Itinerary -
Day 01: Delhi – Leh (Complete Rest in Leh for acclimatisation)
Catch an early morning flight to Leh. Upon arrival at Leh Airport (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport), trekkers will be transferred to the guest house. Relax and get acclimatise to the place. Dinner and overnight stay in the Leh guest house.
Day 02: Leh – Shey – Thiksey - Hemis
Begin the day with a power packed breakfast and go for a monastery tour. Today, trekkers will visit Shey Gompa, Deldan Namgyal, Thiksey Gompa and Dresthang Gompa. Spend the night in the cozy guest house in Leh
Day 03: Leh – Chilling (5 hrs drive)
Start the day with a breakfast and then embark on a trip to Pishu Village, through the breathtaking roads that are bestowed with the sheer beauty of nature. Dinner and stay in Chilling guest house.
Day 04: Chilling - Zaribago
Post a hearty breakfast; start the first day of the trek to the Zaribago, which will take approximately five hours. Dinner and overnight stay in Zaribago tent.
Day 05: Zaribago - Deepyokma
The fifth day is going to be a thrilling yet exciting one as the trekkers will walk on the frozen Zanskar River till they reach Deepyokma. Overnight stay and dinner in Deepyokma camp.
Day 06: Deepyokma - Nyarakpulu
Reach Nyarakpulu below the Nyarak village from Deepyokma by walking for about 4 to 5 hours. Have the night stay at the camp.
Day 07: Nyarakpulu - Lingshed
Leave Nyarakpulu and have one hour walk to reach small village of Lingshed. Relish the comfort and pleasing atmosphere of private house equipped with central heating.
Day 08: Lingshed
Get pepped for a fun day of the Frozen River Chadar Trek. Explore the landscapes of Lingshed, visit monasteries and meet and greet the local people. Overnight stay in Lingshed guest house.
Day 09: Lingshed - Nyarakpulu
On a ninth day, trekkers will trek till Nyarakpulu. Dinner and overnight stay in Nyarakpulu guest house.
Day 10: Nyarakpulu - Tso Mopoaldar
Take a walk of around 5 hours from Nyarakpulu to the campsite at Tso Mopoaldar.
Day 11: Tso Mopoaldar - Tilatdo
Early morning, after breakfast, embark on a trek till Tilatdo. Overnight stay and dinner in Tilatdo.
Day 12: Tilatdo - Chilling - Leh
After arriving in the morning, set off on an trail to Chilling. Drive ahead and reach the hotel in Leh. Overnight stay at Leh hotel.
Day 13: Leh – Delhi
The charm and allurement of the Zanskar river trekking end here as trekkers go ahead with an onward journey to Delhi.
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
Area :
Ladakh Himalaya
Duration :
13 Days (4 days travel/9 days trekking)
Best Season :
Mid Jan - Mid Feb
Grade :
Moderate
Altitude :
3850 mts/12628 ft
Total Trekking :
80 K.M
About Chadar Trek
Featuring a surreal backdrop of nature colours, the Frozen River Trek, commonly known as the Chadar Trek, is one of the challenging treks in the Ladakh region. The strenuous mountain trail on the ice-clogged river under the blue winter sky passes through valleys, mountain caves and frozen waterfalls. It is one of the most arduous treks of Indian Himalaya as the trekkers will pass through craggy rocks and the temperature may dip to below minus 10 degrees, a rare climatic condition which can be difficult to survive.
The Frozen River Trek, which is one of the popular winter treks, is also one of the longest trekking trails in the Indian Himalayan region that covers an entire stretch of 90 kilometres in 8 chilly days. Like a walk to paradise, the Chadar Trek swipes several trekkers' dreams making it a part of their diary. The journey leads off from Ladakh to the snowbound villages of the Zanskar Valley.
One may acquaint the eyes staring and asking, 'what made you explore the barren beauty?' The answer just walks following the Chadar trail to a state of absolute bliss secluded within the colours of nature.
Frozen River Chadar Trekking Tour Highlights
• Trek along the traditional winter trading route connecting Padum to Ladakh along the frozen Zanskar river.
• This is a real adventure with only a couple of groups making the trek every year. The conditions on the river can be variable so a flexible approach is required!
• Gain insight into the remote cultures of Zanskar and Ladakh and you will have the chance to stay with local Zanskaris along the way.
• Go for a sightseeing tour to explore the Gompas and forts around Leh as you let your body acclimatise to the altitude.
• Spot rare Ladakhi animals like snow leopard, ibex, Himalayan Thar, blue sheep, etc.
Best Time to Visit Frozen River Trek
January to February
This is the time when the upper layer of the Zanskar River freezes. The river looks like a sheet of ice; hence, it is referred in the local language as 'chadar'.
Where is the Frozen River?
During the winter season, the Zanskar River converts into ice, giving trekkers a perfect platform for trekking. The trail to the Zanskar valley is going to be a challenging yet exciting one as the ice walls are vertical cliffs, which are up to 600 m high, and the Zanskar river is narrow, approximately 5 m wide. Once upon the time, the trail used to be traditional trade route.
How to Reach?
During the winter season, it's always impossible to reach Leh via roadways and railways', thus traveling by air is the best choice. Airlines like Jet Airways, Air India, and Go Air provides daily flight service from Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. Kushok Bakula Rimpochhe Airport, Leh's airport, is one of the highest commercial airports in the world at 3,256 m.