Quick Itinerary:

Day 01: Delhi - Leh flight, Rest and Acclimatisation day

Day 02: Guided tour

Day 03: Drive Leh to Hamurja and trek to Sarah

Day 04: Trek Sarah to Markha Village

Day 05: Trek Markha Village to Hangkar

Day 06: Trek Hangkar to Nimaling

Day 07-08: Nimaling to KY II BC, climbing day and back to BC

Day 09: Trek to Chokdo.

Day 10: Drive back to Leh. Leisure day in Leh

Day 11: Fly Leh - Delhi

 

General Climbing Period:

Mid June to September end - I would suggest from third week of June to end of July, and from third week of August till end of September the best time to be in the mountains of Ladakh.

 

Duration:

11 days total, 6 days trekking and climbing

 

Grade:

Moderate - Strenuous, basic climbing and mountaineering skills required

 

Accommodation (Twin share):

Hotel in Leh, Tents on trek and expedition

 

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 01: Fly from Delhi to Leh (3,500m), the capital of Ladakh

Your early morning 75 minute flight to Leh over the Himalayas will be one of the most picturesque flights you’ll ever experience. On the Northern horizon if the sky is clear, you can see as far as till K2 (8,611m / 28,251ft), the world's second highest peak, and other 8,000m peaks of the Karakoram Range. If you sit on the left side of the plane, you will see Nun (7,135m / 23,409ft) and Kun (7,077m/23,219ft), the two high 7000m+ mountains and numerous 6000m+ mountains, valleys and small villages. Towards right on the east you can see the Changthang Plateau with its vast valleys and mountains and as far as to western Tibet mountains.

Our local staff will greet you at Leh airport and a short drive will take you to your hotel. The rest of the day depends on your jet lag and acclimatisation to Leh’s high altitude. But its always better to take it easy on the first day. In the evening you can go for a stroll around Leh market.

Overnight in Leh (3500 M)

Meals Included: Breakfast

 

Day 02 : Tour around Leh

Ladakh is the only place besides Tibet where almost all the major sects of Tibetan Buddhism still exists. You will see architecture and a lifestyle similar to Central Tibetan traditions and visit Hemis Monastery and Thiksey Monastery for the first half of the day.

Hemis Monastery, belonging to the Drukpa Kagyu sect, is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. It was first built in the 11th century. Stories of Kalachakra and the Lords of the Four Quarters are etched on the walls of its ancient corridors. There are golden statues, precious stones and a library with Tibetan books, relics and manuscripts. The Hemis Monastery Festival which happens in the month of June/July is a dazzling celebration of the birth of the  Guru Padmasambhava. The Cham Dance (masked dance by the monks) should not be missed at Hemis Monastery.

Thiksey Monastery(said to be the replica of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet) belonging  to the Gelugpa sect, is 12 stories high Monastery. It has 10 temples, showcases stunning Ladakhi architecture, a 15m perfectly carved high statue of Maitreya (future Buddha), fierce paintings and statues of deities and other Tibetan Buddhism artefacts. For lunch you’ll be back in Leh.

Overnight in Leh (3500 M)

Meals Included: Breakfast

 

Day 03: Drive from Leh to Hamurja, trek to Sarah (3600m, 2-3 hrs drive, 30min walking approx)

We will be driving to Hamurja in the Markha Valley early in the morning. Today would be a short walk.

Overnight in Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 04: Trek Sarah to Markha (3750m 3-4 hrs)

You will trek one of the loveliest sections of the Markha Valley. Nonetheless, be aware that this part of the Markha Valley can get quite hot. The powerful Markha River rushes through a gorge that is decorated by willow and wild rose. Several bridges cross the Markha River and you will trek over them. We will camp at Markha village, next to Markha River.

