Arrive in Delhi, India
Transfer to 5 Star Hotel Vasant Continental
Upon arrival to Delhi International Airport, you will be greeted outside the customs and immigrations area.  From there, you will be transferred to the Hotel Vasant 5 start.

Fly from Delhi to Leh, Explore Leh, Hotel Omasilla
An early morning transfer to the domestic airport for the 5:40am flight to Leh. If the weather is clear, there should be magnificent views of the Himalaya and Karakoram. Upon arrival, transfer to the peaceful surroundings of the Hotel Omasila.  The remainder of the day is free for rest, to explore the surrounding area, and to acclimatize.  Leh is the capital of Ladakh and was once a stop on the Asian “Silk Route”.  You may wish to stroll in the Leh bazaar, where there are many shops selling locally producted Ladakhi, Tibetan, and Kashmiri goods.

Tour of Ladakh’s Monasteries, Hotel Omasilla
Ladakh’s monasteries have played a pioneering role in preserving the ancient Buddhist culture and spreading the message of peace and non-violence in this trans-Himalayan region.  They once were the center of all cultural, social and religious activity, and the wealth of rich art and culture remaining in these Gompas are witness to the material richness of Tibetan Buddhism.

Today we’ll visit the monasteries of Shey, Thiksey, and Stakna returning to Leh in the late afternoon.  Shey, the former palace of Upper Ladakh, is situated at the top of a hill and commands a breathtaking view of the Indus River.  The palace contains a massive statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha – the biggest of its kind in Ladakh.

We’ll also visit famous Thiksey monastery, said to be a blessed site and the most well know “Gelugpa”, or yellow sect, Gompa of all.  The oldest portion of the building is reputed to date back to the 11th century, and a breathtaking view from the top enables us to see the palaces and monasteries of Leh.  Our final stop is Staknasetting on a 60 meter high isolated rock in the center of the Indus valley.  It was repainted in 1982 and is now one of the most colorful and bright Gompa’s in Ladakh.

After a day of exploration, we will return to the hotel for dinner and reflect on our initial experiences of Leh and the Ladakhi culture. This evening we’ll prepare for our trek that begins tomorrow.

Chilling (10,660ft) to Skiu (10,880ft), Camping
Today we begin the trek!  Enjoy a warm breakfast as we gather our gear and then we head out for a 2 hour drive through the lush green valleys of Leh to Chilling. This village is known for producing some of the finest metalwork in all of Ladakh.  We will cross the Zanskar on the cable car and meet our pack horses and crew.  An easy 3 ½ hour walk past the village of Kaya will bring us to our first night’s rest in the village of Skiu.

• Shuttle to trailhead [2 hours]
  
• Walk to Skiu [3 ½ hours; 220 ft. net elevation gain]

Skiu (10,880ft) to Markha (12,140ft), Camping
Today is a long but relatively level trekking day ascending only 1000 ft over 10 miles.  We will pass through Chaluk and Tunespa with wonderful views down the valley.  Approaching Markha we will get our first glimpse of the snow-capped slopes of Kang Yaze - Nimaling (21,000 ft).  This magnificent mountain commands the view for the next two days.  Arrival into the village of Markha begins our 2 night rest stop!   Trek time: 6 Hrs; 10 miles

• Trek to Markha [6 Hrs; 10 miles; 1260 net ft. elevation gain]

Rest Day at Markha
Sleep-in, explore, interact with local villagers over a cup of tea & visit the monastery.   The Markha School provides an opportunity to interact with the students and gain an understanding of the education system of Ladakh.  Enjoy the remainder of the day to rest up for Gongmaru La Pass.

• Rest Day

Markha (12,140ft) to Thachungtse (13,620ft), Camping
The trail splits and we continue on the left side of the valley.  A large rock spire marks the head of the Zhumlan Valley, the start of the most demanding part of the trek that ends in Zanskar.  We will visit Hankar  Yogma village & Monastery.  A short climb up to the Umlung Gompa will provide an epic view of the valley floor before arriving into camp.

• Trek to Thachungtse [5 Hrs; 9 miles; 1480 ft. net elevation gain]

Thachungtse (13,620ft) to Nimaling (15,490ft), Camping
Just beyond Thachungtse, the broad valley narrows as we gain elevation. The river is seen from afar as we pass by a small lake and cross the green pastures to Nimaling. This one of the most beautiful high valleys of Ladakh!

• Trek to Nimaling [5 Hrs; 8 miles; 1870 ft. net elevation gain]

Nimaling (15,490ft) to Chuskurmo (13,350ft), Camping
Today we reward our efforts to the days prior by reaching our highest point of the trek.  We climb along the mountainside then zigzag up to the GONGMARU LA at the height of 16,730 ft.  From the pass you will see the amazing Zanskar Range and the vertical ice wall of the North Face of Kang Yaz.  A couple of easy stream crossings and then we arrive into our basecamp at Chuskurmo.

• Trek to Chuskurmo [5 Hrs; 11 miles; 2140 ft. net elevation loss]

Chuskurmo (13,350ft) to Shang Sumdo (12,010ft), Camping
Travel along the riverbed and pass a series of Chortens on your way to Shang Sumdo.  An easy descent will bring us into our camp at Shang Sumdo.  Our campsite is beautifully situated in front of farmhouses with a series of irrigation channels flowing around the grassy site. The village gompa is a short 20 minute walk up the valley. Trek Time:  3.5Hrs; 5 miles

• Trek to Shang Sumdo [3.5 Hrs; 5 miles; 1340 ft. net elevation loss]

Shang Sumdo (12,010ft) to Martselang (12,139), Hotel Omasilla
From Shang Sumdo it is an easy walk to the end of the trek.  Upon arrival into Martselang we will take a short drive to the Hemis Monastery before our drive back to Leh.  HEMIS MONASTERY, located 40 km from Leh, is the wealthiest, most well-known and biggest Gompa of Ladakh. Its popularity stems from the annual festival held here in the summer. The festival is in honor of Guru Padma Sambhav’s birth anniversary. It is home to the largest Thangkha in Ladakh, which is unfurled once in 12 years.

Hemis was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal, an illustrious ruler of Ladakh. It flourished under the Namgyal dynasty as the royalty favored the Drugpa sect, which managed the monastery. The Monastery is divided into two, the assembly hall on the right and the main temple on the left. The hall Dukhang also known as the “green room” is used by local dancers during the festival. The temple is known as Tshogkhang. The varandahs have a surfeit of frescoes, among them the Buddhist ‘Wheel of Life’ (Kalachakra) and the lords of the four quarters, besides the prayer wheel.  Trek time 3 Hrs; 6 miles

• Trek to Martselong [3 Hrs; 6 miles; 129 ft. net elevation gain]

Explore Leh, Hotel Vasant Continental
Sleep-in, relax, visit the market and witness the advancement of spring of the Leh countryside.  The evening brings us together for our final dinner – reflections of our journey shared amongst our new friends.

• Rest and Explore Leh Day
  

Leh to Delhi, Airport Transfer, Trip Conclusion
We take an early morning flight to Delhi. Upon arrival to Delhi we transfer to Hotel Vasant Continental 5*. Enjoy a cool swim at the pool or explore the streets of Delhi. Transfer to the airport for those departing to the U.S. late that evening / very early morning.

• Transfer to Delhi, Trip Conclusion, Airport Transfer