Ladakh & Markha Valley Trek – 12 Days
14 days
Age 12+
Sep, Oct, Nov
Availability 50
Trip Code:
HSIMARKHA
Country:
India
Duration:
12 Days
Trip Level:
Strenuous Treks at this level are considered challenging, the altitude reached is between 3500m to 5600m. There will be several nights rest at above 4000m of altitude. You must have a decent level of fitness in order to embark on this trek.
Max Altitude:
5,150 m / 16,892 ft
Activity:
Sightseeing and High Altitude Trekking
Starts at:
Kathmandu
Ends at:
Kathmandu
Trip Route:
New Delhi - Leh - Uletakpo Village - Lamayuru Monastery - Rumbak - Kanda-la Base Camp - Shingo - Chalak - Markha - Tahungtse - Nimaling - Chukirmo - Shang Sumdo - Leh - New Delhi
Best Season:
June, July, August, September & October
Trip Highlights
- Ladakh, otherwise known as the realm of high passes, is the perfect postcard you’ve ever dreamed with striking mountains scenery.
- Alluring high passes to cross: Kangamaru La Pass and Kanda La Pass.
- Wander in a bewitching garden of Eden – Markha Valley.
- Take contact with the Buddhist culture and visit some sacred monasteries like Hemis Monastery.
- Admire the celestial beauty of the Indian Himalaya.
Trip Information
Markha Valley is a well known trek in Ladakh India, that for the moment still succeeds to conserve its authenticity and remains an unbeaten area, if compared with its mountain peers in Nepal. One can trek for hours on its own without disturbance, except for the local Tibetan shepherds.
If you are interested in experiencing the true Tibetan culture combined with the marvelous Himalayan scenery, than Markha Valley trek is a great choice. Imagine yaks grazing on alpine pastures, a collection of sparkling white snowed summits surpassing 6,000 metres in altitude crossed by large rocky valleys and insights of the Tibetan culture – this is the essence of Markha Valley trek.
The region is still somehow secluded and was absolutely isolated from the world until the 19th century. Ladakh translates as the “land of high passes” and is a former Buddhist kingdom that had Leh as capital.
The Markha Valley Trek drives your steps along the river called Markha, who cleaves its way among gigantesque rocky mountains and builds up to a splendid valley. Inside the valley you will encounter many Tibetan settlements, Buddhist gompas and local mud-brick dwellings. This barren and wild region offers more peaceful trails and secluded, unspoiled scenery.
The top attraction point of Markha Valley is Mt. Kang Yatze skyrocketing at 6,400 metres.
Your itinerary will start with a flight from New Delhi to Leh. Once here you will be invited to visit a series of local Buddhist monasteries among which the main attraction is the Hemis Monastery. After a drive to Zingchen your trekking route will properly begin and walk you inside this vast and relatively untouched area. The two major challenges of your trek will be the crossing of the two important passes Kangamaru La Pass and Kanda La Pass, which headquarters at 5,150 metres in altitude and 4,985 metres tall.
Markha Valley Trek is a great opportunity to experience the Indian side of the Himalayas, offering an interesting blend of Tibetan culture, exhilarating landscapes and spectacular panoramas, and also enough trekking challenges to remember.
Itinerary
- Day 1 – Arrival in Delhi. Overnight at Hotel.
- Day 2 – Fly to Leh (3,500 m). Overnight at Hotel.
- Day 3 – Free Day for Acclimatization and Sightseeing in Leh. Overnight at Hotel.
- Day 4 – Sightseeing in and around Leh by Tourist Vehicle. Overnight at Hotel.
- Day 5 – Drive to Zingchen (3,400 m) and Trek to Yurutse (3,53 0m) – 5 to 6 Hours. Overnight at Tented Camp.
- Day 6 – Trek to Skiu (3,400 m) via Kanda La Pass (4,985 m) – 6 to 7 Hours. Overnight at Tented Camp.
- Day 7 – Trek to Markha (3,800 m) – 6 to 7 Hours. Overnight at Tented Camp.
- Day 8 – Trek to Thachungtse (3,589 m) – 4 to 5 Hours. Overnight at Tented Camp.
- Day 9 – Trek to Nimaling (4,700 m) – 3 to 4 Hours. Overnight at Tented Camp.
- Day 10 – Trek to Shang Sumdo via Kangamaru La Pass (5,150 m) – 5-6 Hours. And Drive to Leh – 1 Hour. Overnight at Hotel.
