| ACTIVITES IN LEH |
IGOO KHASPANG-SEKTI – THIKSEY
The Igoo Khaspang-Sekti trek promises to be one of the most beautiful trekking routes in the vicinity of the camp. Though it’s a short walk, it presents an experience completely unparalleled in terms of natural beauty, spiritualism and altitude gain in a short span.
Most residents belong to the Drug-Pa sect of Buddhism (under Hemis Monastery) and their main occupation is farming or learning the nuances of a spiritual life. The excursion begins with a drive to the top of scenic and quaint Igoo-Khaspang village, from where you walk to the Khaspang Meditation Retreat at an altitude of 4,445mts.
The building houses a small gompa. Enjoy a relaxing cup of tea and soak in the warm sunshine and the wilderness that abounds, while you take pleasure in sighting Chukar and Tibetan Partridges.
Following a visit to the complex, continue walking up the rolling hills to the Khaspang La Pass. After a relaxed lunch at the pass, the walk takes you further downhill to reach the rustic Sakti village. From this pinnacle, the Hemis valley, Chemday village, Sakti village and the Wari La Pass all spread out like a visual feast.
From Sakti village, continue by surface to the camp. En route, you have the option of visiting Chemday Monastery. Originally a palace, it was offered as a ritual offering on the death of King Sengge Namgyal. Here, admire centuries old murals and statues, other than its old charm.
EXCURSION TYPE: A guided trek.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: Full day.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 02 hours 40 minutes (round trip.)
ALTITUDE: Khaspang Meditation Retreat – 4,445m. ( 14,669 ft) Khaspang La – 4,745m(15,659ft )
PHYSICAL RATING: Demanding. Not suitable for people with heart problem, asthma. Suitable for those who indulge in activities like hiking and trekking.
MINIMUM AGE: 14 above.
SEASON: June to early October. The mountain passes get very cold up till the month of
June hence our tours are conducted in the warmer months. Although end September
and early October can also be chilly.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable, warm clothing along with a pair of good walking shoes.
Carry sunscreen and a hat.
People opting for this activity must be well acclimatised prior to it.
LEH: AN ANCIENT CITY – THIKSEY
Leh city lies 22 kms north-east from our Thiksey camp location and basks in the shadow of the imposing 17th century nine storey Leh Palace.
Our well-curated Leh City Heritage Walk takes you on a journey catching a glimpse of the daily lives of the Ladakhi people. Take a walk through a labyrinth of lanes of Leh city as you trundle through Moti Bazaar where everything, from daily rations to surplus army clothing, inexpensive Chinese smuggled goods and locally spun clothing and religious ritualistic items, can be sourced.
Explore a whole lane selling locally grown organic agricultural produce. Walk back in time as we revisit a side lane that opens up to the central boulevard with many curio shops selling hand-woven rugs, carpets and pashmina shawls. Stroll past old chortens and ruins of what used to be the then Minister’s house, the then tax collector’s house and the then old merchant’s lane.
Souvenirs from Ladakh may include the famed pashmina shawls and stoles, Tibetan prayer flags, prayer beads and wheels and symbolic thanka paintings. Glace upon Tibetan silver jewelry and traditional Ladakhi hand crafted heirloom – kau (traditional necklace) – studded with semi-precious stones including emerald, jade and turquoise. Indulge in the brewing of sheer chai at the nearby street, savor a sip-they pair perfectly with a hot just-out-of-the-oven khameere roti made by the Balti bakers in chutay rantak, the nearby baker’s street.
Your walk concludes near Chubi village where your vehicle will drive you up towards Shanti Stupa, (Memorial for Peace) perched upon a great vantage point over Leh and overlooking a spectacular view of the Stok Kangri.
EXCURSION TYPE: A guided walk.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: Half day.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 22 kms (01 hour 30 minutes round trip.)
ALTITUDE: 3500 m.
PHYSICAL RATING: Easy to moderate. At times you have to trace your way through narrow alley
stairways along busy bazaars.
