Markha Valley Tour
Duration : 18 Days / 17 Nights
Destinations : Delhi - Leh - Spitok - Jingchan - Yurutse - Skiu - Markha - Thachunche - Nimaling - Shang - Shumdho - Hemis - Alchi - Basgo
Day : 1 Delhi - Leh
Early morning having the b/f fly to leh on arrival transferred by rep. Rest Day free for acclimatization Overnight.
Day : 2 Leh Full Day Sightseeing
(Shey, Thiksey, Hemis):- Shey was the old capital and the home of the kings of ladakh before the new capital became established in leh the palace sits in a strategic position on a spur jutting out into the indus valley. The main temple contains a large buddha statue sculpted by nepalese craftsmen. Thiksey, this large gompa is an impressive sight, situated on top of a craggy hill while the rest of the complex sprawls down beneath it. It was founded in the 15th century by gelukpa monks. Stok, this has been the royal palace since the king was dethroned by the dogras and is now the home of the last king’s widow. Then proceeding towards the famous gompa in this area, around 35 km far from leh, this monastery has become famous because of its spectacular annual festival. This is the largest and richest of ladakh’s monastery the gompa was founded in the 17th century and is sometimes called chang chubb sang ling, the solitary palace of the compassionate ones’ it belongs to the kagyupa sect inside the monastery you see the impressive image of guru padmasambhava which is in a temple behind the dukhang. Overnight.
Day 3 : Leh Fullday Sightseeing
Fullday sightseeing of spitok, shanti, sankar gompa, spituk was the first gelukpa (yellow hat) monastery to be established in ladakh. Richen zangpo predicted that a monastery would be founded here that would set and example to the other monasteries in the land. As it is situated on top of a small hill there is good view over the indus valley.shanti stupa visible from most of the town this new stupa was officially opened in 1985 the peace pagoda is part of the legacy of the japanese fuji guru. Overnight
Day 4 : Leh - Spitok - Jingchan
(11,154 FT/3380 M) - the trek begins on this Day. The car will drive you spitok village about 15 minutes drive 7 kms from leh. Start trek from spituk to jingchin for the first two hours you will be walking on flat surface which is good for acclimatization later you will enter into the jingchin valley following the river on the left bank up stred jinchen is small village with one family divided into three houses. Afternoon to explore around jinchen & acclimatization. Meal & overnight camp.
Day 5 : Jingchan - Yurutse
(13520 FT/4,120M) : the trek after breakfast start trek, the initial part of the trail gradually ascends it is one of the beautiful walks & is also know as the snow-leopard area & you may come across lot of wild life on this Days walk. At the end of the gorge you will reach rumbak village & from here on the trail continues on the right to the tiny settlements on yurutse.camp is set a little beyond this at the foot of gandhala.
Day 6 : Yurutse - Skiu
(9900FT/3145M): the trek the climb to gandhala (16,097 ft/4,878m) is not as steep as that of the previous Day’s to stokla, but it is longer from the pass a spectacular panorama of white fringed mountains merging into distant tanges os the karakorakm, is revealed. The trail descends steadily to the head of the skiu valley where a number of rivulets join to from a small stream. The broad grassy shoulders of the upper valley where sharply to the pinched waist at sumdho with its few houses and fiends at the junction of a small stream with skiu nala. From here the river swoops exuberantly down a tight, narrow gorge choked with willow and wild rose with the trail leaping from bank to bank all the way to village of skiu on banks of lower markha and the campsite. Sinne skiu is only at about 9,900-ft/3,000 m and the markha valley is quite narrow. The temperature is higher here. At dusk just as the evening shadows begin to envelop the valley it is worth walking back along the trail where the skiu nala meets the markha to visit a small monastery cared for by an old nun who comes here every morning and evening to light the butter lamps at the alter of "chambha"-the future buddha.
Day 7 : Skiu - Markha
(13,078 FT/4,878M) : A very pleasant walk up one of the loveliest sections of the markha valley. Markha is one of the biggest in this valley. The way through woody bushes thickly along the river which is a spanned by several small bridges over which the trail marches to thinlespa. The camp is set after thinlespa 1 n half hrs we set the camp beneath the markha village the land scap is very nice evening we enjoy and drink local wine with villager’s. the camp along with markha river.
Day 8 : Markha - Thachunche
(14,862FT/4,878M) : The trail continues eastwards, climbing steadily up the valley through the picturesque village of markha and its interesting monastery, which is worth visiting. Coming in from the south is the trail from rubering la one of the routes to zangla in zanskar, from markha the country changes and the and the warm relatively heavily wooded section of the lower markha is left behind the camp below the twin villages of lower and upper hankar is distinctively cooler than at thinlespa. Between the two villages is a ruined fort the wall of which climb sharply up a crag to an eerie of a lookout tower worth visiting for those with an exceptionally good head for heights.camp after 3 kl from hankar village. En route we pass some small villages you can say that houses. This trek is little bit ascending and we watch the wild animals like himalayan marmot, deer. And white tail hare. Over night stay near by a small stream. That one comes from the base of kansyatse.
Day 9 : Thachunche - Nimaling
16,097FT/4,878 M) The trek from thachunche camp joins the normal trail back to nimaling past villages seemingly poorer than those of lower areas do. The nimaling plain is a broad undulating meadow which slopes upward to the base of ice clad kangyatse, which dominate the area. Nimaling with tiny ponds and rivulets flowing all over its meadows, you find numbers of animals like yak, dzos, sheep, goats, horses and himalayan marmots and white tailed hares are seen.
Day 10 : Nimaling
Today we have the rest Day explored the beautiful area.
Day 11 : Nimaling - Shang Sumdho
(13,230-FT/3,973 M) : 7-8 hrs. Crossing to the north of markha begins the climb up to the highest of the 03 passes kongmarula (17,409-ft/5,274 m). The trail descends steeply to the head of martselang valley pasty the sulphur springs of chuskyurmo and follows the martselang stream to the village of sumdho at the confluence of the shang nala and the martselang. Overnight in camping.
Day 12 : Sumdho - Hemis - Leh
(11,200 FT/3,400 M) : 3-4 hrs an easy descent mainly along the true left bank of the martselang to where it broadens into the valley of the indus at the village of martselang. The jeep waits for you at the village of martselang and drives you hemis monastery. Hemis is one of the most important monasteries in ladakh. The largest and wealthiest. It is popularly known for the famous fair in ladakh.
Day 13 : Leh - Alchi - Basgo
5-6 hrs drive, Today we visit the famous painting monastery. This monastery built in the 11th century it is a treasure trove of early buddhist art in the kashmiri tradition a style quite different from the tibetan art found in ladakh's other monastery. Also unlike other gompas it is hidden down by the river rather than in the more usual elevated position, this may explain why It wasn't destroyed by the various invaders who have passed by through-out the centuries. After visit alchi we proceeding to the basgo village this is a small village we enjoy the local food n local culture with the villagers. Overnight at local house.
Day 14 : Basgo - Leh
Having b/f we drive to leh en route visit the likir and phyang monastery. Over night hotel at leh.
Day 15 : Leh
After breakfast half-Day white water rafting trip on he indus river. Return to leh in to time for lunch at the hotel. Rest of the Day free to explore the local market and shopping. Overnight at hotel.
Day 16 : Leh - Delhi
Early morning transfer to airport for flight to delhi. Meeting & assistance by our staff at delhi airport, optional local sightseeing can be arranged this Day.
Day 17 : Delhi
Day free for individual activities. Check out.
Day 18 : Dep. Delhi
In time transfer to international airport for flight to onward destination.