from 3 reviews
8 Night / 9 Days
Specific Tour
15 people
English, Hindi
As you know every mountainous excursion demands a precise planning, a planning with adequate pliability of observing and tackling situations, held all as by overcoming mind body and soul throughout the incredible Himalayan journey.
So here are some aspects regarding trek preparation:
Physically – A trek demands physical endurance, to prepare for each trek you should work out a month before joining a program. Build up the adequate strength in your legs by running and exercising every day to boost up your endurance. Stop smoking and boost your lungs doing breathing exercises at routine basis two times a day, which will help acclimatize the conditions while being resilient on the trek. Take active part in outdoor games, Yoga and any other cardiac exercises.
Mentally – Mental preparation is key, equally as important as physical training requisite for a trek. Before joining any trek take pleasure in your daily routines, eat well, take rest properly and relax. Do not stress your mind by unnecessary predictions about the trek. Be with your best friends to get motivated and relax your mind. Because pre trek assumptions are not worthy because once you join the trek and meet with rest of the pack will bring encouragement and excitement. The mental preparedness will build through the entire trek conditions. And the physical drawbacks will affect the mind. So pay close attention to various parts of the body and consciously let them loosen up as you trek. When you trek try to relax your body, especially your hips. If you’re on a winding downhill trail or on a panicking slant, think of each step as part of a simple dance and enjoy the natural rhythms that the terrain and your body can find together cautiously. Experiment with different ways of walking as a way of finding enjoyment beyond the goal of reaching a destination. The main key to stay mentally fit is to enjoy the route and not to pressurize the mind.
Technically- Gear up yourself with perfect size trekking shoes and walk with it. Use 60ltr. Backpack in a daily routine with some weight inside it, so you become used to carrying loads. Buy a trekking pole, water bottle, warm socks, thermals, fleece, feather jackets, trousers, poncho, flip flops, electronics such as power bank, camera (DSLR or digital camera).
Day 1 & 2: Reporting day at Leh (3500m./11,562ft.)
The trek will get you amazed from the day one itself when you will reach into the town of leh. It’s the starting point of the trek which is a town situated at an altitude of about 11,562 ft and had served as a stopover for the traders trading along Indus valley between Tibet to east (China) and Kashmir to the west (India) since ages. You will be given a day or two for getting acclimatized with the surroundings before the trek will start. When u reach in leh drink water as much as u can it will help u to get acclimatize and used to your body and mind for coldest temperature. Your stay in the town will be arranged in a guest house. Your welcome in the town wouldn’t be an ordinary one, rather an exceptional by the white snow covered cliffs, coldness of the winds kissing your cheeks and little ladhakians running over the streets, giggling and smirking with warm smile on their faces. The day of arrival is considers as a resting day. It is important to get accustomed to surroundings before starting the hike.
Day 2nd will be a day of explorations primarily for you to get introduced to the surroundings known as Acclimatization in which you will be discovering the streets of Leh and one of the most amazing landscapes .During your stay in the town you can explore the vividness of leh village and its riches. Leh is also famous for many monuments like Leh palace, Shanti stupa, monasteries, Hall of fame (Kargil war memorial) and many more.
Day 3: Acclimatization / Medical Checkup Day.
Getting yourself medically examined for your physical fitness is the primary step before we could take you on. It decides whether you will continue further or not. The government officials will conduct some test and if you are declared fit we will take you further in this voyage.
Day 4: Departing from Leh to Gyalpo.
After departing from Leh by 9am, you will be travelling to ‘Gyalpo’ through ‘chilling’ where our 1st camp site is located. The journey till ‘Gyalpo’ will be a 4 to 5 hour drive which for sure will be one of the most beautiful drive across Zanskar introducing you to a whole new world. It will feel as if you are driving into some wonderland or something through trodden and dusty roads. The car will take you to the farthest, till where the road ends before the long walk. This is your day when your first step on chadar. You will feel the chadar first time, which gives you life time memories. It will be the 1st day when you will be sleeping in a tent under the sky over the ice.
Day 5: Trek from Gyalpo – Tibb Cave
After spending a night in the cold of Shingra Koma you’ll be heading straight to out next stop which is called Tibb Cave. On this very day your real trek over the ice starts. It’s a walk approximately of 5 to 6 hours before reaching to our next destination. In the morning before the beginning of the trail you will be served with a nutritious and a healthy meal with a cup of hot liquid to warm your gut up from the cold night in the tent. This particular patch that you will be walking upon holds some of the most beautiful frozen water bodies amidst high walls of mountains on both the sides, the origin of which is still unknown but indeed they are no less to keep you spellbound with their scenic beauty. They truly depict the harshness of the cold.