MINIMUM AGE: 06 years and above.
SEASON: May to early October. Leh town remains open throughout the year although
the market is best visited during the tourist season.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable walking shoes.
Carry a jumper or a light jacket as evenings may get chilly.
It is advisable to have cash in hand for the bazaar trip.
UNFOLD ANTIQUITY AT STOK – THIKSEY
This excursion is ideally suited for clients who want to enjoy a short hiking experience in the Trans-Himalayas. The walk is easy as well as scenic.
Stok village lies immediately to the south of Leh. It serves as the residence of the present king of Ladakh. There is a small museum inside the palace which has beautiful artifacts of antiquity and significance. After a visit to the Stok Palace, we drive to the village from where the vehicles
drop us at the start of the famous Stok Kangri trek. The walk is on a well designated path through the Great High Altitude Hemis National Park, one of the largest national parks in South
East Asia.
One would traverse along many high mountain ridges and parallel to a glacial stream that brings water to the Stok village from the snow melt at the Stok Kangri. These ridges are very popular with wildlife enthusiasts for the rare fauna of the Trans Himalayas namely the Snow Leopard, Ibex, Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Argali, Tibetan Urial and Blue Sheep and the locals, who are allowed to take their livestock up to a certain range inside the national park.
On this walk, one passes the barren grey landscape, very typical of Ladakh. Following the glacial
stream we cross ruins of ancient watch towers, small chortens, maneys to where the ascent to the Chang ma Pass 13,087 ft begins.
After lunch we proceed back to the village and take a short drive to a 120 years old traditional
house. It is believed that the ancestors of the family played the role of accountant in the then king’s court, keeping report of all bartered products such as barley, cattle et al. It’s a special place as it serves as a living museum. Enjoy a rare opportunity of viewing a great contrast between ancient and contemporary way of life here in Ladakh. After visiting the old house, guests are offered a refreshing glass of home-brewed beer or Chhang as the locals call it or a hot cup of tea and homemade biscuits.
EXCURSION TYPE: Visit to monument and short village walk.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: Full day.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 01 hour 40 minutes round trip
ALTITUDE: 3610 m (11,913 ft)
PHYSICAL RATING: Easy to moderate
MINIMUM AGE: 10 years and above.
SEASON: Mid May to early October.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable, warm clothing along with a pair of good walking shoes.
Carry sunscreen and a hat. People opting for this activity must be well acclimatised prior to it.
JULLEY! TO THE FOLKS: THIKSEY VILLAGE WALK – THIKSEY
Rediscover little local secrets as we take you on a guided walk through the hamlet of Thiksey to witness way of life in a Ladakhi village.
The inviting patches of green oasis of cultivable lands have always been a welcome sight to behold and also a source of life. Mornings and evenings are ever busy in the villages. Walk through these little havens – along their willow-shaded paths, through the mud-bricked lanes lined with poplar trees and jump over water channels. Learn the importance of these labyrinths of waterways and observe Ladakhi ingenuity at its best. Mud brick houses are indigenously built using local resources, in which dwell village communities whose life reflect the harsh geographies – simple yet hardy folks who are warm and hospitable.
Experience rewards of high altitude agriculture. Participate with the ever joyous local farming community in sowing and harvesting, as they sing and plough, sit, eat and make merry as a village family unit.
EXCURSION TYPE: A guided walk, giving you a perfect introduction to high altitude farming and Ladakhi way of life.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: 01 hour 30 minutes.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 02 kms.
ALTITUDE: 3600 m. (11,880 ft)
PHYSICAL RATING: Easy to moderate. Occasional tracing through narrow wet paths along small streams.
MINIMUM AGE: Not Applicable.
SEASON: Mid May to early October.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable walking shoes.
Carry a light jacket or jumper.
