Majestic Ladakh

The Classic Markha Valley Trek

Main Activity : Trekking

Highlights

Enjoy incredible views of snow-capped mountains from the top of Kongmaru La.
Trek on the land of the snow leopard and the blue sheep.
Spend the nights camping near river banks under a clear night sky of Ladakh
Cross wild, barren mountain passes and trek through spectacular gorges
Magnificent views of Kang Yatse, the highest peak in the Markha Valley
Hike to the top of the Nimaling plateau and watch the stunning views of the mountains
Spectacular views of Stok Kangri from Top of Ganda La.

Overview

"Embark on an epic adventure through the breathtaking Markha Valley with Majestic Ladakh's guided trek. Traverse rugged mountain passes, picturesque villages, and awe-inspiring landscapes as you delve into the heart of the Himalayas. Immerse yourself in the rich Ladakhi culture, interact with friendly locals, and witness the stunning beauty of ancient monasteries along the way. Unleash your inner adventurer and create lifelong memories on the Markha Valley trek with Majestic Ladakh."

What to Expect

The Markha Valley trek is a classic trek in which you will cross high passes, fertile valleys and visit the locals living in the remote villages of Ladakh. A Group Leader and a trekking guide will lead you on a journey across a picturesque trail. Support staff will move ahead of the group and ensure that the campsite and the meals are prepared at the new location before the trekkers arrive. During the trek, you will follow the Markha river discovering a landscape where the lofty peaks of the Stok, Matho and Zanskar tower above picturesque Ladakhi villages and picturesque valleys.

The trail involves numerous river crossings and you would be crossing high passes such as Kongmaru La (17,060 ft). The trail offers some outstanding views of Mt Kang Yatse (21,300 ft). You would be walking by incredible rocky canyons and get a lot of opportunities to capture plenty of wildlife. While climbing up from Umlung, you see the near-perfect pyramid peak of Kang Yatse towering over everything else. The mountain will remain your companion till crossing Kongmaru La. From the Top of Kongmaru (5200 M) you can enjoy magnificent views of the Indus valley and Zanskar Ranges.

You will cross local villages with humble mud houses set amidst lush green fields. You would get to experience the Tibetan culture which thrives in this region. While trekking you would stay at campsite in every village. You would get to learn how the locals spend their lives in such remote regions.

Before returning to Leh, you can visit the Hemis Monastery which is Ladakh’s biggest and largest Monastery.

Day Wise Itinerary

Included

Excluded

Activities

Essential Info

Related
Destinations

All Destinations

Changthang Valley

Markha Valley

Sham Valley

Zanskar Valley

Photo Gallery

Fly from Delhi to Leh (3,500m / 11,483ft), the capital of Ladakh
The local team will meet you at the airport.

Transfer to a pre-booked accommodation in Leh.
Spend the rest of your day at the hotel and acclimatise to the high altitude.
overnight in Leh.

Briefing session; Excursion to Sham Valley, Overnight stay in Leh

Briefing session about high altitude travelling by the local team
Visit Magnetic hill and Patthar Sahib
Visit Sangam - the confluence of Indus & the Zanskar River
River Rafting at Sangam
Visit Alchi Monastery

Drive to zingchen (1.5 hrs); Trek to Rumbak (2.5 hrs)

The Markha valley trek will start with a short drive from Leh to Zingchen, which will be followed by a trek to the Rumbak Village
On the drive from Leh, visit Spituk, the site of the 1st Gelugpa Monastery in Ladakh
We will drive as far as the road conditions will allow to the point where you will meet the rest of the support team with the ponies
After loading up the luggage, you will start trekking into the Zingchen Gorge along the Zingchen Nala on the foot of the Stok Mountains. The trail goes straight upstream along the Zinchen Nala
Witness the spectacular rock formations towering above, as the valley widens and reveals the snow-capped peaks of the Stok mountains
Visit the village in the afternoon and taste the local delicacies such as - salty yak butter tea in one of the homestays in the village
As you look towards your left you will find a fantastic multicoloured skyline ridge at a distance.
Overnight at Rumbak

Rumbak to base of Ganda La (2-3 hrs):

Hike up the main valley past a watermill and walk across the bridge
The trail will then ascend to the valley and split into 2 ways
Take the trail on the right and walk up to the Yurutse village and continue trekking towards the Ganda La
Overnight at the base of Ganda La

Ganda La (4970 m) to Skiu (6-7 hrs):

Start trekking on a zig-zag trail early in the morning and cross the Ganda La (4,970 m)
From the top of the pass, you will get to enjoy a spectacular view of Stok Kangri which dominates the skyline, the view in front of you will be of the Zanskar range and behind will be Stok Kangri
Far below the valley, see the fields of Shingo. While descending, witness wild animals unique to Ladakh such as Marmots and the blue sheep which thrive in these habitats
The trail leading to Shingo is easy and during peak season time (June - Sep). You will also find a refreshment tent selling teas, and soft drinks.
From Shingo, the trail will take you through gorges with beautiful coloured and eroded rocks all the way to the Skiu village
At Skiu, visit the Women’s Eco Cafe which was built to support the local community and empower the local women living in these regions
Overnight stay at Skiu.

