Stok Kangri, (6121ms) Ladakh, Indian Himalayas This outstanding trek to the summit of India s highest mountain Stok Kangri, (6,121m/20,082ft) is the perfect challenge for trekkers, who want to summit an Indian Himalayan Peak. The climb is a perfect follow-on for those, who have climbed Kilimanjaro, and it takes you over the 6000 metres threshold. It is also a superb introduction to Himalayan climbing. Ice axe and crampon techniques may be learned during the approach. Stok Kangri is one of the main peaks of the Zanskar range, situated in the fascinating region of Ladakh. This high and arid landscape has captured the imagination of travellers since it first opened to visitors in 1974. The expedition approaches Stok Kangri with a wonderful trek through remote valleys, scattered high villages and past hilltop Buddhist monasteries to the base of the mountain. Some of the trek is on the famed Markha Valley Trail, and we can infact extend your programme to include all the Markha Valley Trail before you go to summit Stok Kangri./ (Ask our office for more details). Your Stok Kangri programme takes you from Delhi (after a day of sightseeing) to the Ladakh town of Leh, where you will have plenty of time to acclimatise to the high altitude. You will spend several days acclimatising by visiting the colourful monasteries at Shey, Thikse and Hemis and visiting the world highest motorable road at Khardungla before setting off on the memorable trek to Stok Kangri. Our approach to the mountain allows you to gain altitude steadily and acclimatise to the conditions before summiting Stok Kangri. You will trek for between 10-15kms per day and although the route is very safe and technically straightforward (involving low-angle scree and easy snow slopes), the climb up Stok Kangri is both challenging and interesting. The climb affords stunning views extending across Ladakh to the Karakorams, the Himalayas and into Tibet. Despite the climb being non-technical, you will be shown how to use crampons and an ice axe, and occasionally conditions will demand the use of rope as well. On completion of your trek you will have a day to rest in Leh, shop for gifts, and really soak up the atmosphere of this lively, friendly place; then you will fly back to Delhi and the UK.
Day 1: Depart from London to Delhi, India Your flight to Delhi is not included in the cost. Please contact our London office for flight options. As ATOL licensed tour operators we are able to offer you a range of competitive fares to Delhi; and your holiday will be protected by our ATOL bond. Day 2 Arrive Delhi. Sightseeing in Delhi After landing at Delhi you will be met at the airport by our local agent, who will transfer you to your hotel to freshen up and rest before some sightseeing in Delhi. You will have a chance to look around India s bustling capital, with its labyrinth of streets and markets, crowded with exotic produce and a bewildering mix of people. You can take in some of Delhi s sights including the Red Fort, Old Delhi, the President s House and Parliament, and the Lotus Temple. Dinner & overnight at a local hotel in Delhi. Day 3: Fly Delhi to Leh, Ladakh (3,200m) After an early morning breakfast you will be transferred from the hotel to the airport, for the sweeping panoramic flight (included in your tour cost) to Leh (1hr). The flight takes you over the Greater Himalaya and lands at one of the highest airports in the world. You can hope to get excellent views of Stok Kangri as you fly - in. Once in Leh you will have gained an altitude of almost 3,200m and so can expect to feel the effects of the rarefied atmosphere. The expedition is tailored in a way that you have the first few days in your programme to relax and acclimatise. Flying straight up to 3,200m from sea level is not something you will do often in your lifetime! Today, you can take it easy & relax in the hotel and surrounding area. Ladakh s landscape, Leh s friendly people, and the laid back atmosphere of Leh town make it a quite place to visit. The region s landscape is rugged, situated amidst multiple-hued mountains on the fringe of the life-giving Indus River. After lunch, depending on how you feel, you can take a slow walk around the local bazaar in order to get used to the area, altitude and climate. A memorable sight, the bazaar hosts traditionally attired women selling fruit & vegetables and spinning & knitting, whilst exchanging gentle banter between themselves and with passers-by. Overnight in Leh hotel. Day 4 (Sun 15 July): Leh sightseeing 3-4hrs acclimatisation walk Amidst starkly beautiful and majestic mountains, gradually merging into an oasis of green fields, Leh is situated on the banks of the Indus. With a population of 10,000 people, mainly Buddhist, some Muslims, and a very small Christian community, Leh bears the distinct stamp of its history as the commercial and cultural capital of Ladakh. This morning you may take a sightseeing tour of the area beginning with Shey monastery. Until the 16th century it was the royal residence. Kings of Leh were supposed to be born in the monasteries. This Palace Monastery has the largest statue of Maitreya Buddha (Buddha to come) in Ladakh. From there you will visit Thikse monastery, an imposing monastery and one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture.