Overnight in Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 05: Trek Markha to Hangkar (4,000m, 4 hours)

We continue to trek through Markha Valley, crossing a small monastery called Techa Gompa perched on a rock cliff, it is a 20 minutes climb to the monastery and then small village of Umlung, after which you’ll get the first views of Kangyatse peak. We will today camp at lower Hangkar village. You will discover a ruined fort between the twin villages of Lower and Upper Hangkar. The walls of this fort climb sharply up to an aerie of a lookout tower – if you enjoy heights, you will love exploring this place in the evening. 

Overnight in Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 06: Trek Hangkar to Nimaling (4,700m, 3-4 hours)

Crossing the village of upper Hangkar and starting to climb up into a side left valley will take us to Thachungtse. We start to climb gradually to reach a picturesque alpine lake. The majestic Kang Yatse I (6,400m), one of the highest mountain in the Zanskar range, will be right in front of you. Afterwards, we will reach Nimaling plains, a broad, undulating alpine meadow that reaches the base of Kang Yatse. Nimaling’s rivulets provide pasturage for yaks, sheep, goats, dzos and horses that come from the Markha and other villages. There may even be wild white-tailed hares, blue sheep or wolf. We will make camp in the early afternoon and relax, explore and view the wildlife for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 07-08: Trek Nimaling to Kang Yatse Base Camp (5,040m, 2-3 hours) and Climb Kang Yatse II

Walk today to the base of the Kang Yatse is pretty much short. Climb up from the Nimaling plains to the yak grazing meadows. Rest for the second part of the day to go to bed quite early in the evening. At midnight, we will make an ‘alpine start’ and start climbing to reach the Kang Yatse 2 summit by sunrise. Expect it to be a long climb to the summit.

The early part of the climb is gradual on the grassy meadow further transitioning onto rock and scree slopes to reach the plain lateral moraine. Then a steep climb on rock and scree slope takes us to the crampon point of KY II. From here we will be putting up the crampons and roping up for the rest of the climb on not too steep slopes of snow till the summit. After the long climbing night and day you can rest for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 09: Trek to Kongmaru La (5,240m) and reach Chokdo (3,850m, 6-7 hours).

After crossing the Nimaling River you will start climbing towards Kongmaru La, the highest pass on this trek. Afterwards, we will descend steeply into the Martselang valley gorge for a long walk to Chokdo village, for the last day of our trek.

Overnight in Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 10: Drive back to Leh(2 hrs)

Leisure day in Leh.

Overnight in Leh (3500 M)

Meals Included: Breakfast and Farewell Dinner(Drinks/Alcohol not included)

 

Day 11: Fly Leh - Delhi

We will drive you to Leh airport to fly back to Delhi.

 

Please note:

This itinerary is approximate. Clients are embarking on adventure travel in a remote mountain region and the itinerary is subject to weather, road conditions, vehicles and local availability of horses or mules. རི Ri Guides will make every effort to see that clients acclimatize completely, and complete and enjoy their trip.

Please read རི Ri Guides Terms and Conditions and Legal. Prices are in US dollars and are subject to change.

Costs Includes:

• Airport pick up and drop off
• Professional English speaking local mountain guide, Cook & Kitchen support staff, Horses/Mules for transportation during the trek
• Local Cultural Guide for Monastery visit
• Accommodations in Leh (2 nights) before the expedition, and (1 night) after the expedition on twin sharing basis with breakfast
• Good quality food will be provided during the trek, and sleeping tents(twin share), sleeping foam mattresses, kitchen tent, dinning tent and toilet tent will be provided
• All meals during the trek and climb. We bring good quality food from the market and source local organic vegetables. We are happy to accommodate your dietary needs!
• Boiled water during trek
• All ground transportation
• All group gears such as tents, ropes, snow, ice & rock protection
• Bottled oxygen and other medical items
• Farewell dinner on the last night
• Peak permits fee
• Innerline Permit fee
• Monastery entry fee

 

Costs Does Not Include:

