Ladakh, Northern India
Destination : LADAKH-SPITUK-ZINCHEN
- RUMBAK
Duration : 14 Days
13 Nights
The very name evokes all that is most
wild, mysterious and elusive in nature - for this is an animal that
comes cloaked not just in the subtle beauty of its own coat but also
in all the high drama of the harsh and magnificent environment that it
dominates.
To go looking for the snow leopard would
appear to be the most forlorn of forlorn quests and yet, it is in the
nature of such quests that the rewards lie as much in the journeying
and the search as in the stated objective. The chances of actually
seeing a snow leopard, especially in a relatively short period, are
slim indeed. The reclusive nature of the animal, the inhuman scale and
vertical topography of the habitat, the relative sparseness of snow
leopards on the ground all combine to frustrate the seeker. But the
snow leopard does not occupy this environment alone, it sits at the
apex of a rich and diverse pyramid and in searching for this master
predator you will be exploring its environment and all that live in it
in some detail.
The diverse and rare assemblage of fauna
includes the blue sheep or bharal, the staple of snow leopard diet,
ibex, kiang or wild ass, long-tailed and Himalayan marmots, Tibetan
hare, the pika or mouse hare, wolf, wild dog and fox. The skies are
patrolled by golden eagle, bearded vultures, hobbys and kestrels while
on sunny hill-slopes plump Tibetan and Himalayan snow cocks and chukor
partridge feed warily.
An attractive contrast is between these
stone-hard mountain people and the gentle and cheerful Buddhism that
they practice. You will have time to visit some of their great
monasteries as well as their picturesque villages.
Itinerary:
Day
01: Arrive in Delhi in the early hours of the morning, where
you will be met and transferred to The Park Hotel in Delhi for the
remainder of the night. Late breakfast before briefing. Afternoon
sightseeing of historic sites at Old and New Delhi. Overnight at your
hotel.
Day 02: After
breakfast fly from Delhi to Leh. Transfer to your hotel in Leh.
Balance of day at leisure to begin acclimatisation. It is important to
go SLOW as acclimatisation is critical to your enjoyment of this trek.
Overnight Leh (B,L,D).
Day 03: The
morning is again slow and at leisure. In the afternoon visit Leh, the
capital of the historic kingdom of Ladakh and the present district of
the same name. The town is a fascinating labyrinth of winding streets
and quaint bazaars. The main street is open and airy, lined with rows
of shops. On either side of the market, long lines of Ladakhi women in
traditional dress and colourful jewellery of coral and turquoise can
be seen seated behind enormous baskets, selling vegetables. The
spectacular eight-floor Leh Palace looms above the town, dominating
the landscape. It was built in the 16th century, about the same time
as the Potala in Lhasa, which it resembles. Stroll through the town,
followed by a visit to Sankar gompa, a little over a mile from the
market. This gompa is a subsidiary of Spitok gompa, having the same
head lama. Sankar is easily visited on foot from Leh, lying as it does
in Lehs suburbs. About 25 lamas of the yellow-hat sect are attached
to Sankar but only a few live here permanently. Thus, it is only open
to the public from 7 - 10 am and from 5 - 7 p.m. The Sankar gompa is
about 90 years old but is located on the site of a small temple that
was built about 500 years ago. It has a number of pure gold icons and
richly painted walls, its pictures depicting different stories,
including some from the Panchtantra. Return to the Ladakh Sarai for
dinner and overnight stay. LEH (B,L,D)
Day 04: Short
walks around Leh & neighbouring villages to continue
acclimatisation. (B,L,D). 
Day 05: Drive to
SPITUK and trek to ZINCHEN: (10,500ft/3,200m)
The trek
begins from Spituk by crossing a bridge and walking southwest of the
River Indus. The trail passes through barren countryside for about 3
hours until the Indus enters a narrow gorge at its confluence with the
Zinchen. From here, the trail climbs steadily up the Zinchen Valley,
which is lined with trees, providing sufficient shade for a rest stop.
You then reach the tiny village of Zinchen, which consists of just 4
or 5 houses. Camp overnight. CAMP
Day 06: ZINCHEN to
RUMBAK: (12,793ft/3,900m). 5 to 6 hours.
Today, you follow
the trail beside the river until the valley widens at Rumbak. After a
10-minute walk from the camp, cross the river to the right hand side.
Here, you can see golden eagle nests up in the rocks. Carry on along
the river until you reach Rumbak where youll see the snow-capped
peaks of the Stok mountains, and in summer, fields of barley, potatoes
and green vegetable that are grown by the villagers. CAMP.
