A section of the ancient silk route that connected China to middle Asia
Nubra – the famous ‘Valley of flowers’ of Ladakh
Crossing of the high eternally snowbound Lasermola Pass(5400m)
Sand dunes of Hundar and double-humped Camels
Massive Maitreya statue at Deskit monastery
Ancient monasteries and palaces of Ladakh
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Day 01:Arrive Leh
Day 02:Sightseeing and Acclimatization
Day 03:Drive to Hundar
Day 04:Drive to roadhead. Trek to Hundar Dok
Day 05:Trek to Sniu Sumdo
Day 06:Trek to Thanglasgo
Day 07:Trek to Lasermola Base
Day 08:Trek to Phyang Sumdo
Day 09:Trek to Morobuk. Drive to Leh
Day 10:Depart
Day 01:Arrive Leh
Day 02:Sightseeing and Acclimatization
Day 03:Drive to Hundar
Day 04:Drive to roadhead. Trek to Hundar Dok
Day 05:Trek to Sniu Sumdo
Day 06:Trek to Thanglasgo
Day 07:Trek to Lasermola Base
Day 08:Trek to Phyang Sumdo
Day 09:Trek to Morobuk. Drive to Leh
Day 10:Depart
This adventure is specifically designed for the active traveller, somebody who relishes a destination while being on the move. For anybody who wants to get a good feel of Ladakh up and close, and in action mode.
We spend the first 2 days acclimatizing to high altitude, something mandatory after arriving in Leh. The next 2 days are for mountain biking down the highest motorable road to Leh and then on to Likir, the start point of our trek. 2 days of trekking to follow, through Ladakhi villages with green cultivated fields and staying in homestays for the night. A great way of getting to know the local lifestyle and interact with the natives of Sham Valley.
Before going on to our last adventure, we take a long and beautiful drive through Suru and Zanskar to reach Padum, the main town of Zanskar. The next 3 days is reserved for high octane white water adventure on the Zanskar river over a class 4+ section through Zanskar canyon, famously referred to as “The Grand Canyon of Asia”. The penultimate day for visiting the famous turquoise Pangong lake at the Tibetan border and the final day to just sit and vegetate!
For energetic ones visiting Ladakh for the first time, there is no better way of soaking in the Ladakh feel in 2 weeks.
God seemed to have created Spiti at complete leisure. There are few people in the world whose imagination is not instantly captured by Spiti at first sight…such is its beauty. As you drive down from Kunzum La, you are transported to a different world of arid lands, multicoloured mountains, impressive chortens, fluttering prayer flags, and 1000 year old monasteries built on high spurs. Between such landscape are nestled picturesque villages with toiling locals in their lush green farms of barley, buckwheat, and mustard. Solar energy has been well harnessed in the valley and it is not surprising to see entire villages subsisting on just solar power.
Spiti is cut-off from the rest of the world during its severe winters, when temperatures drop drastically to sub zero degrees. Its approach road from Shimla via the Hindustan-Tibet road is dangerous while Kunzum La, the gateway to Spiti Valley is closed under heavy snow most of the year. Spiti is open only in summers for a brief period between July and Sep, the only time you get to witness the bewitching beauty of this self sufficient valley.
Our trek takes us through some of the highest villages in Asia, staying in homestays and partaking local meals. A great way of exploring Spiti up and close, from the living rooms of the ever smiling, warm natives of Spiti.
Interestingly Spiti, and especially our trekking path has a lot of rock fossils reminding us of an age when the Himalaya used to be under the Tethys sea. This trek is also famous as the Fossil trail!
This is an itinerary which covers most of the highlights of Ladakh in an action-packed 14-day package. We start our trip from New Delhi with an overnight Volvo to Manali, a lush Himalayan Hill station famous for its apple orchards. After a day of relaxing and local sightseeing in Manali, we embark on an epic 2-day trans-Himalayan road trip to Leh rated as one of the finest road trips in the World crossing 5 high passes with stunning scenery.
