This 27 day trek is along the most popular route in Zanskar that traverses it from Darcha in Himachal Pradesh to Lamayuru on the Leh-Srinagar road. This is a highly recommended first trek through Zanskar.

DURATION: 27 days New Delhi to New Delhi, 20 days trekking.

Day 01 Arrive Delhi
Arrive Delhi you will be picked up from the airport and will transfer to hotel for overnight stay.After breakfast we will visit Old and New Delhi. Afternoon will be free 

New Delhi
New Delhi is the Capital of India is the fastest growing large city in India, rapidly catching up the colonial cities of Bombay and Calcutta in size, and long since eclipsing them in political importance.  In some are it remains a spacious garden city, tree-lined and with beautiful parks.  Delhi today is essentially 4 cities, spreading over the remains of nearly a dozen earlier centers, which once occupied this vital strategic site. 

Old Delhi
The oldest is now know as “Old Delhi “ or Shah Jahanabad built by the Mughal Emperor Shah in the first half of the 17^th century.  Focusing on the great imperial building of the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, this old City is a dense network of narrow alleys and tightly packed markets and houses, Muslim, Sikhs and Hindus living side by side. 

Day 02 Delhi/Manali drive 
Leave Delhi early morning for Manali. Today it will be long day drive 10/12 hrs.  Arrive Manali overnight in hotel. 

Day 03 In Manali 
Free for acclimatizing. Overnight in Hotel 

Day 04 Manali/Darcha (3650 mt. )
Leave after breakfast for Darcha.  Enroute we will stop at Rothang Pass. Arrive Darch Overnight in Camp ( trekking point ) 

Day 05 Darcha/Zanskar Sumdo ( 3960 mt – 14 kms )
From today we will start trekking.  Leave camp after breakfast follow the track until the last hamlet, then a good footpath. Pass a spectacular gorge.  Continue along the right bank till we reach Zanskar Sumod.  Camp near the river bank. 

Day 06 Zanskar Sumdo/Ramjak ( 3910 mt. – 12 kms )
Leave camp after breakfast, cross the bridge then goes up the right hand valley.  There are good paths on both side of the stream, but both are hard going till we reach Ranjak a  small meadow, spring. 

Day 07 Ramajk – Shingo la ( 5050 mt. ) – Lakang  ( 4510 mt. – 14 kms ) ( 6/7 hrs )
From the camp, climb moderate slopes to the foot of the Pass.  Several easy stream-crossing ( 4 hours ).  The ground flattens out and the path zigzags through a moraine as far as the Shingo –la ( 5090 mt. ) The descent is steep and dangerous for horses ( ice and some fallen rocks .Camp near the stream. 

Day 08Lakang / Kargyak  ( 4180 mt. - 19 kms - 6 hrs)
Leave camp after breakfast cross the river to reach the first meadow.  Cross several easy streams, nice view of Gumburanjon. Climb down a mass of fallen rich.  After one hour, you pass beneath the face of the Gumburanjon, then an easy descent towards Kargyak ( 4100mt. ) first  Zanskar village on this trek.  Camp before the village near the bridge. Evening visit the village. 

Day 09 Kargyak/Purney ( 3840 mt – 24 kms -  7/8 hrs )
Leave Camp after breakfast, continue on the right bank along an easy path 2 hrs before Tanze, you cross in front of a narrow gorge where the route joins Phirtse-la. After crossing continue till we reach Tanze a small village, gompa in ruins a big higher up.  A short distance beyond Tanze, there is a bridge across to the left bank.  Monotonous going across morainic terrain.  Slight rise leading to Kuru, major village of livestock breeders.  Afterwards, an excellent path leads steadily lower.  Arrival in Teta ( 3 hrs ) beautiful village.  The path continues downward near the river.  Stay on the left bank, then climb gentle slope up to Yal. Next comes a steep descent towards a large bridge which you cross to get to Purne. 