• Flights
• Personal clothes, personal climbing gear and sleeping bag
• Medical and evacuation insurance
• All Meals and drinks in Leh except breakfast (breakfast is included with accommodation)
• Laundry services
• Other services not mentioned in the package
• Extra cost if the expedition finishes early and the cost arising from early departures
• Tipping our crew
• Any costs that are beyond the control of  རི Ri Guides

 

Cancellation/Refund Policy

• There are no refunds for the deposit or balance payments for this expedition. This includes but is not limited to, expeditions that conclude without reaching or making progress towards expedition objective(s) (for example, the summit) due to route conditions, weather, or any other factor outside the control of རི Ri Guides.
• Expedition leader has the final say on the expedition conclusion and will make all best efforts towards reaching expedition objective(s) within our margin of safety.
• Participants that choose to leave an active expedition for any reason are not entitled to any refunds
• རི Ri Guides highly recommends trip cancellation insurance for all expeditions
• Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and operator permits, རི Ri Guides must adhere to a stringent refund policy
• Deposit due with registration materials
• All balances are due 45 days prior to departure date unless otherwise specified
• Participants whose balances are not received by the 45-day deadline as stated above, risk forfeiture of their funds and their place on the expedition

 

Note:

1. Single Room supplement during stays at Leh will be charged an additional cost of US$175 for 3 nights.
2. Allow approximately US$230/pax or equivalent cash for tips for the trek support crew.
3. རི Ri Guides reserves the right to waive any fees. As we offer personalized service, we will attempt to accommodate changes and cancellations when necessary, waiving certain fees when feasible. Deposits paid by participants acknowledge the above cancellation terms.

 

Base Layers

• Synthetic Short Underwear (2-3 pair): non-cotton style underwear
• Lightweight Long Underwear (2-3 pair): long sleeve shirt and long pants
• Heavyweight Long Underwear (1 pair)
• Short Sleeve Synthetic Shirt (1-2)

Mid Layers

• Soft Shell Jacket: to be worn over other layers
• Soft Shell Pants: very breathable and water repellant
• Lightweight Nylon Pants (1-2 pair)

Windproof/Rain Layers

• Hard Shell Jacket with hood: waterproof and breathable shell jacket
• Hard Shell Pants: waterproof and breathable shell pants

Insulation Layers

• Heavyweight Insulated Down Jacket with hood
• Insulated Pants
• Down Suit (optional): worn on summit day

Headwear

• Warm Hat: synthetic or wool hat (ski hat)
• Balaclava: to protect your neck and face in high winds
• Baseball Cap or other sun hat: to shade your face/neck from the sun on a hot day
• Bandana or Buff: to protect your neck/face from the sun

Eyewear

• Glacier Glasses: full protection with side covers or wrap around
• Ski Goggles: to be worn in the event of high winds

Gloves

• Lightweight Synthetic Liner Gloves: for wearing on warm days
• Soft Shell Gloves: to wear for moderate cold/wind
• Shell Glove with Insulated Liner: to wear for severe cold/strong wind
• Expedition Mitts: large enough to fit a liner glove inside

Footwear

• Liner Socks (3 pairs)
• Wool or Synthetic Socks (3 pairs)
• Mountaineering Boots
• Hiking Shoes/Boots: comfortable hiking boots or shoes for the trek to base camp
• Camp Boots (optional): comfortable boots for wearing in camp
• Gaiters (optional)
• Booties (optional)

Sleeping Equipment

• Sleeping Bag: rated to at least -20°F
• Self-inflating Sleeping Pad: full length is preferred
• Closed-cell Foam Pad: to be used in conjunction with the inflating pad for warmth and comfort when sleeping
• Earplugs