We have a day’s rest to recoup from the driving when we checkout the famous monasteries and palaces in Leh. The next 2 days we visit the northernmost tip of India - Nubra Valley which used to be a major stopover for traders during the silk route days. Enjoy rides on the double-humped camels there and visit Diskit monastery with the 32 mtr statue of the Maitreya Buddha. On the way back to Leh, we enjoy mountain biking from the highest motorable pass - Khardung La(5359m).
We then hike for 3 days through the picturesque Sham Valley interspersed with villages with green farm fields. One of the best ways to feel the essence of Ladakh. We also get an opportunity to stay in Homestays and view first hand the lifestyle of people in Ladakh. We end the trek at Tingmosgang and to Lamayuru, one of the most popular monasteries of Ladakh. Lamayuru is situated in mud spires in a moonlike surroundings which will leave you in total awe. The next day at Leh is reserved for rest and leisure. Checkout sunrise over Tsemo Castle or sunset over Shanti Stupa. A heart warming experience just seeing the sun light up the Valley and turn it crimson during sunset. Visit the charming and bustling market in Leh and shop for your loved ones.
The next 2 days are reserved for a visit to Pangong Lake and a thrilling whitewater rafting experience on the Zanskar.
This is one trip that will leave you with vivid images and special experiences that you will be talking about for a long time.
Annapurna Conservation Area is the 2nd most walked Himalayan region in Nepal after Everest area. With myraid world class trekking options in the Annapurna region, the Annapurna Base Camp Trek and Annapurna Circuit lead the popularity charts with most trekkers. Annapurna 1(8091m) was the first ever 8000er ever climbed by a French team led by Maurice Herzog in 1950.
From Kathmandu, we fly to the lakecity of Pokhara and drive to the roadhead at Nayapul(1050m) from where our trek into the Annapurna Sanctuary begins. Over the next few days we will walk to the base camp of an 8000er through some extraordinary variety in ecosystems - starting from terraced farmfields, to tropical jungles to arid desert like landscape at the foot of Annapurna. The trek initially passes through beautiful villages with terraced farm fields cut into mountain sides. The Tea-houses on the trail are all part of the villages and gives us immense scope for witnessing the lives of Gurung and Magar ethnic communities of Annapurna region. Ahead of Sinuwa, we enter dense tropical forests with a high chance of witnessing wildlife.For a birder, this is a trail through paradise!
Stok Kangri at 6153m is a superb introduction to high altitude mountaineering in the Himalayas. It is considered a trekking peak that can be attempted without being bogged down by the technicalities and skill of mountaineering. On the other hand, Stok Kangri can prove to be a serious challenge depending on the snow and weather conditions on summit night.
In recent times this mountain has garnered so much popularity among amateurs and novice climbers, that it could easily be considered as the “common man’s Everest”! The most important aspect to consider while attempting Stok Kangri would be the acclimatization to high altitude. At 6153m, the peak is very high while the Base Camp itself is at a height of 4900m, as high as some passes one would encounter on a trekking trail in Ladakh, earning itself the name “The Land of High Passes” Hence, it is paramount to be completely acclimatized before the summit night increasing the chances for a successful attempt. For aiding acclimatization, Adventure Sindbad guides you through the sun-scorched slopes of Matho La and through the arid vast lands Gangpoche, before reaching the base camp on Day 6 of the trip.
The trek up Stok Kangri is scenic, to say the least. The vivid colours and hues of the Stok range changes as the curves that adorn the mountains. These steep slopes are home to some unique buckthorn shrubbery and other patched vegetation. The 'Bharaal' is a sight to behold in the mountains of the Stok Range. Also, the trek is layered with a stint of local essence, the shepherds living in the Doksas give a new perception to a 'hard life and a happy life', one gets to imbibe a little through their stories and generous offering of the local dairy products.