The sightseeing will continue, if you so wish, to Hemis monastery, one of the oldest, richest, and most famous gompas in Ladakh. Built in 1630, it belongs to the red sect; and owing to its remote location, it escaped destruction during the Muslim incursions. Its popularity stems from the major annual festival held during the summer in honour of their Guru Padma Sambhava's birth anniversary. Hopefully whilst visiting one of these beautiful monasteries you will have the opportunity to witness a Buddhist prayer ceremony. After returning for lunch we recommend the guided hike to visit Leh Palace, the Old Fort & Tsemo Gompa. A miniature version of the Potala in Lhasa, Leh Palace is one of the major attractions in Ladakh. The palace was built in the 17th century and had nine storeys, but it is now dilapidated and deserted. It was the home of the royal family until they were exiled to Stok in the 1830s. The palace built for King Singge Namgyal, now houses the Ladakhi branch of the Indian Government's archaeolo gical conservation organisation. After this you will go on to visit Tsemo Gompa. The Namgyal Tsemo Gompa was built in 1430 by King Tashi Namgyal on Namgyal Tsemo Peak overlooking the town. The monastery contains a three-story high solid gold idol of Maitrieya Buddha (future Buddha also called laughing Buddha) and a onestoried statue of Avaloketesvara and Manjushri along with ancient manuscripts and frescoes. The fort above this gompa is in ruins, but the views of Leh from here are breathtakingly beautiful. If you are feeling capable after this, you can continue on to Sankar monastery and to the Japanese Peace Pagoda. Overnight in a hotel in Leh. Day 5: Khardung La Pass (5,605m) and Drive to Chilling (3,200m) This morning, after an early breakfast, you will take jeeps (39kms / 1.5-2hrs) to Khardungla, the highest motorable road in the world where you will spend some time on the top for acclimatisation purposes (NB: cold winds blast across this point so please take warm clothes). Khardung La, La meaning pass in Tibetan (the local language), is the route between Leh and the Shyok and Nubra valleys. The Khardung La can be termed the gateway to the Karakoram or the land of black gravel. The Siachen Glacier lies partway up the latter valley. Built in 1976, it was opened to motor vehicles in 1988. Maintained by the Indian Army's 14 Corps, the pass is strategically important to India as it is used to carry essential supplies to the Siachen. Khardung La is historically important as it lies on the major caravan route from Leh to Kashgar in Chinese Central Asia. Return to Leh for lunch. In the early afternoon you will depart with your trek support team from Leh and drive straight to Chilling in time for setting camp and supper. The drive takes approximately two and a half hours. Chilling is a hamlet of very houses and the camp site is just upstream from them set in a pretty location where there are shade-giving trees. Just below the camp site the broad Zanskar River flows by at great speed. Overnight camping. Day 6: Crossing Zanskar River & trek to Skiu (3,500m) 5hrs This morning you will rise early from your first night s camping and begin your trek. You will cross over the Zanskar River and trek to Skiu. The frigid Zanskar River originates from the high altitude plateau of Sarchu on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Originally known as the Tsarap the river gorges a path out of the rocky mountains of the western Himalayas, dropping in a continuous torrent of class 5 rapids.
The river then eases into the forbidden Kingdom of Zanskar and slowly flows past the capital at Padum. Here it joins with the Stok River which flows down from the Pensi La pass on the road from Kargil to Padum. It is from this confluence of the Tsarap and Stok rivers that the mighty Zanskar takes birth. You will cross the Zanskar River by way of a box and cable bridge and rejoin your trekking team on the opposite riverbank for the trek to Skiu in the Marka Valley. The days trek is on undulating ground with no very high passes. As you approach the villages you will see the willow trees used for housebuilding and crafts; and the apricot trees, which produce their cash crop each summer. In the fields, which are watered by ancient irrigation channels, a rich barley is grown and cattle and sheep graze. It is an almost idyllic scene. From the camping place at Skiu you should make a point of visiting the nearby monastery and going onto the roof for the splendid views. Overnight camping. Day 7: Skiu to Ganda La Base Camp (4,100m) 4-5hrs. The trek today commences through a narrow and dramatic gorge. The ascent is quite gradual; but note that some of the valleys in this region are small and narrow and it can become very hot in the day time. You will walk slowly, criss-crossing small streams with trees overhead to shield you from the heat of the blazing sun. Ladakhi scenery is exceptional as wherever there is a water source or small stream there is beautiful green vegetation. When you look up, you will see barren hills and looking down into the valley you can see trees and green pastures, home to grazing animals. Wild rose bushes grow on the seemingly barren rock strewn slopes. As you see the village of Shingo ahead you will know that your camp is not far away. You will camp just beyond the village at the base of the steep trek up to Ganda La Pass, which you will tackle next day. Overnight camping. Day 8: Trek to Rumback via Ganda La Pass (4,800m) 6-7 hrs The trek starts today with the ascent to Ganda La Pass. This is a demanding uphill trek, affording you increasingly beautiful and exciting views. Allow two hours from Ganda La Base Camp to the top of the pass. On the way you can hope to see (and hear) the chukor bird, hares, and the playful marmots. The views from this pass are excellent, taking in the whole of the Indus valley with a fantastic view of Stok Kangri and other Himalayan peaks. On a clear day you should have an excellent view of the entire mountain range from the top (5000ms.) so if you are feeling up to it, you can take an extra walk (45mins) up the adjacent ridge for more great views from this higher point. You then follow an easy descent towards the base of the mountain, passing through the beautiful valley and Yurutse village. Here just near thje river, run off a special water channel, is a working water mill. Ask you guide to point it out. You will now re -commence to trek upwards until you reach Rumback village. Clearly this is a long and arduous day and you should be prepared for it at the outset, with plenty of snacks, water and sun protection. The rewards are not only excellent acclimatisation to altitude but also a feast of flora, fauna and landscape. Overnight camping.