Day 07: RUMBAK to
base of CHORTENCHEN: (13,480ft/4,084m)
A stiff climb takes
us to Stok La, which is at 15,840 feet and will take about 3 hours.
Here, one can see the upper Indus valley and Stok Gorge with beautiful
rock formations. Climb down to Khilchay, which is a summer pasture of
Stok village, climb over two small humps and get down to Stok Nallah.
Then walk uphill on the left bank of Stok Nallah for about twenty
minutes and enter into another summer pasture, called Chortenchan. If
extraordinarily lucky, you might see a snow leopard here. But, this
also provides the best opportunity to look for the snow leopards
primary wild prey - the bharal or blue sheep, which inhabit the steep
slopes and rocky ledges. There is also the opportunity to see wolf,
Himalayan fox, marmots and the two giant species of wild sheep Urial
and Shapu. There are also several exciting species of birds, which
include the chukor partridge, snow cocks, lammergeyer, accentors, rose
finches, redstarts, Eurasian hobbys and kestrels and several others
are seen here and, indeed, throughout the trek. CAMP.
Day 08: CHORTENCHEN
to STOK KANGRI base camp: (14,950 ft/4,600 m)
Immediately
after leaving the campsite, youll begin a steady climb for about
three hours, which takes you to the base camp of Stok Kangri. This is
a wild and rugged hollow in extreme weather will be avoided with camp
being pitched lower down. Overnight in tents at the base camp.
Day 09: STOK KANGRI
base camp:
This will be a rest day to explore the
surrounding valley, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding
peaks. There are excellent opportunities to watch a variety of birds
and see animals. Overnight at base camp.
Day 10: STOK KANGRI
base camp to STOK (11,500 ft/3,484 m) (5-6 hours trek)
Drive to LADAKH SARAH AYU (30 minutes drive)
Explore the
northeastern flanks of Stok Kangri before retracing your steps to the
main Stok Nala. The trail moves along the boulder-strewn left bank,
enters a gorge and ascends steeply up a left bank spur marked by
cairns and prayer flags. After crossing a stream draining the western
side of Stok La, continue down the Stok valley through willow groves
and alpine meadows, past the ruins of an ancient Ladakh fortress -
Styang La Khar. The gorge widens and from here it is only a couple of
hours to Stok, where vehicles await you for the drive to the Ladakh
Sarai. Time permitting, visit the Stok Palace, residence of the
descendants of the Rajas of Ladakh, which also houses a fascinating
little museum. LEH. (B,L,D)
Day 11:
Today, youll have a full day to see the major monasteries of Ladakh
Shey, Thiksey and Hemis. Shey, about 10 miles from Leh, was once the
residence of the royal family and is famous for its high gilded statue
of Buddha. The monastery has a two-floor statue of the sitting Buddha.
Shey was the former summer palace of the kings of Ladakh. The gompa,
still partially used, is being restored. There is a small library and
a collection of thankas, and some stupas and Mani walls nearby. The
12m Shakyamuni Buddha statue made of copper but gold plated, is the
largest in the region, built by King Singge Namgyal's son. Shey is
easy to get to and can be easily combined with a visit to Thiksey by
any form of transport. 12 miles from Leh, spectacularly situated, and
one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture, Thiksey is one of
the largest and most impressive gompas. There are several temples in
this gompa containing images, stupas and exquisite wall paintings. It
also houses a twenty-foot statue of Buddha, which has the main prayer
hall around its shoulder. This monastery has an outstanding collection
of art in its chambers. This gompa, part of the Gelukpa order, has an
important collection of Tibetan books in its library, some excellent
artwork and a new Maitreya temple. Its a busy place, with almost
incessant chanting and music, and there is a good chance to witness a
puja. The great views of the valleys and villages can be seen from the
roof. Twenty-five miles from Leh, Hemis is one of the richest, biggest
and most famous gompas in Ladakh. Built during 1630s, it has numerous
tankhyas, silver chortens studded with precious and semi precious
stones, and various images of Buddha. The Hemis monastery belongs to
the Drukpa order and was founded in the early 17th century. It has an
excellent library, well-preserved frescoes showing some Kashmiri
influence and good Buddha figures. Of its many frescoes here, the most
famous is the Wheel of Life. (B,L,D)
Day 12: Say
goodbye to your trekking team and this morning fly back to Delhi where
you will be met and transferred to The Park Hotel in Delhi. Rest of
the day at leisure, sightseeing or shopping. (B)
Day 13: Full day at leisure
in Delhi.
(This is also buffer day in case of delay in flying out of Leh) You will
have a day room for rest and cleaning before late evening transfer to
the airport for early morning departure home (B)
Day 14: International
departure in the early hours on British Airways and arrival in London
early morning.
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