It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea to climb Stok Kangri, as there are no high camps allowed above Stok Base Camp, this stretches the summit night and increases exhaustion levels by the time we complete the attempt. The view of jagged mountain ranges, snow-clad peaks from the summit of Stok Kangri gratifies the journey through the night. As the trekkers’ descent, the panorama is much more enjoyed and absorbed with the jubilation of summiting Stok Kangri. The climb is definitely a test of endurance and promises to push your limits in a controlled setting. After high altitude trekking, this mountain would be the first step in your path towards serious mountaineering and reaching higher summits in the Himalayan range.
Just the trek minus the climb is in itself an extremely rewarding experience!
During the middle of winter, in the high altitude arid mountains, when the peaks and valleys are covered in snow, and the trees stand all bare, it feels like the Himalaya is in deep meditative state! A state which exudes an aura of peace and serenity so profound that it pervades into the being of every traveller who cares to visit.
We discovered this trip accidentally in the winter of 2017, when our scheduled trip to Chadar got cancelled due to excessive snowfall and we had to think of alternatives and zeroed on Markha Valley. Markha Valley is generally a summer favourite and has few takers in winter with its illustrious cousin the Chadar trek drawing all the attention of trekkers. To our good fortune, what we chanced upon to our delight when we walked the Markha Valley was a ‘winter wonderland’ with exquisite scenery. Imagine a sprawling valley with huge swathes of snow, occasionally interspersed with charming villages, shepherd settlements and buddhist chortens, an ancient monastery perched high on a hill, lengthy prayer walls and colourful prayer wheels, mountain gateways erected of poplar with icy prayer flags fluttering in the cold wind. The place is at once is both elevating and calming.
Starting from Leh, the main town of Ladakh, we spend a couple of days acclimatizing before embarking on the 6 day trek which takes us to the heart of Markha Valley and back. We spend the nights at clean Himalayan homestays interacting with the locals and enjoying Ladakhi hospitality and great food prepared by our very own kitchen team. In the day time we walk from one village to the other enjoying the snow and some awe-inspiring landscapes.
The Markha Winter Walk is a classic trans-Himalayan winter trekking experience. An experience so deep it will convert you into a believer.
An ethereal walk traversing countries and geographies, from Indian desert mounds-of-sand like mountains of Spiti Valley to the vast expansive high altitude plateau, Changthang - the home of the nomadic Changpa’s in Tibet, is the Parang la trek. The trek reaches it crescendo, not just on one day – the day we cross the Parang la across the ragged mountains, but another – the day we soak in the serenity of the Tso Moriri. The trek is an endless walk along through green meadows where the Kiangs (Tibetan wild horses) run wild, through little bushes of green in the arid brown of the Spiti that are the rhododendrons, along the cobalt blue stillness of the Tso Moriri and then on to the vast expansive ill-populated wetlands of the Changthang plateau. This trek embodies the art of mindfulness – Vipaasana Meditation – One is truly mindful of their surrounding, their breath and the breathtaking visages.
The trip starts with a drive across the stunning landscapes and the lush green meadows of the Kullu valley to the arid mountain scapes of Lahaul and Spiti. To get acclimatised to the high altitude, the next couple of days is well spent understanding the ways of the monks and the people of Spiti in the millennial old, favourites of Dalai Lama -Toba and Kye/Key monasteries, soaking up some good energy and history. Taking the traditional trade route between Ladakh and Spiti, we cross Parang la (5580m), source of the Pare Chu River that flows from India to Tibet and final circles back to India to join the Spiti River. Then we descends to the almost never-ending plateau of Changthang and walk to the Tso Moriri (Lake Moriri) we get to sight some exotic migratory birds like the rare Great crested grebe, endangered Black-necked cranes, the lake is also the lone breeding home for the Bar-headed geese. Camping at the green grounds of Chumik Shilte and Kiangdam, we get to sleep under the stars and uninhabited lands of the Changthang, is a surreal experience of living, even if for few days, amongst the magnificent glacier peaks and still blue lakes. The trip ends with another scenic drive across Changthang to Leh, the main city of Ladakh, for a leisure day in Leh to relax the aching muscles after the challenging yet exciting walk.
