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Lahul /
Zanskar / Padum - (14days)
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 The
Lahul valley in India's Himachal state is renowned for
its classic high-altitude landscape occasionally
dotted with lush forests and terraced fields, and a
profusion of wildflowers. People from the Lahul valley
are likely to usually be something between Hindu,
Buddhist, animist, and shaman. The contrast on this
trek is fascinating. The second half takes you to
Zanskar, which is profoundly remote - in the winter
for months it can be snowed out of the normal access
routes, and the only way to get to it, and around it,
is over the treacherous but beautiful frozen river.
Zanskar is known for its spectacular gorges, which in
the summer enable brilliant rafting. It is a
wonderfully complete, actually insular until recently,
mountain culture, combining Tibetan influences with
those from the rest of Kashmir, and highland Pakistan.
The landscape here is like a Tibet in intense
miniature, with bluer skies and lakes, starker cliffs,
sharper-edged mountains, and lusher oases. The prayer
flags keep fluttering, and the mani walls, chhorten,
monasteries and prayer wheels add a sense of calm and
composure to even the most jaded traveller. This trek
offers real isolation and a varied cultural
experience.
Tentative Program
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Day |
Program |
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Day 01 |
Arrive at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International
Airport and transfer to hotel. |
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Day 02 |
Make
the 550km-long drive to Manali (2,050 m) in the Kullu
valley through the north Indian plains, parts of the
Punjab, and the valleys of the large Beas and Sutlej
rivers. |
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Day
03 |
Drive
through the easy, wooded Himachal landscape up over
the Rohtang pass (3,978 m) to the charming small town
of Udaipur in Lahaul. Spend the night either at the
Rest House, or in camp.
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Day
04 |
Walk
through the lush Miyar valley, often encoutering
scores of brightly and subtly coloured wildflowers to
reach Chamrat (2,950 m). |
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Day
05 |
Another easy day's walk takes you through typical
stone-and-trees Lahuli countryside brings you to the
pretty, prosperous village of Urgos (3,250 m). |
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Day
06 |
Although today's destination is quite high, (Tharang,
3,250 m), the walk up to it is fairly standard, and a
field and flower-filled day awaits you. |
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Day
07 |
Meadows and pastures with little streams and more
fields and wildflowers take you to Gumbah (3,900 m). |
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Day
08 |
Today
marks the transition from high-but-green, to high
altitude desert as you make your way to Miyar Nala's
Base Camp (4,200 m). Now the walking gets difficult,
as you make your way over rocky, narrow, high, and
sometimes traverse scree slopes to reach camp. |
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Day
09 |
This
is a full-on glacier walk that brings you to Glacier
Camp (4,600 m) at the base of the pass. |
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Day
10 |
Cross
the challenging Kang La (5,450 m) on a trail that will
test your skill and nerves to descend to the Base Camp
(4,500 m) on the other side. This is the awe-inspiring
Zanskar, walking up a narrowing valley and realising
that this is for real, the massive mountains of slate
and granite, snow and ice, and the deep deep gorge
through which the river flows.
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Day
11 |
Walk
into the heart of Zanskar, up to the brilliant Burdun
Gompa, near where the last camp of this trek will be
set up. |
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Day
12 |
Walk
along a wide, almost motorable trail to the road head
at Padum.
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Day
13 |
Drive
into Leh, an historic old trading town with echoes of
Lhasa sthat is replete with excellently preserved
old-style buildings and monasteries, an old mosque, as
well as the first real polo ground in the world.
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Day
14 |
Fly
out to Delhi first thing in the morning, go on a quick
sightseeing tour around Delhi, and catch your flight
back home. |
Cost on your request
Cost quoted on itineraries
includes:
Accommodation in Leh in B category hotel on full
board basis (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Arrival and Departure transfer by non-a/c jeep/ car
in Leh
Full board during the trek section of the tour
English-speaking Ladakhi mountain guide for trekking
Cook, ponies (where needed), and porters
Complete kitchen gear and all supplies including
gasoline
All tents for camping
Accommodation in Delhi in budget hotel with AC
rooms.
Cost
quoted does not include:
Lunch and dinner in Delhi ($ 5-10 per day per
person)
Rescue in case of emergency
Medical and personal insurance
Tips, laundry, all drinks, telephone calls if any
Sleeping bags/ ropes/ crampon/ ice-axe/ other gear
Inner-line permit fee (US$12 per person)
Delhi-Leh-Delhi airfare (Current fare is US$164 one
way)
Please note: The airfare is subject to change without
prior notice.
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Highlights
of the Tour |
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Duration |
: 14
days total |
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Season |
:
Mar-May, Sep-Nov |
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Hotel |
: 3
Star in Delhi |
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Price |
:
on your request |
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Discount |
: |
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Valid
till |
:
2009-12-31 |
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Spectular
Views |
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