Day 10Purney – Phuktal – Kalbok ( 3920 mt. 18 kms including visit of Puktal -  7hrs )
Leave horses in Purney where they will go straight to Kalbok for overnight.  Go up the left bank of the Tsarap into splendid gorges.  After 1 ½ hours, cross a bridge.  Fifteen minutes later, you arrive at a small tributary to the Tsarap, beautifully clear after cascading down.  A ledge leads to a small plateau sprinkled with chortens and religious banners.  From there, you can see the Phuktal monastery, one of the most spectacular sights in Zanskar.  Phuktal belongs to the tradition of the Gelupas ( Yellow Hats ).  The spring that gurgles deep in the cave is still out of bounds to Women. The Hungarian historian Cosma de Koros stayed here over the winter of 1825/26. After visit return back to Puktak, go back down, cross the bridge, then go up the left bank.  The trail that overhangs the Tsarap is Sometimes tricky and hard going. Frequent small canyons of pudding-stones.  Pass a bit above a hanging bridge which leads to the village of Cha . Fifteen minutes later we will reach Kalbok 

Day 11 Kalbok/Raru ( 3830 mt. - 19 kms -  8hrs )
Leave camp after breakfast, continue the trek on the left bank of river till we reach Kaydang in 2 hours, a small village in a poplar grove. Carry on until Hamuni.  Pass below the village of Surle . The trail so still not good, several stretch difficult for the horses.  Arrive at a large bridge which leads to Ichar, then a gradual climb before coming to a major tributary ( bridge ) Gradual descent down towards Raru.  Camp near small water reserve. 

Day 12 Raru/Chilla ( 3710 – 16 kms -  6 hrs )
Leave camp after breakfast continue the trek till we reach Mune.  Visit Mune monastery.  After visit go down a steep incline to the main train.  After two hours, you arrive at Bardan. Today we will trek on the newly constructed road while leads towards to Spadam which is still under construction.  Bardan Gompa a Kagyupa monastery famous for its prayer wheel ( 180 cm high ).  From Bardan, a dusty road till we reach Chilla ( 1 hours before Spadam, Padam is not good place to camp, we we don't get good drinking water and good camping ) 

Day 13 Chilla – Spadum - Karcha ( 3700 mt. 12 kms -  5 hrs )
Leave camp after breakfast, continue the trek till we reach Spadum.  The district headquarter of Zanskar. Visit the Spadum the buy fresh supplies.  Leave Spadum head towards Pipiting, then a dusty plain towards the Doda river till we reach bridge.  Cross the bridge camp near the bridge . 

Day 14 Karcha/ Pishu (  3550 mt. – 21 kms - 7 hrs )
Leave camp after breakfast then climb towards Karcha.  Visit Karcha monastery dates from the XVth century. After visit easy stretch on the often hot and dusty bank of the Zanskar river.  Above Rinam, small stream and shelter formed by the rocks.  Attractive campsite below the village of Pishu.  

Day 15 Pishu/Hanumil ( 3570 mt – 17 kms - 5 hrs )
Continue left bank.  Easy going sometimes along the river, sometimes across the morainic Plateau.  A bridge before Pidmo, then another 2 hours until Hanumil.  Good campsite. 

Day 16Hanumil- Parfi-la – Snertse  ( 3820 mt – 16 kms - 7 hrs )
Still on a good and easy path. 4\3/4 hour beyond Hanumil, small stream on the left. Tak on a supply of water. The path leads away from the edge of the Zanskar, up to the plateau, then to the foot of the pass.  Steep and difficult climb for the animals as far as the Parifi-la ( 3940 mt, 4 hours ) Rather steep descent until reaching the Ona-Chu river.  Good bridge, then up a 500 meters sandy slope.  Wonderful lookout.  Then along the slope as far as the sheepfolds of Snertse. 

Day 17 Snertse – Hanuma –la – Base of Hinuman-la  (4040 mt. – 16 kms -  7 hrs )
Long gradual ascent towards the Hanuma-la.  Through gorges first, then easier.  After 2 hours, pass a sheepfild.  A further 2 ½ hours to reach the summit of the Hanuma-la ( 4700 mt )  A 1000 mt. Steep descent till we reach Camp ( this camp the before the Lingshed village ) 

Day 18 Base of Hinuma-la / Lingshed  (  4080 mt – 4 kms - 2 hrs )
Leave Camp after breakfast for Lingshet climb 300 meter along the mountainside.  From this small pass, easy descent towards Lingshet ( about 3800 mt. ) Campsite near the monastery.  Reach camp at lunch time.  After lunch visit monastery. 