- Day 11 – Flight from Leh to Delhi Early in the Morning. Overnight at Hotel.
- Day 12 – Flight Departure from Delhi to Next Destination.
Day 1 - Arrival in Delhi
A Himalayan Steps representative will receive you at the airport in New Delhi and transfer you to the hotel.
Accommodation in hotel without meals.
Day 2 - Short flight to Leh, positioned at an altitude of 3,500 m
After a short flight in the morning of about one hour and half you will arrive in Leh, once a strategic trading point on the silk route. A grandiose show will develop below your eyes while you fly, as you will overfly the Himalayan range and part of the Tibetan plateau.
Start to acclimate at this altitude by wandering around Leh, visit the market, the surrounding farms and the mani walls.
Accommodation in hotel with breakfast included.
Day 3 - Acclimatization day and tour of Leh area
Today is an acclimatization day, so you have the occasion to take a ride in the neighborhoods of Leh. Visit the Alchi Monastery and its millenia old paintings, Likir monastery with its Maitreya Buddha statue, the Military Hall of Fame, the Magnetic Hill and Zanskar and Indus rivers confluence in Sangam.
Accommodation in hotel with breakfast included.
Day 4 - Gompas tour in Leh area
Today enjoy an ancient monasteries tour in the Leh region: Shey Gompa, Dresthang Gompa with its Shakyamuni Buddha effigy – the principal attraction of Leh, Thiksey Gompa belonging to Gelukspa order, Hemis Monastery belonging to Drukpa Order.
Accommodation in hotel with breakfast included.
Day 5 - Drive to Zingchen and 6 hours trek to reach Yurutse at an altitude of 3,530 m
Early in the morning take a short drive to Zingchen village to meet the horsemen. Your trekking trip starts today with the trail that slowly ascends from Zinchen along the banks of Rumbak Nala, till you reach Rumbak, the largest village in this area of Zinchen Valley and continue till you arrive in Yurutse.
Accommodation in camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 6 - 7 hours hike to Skiu placed at an altitude of 3,400 m, passing through Kanda La Pass at 4,985 m height
Today your trekking route is somehow demanding as you have to cross Ganda La Pass at 4,985 m altitude. From the pass you will have unobstructed views towards the surrounding area and Kangri massif. Than your descending will start as you head towards the Skiu Village, among the banks of Lower Markha river.
Accommodation in camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 7 - 7 hours trek to reach Markha at an elevation of 3,800 m
Today your steps will be driven cross the river towards the Markha village. The valley is rather long and your trekking day will be equally long. In your way take the time to admire the terraced farm lands and visit the small monastery of Markha.
Accommodation in camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 8 - 5 hours hike towards Thachungtse at an elevation of 3,589 m
Today you will enjoy a pleasant hike inside a beautiful part of Markha Valley. You will cross several bridges to reach Thinlespa village and Hankar village, before arriving at your final destination of the day.
Accommodation in camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 9 - 4 hours trek to arrive in Nimaling at 4,700 m altitude
Your trail route ascends slowly among the Nimaling plain and meadows, where in the summer are hosted herds of yaks, goats, sheep, dzos and horses belonging to the villages scattered all around. It’s time to meet some marmots, white-tailed hares, blue sheep or wolfs right in their home.
Accommodation in camping. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 10 - 6 hours trek to arrive in Shang Sumdo via Kongmaru La Pass, sheltered at 5,150 m altitude
Today you will cross Kongmaru La Pass and have some rewarding views from the top with snowy peaks in each direction. After that your route descends sharply, passes near the head of Martselang valley, among the springs of Chyushkarmo and heads toward the village of Shang-Sumdo. From here a vehicle will pick you up and drive you to Leh.
Accommodation in hotel with breakfast and lunch.
Day 11 - Flight to New Delhi
Short flight to Delhi in the morning, and you have the rest of the day at your disposal to explore Delhi on your own.
Accommodation in hotel with breakfast.
Day 12 - Departure day
Your tour reached its end, so today you will be transferred to the airport for the international flight towards your next destination.
Accommodation in hotel with breakfast.
Price Includes:
- Airport pick up and drop off on a tourist vehicle in Delhi and Leh
- Twin-sharing accommodation in A-class standard hotel in Leh (4 nights only) and in 3-star hotel in Delhi (2 nights only)
- Breakfast on non-trekking days and all three meals on trekking days
- Two-person 4-season alpine tents during the trek (5 nights only)
- All ground transportation for sightseeing and transfers by tourist vehicle
- An experienced and qualified English-speaking local Ladakhi trekking guide
- Complete trek arrangements with a very good cook, helpers, nice comfortable 2-men alpine trekking tents, comfortable mattresses, tables/stools, toilet tents, kitchen cum dining tent (Members will have to bring their own personal 4-season sleeping bags.)