TSO KAR: THE WHITE LAKE – THIKSEY
The enigma of the White Lake (Tso Kar in Ladakhi ) was whispered into the bed time story of the nomads – ‘Chang Pas’ or the nomads of the eastern trans –Himalayas who dwell a nomadic life primarily as animal herders and follow an annual migration route in these desolate yet mesmerizing high altitude desert in search of fresh pastures for their livestock comprising of the Pashmina goats popular for the luxurious ‘Cashmere Wool’ and Yaks.
Our excursion is created to be a full day activity as we slowly make our way from the Chamba Camp, Thiksey towards the very scenic and dizzying Tanglang La Pass. (5,328 mtrs/ 17,582 ft) – world’s second highest motorable pass.
The drive takes you through some key eco systems and wildlife protected areas. The Tso Kar high altitude wetlands are considered to be one of the most protected biomes in the country, supporting strategic migrations and breeding grounds for some of the most endangered animals.
The Tso Kar wetlands are comprised of twin lakes and separated by a fresh water stream which gives the place its unique characteristic of having both a brackish water lake as well as a fresh water lake naturally making this highly favorable in terms of habitat for the creatures that inhabit them.
Key species here include the Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Argali, Blue Sheep, Red Fox, Sand Fox, Weasel, Kiang(wild Ass), Marmot, Ladakh Pika, Woolly Hare.
These lakes also host key breeding grounds for migrants like the Greater Crested grebe and Bar Headed Goose. Plain-backed Snow Finch, Golden Eagle, Upland Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Little Owl, Robin and Brown Accentor, Tibetan Lark, Tibetan Snow Finch, Brandt’s mountain Finch, Hume’s Ground Pecker, Hume’s Short toed lark, Tibetan Sand Grouse to name few.
Rediscover this hidden land with its unique people and their culture. Explore their ingenious way of life attuned now to this unforgiving terrain as they abide by their millennia old their legacies and legends –from yak wool tents, shearing of the Pashminas and stories of a thousand mountain spirits.
Excursion type: Experience.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: full day.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: Nomadic settlement – 110 kms one way. Nomadic
settlement (may vary according to the nomadic movement).
ALTITUDE: 4,545 mtrs ( 14,999 ft)
Physical Rating: Moderate.
Minimum Age: 10 and above.
Season: June to September. The passes and the Changthang highlands can get quite cold hence we conduct our tours in the warmer months.
Travel tip:
Wear comfortable, warm clothing along with a pair of good walking shoes.
Carry sunscreen and a hat.
People opting for this activity must be well acclimatized prior to it.
TURTUK: THE LAST FRONTIER TOWN – DISKIT
Embark on an adventurous journey driving through spectacular landscape into the realm of the Balti dynasty. Turtuk is a quaint village which houses approx 1,200 residents and set amidst a picturesque village, opened to tourists only in 2010 and still feels rather unexplored.
Inhabited by ethnic Muslims, a few kilometers from the ‘Line of Control’ (the de facto border) between India and Pakistan on the Indian side, Turtuk is the penultimate village now open to tourists.
Until 1971, Turtuk was a part of Baltistan and shared strong economic and cultural ties with Tibet. The residents speak Balti, some Ladakhi and Urdu. The local tribe follows their age-old customs and speaks a language which is just spoken and not written. There is a marked presence of people with startling blue eyes, auburn hair and rosy cheeks as against the typical mongoloid features of the Ladakhis.
Local lore has it that they were a Greek tribe who came in search of Jesus Christ’s tomb and eventually settled here.
Enjoy exploring this frontier hamlet, admiring the traditional houses, unique stone kitchen implements made by the Abdul Karim Khalil family, stream-based flour grinder (runthak) and relish the delicious world-acclaimed apricots grown in the region.
Some of the interesting village sights to experience would be the last frontier mosque named Jama Masjid of the 16th Century. Also, the Turtuk Gompa of the 11th Century which even the local Muslim inhabitants maintain is unique. A cursory glance over the unique Balti polo ground gives you an insight to this part of Ladakh.
After a sumptuous picnic lunch, return to the comfort of your tent in Diskit.
EXCURSION TYPE: Drive and walk.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: Full day.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 90 kms (06 hours round trip).
