Preparing yourself for the Chadar Trek

An unusual expedition of trailing on ice, Chadar trek (3850 m) has cloudy blue-green waters. Black rocks are covered under a thick veneer of ice and snow. Chadar trek is also known as the “Chadar” (or veil). A very unique winter trek is worth experiencing in winter in Ladakh. Chadar trek is also familiar as Khado sanglam in Zansakari lingo – Dakini Path. Local people of Zanskar use this path to connect with other nearby places and hence, this trek is left almost alienated from many people. Every year this route remains chop off due to heavy snow fall.

The literal meaning of Chadar means white sheet of crystal ice. Trekking on silent blanket of snow can be a life time experience for the trekkers. One of the most exciting treks of Ladakh is very special as there is a pleasant river of Tsarap. You will be stopped by the Chilling Sumdo, a small settlement. Continue trekking towards a narrow vale filled with exciting and breathtaking sights of ice peaks. There are grazing grounds on the way. Spend your nights at camp side or in cave camps. Enjoy dinners with campfire. You will be amidst the whole serene and tranquil surroundings of Ladakh region.

A born fire will make you relaxed and warm. Sun's up and blue skies will let you cheer despite the cold weather. The trek trails through the pleasant Tsarap River in the region of Nyerag, Lingshed and forms to Zanskar region! Zanskar is a complete portal of Trekking trails in Ladakh. Explore the ancient cloisters and monastic establishments of Zangl and Karsha. These places promise you to give a deep insight into the mystic Ladakh and its culture. Chiling and Lingshed are the only sizeable settlements on this trek till you reach Hanamur and Pidmo before Pishu and Zangla.

Trekking on Zankar valley is a quality experience for adventure lover as well as trekkers. The trek traces the river gorge through a scenic landscape, a photographer’s heaven, providing rare sighting of Wildlife.

An ideal time to hike Chadar trek is mid January to end of February. Level of difficulty for this trek is moderate to challenging. You need to be very fit for his hike.

The necessary steps one should take before the trek:

• Chadar trek is quite a high altitude trek.

• This trek is an unsafe voyage with temperatures regularly getting below minus 30° C.

• This trek needs reasonable fitness as quality trekking gear is difficult.

• Make sure that you are done with your trekking equipments properly.
• Carry all your equipment with you before you leave home.

• Make a list of important things and equipments you will need for Chadar trek.

• Get adjusted with the climate before trekking.

• Sort out or divide your trekking equipments as per their need.

• Before leaving home for high altitude trek, it is advisable to have a medical check up.

• Carry essential medications and remedies, common medicines.

• Carry warm sleeping bags, warm clothing, gloves, pairs of socks and specially walking sticks.

Tips for Foreign visitors:

• Carry valid passports and visas.
• Ensure that your ‘tourist visa’ contains the duration of your visit.
• You need to take special permits before get into the territory of Ladakh.
• Special permits are not need for hiking in the Indian Himalayas, with the exception of certain restricted areas.
• If you carry heavy equipment like, special cameras or scientific equipment, then you will have to hire porters, and hence you will be charged for this extra service.

Markha valley Trek

One of the most variegated and striking treks in the foothills of Himalayas; Markha Valley trek (5030 m) has huge rock pinnacles, prayer-flagged passes, petty gorges and overhanging cliffs. A route brings you into two passes of Himalaya. The Ganda La and Kangmaru La are worth by stopping.

This trek will lead you to a hilltop cloisters, Tibetan shrines and prayer walls. The Wildlife such as, Ibex, Himalayan Blue sheep can be viewed. Towards the end of trek, you envision some

exciting and spectacular sights of the snowy peaks of Tibet and other mounts of Karaloram range.

On the first phase, drive to Spituk where you cross the beautiful river and enter into the valley of Zinchen River. You get a chance for tenting in the nearest village. Stopping by picturesque valley, you trail ascent on the difficult path to reach Stok. On the way, the pristine river awaits you at the massif of Stok Kangri.