- Mules/horses for carrying member luggage and camping equipment’s (Luggage allowance is max 8-10 kg per person.)
- Camping fee en-route and monastery entrances
- Hemis High Altitude National Park entrance fee
- All applicable taxes
Price Does not Include:
- Lunch and dinner during non-trekking days in Delhi and Leh (Depending upon your spending habit, USD 10-20 per day is enough.)
- International airfare, and Delhi-Leh-Delhi domestic airfare (Approx. USD 300 to 400 per person; fares are indicative only)
- Travel insurance that covers rescue and evacuation (Compulsory)
- Extra costs for transfers and hotel stay due to flight cancellation
- Any other sightseeing activity which is not mentioned in the itinerary
- India entry visa fees
- Alcoholic, cold and hot drinks
- Personal trekking equipment (See the Equipment tab)
- Tips for trekking staff (Tipping is expected)
- Any other expenses not mentioned in the Cost Includes section
The information below has been created so that you can use this as a guide in understanding the necessary equipment, clothing, gear, medicines and miscellaneous items required for this trekking tour. This list is of a general nature and you may decide to add or remove some of these items, please make sure that you have enough clothing to maximize your comfortability whilst on the trek.
We will provide you with a porter and a duffel bag to support and carry your heavier belongings however we do recommend that you also bring your own daypack to carry your money, personal items and any important documents.
General
- 4-season sleeping bag
- Duffel bag
- Daypack
- Down jacket
Upper Body – Head / Ears / Eyes
- Sun hat
- Wool or synthetic hat that cover the ears
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Headlamp
- Neck warmer
Hand
- Liner gloves
- Heavier shell gloves
Core Body
- T-shirts
- Lightweight expedition thermal tops
- Fleece jacket or pullover
- Water/windproof shell jacket (Preferably breathable fabric)
- Synthetic sports bras (For women)
Lower Body – Legs
- Lightweight expedition thermal bottoms
- Nylon hiking shorts
- Soft shell and hard shell trekking pants
- Water/windproof trousers
- Casual pants
Feet
- Liner socks
- Heavyweight socks
- Waterproof hiking/trekking boots
- Light shoes/sneakers/sandals
- Gaiters (For monsoon and winter)
Medicines and First Aid Kits
(Important: Our guide will already have a first aid kit which they bring with them however we also recommend that you bring some of these medicines with you in your daypack too.)
- Extra Strength Excedrin for altitude related headaches
- Ibuprofen for general aches and pains
- Immodium or Pepto Bismol capsules for upset stomach or diarrhea
- Diamox (commonly prescribed as Acetazolamide) 125 or 250mg tablets for altitude sickness
- Anti-infection ointments
- Band-aids
- Lip balm (At least SPF 20)
- Sunscreen (SPF 40)
Miscellaneous, but Important !
- Passport and extra passport photos (3 copies)
- Airline tickets
- Durable wallet/pouch for travel documents, money & passport
- Water bottle/bladder
- Water purification Iodine tablets
- Toiletry kit (Be sure to include toilet paper stored in a plastic bag, hand wipes, and liquid hand sanitizer, towel, soap, etc.)
Optional
- Adjustable trekking poles
- Favorite snack foods (No more than 2 pounds)
- Paperback books, cards, mp3 player
- Binoculars
- Cameras (Memory cards, chargers and also batteries)
- Pee bottle for men and pee funnel for woman
Helpful Tip: For the majority of these items, clothing and equipment there are numerous different brands to choose from, we recommend that you buy most of these when you fly in to India if possible because this way it can be a lot cheaper for you. If you would like any specific suggestions, please ask and we can certainly recommend those for you.
Here's a few answers to most common Questions asked by the customers.
What type of fitness or shape do I need to be in? +
The Ladakh & Markha Valley trek is physically possible for anyone that is of an average fitness level, there is no previous experience required. We generally recommend however that you train for 2-3 months in advance of your departure date and some of the activities you can do is walking or hiking, running or even better running on a treadmill at incline.
Alternatively swimming is a great choice too. Typically you should be doing at least one or a combination of these activities for an hour each time and roughly 3-4 times a week in the lead up to your trek in Nepal.
