Trek Itinerary: Phey to Chilling
Namgial shared the following description of the group's trek:
This short trek has has some spectacular scenery, including giant rock pinnacles, beetling cliffs, narrow defiles, prayer-flagged passes and evidence of a much older civilization, the history of which has been lost in antiquity. As you trek up the valley, there are the ruins of many forts and castles, some built in some pretty unlikely places! It is a fairly short trek, crossing a pass of over 16,000ft, in the Zanskar range, Kang Yatse, 21,000ft.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
30/4 : DRIVE TO PHEY, TREK TO ZINGCHEN. After breakfast we drive to Phey bridge and we cross the bridge over the Indus river and meet up with the horseman. The trek begins here and follows the Indus for a short distance, before striking out for the mountains. You soon enter the narrow gorge that leads to the first camp at Zingchen.
1/5:TREK TO RUMBAK: 4 hours ,You will follow the trail beside the river till the valley widens at Rumbak junction. Where we will stay for the night. We have hotel lunch at Rumbak then in the late afternoon visit the village.
2/5: We follow valley up stream where you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Stok mountains. Take the right fork of the river and continue to the very small village of Yurutse. The purple and green rock formations are quite impressive. Continue past the village to the base camp of Kanda La.
3/5 :TREK TO SHINGO : 5-6 hours. (11,200ft). The climb over the Kanda La is not as steep as that up to the Stok La, but it is a bit longer. From the top of the pass there is a fabulous view of snow-capped peaks. The descent into the Shingo valley is steady. The wide pastures at the top of the valley closesinto a narrow 'waist' at Shingo, where there is a stream junction and a few houses and fields.
4/5 : SHINGO-SKU : 4 hours (9900ft) From here the river swoops exuberantly down the tight narrow gorge choked with willow and wild rose, with the trail following, swapping from bank to bank as it goes. The village of Skiu is at only 9,900ft, and the Markha Valley here is narrow, so the temperatures can soar. We camp at Skiu, and at dusk it is worth climbing back up the valley to where the Skiu Nala meets the Markha river. Here there is a small monastery cared for by an old nun who comes every evening to light the candles at the altar of 'Chamba', the future Buddha.
5/5 :TREK TO LAMAGURU, Drive to Leh. A very pleasant walk down to one of the loveliest sections of this trek passing through Kaya village. We cross pulley over Zangskar river. Your transport will meet and transfer to Kider house.
END OF HAPPY TREKKING!