Day 9:Trek to Mankarmo via Stok La (4,900m) - 5-6 hrs Today s trek follows on through the valley and ascends towards Stok La via a very steep and zig -zagging path for about 3hrs. The path uphill can be very tiring. But keep looking down and sideways for the views of the spectacular rocky valleys. Once you reach the pass and descend the other side for a few minutes, the most wonderful views of the Indus Valley fare below you open up. After resting here a while you will continue to trek with a gentle descent towards the Mankorma area, the summer shepherds encampment. A short ascent to your camp completes this day of spectacular scenery. Overnight camp at Mankarmo. Day 10: Trek Mankorma Valley to Stok Kangri Advanced Base Camp (5,200m) 4hrs. After breakfast you will start walking to base camp. Today you will take it slowly as every step is ascending and you are trekking above 4,000m so will need to take is easy. You will reach base camp for a late lunch and have a rest in the afternoon and the opportunity to sort out your climbing equipment and be shown by our experienced team how to use it. There are nearby ice and snow slopes where you can practice ice axe braking and get used to walking with plastic boots and crampons. Overnight camping. Day 11: Summit Stok Kangri (6,114m) 9-11hrs or Today is your early morning climb to Stok Kangri and back to Base Camp. At around 1 AM, after a hot drink and snack, you will start trekking to the summit. Your journey will take 6-7hrs tough trekking to reach the top. Initially your cross glacial deposits and snow fields. It is rough terrain and trying, so be prepared and patient. For this section you will need one or two walking poles. Your ice axe can be carried on your back pack for now. Most important is to keep close to your guide as there are water flows under the ice and you must follow the designated route. After about two hours the terrain changes to a slightly easier trail of scree, rock and snow as you approach the Ridge. Around this time you will put on crampons and carry ice axes. Your team will rope up the party as and when they feel it is necessary. As you reach the ridge to the last summit section, there is some exposure. Once at the summit you will feel as if you are on the top of the world, with the majestic peaks of the Karakoram Range surrounding you. The summit is a superb reward for your efforts, giving magnificent views in every direction. The city of Leh is so small that you can barely see it. After a rest and photo opportunity, you will begin your descent (2-3hrs) back to Base Camp where celebratory refreshment will be served!
You will then take leisurely return trek to Manorkarma for an have an early dinner and overnight at the camp. Day 12: Contingency Day In preparation for the unlikely event of bad weather, or facilitating the 2nd Summit Attempt for those who did not attempt on the first GO. We give this flexibility, because Stok Kangri is our Dream Summit in this Itinerary. Day 13: Return Trek to Stok Village and drive to Leh 4hrs Today you will take your final trek out of the valley and back to Stok village. The trek down hill to Stok village will take nearly 4hrs. The walk has good views of the valley and you will following a path beside the stream with plenty of chances to see blue sheep, ibex & marmots. After reaching the summit of Stok Kangri walking down hill to Stok village will be child s play and having been more than nearly a week above 3,500m you will have become very fit and should feel as if you can walk for hours as your trek ends. Your vehicles will meet you at the end of the trail and will drive you to Leh (45mins). Once back in Leh you can check into your hotel and have a well deserved hot shower and relax. Overnight in a hotel in Leh. Day 14: Fly to Delhi, This morning you will fly back to Delhi for last shopping and excursions. Overnight in a Delhi. Day 15 Fly to UK Today you transfer to Delhi airport for your international flight home; or continue with extension in India.