Zangla to Lamayuru Trek
Season: July to September
Duration: 4-day drive, 9-day trek
Grade: TM 3
Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days
Destinations:
Ladakh Sarai - Kargil - Rangdum - Padum - Zangla - Hanumil - Snertse - Lingshed
- Singi LA - Base Camp - Photoksar - Hanupatta - Wanla - Lamayuru
This trek goes
into the hidden kingdom of Zanskar. The trek offers close encounters with Zanskari
life, passing interesting villages with their little gompas on practically every
day of the trek. The route also takes in eight high passes and, depending on
the time of the year, up to a dozen river crossings.
Ladakh and Zanskar form the western edge of the Tibetan plateau and are popularly
known as "Little Tibet" due to the similarity of the culture and the
high altitude desert landscape. Politically, this region forms a part of India,
though the religious head is still the Dalai Lama. The flora and fauna is also
similar to Tibet and is quite distinct from the rest of the Himalayas. The region,
being beyond the reach of the monsoon, is dry with sparse vegetation. Willow
groves and poplars are found near villages. Bushes of eidelberry, wild strawberry
and sage brush are also common. The fauna includes marmots, blue sheep and ibex
and an occasional snow leopard, besides many birds of prey.
Day 1 Drive LADAKH SARAI to KARGIL - 8 to 9 hours (194 kms):
Early in the morning start the spectacular 72 kms drive to
Alchi, along
the true right bank of the Indus river through the beautiful villages of Nimo
and Uletokpo. Take a 7 km detour off the main highway towards the 11th century
village of Alchi, which has a mass of Buddhist stupas, gompas, chortens, wooden
statues, mural paintings and great deal of religious history.
Continue another 62 km drive to
Lamayuru going past the villages of Saspol
and Khalsi. The ascent to Lamayuru gompa and beyond is simply stunning and probably
the most fascinating section of the drive. Stop for lunch and a short visit
to Lamayuru Gompa with its medieval village seemingly growing out of the rocky
hillside below it. Lamayuru belongs to the red-hat sect of Buddhism. In the
past, Lamayuru has housed up to 400 lamas, but presently there are only 30 to
50 lamas living here, although about 150 lamas belong to the gompa. The other
lamas stay and teach at Lamayuru's smaller daughter gompas located in outlying
villages. Twice a year, all the lamas gather at the gompa for general prayers,
accompanied by three days of masked dancing. These gatherings occur in the second
and fifth months of the Tibetan calendar (usually March and July).
Ancient legends say that at the time of
Sakyamuni (the
Historical Buddha), Lamayuru's valley was a clear lake where
nagas
(holy serpents) lived. The Bodhisattva
Madhyantaka foretold that the
lake would be emptied and a monastery built there. The legends continue by saying
that
Naropa, an 11th century Indian Buddhist scholar, came to Lamayuru
and spent many years meditating in a cave, which can still be seen in the main
Dukhang or assembly hall. Naropa then caused a split in the surrounding
hillside and the lake emptied through this opening. After the lake emptied,
Naropa found a dead lion previously covered by the waters of the lake. On this
spot, Naropa built the first temple at Lamayuru, the
Singhe Ghang
(Lion Mound). Other historical accounts relate that in the 10th century the
King of Ladakh ordered the building of Lamayuru gompa and placed it under the
supervision of Rinchen Zangbo.
The original gompa was composed of five buildings although only the central
one still stands. In the 16th century, Ladakh's King Jamyang Namgyal was cured
of leprosy by a lama from Tibet. In gratitude, the King gave Lamayuru gompa
to this lama and also bestowed other privileges - no taxes were collected and
the area surround the gompa was declared a sanctuary where none could be arrested.
For this reason, Ladakhis still refer to Lamayuru as
Tharpa Ling,
the "Place of Freedom".