Mountaineering Gear

• Expedition Backpack: approximately 75L
• Compression Stuff Sacks: for reducing the volume of the sleeping bag, down parka, etc. in your pack
• Trash Compactor Bags: to line backpack and stuff sacks as well as for separating gear
• Backpack Rain Cover (optional)
• Trekking Backpack: to carry on the trek to base camp. Simple and light.
• Trekking Poles with Optional Snow Baskets: adjustable
• Ice Axe: short ice axe (max 60cm)
• Crampons: general mountaineering crampons
• Climbing Helmet: must be able to fit over your warm hat
• Ascender: 1 right or left-hand ascender
• “Y” Rig for ascender and safety carabiner
• Accessory Cord: 30 feet (9m) of 6mm accessory cord
• Alpine Climbing Harness: mountaineering harness, with adjustable leg loops. Not a rock-climbing “sport” harness
• Carabineers: 2 regular and 4 locking
• Belay/Rappel Device
• Headlamp: with 2 extra sets of new batteries
• Pack Liner (2 pieces)

Travel Items

• Large Duffel Bag with Lock: for transporting gear to base camp, no hard sides or wheels
• Small Duffel Bag with Lock: to store items in the hotel(s) while on the climb
• Carry-on Backpack: can use trekking backpack, approximately 18” x 16” x 10” (46cm x 41cm x 26cm)
• Travel Clothes: for days in cities and towns
• Lightweight journal, sketchbook, pencils, pen
• U.S. cash: for currency exchange to purchase SIM cards or merchandise in cities and villages

Additional Food Items

• Snack Food: bring a few days’ supply of your favorite climbing snack food such as bars, gels, nuts, beef jerky, etc. variety of salty and sweet is good

Other Equipment

• Cup: plastic 16 oz. minimum cup or mug
• Bowl: large plastic bowl for eating dinner or breakfast
• Spoon: plastic spoon (Lexan)
• Water Bottles (2 or 3): wide mouth bottles with 1-liter capacity
• Water Bottle Parkas (2): fully insulated with zip opening
• Water Treatment
• Thermos: 1-liter
• Hand/Foot Warmers
• Sunscreen: SPF 50 or better
• Lip Screen (2 sticks): SPF 30 or better
• Toiletry Bag: include toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes and hand sanitizer (2 small bottles)
• Pee Bottle: 1-liter minimum bottle for convenience at night in the tent
• Female Urination Device (FUD)
• Knife or Multi-tool (optional)
• Small Personal First-aid Kit: include athletic tape, band-aids, Ibuprofen, blister care, cough drops, etc.
• Medications and Prescriptions: bring antibiotics (Azithromycin, etc.), and altitude medicine such as Diamox, etc.
• Handkerchiefs/Bandanas (optional)

Optional Electronics

• Country-appropriate power plug adapters and power transformers
• Avalanche Transceiver
• Adventure Sports Watch: such as Garmin fēnix 6
• GPS/Personal Satellite Communicator: such as Garmin inReach Mini
• Personal Power System: such as Goal Zero Nomad 28 Plus Solar Panel and Sherpa 100AC Power Bank
• Digital Entertainment: movies, tv shows, music, books loaded on to smartphone, iPad, Kindle
• Camera: bring extra batteries, charger, and memory cards
• Portable Travel Humidifier: battery powered

རི Ri Guides is recognized for well thought out strategy in leading high altitude climbing expeditions, as well as high-quality service throughout. We have a decade of experience in the planning and coordination of mountaineering expeditions. We strive to make each expedition the best possible experience for our climbers and focus on our 3 primary goals of success in reaching the summit, returning safely, and having fun! Safety is always our number one priority.

Our guides are some of the best and most experienced in the industry, having a strong grasp of technical climbing, expedition, and high-altitude experience, along with strong interpersonal skills. Our teams are small and equipped with the best support available to ensure the highest chance of success. We provide comfortable base camps, high-quality food, first-rate communications, and medical support services, all of which are overseen by a professional member of our team.

Most of our climbers have either climbed with us before, been referred by a friend who has climbed with us or met one of our teams while attempting another peak and decided to join us for their next expedition. We work hard to facilitate safe, successful, and enjoyable expeditions for all of our climbers. Our track record and past climber testimonials prove we are highly competent experts in our field and love what we do!