Let your eyes observe the magnificent path towards Yurutse. Cross a pretty and small settlement which boasts of having small valley. After a short walk, descend and get entered into the Markha Valley Trek, rich in its flora. Few hundred meters further, there lays the splendid place called Skiu.

If you want to explore unusual and great vegetation then, follow a route which moves to right of Markha. Here you will traverse through infertile plain. Chaluk is another place to visit. Walk along the left bank of river, a hike will lead you to village of Markha. Camping can be enjoyed near the river.

Another trek route leads towards the main valley. Sometimes hard to cross, this trail is set in the river bed. The monastery of Humlung is a worth place stopping by. Continue Trekking with right bank, reach Hankar, place that has some houses.

The path to Nimaling will let you explore the broad and pleasant valley on the road side. As you go deep into this valley, it becomes more narrow and higher. Another destination called Tchatchutse is reached after crossing the bridges. You need to climb pastures to reach Nimaling, one of the most attractive high valleys in Ladakh.

While trekking to another pass, you need to cross Markha valley and follow long climb. A difficult route leads to Kongmarula La. Keep trekking through steep gorges and reach in Chukirmo. Arrive into Shang after crossing right and left bank. You get a chance to do camping in groves. An hour away, there is a monastery.

A trek towards Hemis offers you to visit the most famous and ancient monastery of Ladakh. A huge Tankha is said to be one of the largest in the world. Pay a visit to Hemis monastery, Shey monastery. Shey monastery comprises of 7.5 copper statue of Buddha, coated with gold. Thereafter, drive further to explore Thiksey monastery on a hilltop. You will find some wall paintings and temples.

This whole tour of Markha valley trek imparts a true flavor of the colorful and magical landscapes of Indian's Ladakh region!

15 tips while traveling to Ladakh

Here is a list of 15 tips which can be helpful to get you around the land of passes.

1. It hasn’t been long before tourism developed in Ladakh. And the north western region is still sensitive. So the tourists who arrive from outside the country need special permits to visit the Inner Line area. These permits can be availed from local Ladakhi authorities.

2. Majority of the tourists in Ladakh comes for Trekking and Camping. So if you are

here for the same reason then you should pay attention to your physical fitness. Ladakh weather is chilling and for first timers here acclimatization can be a problem. So when you land in here give yourself a day to get used to the weather and high altitudes.

3. Lot of back packers who come here should make sure that they should fill their sacks with water bottle. Hydration at high altitude can keep you going strong for long. Though the weather generally get you to go thirsty it is highly advisable that you should. Apart from that carry a first aid kit, prescribed medicines and enough warm clothing.

4. Next you need to have in your must-haves are sunglasses, moisturizers and sunscre

en lotions.

5. Whether on a trekking expedition, Jeep Safari or hiking tour you should keep in mind that you have a responsibility towards the conservation of the place. You should contribute to the protection of environment by not littering, using paper instead of plastic and by creating less noise pollution in deserted areas.

6. Leh the capital city is well developed to provide you with basic amenities. The calling facility is good here though the STD’s booths close by 10 pm.

7. When you are sightseeing you’d be tempted to click pictures. But before taking your camera out read the sign boards well. Photography is not permitted everywhere.

8. Talking of photography, Ladakh is such a beautiful place you will not get tired of clicking pictures. So while you visit the places that allow photography or pass through the general landscape of the place, you have ample opportunities to click click & click. So buy extra batteries and lots of film rolls or extra memory cards.

9. While eating out in Ladakh, carry the Indian currency because majority of the hotels and restaurants do not accept credit cards.

10. Leh the big town has facilities for e-mailing and general surfing. In fact Leh is the only place where you can have access to the internet. So all your online work should be done in Leh before you proceed further.

11. Very remote regions of Ladakh do not have banks. Leh and Kargil have banks with ATM facilities.

12. Leh has hospitals but Kargil has a district hospital which has good team of doctors and modern equipments. Besides Kargil there are medical dispensaries at Trespone, Sankoo, Mulbek, Padum and Panikher. They all have basic health facilities.

