Day 1: Arrive Delhi (Flight):
Met on arrival at Delhi international airport and transfer to hotel for overnight
stay.
Day 2: Delhi:
Free day for preparations and independent activities. Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 3: Delhi - Leh (Flight):
Early morning transfer to domestic airport to board the flight to Leh. Met on
arrival and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day at leisure for acclimatization.
Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 4: Leh (Drive):
Morning after breakfast proceed for sightseeing tour of Shey, Thiksey and Hemis
monasteries. Return to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 5: Leh - Chilling (Drive 80 km):
Transfer to Chilling village visiting Spituk and Phiyang monasteries enroute.
It takes 4 hours to reach Chilling village. Enroute pass through the confluence
of the Zanskar and the Indus rivers. Initially, there is ice only on the edges
of Zanskar river. The word Zanskar means white copper. At some places this river
is totally frozen over its surface. The night is spent at Chilling village in
tent/village house.
Day 6: Chilling - Cave Camp 1 (Ice Trek):
After breakfast start ice trek (30-35 kms) right from Chilling. At many places
along the river, there is ice only at the edges with water flowing fast at the
centre. Sometimes it is also possible to see rocks on the riverbed below through
the clear ice. After 3 hours you pass through the frozen Markha river on the
left and valley on the left. Enter into the proper Zanskar gorge. After 2 hours
trek you reach the junction of the Khurna and the Zanskar. Stop here for lunch.
After lunch proceed to trek, after some more walk, stop in a cave towards evening.
The porters will light an evening fire. They will sit around the fire and dry
out clothing and sing and chat till late night. Dinner and overnight at the
cave.
Day 8: Cave Camp 1 - Cave Camp 2 (Ice Trek):
Early morning after breakfast start trek (30-35 kms). On and off during the
day, you are sure to spot many ibex on the near vertical cliffs around you.
After 3-4 hours of walking in amazing gorges you pass by some remarkable hot
water springs with green algae. Soon after you pass a large frozen waterfall
coming down from Nierag village on the mountains on your left. The village is
high above the river and cannot even be seen, however there is a bridge overhead
connecting the village. You stop for lunch somewhere nearby as wood is available
here. You walk for few more hours till a suitable cave to spend the night. Dinner
and overnight in the cave with bonfire.
Day 8: Cave Camp 2 - Cave Camp 3 (Ice Trek 35 km):
Early morning after breakfast start ice trek (30-35 kms). You are now in the
most spectacular sections of the Zanskar gorge. Contorted strata rise vertically
above you for more than two thousand feet. At many places you will find snow
leopards footprints on the snow and you are certain to see many ibex seemingly
sticking to the vertical walls. Walk till evening till you reach a suitable
cave to spend night. Overnight and dinner at the cave.
Day 9: Cave Camp 3 - Zangla (Ice Trek 35 km):
Start to trek early morning after breakfast to cover 35 kms on ice. In the course
of the day, the walls of the gorge will slowly become gentler and by afternoon
you pass by the village Hanumil, has just two homes. Everything is covered in
deep snow. The gorges have become much wider. You stop in the evening at Zangla
village. There is a small hilltop castle and monastery and a small nunnery also
at Zangla. Overnight in the village.
Day 10: Zangla - Stonde Village (Ice Trek 15 km):
Morning after breakfast walk from Zangla village to Stonde village (15 kms),
which takes 5 hours approximately. You will walk on a foot trail used by the
locals with deep snow all around you. You pass the small village of Tzazar on
the way. At Stonde, you can visit the Stonde monastery built on a cliff approximately
800 ft. above the village. Overnight at Stonde village.
Day 11: Stonde - Padum (Trek: 15 km):
Morning after breakfast begin to trek to Padum village which takes 4 hours approximately.
Pass by small village of Kumi on the way. Padum is the biggest village in Zanskar
with a few shops and a mosque. Padum is the only village in Zanskar where a
significant percentage of the population is Muslim. Overnight stay in tented
camp.
Day 12: Padum (Trek):
Morning after breakfast visit Tagrimo Gompa on a small hill near Padum village.
After sightseeing return to Padum village for overnight stay.
Day 13: Padum:
Day at Padum village for preparations of return journey
Day 14: Padum - Manali (Helicopter):
Early in the morning fly by helicopter from Padum to Manali. You fly over the
main Himalayan axis and a sea of mountains with astounding views all the way
to the Karakorams on the northern horizon. Arrive and transfer to hotel for
overnight stay. Day free for relaxation and leisure.
Day 15: Manali - Delhi (Flight):
Transfer to Bhuntar airport near Kulu to board flight for Delhi. Met on arrival
at Delhi airport and transfer to hotel for overnight stay. Rest of the day at
leisure.
Day 16: Depart - Delhi:
Transfer to international airport in time to board flight to onward destination.