Day 19 Lingshed/foot of the Sengge-la  ( 4430 mt – 20 kms -  7 hrs )
Easy climb of Ύ to 1 hour up to the Murgum-la ( 4100 mt. ).  Continue climbing, pass an escarpment then go along the slope.  Wonderful landscape, view of the valley of Nierag, on the other bank of the Zanskar.  Gentle descent towards the villages of Gongma ( 3840 mt ) and Skiumpata.  Then very steep climb as far as the Kiupa-la ( 3850 mt ).  Then climb gradually along the mountainside up to the foot of the Sengge-la 

Day 20Foot of the Sengge-la/Photoksar  ( 4220 mt.- 26 kms -  8 hrs )
Rather steep climb to the Sengge-la taking from 1 ½ to 2 hours ( 5000 mt. ) then a short slope leads into a broad valley.  Easy going (one ford ) then gentle climb towards the Bumiktse-la ( 4200 mt ), beautiful view.  Descent towards Photoksar ( 3750 mt ) Splendid village at the base of huge mountain walls.  Abandoned gompa 20 minutes away above the village. 

Day 21 Photoksar/Base of Sirsir-la  ( 4530 mt – 14 kms - 7 hrs )
From the village, gentle climb up to a large chorten ( 1 hour ), then long ascent of the Sirsir-la.  The last third is steep.  Pass is situated at 4800 mt. Easy descent to the river.  Camp near the bridge. 

Day 22  Base of Sirsir-la/Hunupatta/Chorten  ( 5 hrs )
Leave camp after breakfast then long descent into a stony valley till we reach Hanupatta.  From Huntupatta continue the journey across the slop until entering the gorges. Camp at the river Junction of the rivers, Chorten and religious banners on the flat.  Camp near the Chorten 

Day 23 Chorten/Phjenjilla/Wanla  (  3360 mt. 14 kms - 5 hrs )
Leave camp pass a ridge, then go down until reaching a good bridge across the Yapola.  Then, some easy, some difficult stretches ( fallen rocks ) until Phenjilla. A little beyond the village, cross again onto the left banks (bridge) Then on a flat to Wanla. Beautiful gompa. 

Day 24  Wanla/Lamayuru  (  3700 mt. 11 kms - 3 hrs )
Go up the Shillakong along the Right Bank, cross it (bridge), then arrive in Shilla.  Pass the village, go to a broad chorten then follow a narrow and dry gorge as far as the Prinkiti-la ( 3726 mt ).  Easy descent, then pass an escarpment.  Cross the river and go towards the village of Lamayuru. Short climb towards the monastery, which is the most, photographed in Ladakh.  After visit take Jeep/car for Leh.  It will take 4/5 hrs drive to reach.  Arrive Leh overnight in hotel. 

Day 25 In Leh
Full day free.  Pax can do optional full day visit of Hemis/Shey and Thiksey monastery.  Overnight in Leh 

Shey - the former palace of upper Ladakh before Leh was established, this site commanded an important vantage over the Indus valley.  Since 1834 however, after the royal family moved to Stokh, much of the palace and fort fell into disrepair; even the marshland immediately below was once a clear lake.

Thiksey  - one of the most imposing monasteries in the Indus valley, Thiksey was part of the original Delgupta order in the 15^th century.  The monk’s quarters stretch right the way along the hillside beneath the main assembly hall.  The library at Thiksy is supposedly one of the finest in Ladakh and a multi - denominations Gompa has recently been constructed - proof indeed of the continuing vitality of Buddhism in Ladakh. 

Hemis  - the position of Hemis monastery lying in a small isolated valley south of the Indus, belies its importance.  As headquarters of the Drukpa (Old Buddhist) order, it administers monasteries throughout the whole Ladakh - from the Indus to the Zanskar valley and from the Markha to the Sumdah valley.  Hemis was established at the behest of Senge Namgyal in the early 17^th century and since than has enjoyed the patronage of the royal family of Ladakh.  It provides monks as caretaker for royal monasteries at the Basgo, Leh and Shey palaces.   

Day 26  Leh/Delhi
After early breakfast transfer to Leh airport for flight to Delhi.  Arrive Delhi transfer to hotel .  Few rooms will be provided for Wash & Change.  Late evening transfer to airport for homeward flight.