Mount Kang Yatse II 6270 meters

• Mountaineering
• Trekking
• Cultural experiences
• Meet and greet
• Wilderness Camping

• Airfares.
• Personal equipment and personal Sleeping bags
• Any additional transport or activities apart from the trip itinerary.
• Travel Insurance.
• Expenses rising through unforeseen conditions like bad weather, natural calamities, flight cancellations, etc
• Rescue and evacuation services.
• Expenses of any personal nature like phone calls, drinks, cigarettes, souvenirs, laundry, etc.
• Tips.
• Anything not explicitly mentioned in inclusion.

Add Ons:

• Special Personal equipments and accessories for Expedition

• Accommodation: Locally hosted and managed accommodation during the trip
• All transport as mentioned in the itinerary with experienced drive
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary. Only breakfasts in Leh. All meals on the trek
• Experienced Trek Leader, lead climber and support crew for the entire trek
• Climb and Camping Gear, Kitchen Equipment, Ration and Fuel for the trek.
• Basic Climbing equipment such as Harness, Ice axe, crampons
• Horses or Mules for transporting client baggage and camping gear
• Porterage for max 15 Kgs per guest
• All Climbing Permits and Monastery Entrances

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.

Drive to Shey palace, a Short walk to Thiksey monastery

• Visit the Shey Palace, a former royal palace of the Ladakh kings and witness the 350-year-old copper and gold statue of Buddha.
• Walk on fields (approx 2 hours) on a good level trail to Thiksey monastery perched on top of a hill.
• Explore the temples( one of the temples there is a 15-metre high statue of the Future Buddha), courtyards of the monastery and meet the red-robed monks who live in the monastery.
• Overnight in Leh

 Drive to  Skyu (3150m). Trek to Sara (3350m) & Overnight stay in Skui Campsite

•  Start in the morning for Skyu village which falls after the Kaya Village.
• Cross the Zanskar river.
• Continue trekking from Skyu to reach the Sara Campsite. (Duration: 3 Hours).
• The Village of Kaya Do and Skui are two hamlets which are adjacent to each other on the right of the Markha river.

Follow the river to Markha (3750 m) & Overnight stay in Markha village

• 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

Trek to Thachungste; visit Tache Gompa, Overnight in Thachungste 

• The trail beyond the Markha village meets the Chacham valley
• Cross one or two rivers crossing during your trek to Thachungste. One 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 the 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

Trek to Kang Yatse 2 Base Camp (5000 m)

• The Kang Yatse 2 base camp is at a short distance from Nimaling and you will be covering the distance within 3 - 4 hours. As we are considerably at high altitude now, you will be spending the rest of the days getting acclimated and getting our gears ready for the summit climb up ahead.
• Trekking time: 2-3 hrs
• Overnight Camp.

Rest and Acclimatization:

• Today is a buffer day, we keep a day before the summit climb as a buffer day in order to accommodate any change in the weather conditions. We will conduct practice sessions on summit climbing in which you will be asked to wear crampons, gaiters, harnesses, and snow boots along with the safety ropes. You can spend the day resting to get yourself ready for the summit climb during the night.

Climb Kang Yatse 2 and Descend to Base Camp. Rest:

• The Summit push will start by midnight the previous night. You will start climbing from the base camp on a well-marked trail until you reach the top of the ridge. During the climb, you will find the terrain changing to loose scree and moraine. From the ridge, you will climb up to the ablation Zone of the glacier on the north face of Kang Yatse 2. After a short climb of 100 M to the morian ridge, we will rope up and enter the glacier.
• We will transverse the north face toward the northwest ridge while steadily climbing upwards. Once you climb the northwest ridger we will climb straight above a rocky outcropping and then follow the ridge to the summit.
• Depending on the condition of the weather and the distance we have covered during the night of the previous day, we will reach the summit of the Kang Yatse early in the morning. It will take us about 10 - 12 hours to make a complete round trip to the summit.
• After a tedious climb to the summit and back, you will spend the rest of the day resting in the base camp.
• Trekking time: 10-12 hrs
• Overnight Camp.

Buffer Day/ Trek back to Nimaling.

• A Buffer Day to counter any unpredictable weather or any such emergencies.
• Terk to Nimaling.
• Overnight in Nimalaing

Cross the Kongmaru La (5286 m), Drive to Leh & spend overnight

• 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
• The local team will pick you up from the Chokodo, and drive to Leh
• Overnight in Leh

Departure.

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

Guidelines Do’s & Don'ts

• Give your body enough time to adjust to the high altitude/acclimation.
• Avoid sleeping during the day & get enough sleep at night.
• Avoid frequent smoking or drinking alcohol.
• Respect and greet the locals with Jullay (pronounced joo-lay which means Hello).
• Wear respectable outfits during your visit to sacred sites/ Monasteries.
• Kindly read the Monastery guidelines before entering a monastery.
• Ladakhi people will always be ready to help you. So, it's advisable to travel with a smile and greet Jullay.

Save the Himalayas: Follow the leave no trace policy

Majestic Ladakh proudly supports the ‘Leave no trace policy’ for our majestic Himalayas. We request you to follow the below guidelines and help us in preserving the splendid natural beauty of our country:

• Carry personal water bottles throughout the tour as locals will be always happy to provide water to refill & basically free of cost at restaurants and hotels.
• Advisable to carry a water bottle with a filter as you can refill it while travelling to any part of Ladakh.
• DZOMSA stalls are also available for refilling water bottles at just ₹7 per litre.
• Use reusable shopping bags in Leh market as plastics are totally banned in Ladakh as they are harmful to our environment.
• Do not litter. Bring back your own trash.
• Let nature’s sounds prevail; avoid loud voices and noises.