Continue drive over
Fatu La (13,500 ft/4,116 m) the highest point on
the Leh/Sringar Highway. Descend down to the small village of Heniskut and gradually
climb to the village of Kangral. The patches of green stand out in sharp contrast
to the stark sandy coloured surrounding mountains. Further the drive will take
you to Namika La (12,500 ft).
Continue the downhill drive to Kargil through the village of
Mulbekh.
Here you come across a gigantic sculpture of
Maitreya, the future
Buddha, silent and compelling in its magnitude, carved out of the rock face.
An overnight halt is made in camp or a clean simple hotel at Kargil, Ladakh's
second largest town, with a largely Muslim population. Once a trading centre
on the route between Central Asia and the Indian plains, Kargil is situated
in a fertile valley with a multitude of fruit trees, mainly apricot and mulberry.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 2 Drive KARGIL to RANGDUM (13,120 ft/4,000 m) - 6 hours:
After an early breakfast, start the spectacular second leg of your drive through
the very fertile and agriculturally rich valleys of Sanku, Panikhar and Parkachik
of lower Baltisthan along the true left bank of Suru river. While approaching
Panikhar, gaze upon the incredible view of Nun and Kun massif, the highest peaks
in the Zanskar range. Leave behind the Muslim culture at the last village of
Parkachik, with the road winding next to the Suru river and Parkachik glacier,
descending from the north-east face of the Nun massif.
Drive another 2 hours through the "no-man's-land" to the valley of
Rangdum. The
Rangdum gompa located near the centre of a knobby hill is
visible from a distance. Overnight camp is set in the open meadow next to the
road, half an hour's walk from the gompa.
Day 3
Drive RANGDUM to PADUM (11,580 ft/3,535 m) - 7 hours: After early
breakfast, continue the drive over the dirt road towards
Pensi La (14,400
ft/4389 m). The road takes an almost 90 degree turn towards the east from
Rangdum gompa and climbs up to the Pensi La. From here far in the south, the
view of Drung Drang glacier (the source of Suru river), flanked by the massive
of Z3 (6,129 m) is a spectacular sight. Another 3 to 4 hours drive through the
Doda valley will bring us to Padum, the capital of Zanskar. Camp on the open
grassland outside the village.
Day 4 AT PADUM: Rest day. There is time to visit the
Karsha
monastery. Head towards Pibiting, then on to a dusty plain towards the Doda
river. Cross a new bridge over the river and then climb towards Karsha. There
is a beautiful
Gelug-pa (yellow hat) monastery here that dates
from the 15th century.
Also visit Bardan Gompa, a
Kagyu-pa (red-hat sect) monastery,
famous for its 180-cm high prayer wheel. A dusty road, suitable for motor traffic,
leads to Bardan. Several beautiful villages lie on the opposite bank. Overnight
camping.
Day 5 Drive PADUM to ZANGLA via THONGDE (11,975 ft/3,650 m
- 2 to 3 hours: The trail goes across the Lingti river over a metal bridge
and continues along its right bank over a wide track, which is jeepable all
the way to Zangla. Continue along the wide path to where the Lingti joins the
Doda river to form the Zanskar. The wide valley narrows down from here.
Further on, a rope bridge, now almost totally broken and impossible to cross,
goes across the Zanskar - a lone survivor in a land where rope bridges were
once common. Rope bridges are now being replaced by modern wooden or metal bridges.
From here, the Zangla village, once the capital of Zanskar, is visible and is
worth visiting. A short steep climb leads to the palace, where the royal family
still lives. Overnight camping.
Day 6 Trek ZANGLA to HANUMIL (10,995 ft/3,352 m) via PISHU
- 6 hours: Crossing over the bridge to the left side of the river, continue
the trek. The going is easy - sometimes along the river, sometimes across the
morainic plateau. Cross a bridge before Pidmo and continue to the tiny village
of Hanumil, consisting of two houses, both owned by the same family. Camp is
set in a beautiful willow grove.
