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Spiti
Trail, Leh to Kaza - (23days)
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 This
remote area of Himachal Pradesh was only recently
opened up to trekkers. The Spiti Valley is remarkable
because you can cross from the Himalaya through to the
trans-Himalaya without having to ascend a major pass.
Some of the settlements in this fascinating region
were historically key centers of the Buddhist world.
Not surprisingly there are monasteries here to rival
the grandest in Tibet, Zanskar, and Ladakh, with
brilliant statuary, frescoes, murals, and rock
carvings. The area combines Tibetan influences with
those from the rest of Kashmir, and highland Pakistan.
The landscape here displays much lushness and many
wildflowers, but soon gives way to classic
trans-Himalayan and Tibetan features - painfully clear
skies, bright blue lakes, stark granite and limestone
cliffs, sharp-edged snowy mountains. The prayer flags
fluttering, and the mani walls, chhorten, monasteries
and prayer wheels add a sense of calm and composure to
even the most jaded traveller. The people look like
the descendents of marriages between Tibetans and
other Central Asians, and Afghans and Iranians, and
they speak a centuries-old version of Tibetan.
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 |
Fly
to Leh (3,500 m), enjoying the spectacular view of
towering 5-7,000 m peaks, the high-altitude desert,
the river snaking through it, and the green, yellow,
and pink patches of cultivated land. Spend the day
acclimatising in this Lhasa-like town. |
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Day
03 |
On
the drive from Leh to Rumtse (4,325 m), stop at
historic, beautiful palaces and monasteries. Shey,
which was the ancient capital of Ladakh, is home to an
old crumbling palace, and also a brilliant temple with
well-kept stunningly paitned murals and 11th century
statuary. Thikse, a 15th century monastery perched, as
they so often are, on a hill smack in the middle of a
wide valley, offers great, shimmering views as well as
some of the best religious architecture in this part
of the world. The palace at Stok, occupied by the
rulers of Ladakh after it became independent in 1843,
is now home to a excellent museum, replete with
thangka and statues as well as the props of royalty
and religion - chalices and jewellery, for example. |
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Day
04 |
It's
not a hard walk today, though you do need to ford the
river a couple of times to reach Kyamer. |
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Day
05 |
You
need to have your wits about you today, as you make
the rather hard climb up to two high passes, Kumur La
(4,770 m) and Mandal Chan La (4,850 m). |
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Day
06 |
Walk
past the river and along gorges, scramble a little and
walk the edge of a little cliff to cross the Shibuk La
(4,900 m). The area is home to blue sheep and wild
asses and you might be able to spot some as you walk
to Pangunagu (4,100 m) near Tso Kar lake. |
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Day
07 |
As
you walk along the shores of the lake (4,260 m), keep
an eye out for the many exotic forms of bird life
here. There are black-necked cranes, among others, on
the way to Nuruchan. |
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Day
08 |
Today
you get into Changpa country, and it is inspiring to
see these hardy people in their old-fashioned skin
tents taking all the challenges of life as they come
along. The camp at Rachun Karu is fairly remote, and
all the more exciting for it, |
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Day
09 |
There's a high pass today, but the views from the top
of Kyamayuri La (5,410 m) of the massive desert dotted
with the occasional bright field or shimmering
monastery are pure magic. Camp at Gyama. |
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Day
10 |
Another high pass today - Yalung Nyau La (5,450 m) -
tests your stamina and walking skills. Keep your eyes
on the prize when you reach the top; the famous
blindingly blue lake Tso Moriri, which attracts some
spectacular bird life including the otherwise elsuive
bar-headed geese, is tantalisingly close. Descend to
Karzok. |
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Day
11 |
The
area around Tso Moriri lake, which is where bar-headed
geese nest in the Himalaya, is classic high-altitude
country, complete with a pass, and the lake itself is
lovely, aquamarine and serene. The Karzok monastery is
vibrant and well-preserved, and between that and the
lake, today might be one of the most perfect days on
this trek. |
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Day
12 |
Today
you walk along the banks of the lovely lake to reach
its southern tip at Kyangdam, where you camp. |
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Day
13 |
Today
is an interesting day - at least one heavy dity river
crossing, but also the chance to see entire herds of
kyang, or wild asses, and other local wildlife on the
way to Nurbhu Sumdo.
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Day
14 |
Walk
along the new river, the Parang Chu climbing easily to
camp at Getpa Buzak. |
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Day
15 |
A
pleasant day's walk, today you go along gently
undulating paths and slowly reach Tharang Yokma.
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Day
16 |
Typical trans-Himalayan country makes today a
brilliant study in light and shade, as the hills of
granite and limestone change colour and caste shadows
along the riverbanks on the way to Kharsa Gongma.
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Day
17 |
Another day that you start with a river crossing also
includes trailing along the lateral moraine of a
glacier with lots of scree, boulders, rock and ice to
reach the highest pass on this trek, indeed one of the
highest most trekkers cross in Ladakh/ Zanskar/ Spiti,
the Parang La (5,800 m). Then its a scrabbly,
extremely steep - but quick! - descent o Dak Ldan. |
|
Day
18 |
Descend through a narrow, fairytale gorge only to have
to climb steeply up to the Thangltak pastures, where
you camp for the night. |
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Day
19 |
A
little pass, a river crossing, but an all in all easy
walk brings you to the roadhead at Kibber which, at
4,200 m, is one of the highest permanent settlements
in the world. Drive down to the pretty Ki gomba on the
way to Kaza (3,640 m). |
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Day
20 |
Drive
over the good roads built by the Indian army crossing
the 4,500 m- Kunzum La as well as the famous Rohtang
Pass (3,880 m) to reach the bustling tourist centre of
Manali. |
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Day
21 |
A day
to recover from the rigours of your high altitude trek
is well spent in Manali. Here is a pleasant old temple
set in a glade atop a hill, an Old Town where all the
houses and stone-paved alleys are as they have been
for centuries, and a wonderful hot spring centre at
Vashisht where you can soak away your aches. |
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Day
22 |
Make
the 550 km-long drive through the valleys of the large
Beas and Sutlej rivers, through parts of the Punjab
and the north Indian plains to reach Delhi. |
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Day
23 |
Transfer to New Delhi's international airport for 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 |
: 23
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
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