with a large community of novice monks, monks and lamas. The easy hike out to the gompa is also a beautiful one along the Tsarap Chu on a precipitous canyon trail, a newly built one. Phuktal Gompa has a school attached to it, and the young, lively monks are always keen to practice their English or to have a photo taken. The gompa itself is a real Central Asian treasure with ancient prayer rooms, an old library, a fountain with magical waters in the original cave, a Tibetan medicine center, a wonderful kitchen and many old friends. Singge, the young Zanskari boy that we sponsor for school at the Himalayan Buddhist School in Manali, stayed a few years at this Phuktal before being 'evicted' for bad behavior!

Back at camp a delicious lunch is waiting, and you'll have the afternoon free to enjoy the wonderful setting. Enjoy the afternoon, and the wonderful sunsets ...

For those with energy to spare, climb to the 'lhatoo' with prayer flags above the village for a view down on camp and the intersections of the Tsarap Chu with the Kargyak Chu.

Day 23 - Trek Tangze
Leaving our idyllic campsite at Purne, we descend back down to the small bridge and then hike back up to the main Zanskar trail following the Kargyak Chu. Kargyak is a large village at the end of the Zanskar valley; Singge comes from this village, and his blind mother still lives there, migrating to the 'doksas' to take care of the animals in the summertime. We pass the small village of Yal, where fodder and kindling dry on the rooftops, in half an hour, and then continue on our high trail overlooking the Kargyak Chu for another hour until we reach the labyrinthine village of Testa, an oasis of green fields and traditional Zanskari houses. Next comes the colorful Kuru with its many threshing circles and white-washed mani walls. Trekking further along the trail past Kuru's long chain of mani walls, we descend crossing a small stream coming down from our right, and then continue along the river bank for another half an hour. We cross the Kargyak Chu on a large bridge, continuing for another hour or so to the village of Tangze, with its many-hued patchwork of fields. We'll stop at the small the small teahouse, owned by our friend Sonam Dorje, for a cup of tea. Above us to the right of the trail is Tangze Gompa, one of the oldest in Zanskar, backed by jagged, dun-colored peaks.

We set up camp somewhere near here for the night, leaving the main Zanskar valley behind us tomorrow.

Days 24 - 27 - Trek Zinchen, Sumik Marpo, Toyar & Serchu
More exploratory days as we leave the idyllic Zanskar Valley just beyond Tangze and head east over the Phirtse La towards the Leh-Manali highway. This is reputed to be a beautiful route out, so we look forward to another high Himalayan pass and a few blissful days of adventure!

Day 28 - Drive to Leh
The trek is finished, and we'll relax in our jeeps and enjoy the spectacular five hour drive through Rupshu and the Indus Valley along the Manali - Leh highway; a continuation of our wonderful journey. Back at the Shaynam Guest House in Leh, hot showers and a clean change of clothes await, and tandoori food and cold beers are not far away at the Ibex or Summer Harvest.

Day 29 - Leh
One last day in our little piece of paradise, and a big Indian dinner at Summer Harvest, with plenty of chilled beers to celebrate our amazing journey through Ladakh and Zanskar ...

Day 30 - Fly Delhi. Depart
You're up early for your Jet flight back to Delhi; you'll have spectacular views of Ladakh, the many ranges of mountains and the Indus Valley on the way back. You'll be met at Delhi airport by Dhruv travels and taken to the hotel to store your bags for the afternoon, to the international airport for your departure, or where ever else you chose to go for the afternoon. You could fly out of Delhi later in this day; most flights are at night and you should be back in Delhi by mid-morning to noon.

*** If you have successive international flights that are not all part of the same ticket or following domestic flights we suggest planning more cautiously and departing tomorrow. Let us know if you need us to book an extra room for the night.

Jullay!