Day 7 Trek HANUMIL to SNERTSE (12,300 ft/3,750 m) over PARFI LA
- 6 hours: About an hour beyond Hanumil, cross a small stream on the left
and start a steep climb away from the Zanskar river, which at this point forms
a deep gorge, across a plateau, to the foot of the
Parfi La (12,795 ft/3,900
m). A steep and arduous climb up the pass. The horses may have difficulty
in crossing the pass.
A steep descent leads to the Oma Chu, a tributary of the Zanskar river, with
crystal clear water and willow trees bordering both the banks - an excellent
rest stop. Cross a bridge and go up a 500-meter sandy slope, from where wonderful
views are available. Continue along the slope to the sheep folds of Snertse,
where camp is set for the night.
Day 8 Trek SNERTSE to LINGSHED (12,464 ft/3,800 m) over HANUMA LA
- 9 hours: A tiring day, which involves a long gradual ascent, through a
gorge, past a sheepfold, towards
Hanuma La (15,420 ft/4,700 m). The views
from the top are breathtaking. In the distance you can see Lingshed monastery,
a good 4 to 5-hour walk away. A 1000-meter steep descent is followed by a 300-meter
climb along the mountainside. From this small pass, it is an easy descent towards
Lingshed. Camp near the gompa.
Day 09 Trek LINGSHED to foot of SINGI LA (13,090 ft/3,990 m)
- 6 hours: An easy hour's climb leads to
Murgum La (13,450 ft/4,100 m).
Continue climbing, pass an escarpment then go along the slope. There are wonderful
views of the valley of Nierag on the opposite bank of the Zanskar. A gentle
descent towards the village of Gongma (12,600 ft/3,840 m) and Siumpta is followed
by a steep climb as far as the
Kiupa La (12,630 ft/3,850 m). Then climb
gradually along the mountainside up to the foot of the Singi La.
Day 10
Trek BASE CAMP to PHOTOKSAR (12,135 ft/3,700 m) over SINGI LA - 7
hours: A rather steep climb to the
Singi La (16,405 ft/5,000 m) taking
about two hours, is followed by a short descent into a broad valley. The going
is easy, then a gentle climb towards the
Bumiktse La (13,780 ft/4,200 m)
from where beautiful views are available. Descend towards Photoksar, a splendid
village at the base of the huge mountain walls. There is an abandoned gompa
some 20 minutes away above the village. Camp is set on the banks of the river,
half an hour's walk beyond.
Day 11 Trek PHOTOKSAR to HANUPATTA (11,316 ft/3,450 m) over SIRSIR
LA - 7 hours: From the village, a gentle climb leads to a large chorten,
followed by a long ascent of
Sirsir La (15,750 ft/4,800 m). An easy descent
is then made to the river. Cross onto the left bank and descend into a stony
valley. Camp a short distance before Hanupatta village.
Day 12 Trek HANUPATTA to WANLA (10,135 ft/3,090 m) - 6 hours:
From Hanupatta, continue across the slope until you enter the gorge. At the
junction of the rivers, chortens and prayer flags are seen. Go down up to a
bridge across the Yapola and on to Phenjilla. A little beyond the village, cross
again onto the left bank and continue on a flat stretch to Wanla. There is a
beautiful gompa here worth visiting. Overnight in camp.
Day 13 Trek WANLA to LAMAYURU (11,033 ft/3,364m) - 3 hours.
Drive LAMAYURU to LADAKH SARAI - 5 to 6 hours: Go up the Shillkong valley
along the right bank, cross it and then arrive at Shilla. Pass the village and
go on to a big chorten, then turn sharply to the right into a narrow and dry
gorge as far as the
Prinkti La (12,225 ft/3,726 m). An easy descent leads
to an escarpment. Crossing the river, go towards the monastery of Lamayuru.
A short climb towards the monastery leads to the road, where transport is waiting
for the drive to the Ladakh Sarai.
Zangla to Lamayuru Trek, Ladakh Tours Reservation
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