STOK KANGRI AND THE MARKHA VALLEY
India
led by Emma Jack
18 July - 9 August 2009
Details of this year's trek can be found on the KE Adventure Travel website - Stok Kangri and the Markha Valley
(local agent Rimo Expeditions)
Markha Valley and Stok Kangri at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail: Share and Plan your Trips
Day 1 Fly to Delhi from London Heathrow with Air India.
Day 2 Rendezvous at the group hotel.
Sightseeing tour of the city after
lunch including Humayun's tomb and a carpet shop. Pass
India Gate, the Bahai Temple and Lal Qila (Red Fort).
Day 3 Transfer to the domestic airport
for 1
hour flight northwards, across the Himalaya, to Leh, where we transfer to the
group hotel. Afternoon free in Leh.
Day 4 Visit Phyang monastery
where there was a festival taking place and Spituk monastery.
Dinner in the 'Tibetan Kitchen'.
Day 5 A full day's sightseeing tour.
Visit some of
the area's most important monasteries, at Thikse,
Hemis and Shey.
Day 6 Drive up to the Khardung La (5380m / 17,650ft), one of the world's highest road passes. Great
views of the Karakoram peaks, then return to the hotel in Leh.
Day 7 Whitewater rafting
trip on the Indus on the way to our first camp at the
village of Chilling.
Day 8 Cross the Zanskar on a box and cable bridge,
meet our crew and trek beside the river to a junction with the Markha River
which we follow to Skiu. (3400m / 11,155ft). Lunch at Skaya.
Day 9 More river crossings today as we follow the
Markha stream passing several ancient ruins to reach our camp at the village of
Markha. Lunch at Chalick.
Day 10 Pass more impressive monasteries, trekking
to the village of Hangkar. Camp at 4000
metres. Lunch at Umlu. Visit monastery ruin and
swim in river.
Day 11 A shorter day today climbing up to the Nimaling
Plain. The scenery opens out as we traverse around to the north side of 6400
metre high Kang Yatze. Camp at 4740 metres (15,420
feet).
Day 12 Day hike to a view
point on the north-west ridge of Kang Yatze. A second night at our camp on the
Nimaling Plain.
Day 13 Crossing the Chikorma
La with views of the Karakoram. We then descend via a
narrow gorge of contorted rock formations to a camp.
Day 14 Leaving the Markha Valley trail we head west up
a tributary valley to the Gyuncho La (4600m) and
descend to camp at Shang Po (4350m / 14,270ft).
Day 15 Today we cross the Shang La
(4800m), descending to the Tokpo River and continue trekking generally
downhill to Gangpoche (4320m / 14,170ft).
Day 16 We trek to the Mato La
(4800m) and descend. From here we have a short trek up valley to our
basecamp for Stok Kangri. Camp at 4900 metres (16,075 feet).
Day 17 Trek to high camp (5500m).
Practice ice climbing skills.
Day 18 Summit
Stok Kangri from high camp,
starting to walk at 3am. Summit views include the
Karakoram, Tibetan peaks and a bird's eye view of the Indus Valley. Return to basecamp.
Day 19 We descend directly to Stok Village, with its
fields of barley and buckwheat.
Day 20 Jeeps arrive in morning
and we transfer to Leh where we check
back in to the group hotel.
Shop and final meal in 'The Pizzeria' in evening.
Day 21 Today we take the flight southwards across the
main chain of the Indian Himalaya to Delhi. Transfer to the group hotel.
Explore Delhi a bit more using the Metro.
Day 22 A full day's visit to Agra. Visit Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in the morning, and Itimadud-Daula (baby Taj) and Sikandra in the afternoon.
Day 23
Check in at Delhi airport
in the morning for flight back to London Heathrow.