LAMAYURU - STOK TREK

Season: May to September
Duration: 7 days trek
Grade: Moderate

Ladakh occupies a very strategic position in Asia, presenting as a frontier province of India where three international border meet, while in the past some of the busiest trade route of central Asia criss crossed here. Two of the world's mightiest mountain range: The Karakoram and the Great Himalayan surround it in the north and south respectively. Geographically the northwestern extension of high and dry Tibetan plateau. Consequently, rainfall is scant and the general terrestrial features of the area are dry and deserted like. Ladakh is alive repository dwindling Tibetan culture heritage. Thousands of religious and cultural monuments in the form of monasteries, nunneries and hermitages dot its eerie terrain. It is in the Ladakh alone one can still savoring the variety and beauty of unique and self-contained Himalayan Civilization.

Day 01: Arrival in Delhi
Arrive Delhi met upon arrival and transfer to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 02: Delhi/Leh (Flight)
Transfer to domestic airport to broad flight fro Leh (3,300 m). Leh is situated on the banks of the River Indus. Arrive and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 03: Leh Sight Seeing
Morning after breakfast leave for half-day tour of Leh palace, Leh Gompa and market. After lunch excursion to Spituk, Phyang and Shankar monastery. Overnight in hotel.

Day 04: Leh/Lamayuru
Drive Lamayuru, enroute visit Likir and Alchi gompas. Arrive Lamayuru, visit gompa. Overnight stay in camp.

Day 05: Lamayuru /Prinkit La/Wanla (Trek)
From the monastery, go down towards the village, cross a stream, gentle climb across the mountainside, then a little valley towards the Prinkiti La (3,750 m), which is crossed after a short climb. Go down a narrow gorge to the village of Shilla. Cross a river on a bridge, then on the right bank to Wanla. Overnight camp.

Day 06: Wanla/Phenjila/Hinju (Trek)
Go along the left bank of the Yapola for 2 hours until reaching the village of Phenjila, after crossing the river (bridge). From Phenjila, go up a valley leading off at right northeast. After one hour, leave a valley on the left, then another hour to Hinju. Overnight camp.

Day 07: Hinju/Konzke-La/Sumda (Trek)
From Hinju, go up the main valley, pass the last mountain pasture, then leave one or two valleys on the left and climb up the pass. From the pass of Konzke-La (4,950 m) long descent to pastures, then keep on the left bank along the mountainside. Other pastures (Circular Wall). The path gets close to the river. A little before Sumda, on the opposite Wall, can be seen a blocked up cave. Several good campsites at the edge of the river. Continue on the left along the mountainside to Sumda. Overnight camp.

Day 08: Sumda/Dhundhuntse-La/Chilling (Trek)
From Sumda, carry on the main valley (which changes direction after 1 ½ hours); the path becomes more difficult to follow until reaching shelter formed by the rocks. Opposite these small houses, there is a bridge, cross it and start climbing the Dhundhuntse-La. Shelter and pastures half way up, then steep climb up to the pass (4,800 m). Beautiful view from there, go down along the mountainside (South) then down the slope (steep). You reach a house high up in the valley. Then take a valley, which gets narrower and narrower until reaching Chilling. Not very much water along this stretch. The inhabitants of Chilling are the only ones to works with metals such as copper, tin, silver used for making of ladles, tchang pots, tea pots etc. Overnight camp.

Day 09: Chilling/Shingo (Trek)
From Chilling follow the Zanskar River upstream for several hundred meters. Cross the river in a cable car, and then take a good path until Skaya (2 ½ hours). A little beyond the village, go into a narrow valley. Three hours after Skaya, you arrive in Shingo, 2-3 hours, and good campsite. Overnight in camp.

Day 10: Shingo/Ganda-La/Rumbek (Trek)
From Shingo, long easy climb to the Ganda-La (4,700 m, 2 hours), then easy descent into a beautiful valley. Pass the little village of Yurutse. Cross the river onto the right bank, then go along the mountainside until you cross an escarpment which leads into valley of Rumbak (small gompa). Overnight in camp.

Day 11: Rumbak/Stok-La/Stok/Leh (Trek/Jeep)
From Rumbak, follow this beautiful, gently sloping valley. Then very steep and difficult footpath rises in sharp zigzag up the Stok-La (4,900 m). From the pass, steep descent to the summer pasture belonging to the inhabitants of Stok, then easy going, half an hour beyond the camp. You reach the river, which comes down from the Stok Kangri Massif. Follow the left ban of this river as far as Stok. Overnight in camp.

Day 12: Leh/Delhi/Onward Destination (Flight)
Transfer to airport for the flight to Delhi. Drop to international airport.