Markha Valley is a beautiful trek in the Ladakh region and takes one through spell binding sceneries across the Karakoram and Zanskar ranges. The trek opens up to vivid landscapes of the mountains. The trail passes through villages and streams galore in the Hemis National Park. It is called as the Tea House trek. The highlight of the trek is that it passes through two passes Ganda La at 16338 ft(4980m) and Kongmaru La at 16830 ft (5130m).
Stok Kangri at 20190 ft (6153m) is the highest mountain peak in India that one can trek to without any mountaineering experience but it is certainly not for beginners. The view from the range is spectacular as one can see the Karakoram and Zanskar ranges. It is a trek especially for the experienced trekker.
About the Trail:
The trail that I talk about here- covers a bit of Markha Valley and also trekking up to Stok Kangri. The trail mentioned out here is customised and not how the trek of Markha Valley and Stok Kangri is actually planned respectively.
You can read this blog post to get some information but the trail mentioned out here is thoroughly customised according to the way I trekked.
Trek Stats: Markha Valley
- Markha Valley Elevation: 17060 ft (5199 m)
- Best seasons to Trek: July to mid September
- Guide and Permits: To be taken at Leh, Ladakh
- Duration of Markha Valley: 9-10 days
- Trek Difficulty Level: Moderate – Difficult
- Trek Distance: 75 kms
- Accommodation: Tents / Home Stays
- Location: The trek starts from Zingchen a few kms from Leh
- Nearest Train stations: Pathankot / Chandigarh / Kalka
- Nearest Airport: Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir
- By Road:
- Manali to Leh, Jammu and Kashmir
- Srinagar to Leh, Jammu and Kashmir
Trek Stats: Stok Kangri – This trek is currently closed up until 2023
- Stok Kangri Elevation: 20180 ft (6153 m)
- Best seasons to Trek: May and mid-Oct
- Guide and Permits: To be taken at Leh, Ladakh
- Duration of Stok Kangri: 8-9 days
- Trek Difficulty Level: Difficult
- Trek Distance: 40 kms
- Accommodation: Tents
- Location: The trek starts from Zinchen
- Nearest Train stations: Pathankot / Chandigarh / Kalka
- Nearest Airport: Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir
- By Road:
- Manali to Leh, Jammu and Kashmir
- Srinagar to Leh, Jammu and Kashmir
Itinerary of the Customised Trek:
Day 1: Leh(11482 ft) to Zingchen-Rumbak(13287 ft)-Yurutse(13779 ft)-Ganda La Camp(around 14000 ft), 6 hrs
The start of the trek is by road from Leh to Zingchen. The trekking trail to Markha Valley starts from here. The initial path is along side the foot of the mountains. The path is barren and is quite a tiring trek when one is walking under the seething rays of the Sun. The trail passes along the rustic picturesque villages which is a sight to behold. After a couple of hours, the trails leads to the small village called Rumbak.
A slight deviation from the Rumbak village leads to the path to reach Ganda La base camp. The trail is around beautiful colorful mountains, thanks to the flora which spellbinds anyone. After a couple of hours the trails leads to yet another village called Yurutse.
The trail then leads to Ganda La base camp where one can rest for the night.
Day 2: Ganda La base camp(around 14000 ft)-Ganda La(16338 ft)-Yurutse(13779 ft)-Rumbak(13287 ft), 6hrs
It is quite an ascent on Day 2 to reach Ganda La, which leads the way to Markha Valley. The trail out here is rocky and takes one through quite a steep ascent. One can find Snow Leopards out here and also Marmots.
As this trail was customised, we came back to Rumbak for a night stay. The tents were laid out next to a lovely quaint farm just outside the village.
Day 3: Rumbak(13287 ft)-Stok La(16076 ft)-Base of Stok La, 5-6 hrs
Azure sky and beautiful mountains mark this trail. The path runs along the mountains and then leads to a serpentine steep trail to reach Stok La. The view from here is amazing and from there we get to a very lovely camp just below Stok La.
Day 4: Base of Stok La-Manokarma(14520 ft), 3-4 hrs
The path cuts across other mountains and leads one to trail leading to Manokarma. The weather is very harsh and it snows in the night.
Day 5: Manokarma(14520 ft)-Stok Village(11844 ft)-Leh(11482 ft), 4 hrs
As the weather was not in our hands and it was snowing, the next we retired to Stok village and stayed the night and reached Leh the following day morning.
Things to pack /carry:
- Sturdy Backpack(50L-60L) preferable with wider shoulder straps as it should sit comfortably on your shoulder
- Hiking Shoes( to suit the Mountain terrain) and socks
- Water bottle / Water pack -2 bottles of 1l each
- Sun Cap and Woollen / Fleece Cap
- Sunglasses – Black or Brown
- Trekking pole
- Comfortable trekking pants and tees
- Wind and Rain jacket /poncho depending on the season
- Sweater / Fleece Pullover depending on the weather
- Small first aid box
- Regular medication if any
- Fleece Gloves and Rain Gloves
- Sunscreen Lotion – SPF to suit the Higher altitudes
- Toiletries- Basic and much needed ones
- Dry fruits or Energy Bars
- Head torch
- Sleeping bag
- A small notepad and pen
- Essentials: Wallet, ID card
- Mobile phone, chargers, Powerbank
- Cameras and Batteries
Highlights of this customised Trek:
- Hemis National Park- This is a beautiful National Park and is the only Park towards the north of Himalayas and is home to Snow Leopards and many other mammals.
- Stok Kangri– The Stok Kangri mountain peak is a feat to achieve and is the highest peak in India.
- Fauna– The fauna around the mountains and on the mountains is spectacular with vivid colors and variety and is a sight to see.
- Pristine Valleys– The Valleys though barren can arrest the trekker with their magnitude and silence.
- Snow clad Mountains– Not to forget the views of Mt. Kang Yatse or Stok range of mountains, they are a delight to watch and be in awe of.
- Snow Leopards and other mammals- Hemis National Park is the haven for Snow Leopards, Himalayan Marmots and others.
- Ganda La and Stok La- The trek to these passes is steep and has one calling for breath. But the views from these passes are scintillating and worth the climb.
Pre-requisites for the Trek:
- Please read about the Trek and the weather conditions prior to planning.
- Having a good exercise routine is a must to embark on Himalayan treks – Ensure that you do the required preparation for the trek, ideally 1 year prior to the trek.
- Research about the trek- Plan on how you wish to trek; Through a Trekking Agency or by yourself.
- If you are trekking by yourself with a group of friends, ensure to take a Guide along at the starting point of the Trek and plan your Trek accordingly. This option should be considered only if you have some experience in Trekking and have taken the necessary precautions and adhere to the protocol of Trekking in Himalayas.
- If you are unable to complete a Trek, that is totally fine. Mountains will always be there but not us. So, make sure you do not compete with others or yourself in the madness to reach the destination. Take it Slow always!
- Plan your finances accordingly for the Trek and have a Plan B if you stop the Trek midway or some unforeseen circumstances hold you back.
- Mountains always have the last say, remember this always!
Considering the COVID-19 Pandemic, ensure that you adhere to the protocols of the situation and the Place of the Trek.
PS: You can read my personal experience on this trek out here- Short of Getting Stoked!
Hope you have a wonderful adventure out in the Himalayas!
