Chadar Trek :Walking in frozen river of Zanskar, India

Region: Zanskar Best Time Mid January to Mid February
Max. Altitude: 3850m Takeover Point: Delhi.

Walking on Frozen river of Zanskar is an ultimate experience for adventure lover. The traditional name of the trek is "Chadar trek" the frozen sheet, which was only way in and out for Zanskaris in winter when all other ways are closed due to heavy snow fall at high passes. Therefore, it had been trade route for centuries for Zanskari People. Now the route is also famous as winter trekking among adventure lovers. We are organizing this winter trek with trained local Zanskari potters and our well-experienced guide and staff.

The coldest temperatures may shudder your bodies in the mornings when the temperatures are often at their lowest. You'll be up at 8AM and we start walking around 9:30AM. By then the days are typically sunny with blue sky although cold and truly fresh! Of course, by now you'll be spellbound by your surroundings all over again and so easily will forget the discomforts of cold. As the sun climbs higher, temperatures become not only tolerable but pleasant and you'll no longer will be preoccupied with weather, enjoying the surroundings with zest.

Highlights: This is a trek into some of the most isolated yet inhabited regions in the Zanskar mountains, most notably the village of Lingshed. Trekking on ice, the frozen Zanskar River, we average five to seven hours daily at an easy pace but a reasonable degree of physical fitness is needed to sustain walking for nine days during winter conditions. The trek commences from the village of Chiling located not far from the confluence of Indus and the Zanskar River. The trek follows the river gorge through a spectacular landscape, a photographer’s paradise, offering occasional sighting of wildlife. Although pleasant on clear, sunny days, the weather conditions can change abruptly, with wind temperatures known to plummet minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. Chiling and Lingshed are the only sizeable villages on this trek, all the rest are names of places and caves along the route.

Detailed Itinerary : 24 Days.

Day 1: Early morning flight Delhi to Leh, transfer to hotel and rest. Morning sightseeing - Shanti Stupa, and Sangkar Gompa; lunch at hotel, afternoon rest.
Day 2: Leh to Chiling (by private bus or jeeps) along with our porters from Pishu village of Zanskar, 5 hours; visit coppersmithing workshops.
Day 3: Walk on ice of the frozen Zanskar river, Chadar, commences from Chiling, stage one to Zaribago, 5 hours.
Day 4: Zaribago to Deepyokma 4 hours.
Day 5: Deepyokma to Nyrakpulu 4 to 5 hours; camp below Nyarak village, ten minutes up along a small stream.
Day 6: Nyarakpulu to Lingshed, one hour walk on Chadar, then 5 hours steeply up to Lingshed village; stay in private house, relax in a heated room. Visit monastery, school for monks, roam around the village.
Day 7: Ligshed to Nyarakpulu, 5 hours.
Day 8: Nyarakpulu to Tsomopaldar, 4 hours.
Day 9: Tsomopaldar to Tilatdo, 5 hours.
Day 10: Tilatdo to Chiling, and return by jeep to Leh, 5 hours.
Day 11: Return flight to Delhi.

Detailed Itinerary : 11 Days.
Day 01: ARRIVE LEH

Arrive in Leh in the morning and transfer to the hotel. Day at leisure. We strongly recommend the clients to rest the whole day in order to acclimatize faster to the attitude. O/n Hotel.

Day 02: LEH - NIMOO - CHILLING

Post breakfast drive to Nimoo. Visit Basgo monastery and local villages.
Morning drive to Chilling along the river Zanskar. This takes about 02-hour’s approx. O/n at Chilling. This day distribute the luggage amongst the porters and getting acquainted with the local villagers.

Day 03: TREK START: CHILLING - TELAT DO BAGO (Ice-Trek) (Bago men’s Caves).

This day of the ice-trek leads us to Telat Do Bago (Bago is cave in local dilect). This place is well known for its rich wood available-, which gives us an opportunity for a campfire. We will also come across atleast five to six caves at Telat Sumdo. Each cave can accomodate six to seven persons. They are of the radius of 5to 6 meters. If you are lucky, then you may come across a snow leopard.

Day 04: TELAT DO BEGO - MARKALAGA BAGO (Ice- Trek)
On the second day of the trek, we arrive at Maraklaga Bago-the place of the white caves.(Maraklaga is white clay in local dialect). Enroute we will stop at shingraks lunch.

Day 05: MARAKLAGA BAGO - TIB BAGO (Ice- Trek)
This day of the trek is through Rocky Mountains. Enroute we will also stop at Tsomodo, which has links with Tibet. Lunch break will be at Tutu Rong. Tib Bago is the largest cave in this route. It said to accomodate atleast fifty people together. Tib means shadow in local dialect-this place does not recieve any sunshine throughout the whole year.

Day 06: TIB BAGO - NERAK PULU (Ice Trek)

This day of trek leads to Nerak Pulu -the Shepherd camp. This place is used by the local shepherds, who stops here for few days to take an account of their cattle,before proceeding further down to Tib Bago.

Day 07: NERAK PULU - LINGSHED OR SHALADO (Ice Trek)

This day of the trek is also the hardest day of the trek. Stop enroute at shalado for lunch. Follow the same route to return to Leh (on arrival in Chilling, over night at Chilling and the following day, drive straight to Leh) / fly out by helicopter to Leh. Or Nerak pulu to Shalado overnight at Lingshed/Shalado.

Day 8: SHALODO - PIKMO (Ice Trek)

This day you are enter to Zanskar area there is around 50 Family houses and a small monastery which is belongs to Gelukpa society.At Camp/Local House.

Day 09: PIKMO - ZANGLA (Ice Trek)
Zangla is the former capital of the King of Zanskar.

Day 10: ZANGLA - PADUM (Ice Trek)

This day early in the morning after the breakfast you can visit Zangla gompa and trek to Padum overnight in the Hotel/Guest House. Sightseeing around Padum Overnight Hotel/Guest House.

Day 14 to Day 21: PADUM - CHILLING
(8 Days trek on the same ice route to Chilling).

Day 22: Drive CHILLING - LEH Overnight hotel at Leh.

Day 23: AT LEH. O/n at hotel.

Day 24: LEH – DELHI. Transfer to Leh airport to board the flight to Delhi.