The Zanskar Chadar Trek - Frozen
An incomparably exiting trek on the frozen river Zanskar in the heart of the ‘Ladakh’ Indian Himalaya, in the middle of winter : That's the Zanskar Chadar Trek! This post will take you through the Frozen icy river beds at Zanskar. So, lets get going!
Calling the winter in Ladakh ‘harsh’ is a bit of an understatement. With average minimum temperatures in the coldest part of winter (Jan. & Feb.) hovering between – 20 and – 35 degrees Celsius, this high altitude hauntingly beautiful land closely resembles some semi-arctic wilderness. Smothered in this deep freeze, life, however, doesn’t come to a standstill. Since time immemorial, the denizens of Ladakh have adapted themselves to the will of the elements and the primeval ebb and flow of the seasons and evolved a way of life, which is in complete harmony with nature.
One Of The Torrid Trails Of The Chadar Trek
The ‘Chadar’ is a perfect example of this resourcefulness of the Ladakhis and their indomitable spirit, in the face of such daunting odds. The term ‘Chadar’ means blanket in the local language, thereby giving an indication to the nature of this whole experience. Large sections of the river Zanskar, which is one of the mightiest rivers in Ladakh, freeze over in the dead of winter and are covered by a thick blanket of ice. This frozen blanket or ‘Chadar’ is the only way in and out for Zanskaris in winter, when the road and various other caravan routes are closed due to heavy snowfall blocking the high passes.
It has been their traditional trade route in winter for Centuries. The seven to eight days walk from chilling to Padum is both challenging as well as an incomparably exiting experience. The landscape aquires a pristine grandeur in winter as the trail enters into the gorge of the Zanskar, where temperatures sometimes drop to –30 to - 35 Degree Celsius.
Staying overnight in Caves, with a small bonfire for warmth and walking on the frozen river is the ultimate high for adventure lovers.
Another plus point of doing this trek in the middle of winter is the heightened chance of coming across some of the area’s famed wildlife…including the possibility of sighting the elusive Himalayan snow leopard. All in all…a once in a lifetime experience.
TREK OVERVIEW:
The trek begins from Chilling, which can easily be reached from Leh by Taxi and from Chilling; it enters into a gorge and proceeds on the frozen river up to Pidmo. From there a couple of days walking brings one to Padum, the principal township of Zanskar. As the road between Padum and Leh is cut off due to heavy snow at this time of the year, it is not possible to travel back to Leh by Taxi. The alternative is to arrange a helicopter from Padum to Manali or walk back to Leh by same route.
ROUGH TOUR ITINERARY:
Day 01 (17th January, 2012) : Fly Delhi/Leh
Arrive in Leh by the early morning flight from New Delhi. Traditional Ladakhi welcome by Mystic Himalayan Trails representative and hotel check in. Rest of the day for relaxation to aid your acclimatisation to the high altitude. (O/N in hotel).
Day 02 (18th January, 2012) : In Leh
Sight seeing tour of Leh city including that of the sixteenth century palace and Gompa (monastery). Visit to Basgo fort.
Day 03 (19th January, 2012) : Leh – Chilling - Tilat Do
Drive from Leh to the village of Chilling, and onwards along a rough road to Tilat Do, which is our camp spot for the night and is the confluence of the Zanskar and Khurna rivers. (O /n in a cave or Camp)
Walking Through The Blanket Of Ice On Chadar
Day 04 (20th January, 2012) : Tilat Do/Paldar Sumdo. (O/N in cave.)
Today, we step onto the ice for the first time on the trek. The feeling of stepping on the frozen river Zanskar is a little unsettling at first, but we soon get into a rhythm and follow our local Zanskari guides in their movements. We trek till Paldar sumdo, where we camp for the night. (O/n Camp or cave)
Day 05 (21st January, 2012) : Paldar Sumdo/Nerak Pullu. (O/N in cave.)
Day 06 (22nd January, 2012) : Nerak Pullu/Hanumur. (O/N in cave.)
Day 07 (23rd January, 2012) : Hanumur to Pishu, which is a quaint, charming little Zanskari village. (O/N in a tent.)
Day 08 (24th January, 2012) : Pishu to Karsha. The Karsha Gompa has the distinction of being the largest monastery in Zanskar. It is often described as being sublime in its grandeur.( O/N in tent.)
Day 09 (25th January, 2012) : Karsha to Padum.
This day we reach Padum, the regional capital of Zanskar and the goal of our journey. Our visit should hopefully coincide with the Losar (Tibetan New Year’s) celebration. Visit to local villages and gompas, including the erstwhile kingdom of Zangla. (O/N in tent).
Day 10 (26th January, 2012): Padum – Zangla - Padum
This day we either embark on a daylong hike to Zangla or just rest and relax in Padum, exploring the town. Zangla, which was the seat of the erstwhile ruler of Zanskar, is located across the river and can be only reached after a hair raising crossing over a rudimentary suspension bridge. We return to Padum by late afternoon and take rest for our onward journey, back to Leh. (Overnight in Padum)
Day 11 to Day 18 (28th January to 4th February, 2012): Padum – Leh
Over these days, we shall retrace our journey over the frozen river…sometimes battling with the elements and at others, treasuring the hauntingly beautiful winter-scape of the Zanskar gorge. Who knows, with a stroke of luck, we may even run across the elusive ‘Grey ghost of the Himalaya’ – the enigmatic snow leopard; before returning to Leh on day 19, to conclude our trek. (Overnight in a hotel at Leh)
Day 19 (5th February, 2012) : In Leh
We utilise a full day in Leh, either to just relax or to explore the surrounding sights and sounds and try out the few restaurants that might still be open in the heart of winter. (Overnight in hotel)
Day 20 (6th February, 2012): Leh – New Delhi
Morning transfer to the Leh airport, after breakfast, for your return flight to New Delhi.
BON VOYAGE
P.S : For detailed itinerary, Essentials and Trek Costing, please click on this link :
http://www.terrainspotter.
Zanskari porters ferrying loads on impromptu Home Made Sleds on the Chadar
It has been their traditional trade route in winter for Centuries. The seven to eight days walk from chilling to Padum is both challenging as well as an incomparably exiting experience. The landscape aquires a pristine grandeur in winter as the trail enters into the gorge of the Zanskar, where temperatures sometimes drop to –30 to - 35 Degree Celsius.
Closure
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(Rahul Ogra - Founder - Mystic Himalayan Trails)
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