Safety during the Expedition: 

• The Equipment used during the expedition is UIAA certified.
• Our Expedition Leaders are advanced mountaineering course qualified and are trained in rescue procedures from leading mountaineering institutes and certified first-aid responders.
• Local guides who will accompany the group are certified first-aid responders and the support staff are trained in 1st Aid.
• The expedition team carries Oxygen cylinders which can be used if any medical emergency arises.

Recommended stay & food options available  

• During the kang Yatse II expedition, you will be staying in Moving camps. 
• On a full service moving camps the support staff erects and dismantles the tents at different places selected for an overnight stay. Apart from the basic facilities such as hot water to drink, the staff also carries oxygen cylinders in case of a medical emergency at high altitudes. As the camp does not carry drinking water you will be camping close to the river/ stream where fresh running water is available for cooking. 
• There will be a basic toilet, shower and dining tent.
• Stay in Leh and other cities:- Twin sharing rooms are provided.
• Single rooms can be requested for a supplement and is subject to availability

In a moving camp the breakfast, lunch and dinner will be prepared by the cook travelling with the group. Meals options are mentioned below: 

● Breakfast - porridge, cereals, eggs and toast with plenty of tea, coffee or hot chocolate

● Lunch - a picnic lunch with soup, various kinds of local breads, cheese, eggs, tinned

fish, meat and fruit as per the availability.

● Afternoon snack - tea and biscuits on arrival at camp

● Dinner - usually soup, pasta, rice or potato-based main course with fresh vegetables, followed by dessert, tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Weather in Ladakh

Generally the weather is good in Ladakh during the Summer, with warm to very hot sunny days (temperatures can reach up to 30ºC/35ºC), and cool to cold nights depending on the altitude.

• There is, however, always the possibility of rain, and snow at higher altitudes, and you should be prepared for this. Ladakh, though technically part of the Tibetan Plateau and classified as a high altitude desert, can and does occasionally experience the effects of the Indian monsoon.

What is AMS?

Acute mountain sickness (AMS), is the negative health effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. Symptoms may include headaches, vomiting, tiredness, trouble sleeping, and dizziness.

How to avoid AMS?

• Give your body enough time to adjust to the high altitude/acclimation
• Get enough sleep and eat healthy food
• Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol

If you suffer from any respiratory or health-related issues, please let the tour guide know before the start of the tour.

How is the mobile connectivity in Ladakh?

Only Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh registered pre-paid sims are serviceable in Ladakh. The following services providers/services are active in Ladakh:

• Airtel: Postpaid service
• Jio: Postpaid & pre on post-service
• BSNL: Postpaid service

You can buy and activate a new sim in Leh.

What things should I carry for the trip?

Following are the list of essentials that you should carry:

Base Layers:

- Lightweight  Underwear (3-4 pairs)

  

Mid Layers:

- Soft Shell Jacket (to be worn over other layers)

- Soft Shell Pants (breathable and water-repellant)

- Lightweight Nylon Pants (1-2 pairs)

Windproof/Rain Layers:

- Hard Shell Jacket with hoodie (waterproof and breathable)

- Hard Shell Pants (waterproof and breathable)

Insulation Layers:

- Heavyweight Insulated Down Jacket with hoodie

- Insulated Pants

  

Headwear:

- Warm Hat (synthetic or wool)

- Balaclava (for protection in high winds)

- Baseball Cap or other sun hat

- Bandana or Buff (to protect neck/face from sun)

  

Eyewear:

- Glacier Glasses (full protection)

- Ski Goggles (for high winds)

  

Gloves:

- Lightweight Synthetic Liner Gloves

- Soft Shell Gloves

- Shell Glove with Insulated Liner

- Expedition Mitts

  

Footwear:

- Liner Socks (3-4pairs)

- Wool or Synthetic Socks (3-4pairs)

- Mountaineering Boots (double layer recommended) G2SM La Sportiva boots 

- Hiking Shoes/Boots

- Camp Boots (optional)

- Gaiters (optional)

  

Sleeping Equipment:

- Sleeping Bag (rated to at least -20°F)

- Earplugs

  

Mountaineering Gear:

- Trash Compactor Bags

- Backpack Rain Cover (optional)

- Trekking Backpack minimum 45 litre 

- Trekking Poles (optional)

- Ice Axe (short, max 60cm)  (optional)

- Crampons  (optional)

- Climbing Helmet  (optional)

- Accessory Cord

- Alpine Climbing Harness (optional) 

- Carabiners

- Belay/Rappel Device

- Headlamp

  

Travel Items:

- Large Duffel Bag with Lock

- Carry-on Backpack (optional)

- Travel Clothes

- Lightweight journal, sketchbook, pencils, pen (all optional) 

- cash

- Additional Food Items

  

Other Equipment:

- Water Bottles (2 or 3)

- Water Treatment

- Thermos-1

- Hand/Foot Warmers (optional)

- Sunscreen

- Lip Screen (2 sticks)

- Toiletry Bag

- Pee Bottle

- Female Urination Device (FUD)

- Knife or Multi-tool (optional)

- Small Personal First-aid Kit

- Medications and Prescriptions

- Handkerchiefs/Bandanas (optional)

How are the restaurants in  Leh?

You can find plenty of restaurants in Leh serving Ladakhi,  Indian, Kashmiri, Tibetan, Korean, Italian and continental food. There are always plenty of choices for both vegetarians and meat-eaters. Please keep about £70-100 (US $110-160) for food.

Do try the Ladakhi cuisine like vegetable momos or thukpa during your time in Leh!