Will somebody come to pick me up at the airport upon my arrival? +
Yes, one of our staff members will be waiting at the airport with a signboard ready to collect you once you arrive and from there we will transfer you by private vehicle to the hotel.
What sort of accommodation can I expect in Delhi, Leh and in trekking? +
In Delhi and Leh, you can expect to stay in a standard room at a 3 star hotel which will include breakfast.
Whilst you are trekking you will be staying in alpine tents which will have enough space for two people including your belongings. There will also be comfortable mattresses inside the tents.
What sort of food can I expect in trekking? +
The majority of alpine tent accommodation along the trail will offer a selection of different types of food.
Some of the dishes on the breakfast menu include Cornflakes, porridge, bread, choice of egg, jam, butter, tea, coffee, chocolate drink.
For lunch you will have a choice of; Indian bread, cookies, biscuits, boiled egg, boiled potato, one chocolate, one tetra pac fruit juice and fresh fruit.
Breakfast and dinner will be freshly cooked and hot served and lunch will be box packed by our expert kitchen staff. This is an example of the menu:
Dinner will consist of the following choices: Soup, rice, chapati (Indian bread), salad, two vegetable, one dal (lentils), tuna fish, chicken, dessert
Is the food in the mountain areas prepared and cooked to an international standard in terms of safety and hygiene? +
Yes absolutely, overall the food is generally very safe to eat and cooked to a decent standard following good health and safety measures. We recommend that you eat vegetarian dishes and try some of our local cuisines too!
What types of drinking water facilities are there in the mountain areas? +
Bottled water is available to purchase along the trail and we will provide boiling water when required.
If you would like to drink normal water, make sure that you bring purification tablets and purify the water before drinking. It is possible to buy purification tablets in your hometown or alternatively in Delhi or Leh prior to your departure.
What types of transportation and vehicles do you use? +
This depends on the type of travel you are embarking on, the transportation we provide can change. Sometimes SUV vehicles, cars, minivans and buses are possible.
We can assure you that each mode of transport we provide is carefully chosen by our team to enhance your experience making sure that you have a combination of comfort and efficiency whilst travelling.
In Delhi we will have private cars or minivans depending on the group size. SUV vehicles will be used in the more mountainous regions where required.
When are the best seasons to go on this trek? +
The peak trekking seasons are usually between mid-June to mid-September.
I’m a Vegetarian. Is that a problem? +
Being vegetarian is absolutely fine because the accommodation along the trails primarily serve vegetarian meals on their menu. We generally recommend that you only eat vegetarian dishes and avoid any heavy or non-vegetarian dishes to prevent any situation of food poisoning especially in the higher altitude regions.
Do your trekking guides have trekking guide certificates as well as first aid training for high altitude? +
Yes, safety and efficiency are of huge importance to us. All of our trekking guides are highly qualified and have received the necessary trekking guide and first aid training required and each of them have certificates they have gained through a series of accredited training courses in India.
Do I have to book my own international flights to and from Delhi? +
Yes, you will need to book your own international flights between your hometown and Nepal. Himalayan Steps is a local tour operator and if the international flights were included, the cost for our tours would be substantially higher.
Can I use credit cards in the places I visit in trekking? +
We highly recommend that you exchange your currency whilst you are in Delhi or Leh into local Indian Rupees and bring this cash with you before you go trekking around the mountains as it is not possible to use credit cards.
How much additional money do I need per day? +
This can vary depending on your spending habits however in general however we recommend that you bring between 3000-5000 Indian Rupees cash to cover all expenses and if you would like to purchase water bottles, chocolates and snack as well as having hot showers.
Do I need to tip my guide and camping staff? How much would that be? +
Tipping is not required however a little thank you and something towards their hard efforts is hugely appreciated. We recommend that you spend around 10% of the total trek as extra cost towards tipping. This is usually split between the trekking guide, transportation and local staff.
How do you carry my belongings along the trail? +
We use a combination of horses and mules to carry your belongings along the trail rather than any porters.
Will there be a place to store items/clothing not required for the trek? +
The hotel in Leh will provide you with a storage facility/room to hold any of your belongings that you would not like to take on the trek and there are no additional costs, it’s available for free.
What immunizations will I need? +
We do recommend that you are immunized for Yellow Fever if possible. A dental check-up before you go to Nepal is advised along with understanding which blood group type you have.
Should you have any known medical conditions, please notify your trekking guide and our Himalayan Steps staff members.