13. The national park in Leh is a good place to sight Wildlife, especially if you are on trek. But do not disturb the animals there and neither pollutes the surroundings.

14. Water pollution is too much in Ladakh. It is advisable to carry purification pills. A better option is to carry your own water or drink packaged water.

15. Lastly respect the culture, the quiet locals, be friendly to them and make time to enjoy the place. Talk to the locals as they are the biggest source of information.

A typical Day on a Ladakh Trek

A typical day on Ladakh Trek begins at 6:00 am. Each member of the group is given warm water to wash. The breakfast is generally an hour after waking up. In between you do the morning ritual. The breakfast generally is milk/tea/coffee, porridge, bread-jam or eggs. While you have your food, the crew in charge of you wraps up the tents and loads them on the ponies or porters. You carry your lunch with you on your journey ahead. And if that is not the case then facilities for hot lunch have been arranged on the way.

You reach the next camping spot around evening time. When you reach your next halting point, you are welcomed with tea/coffee and snacks. Dinners are not at nine but immediately after sunset. No one minds because the smell of food after a long days trek is more than inviting. The dinner is very basic food items like bread, a vegetable, rice and Dal. Some places you will also be offered a drink at the end of the meal. It can be tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Before reaching the camp the entire trek is an ordeal of carrying your rucksacks on your back. Trekking on a single day begins with deciding the route and leaning your camp with a trained guide. You maneuver through gorges, passes and narrow passages. You do series of ascends and descends. You are in a group so there might be people who would want to rest. While some rest some take time to click pictures.

Anyway after arriving at the camp and having some refreshments you are ready to sleep. Most of the people prefer unwinding instead of hitting the pillow. They gather together and play cards, read or write about their experiences. Sometimes everyone is asked to gather around camp fire and spend time singing, sharing jokes basically mingling with each other. By 9 pm everyone is inside their tent and by 10 pm latest every one dozes off.

Trekking Adventure in Ladakh

Ladakh, the Himalayan city is located in Jammu and Kashmir at an altitude ranging between 1500 ft to 25000 ft. The snow laden peaks, valleys, lakes, springs and Buddhist monasteries are part of the Ladakhi culture. Snow covered mountains and thousands of miles of barren land make up this beautiful city. Ladakh’s challenging territories and diverse climate makes it trekkers favorite. The virulent conditions of the Ladakh plains which enhance the beauty of the place are inviting for anyone who is looking for that perfect adventure holiday.

Ladakh is bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Great Himalaya and the Karakoram. Ladakh lies at altitudes ranging from about 9,000 feet (2750m) at Kargil to 25,170 feet (7,672m) at Saser Kangri in the Karakoram. Summer temperatures rarely exceed

about 27 degree while winters are freezing at -20 degree celsius. Surprisingly, the sun shines throughout the year and due to such varied climatic conditions Ladakh becomes the only place where one can suffer a sunstroke and frostbite at the same time.

Ladakh has a long list of must visit places. For trekkers there is no dearth of challenges. Infact, Ladakh is a heavenly abode for adventure seekers. Acclimatization is the most important activity before heading for trekking and mountaineering. Ladakh has popular trekking destinations like Spituk to Markha Valley, Laayury gompa to Chilling and Likir to Temisgam. Rafting down the Zanskar is another exciting adventure one would like to indulge in. If trekking on a frozen river sounds thrilling then Zanskar river trek in the winter will not disappoint you.

There are many ways to get around in Ladakh. Apart from trekking on foot, you can also go for jeep safaris, mountain biking through the rugged terrains by bus or even cars. The roads in this region are in very bad condition but have been somehow made accessible to vehicular traffic. Bad roads necessitate greater preparedness from the trekkers. You should go with a seasoned guide as his familiarity with the region will be an advantage. There are many inline routes which needs government permission to enter.

The more you explore Ladakh the more there is to explore. This little corner of India puts the rest of the country as simply ‘Down’. See if you don't start doing the same thing yourself.