|
Day 01 :
Early
morning Fly Delhi - Leh. An hour's spectacular
flight over the Greater Himalayas, with views
stretching as far as K2 in the west and the entire
Zanskar range and views of Tibet beneath. On arrival
at Leh, we drive 15 mins to our hotel, the
Kanglhachhen, a traditional, yet comfortable and
clean hotel in town. Rest and acclimatise. Overnight
Leh.
Day 02 :
Leh.
Acclimatise and sightseeing. Light activity and
short walks till Leh palace and the town's exciting
market and outdoor restaurants. For the more
energetic a visit to a few monasteries such as
Spituk, Thikse and Hemis will be arranged. Overnight
Leh.
Day 03 :
Drive
Leh - Kargil (180kms). We drive from Leh to Mulbek /
Kargil, through a spectacular moonscape. We drive
over the Fotu La (14,000 ft), a high mountain pass,
exiting the Indus valley and entering the Suru
valley. Enroute, we visit the Lamayuru monastery,
known to be one of the oldest monasteries amongst
the 'Red Hat' sect. Overnight Kargil hotel.
Day 04 :
Drive
Kargil - Rangdum (12,000ft). A spectacular drive
past Panikar and Parkachik, with magnificent views
of the Nun and Kun massifs (7000 metres), hanging
glaciers and large meadows. We drive till Rangdum
Gompa (12,000 ft). Camp overnight.
Day 05 :
Drive
Rangdum - Remala (6 hrs). We drive to Remala which
is the starting point for the rafting trip on the
Doda river, a tributary of the Zanskar river. We
drive over the Pensi La (14,500 ft), which enables
grand views of the Zanskar peaks at the bottom of
which is the Drung glacier that feeds the Zanskar
river, 40 km below, into which we flow trip the next
day. Overnight tented camp.
Day 06 :
Rafting expedition begins at Remala. Raft till
Karsha Gompa, near Padum. We raft 30 km in 5 hrs
which includes a break for lunch and hot beverages.
We are surrounded by 6000 meters high peaks. River
section today includes a Class II section, a good
introduction for first timers as well as to the
river in general. After settling into camp by
afternoon, we take a hike to Karsha Gompa for the
evening incantation.
Day 07 :
After
a late morning start, we raft from Karsha up to
Pidmu. This stretch is approximately 30 km with
Class II and III rapids. After settling into the
camp by mid afternoon, we visit the nearby villages
of Pidmu and Hanomil.
Day 08 :
After
packing camp, we raft 20 km to Nyerak, a Class III
section. The gorge narrows in on the river - this
indeed is a Grand Canyon in its own right. We stop
for the day to pitch camp in a gorge below Nyerak
village.
Day 09 :
Today's 35 km rafting section takes us from Nyerak
to Lamaguru, through the core of the Zanskar A
classic white water day with continuous Class III
rapids, and a few Class IV rapid where the river
squeezes between a gap of about 18ft. We stop for
lunch near a huge waterfall at the confluence of
Markha river with Zanskar. Rock formations, spires
and an amazing palette of colours add to the trip
today. Camp at Lamaguru.
Day 10 :
Day
hike to Kaya and Skiu. Return to camp by late
afternoon. (4-5hrs). Camp at Lamaguru.
Day 11 :
We
raft 40 kms of Class III/IV white water from
Lamaguru to Nimu today. We make camp short of Nimu,
the confluence of the Zanskar with the Indus river.
Day 12 :
Raft
approximately 25 km from Nimu to finish the trip at
Alchi through Class III / IV rapids. After ending
the trip at Alchi, we walk up to the centuries old
monastery to view the beautiful frescoes and wood
carvings. Drive back 60 km to Leh and check into
hotel.
Day 13 :
Leh.
Reserved day for shopping, sightseeing etc.
Day 14 :
Early
morning transfer to Leh airport. Fly Leh - Delhi.
Trip ends.
|