Day 6: Tibb Cave – Nyerak. (Trek 12 - 13 km. / 6-7 hours)
The Camp site at Nerak is the most awaited campsite of this trek and sets it sail alongside the Zanskar River. Nyerak is a remote village in Zankar village from which the nearest road is just 2 days walk afar. The walk from tibb cave to nyerak is slightly long in which you will be walking for about 7 to 8hours covering 12 to 13km approximate. There is one more thing about this campsite due to which it is the most awaited is the frozen waterfall of nyerak. The village is just few hours away from the campsite and you can visit there to buy some essentials from the local shops if required. The night at Nyerak will be the coldest in this trek will may fall up to -32 degrees. Hence, it is recommended that you should layer yourself most appropriately.
Day 7: Nyerak – Tibb Cave. (Trek 12-13 km. / 6-7 hours)
After spending the coldest night near the first village of Zanskar, your journey back to initial will start but you may experience certain changes in the way the chadar might have looked to you at first. Some layers might have been melted and some rocks might want to give you there introduction. When you will be retracing the trail back you will get to know why the Chahdar trek is considered as an unpredictable trail.
The night in the tent will be your last night under the stars and inside the tent. And you will already start to miss the adventure, the thrill of walking over a sheet with water flowing under, the coldness that you already will be accustomed to.
Day 8: Tibb Cave – Gyalpo – Bakula – Leh (Trek 11-12 km. / 6-7 hours)
After spending the coldest night near the first village of Zanskar, your journey back to initial will start but you may experience certain changes in the way the chadar might have looked to you at first. Some layers might have been melted and some rocks might want to give you there introduction. When you will be retracing the trail back you will get to know why the Chahdar trek is considered as an unpredictable trail.
The night in the tent will be your last night under the stars and inside the tent. And you will already start to miss the adventure, the thrill of walking over a sheet with water flowing under, the coldness that you already will be accustomed to.
Day 9: Checkout 10.00am from Leh. Fly to your desired destination.
Chadar trek will officially come to an end after an early morning checkout from your lodge mostly till 10:30Am from where you will depart back to your normal life. The Chadar will serve you an experience of lifetime that you gonna narrate till ages.
HOW TO GET TO LEH:
Flight is the most convenient way of transportation.
Once the roads to the high passes are closed for the winter owing to snow, the only way to reach Ladakh is by air. By October-November and November-December, respectively, the Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh highways are usually blocked. Several airlines offer regular flights to Leh during the winter. Delhi is the main destination. Flights from Delhi to Leh are available once daily. Jet Airways, Air India, and Go Air all provide flights between New Delhi and Leh.
Bookings should be made well in advance because prices tend to rise after a certain amount of time.
Trekking Shoes: Decent trekking shoes with a good grip and ankle support are required. Carry no sport shoes.
Clothing: Warm garments, such as three-layer coats, fleece, or down feather jackets, are required. Carry one or two full-sleeved t-shirts. Carry cotton and trek pants ideal for trekking for your lowers. For trekking, do not bring jeans or shorts.
Thermals: Keep top and bottom thermals on hand.
Socks: Bring two or three pairs of sports socks, as well as woollen socks to wear at night.
A headlamp/led torch is required.
Sunglasses: To protect yourself from the sun in the snow, you should use UV-protected sunglasses.
Woolen hats and gloves are also recommended due to the cold weather. Carry waterproof gloves because they will become wet in the snow.
Lunchbox & Water Bottle: Each participant should bring their own lunch box, spoon, and water bottle.
Raincoats/ponchos: Snowfall and rain are prevalent at high altitudes, and it is important to carry a poncho to avoid getting wet.
Documents Required:
a) Registration Form
b) Medical Certificate (signed by a registered MBBS doctor)
c) NOC form (by trekker)
d) 2 Passport size photos
e) Photocopy of Valid I.D. (PAN is not allowed)
According to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Office of District Magistrate, Leh, it has been decided to impose levies and limits on the number of tourists who can undertake the Chadar trek. It was unanimously resolved that for the upcoming season, fees (Wildlife + Environment + ALTOA fees + medical fee) of Rs. 3800 - 5500/trip for foreign trekkers and Rs. 2,950 - 3,900/trip for local trekkers will be enforced. In addition, there is a govt accidental insurance fee that must be paid (Not defined). Please remember to pay this individually on your reporting day.
palash halder