ALTITUDE: 3000 m. (9,845 ft.)
PHYSICAL RATING: Easy to moderate. The excursion involves slight uphill walk through
undulating pathways.
MINIMUM AGE: 14 and above.
SEASON: Mid May to early October.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable clothing along with a pair of good walking shoes.
Carry sunscreen and a hat.
WARI LA – A WALK IN THE CLOUDS
Straddled at an elevation of 5,312 m (17,428 ft.) qualifies Wari La to be the fourth highest motorable pass in the world. You are 504 m (1,663 ft.) above Mt. Blanc in Europe already.
Opened to civilians only in 2008, Wari La retains its unblemished beauty. The winds whisper stories of nomads, merchants and monks who trod this very land in search of a promised land through the challenges of this region.
Wild yaks and the Himalayan blue sheep dot the many sprawling meadows that create a perfect picture of blue skies, majestic craggy mountains whose weathered summits are bound to set your imagination wild.
This rich oasis is fed by seasonal streams and a mineral rich silt, making it prime habitat for the specially adapted flora and fauna of the trans-Himalayan region.
Wari La is the perfect escape and a must see for any nature or outdoor enthusiast. It presents a perfect setting for a first-hand exploration opportunity to the diversity and nature’s bounty with our in-house naturalist. One can see marmots, languid pashmina goats, and nearly 50 species of flowering plants, birds of myriad hues and the best views of the three mountain ranges of the Trans Himalayas surrounding Ladakh.
Should you be lucky, encounter a wandering amchi (Tibetan doctor) and assist him in his quest to collect medicinal herbs and roots.
Our well curated experiences along with a hot lunch promises to be one of the most delectable visual and gastronomic feasts.
EXCURSION TYPE: A guided walk.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: Full day.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 54 Kms. (04 hours 30 minutes round trip)
ALTITUDE: 5250 m.
PHYSICAL RATING: Moderate to demanding. Not suitable for people with heart problem,
knee problem and asthma.
MINIMUM AGE: 12 and above.
SEASON: June to early October. The mountain passes remain quite cold with some snow
till June; hence our tours are conducted in the warmer months. Although end September
and early October can also be chilly.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable, warm clothing in layers along with a pair of gloves and good
walking shoes.
Carry sunscreen and a hat.
People opting for this activity must be well acclimatised prior to it.
WALK THE WAY OF A LAMA- DISKIT MONASTERY
Nestled high up on a craggy spur, commanding a dominating vista of the Karakoram on the far horizon and the endless sea of desert sands through which meanders the lazy Shyok down below, sits the mystical Diskit Gompa.
Join us as we stroll through the village boulevard, fields bordered with water channels, along the many old mani walls (elongated, almost artfully arranged mounds of stones engraved with Buddhist prayers and mantras) and whitewashed chortens (dome-shaped monuments housing Buddhist relics) to experience the charm of the village of Diskit.
Spin the giant prayer wheel and offer a silent prayer to all sentient beings as you make your way up through the monks’ quarters and offices to a cluster of ancient prayer halls.
Try and catch the magic of Buddhist prayers, where the chanting monks, crashing cymbals and deep horns abound the walls of this ancient gompa.
Explore the complex and witness cooking in the dark-old kitchen, where meals are prepared for as many as 100 monks, using traditional ways.
EXCURSION TYPE: Hike. Experience. With the option of either hiking up to the monastery from the camp or hiking down from the monastery to the camp.
DURATION OF ACTIVITY: 02 hour 30 minutes.
DISTANCE FROM CAMP: 03 kms.
ALTITUDE: 3,250 m. (10,725 ft)
PHYSICAL RATING: Moderate. It can be demanding if you opt to hike up to the monastery.
MINIMUM AGE: 12 and above.
SEASON: Mid May to early October.
TRAVEL NOTE:
Wear comfortable clothing along with a pair of good walking shoes.
Carry sunscreen and a hat.
Shoes need to be taken off several times while visiting the monastery hence footwear should be easy to slip on.
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