This trek is recommended for experienced trekkers who have had some high-altitude trekking experience or maintain an active lifestyle.
- High altitude crossing from surreal Spiti into Changthang, the
Tibetan plateau
- Turquoise Tsomoriri Lake between Kiangdam and Korzok
- Wild Tibetan wild Asses and rare birds at Tsomoriri
- Witness lifestyle and interaction with Changpa Nomads of
Ladakh
- Millennium old monasteries of Spiti
- 2 splendid high altitude drives through awe-inspiring scenery
The Chadar Trek is a phenomenal winter expedition. Period.
If Ladakh is a remote Himalayan region of Indian Himalaya, then Zanskar would be called the remote region of Ladakh! The region gets its name from the Zanskar river that cascades through the stunning Zanskar Gorge famously referred to as ‘The Grand Canyon of Asia’. Zanskar river is a tributary of Indus and is popular for whitewater rafting and kayaking in the Summers. In the winters, the temperature in this cold, arid desert plummets drastically falling as low as -30 degree celsius forcing the Zanskar to freeze on the surface. Thus the top layer forms a veil of ice referred to as ‘Chadar’ by locals.
Manali! The name itself excites one and all for a variety of reasons :) But most of all for its chill climes and pristine Himalayan ranges. Nestled between the Pir Panjal Range and the Dhauladhar range is Kullu Valley, the gateway to Ladakh and the Karakoram. Manali, the most famous tourist hill town in Kullu Valley is at an altitude of 2000m and enjoys salubrious weather and a steady inflow of tourists and trekkers through the year. The side valleys around Manali offer some amazing trekking options from relaxed day hikes for amateurs to tough trails for the seasoned trekker. The only time the valley sort of goes into slumber would be during the winter when the inflow of travellers thins down.
Here’s a chance to experience Manali and around in the quiet winters and have a fab Christmas and New year. Sign off 2017 and welcome 2018 with an exhilarating experience in the mountains. Lovely pine-scented forests, sprawling meadows, snow-capped mountains, and a billion stars to gaze at in the dead of the nights.
After our arrival in Manali, we set up base at the Buddhist village of Tsethan(2650m), an hour’s drive into the mountains above Manali. This is the last inhabited village after which we are totally in the mountains. This was the village which was proposed to become a ski village. A lot of heli skiing and ski touring happens around here in the peak of winters. At Tsethan, we stay at a lovely lodge and take day hikes everyday into a different valley ranging from 3-4 hrs. Have picnic lunches soaking in the Himalayan bliss or come back early for a hot lunch at base camp. Evenings are spent around the bonfire chatting away and star gazing. Its also a chance to interact with the very hospitable locals and learn a little of their simple yet rugged lifestyles. All in all a great way to say bye to this year and move on into the next with renewed hopes and dreams.
The 5-day Ghorepani-Poonhill trekking loop is one of the most pleasant and sought after short treks of Nepal and affords beautiful views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Macchapucchre ranges. Poon Hill, which is the highest point of the trek at 3210m is one of the finest vantage points in the Himalaya from where you can witness many peaks higher than 6000m and the Giants – Dhaulagiri(8167m) and Annapurna 1(8091m). A great introduction to Himalayan trekking and Nepalese Himalaya, this trek passes through farmlands and picturesque villages nestled in the foothills of Annapurna. We will be staying at simple tea-houses on the trail, a charming way to experience Nepali hospitality and witness the lifestyle of the natives. The traditional villages – Ghorepani and Ghandruk are the biggest Magar and Gurung settlements in the Annapurna sanctuary with wonderful views of the Himalayan ranges.
The trip starts with your arrival at Kathmandu and a day of sightseeing followed by the 5-day trek in Annapurna sanctuary with the beautiful lake city of Pokhara as base. Kathmandu and Pokhara, the 2 main cities of Nepal will play host before and after the trek.
THIS IS A GUARANTEED DEPARTURE.
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