Updated: 28 Apr 2008

Ladakh Adventure Tour from 5 to 21 August 2008

As the rest of India is too hot during the summer we are planning a tour to Ladakh, a unique place in the Indian Himalayas. It used to be part of greater Tibet and still shares the Tibetan culture. The capital is Leh and the road to get there is open only 4 months a year during the summer. To reduce travel time and keep the length of the tour down to around 18 days, we will take a return flight from Delhi to Leh. However, you may like to spend a few extra days visiting the Taj Mahal or other 'must see' places.

On this trek you will spend 10 days trekking through valleys and passes where you will see the beautiful Himalayas up close. We will walk 4-5 hours a day so there will be plenty of time to meditate and really enjoy the special spiritual vibrations of the Himalayas.

We will do the: MARKHA VALLEY TREK

The Markha Valley Trek is one of the most varied and beautiful treks in the world. It ventures high into the Himalayas crossing two passes over 15,000 ft (4575 m) high, as it circles from the edges of the Indus Valley down into parts of Zanskar, and passes through terrain that changes from incredibly narrow valleys to wide-open vast expanses! It is made all the more interesting by the ancient form of Buddhism that still flourishes there today in the many monasteries that dot the landscape perched high atop remote hills.

The trails are decorated with elaborate "Chorten" (shrines) and "Mani" (prayer) walls that act as further reminders of the region's total immersion in the Buddhist culture. As we trek to the upper end of the Markha Valley, we are rewarded with spectacular views of jagged snow capped peaks before crossing the 5150m Kongmaru La (Pass) and descending to the famous Hemis Monastery, where we end our trek.

Ladakh is high, mostly above 3500m (11500ft); the highest pass will be 5030m (16500ft), so after arriving in Leh we'll spend a few days acclimatising to the altitude. After the trek we will spend a further few days relaxing and exploring the fascinating town of Leh. The more adventurous may also get chance to go rafting on the Indus River. It will be good if you can make sure to get fit before this tour.

As there are no hotels once we leave Leh, we will have to take everything we need for the trek with us. An agency will help us to organise all the basics so we'll have tents for sleeping, dining and bathroom. Ponies will carry most of the luggage, and we can give them a maximum of 15 Kg (33 pounds) each of our personal luggage. So we will only need to carry a small day pack with the items we need during the day.

The temperature will be between 12 and 24 C (54-75F), so quite pleasant, but being in the high mountains anything is possible... including snow.

The tour will be in August and start after the summer retreat in Berlin Sector. The duration will be around 18 days. And the cost... unfortunately not as cheap as we hoped it would be. Using a travel agent and Ladakh being the most expensive place in India, still the cost will be not more than EU 900 if you pay early, possibly cheaper, depending on the numbers of participants. See what is and is not included on the Moneymatters page

Though it's still 3 months away, there is not much time. We have to book the ponies and flights to Leh as soon as possible or the prices go up and ponies will no longer be  available.... So please let us know immediately if you wish to join us.