Skiu to Markha (6-7hrs)(3750 m)

Trek along the valley to reach the Markha village. The trail to Markha is easy and you will have plenty of opportunities to admire the magnificent scenery.
During the trek to Markha village, follow the river and at times will have to cross it too. There are few bridges to cross the river, however, at times you will have to wet your feet in the cold waters of the Himalayas to cross the river
Lunch will be served at Sara under the shade of a tea tent. After lunch, we will rest for a few minutes and continue trekking, and cross the settlement of Chalak
Continue walking along an impressive line of Chortens and mounds of goat horns which are placed on the chortens to ward off any evil spirits trying to enter the valley
The Markha village is a small close knit community, you will have plenty of time to explore the small monastery of the village in the afternoon or just enjoy the beauty of the landscape all around you
Overnight in Markha village

Markha to Thachungste (5-6 hrs)

The trail beyond the Markha village meets the Chacham valley
Cross one or two rivers crossing during your trek to Thachungste. On the way to Thachungste, visit the Tache Gompa which is perched on a cliff face. A steep 10 minutes climb will lead you to the monastery and stunning views from the monastery will make an effort worthwhile
Continuing your trek up the valley, you will cross Umlung village to Hankar
From Hankar the trail turns away from the main valley and climbs up a small side valley past the ruins of Hankar Fort before descending to Upper Hankar
Follow the Nimaling stream into Thachungste, the place where you would be camping for the night
If you are lucky you might see the Blue sheep high up in the grazing area above the campsite
Overnight in Thachungste

Thachungtse to Nimaling (4,854m) (5 hrs)

Today you will trek a short but tough route to reach Nimaling. The trail will climb steeply to a plateau where the valley opens out.
Witness the spectacular views of Kang Yatse (6,400 m), the highest peak in the valley. People do not live permanently in this region, however, during the summer months, the shepherds bring their flocks of goats, sheep and dzos (A hybrid of Cow - Yak) to graze on the pastures. The shepherds during the summer stay in stone shelters close to the grazing area.
You can often buy yoghurt or local cheese from shepherds if you are doing the Markha valley trek during the summer seasons in Ladakh (May-Sep).
Reach Nimaling by lunchtime and the support team will set up the camp. Spend your time exploring the Kang Yatse region behind the campsite.
We would suggest that you look after your edibles and belongings when in camp. The animals grazing on the pasture land are brought down during the evenings and you may have them wandering around in the campsite during the evening
Overnight at Nimaling

Nimaling to Chokdo (3,980 m); Cross the Kongmaru La (5286 m) (6-7 hrs)

Cross the Kongmaru La which is the second-highest peak (5,286 m). The ascend will be long and steep with trail zigzagging to the top of the pass
The views from the top will make the ascent worthwhile as you can see the Kang Yatse, Dzo Jongo East and West and Regoni Malari
The path from the top of the pass is steep, after which you will enter a spectacular gorge to descend gradually to the valley at the bottom
Pass through Chuskurmo, and cross several streams and rivers to enter the village of Chokodo
Overnight in Chokodo

Trek ends near Hemis National Park; Drive to Leh:

The local team will pick you up from the Chokodo, and drive to Hemis Monastery
At times the road to Hemis gets blocked, in these situations, you will take a short hike to Hemis on the jeep track. The Hemis monastery is the largest and the richest monastery in Ladakh
The Monastery was built in the 17th century and is located in the Indus Valley
It boasts of a spectacular copper statue of Buddha and beautiful paintings, Stupas, articles, and amazing Thangkas depicting various aspects of Buddhist culture
In the month of June - July you can experience the Hemis festival which is a riot of colours and fiesta. During the festival, you can enjoy the Chham Dance or the Mask Dance of Ladakh
After spending some time in Hemis Monastery, start your return journey to Leh which will take about an hour
Overnight at Leh.

Leisure day at Leh:

Early morning visit to the Shanti Stupa to watch the sunrise
Visit the Leh Palace
Spend the rest of your day at leisure exploring the old Leh market and buying souvenirs
Overnight at Leh

Departure.

Our Local team will drop you at the airport for your onward flight