Unknown Western Zanskar
A Trek in the Indian Trans-Himalaya

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Trip Description & Itinerary:

Saturday August 15 to Sunday September 13, 2008 (30-days Delhi-Delhi) For those short on time, Ibex may be able to arrange an early exit. Inquire. Leader: Bruce Klepinger

Highlights

The ultimate Zanskar trek for the intrepid. A unique wilderness trip offered only by Ibex.
High altitude trek with cavernous gorges, spacious views, vibrant colors. Dazzling variation in scenery.
Precipitous canyons, vast open valleys, vibrantly colored landscape, narrow gorges & turbulent rivers.
Solitude and silence. Drokphas, nomadic shepherds. Extremely remote, rarely visited area.
Rare glimpses of an ancient Buddhist culture, cliff-side monasteries, mani walls & prayer flags.
Sweeping views to Nanga Parbat & Karakorum. Possible sightings of blue sheep, wolf & snow leopard.
Nights in camp. Lodges & hotels off trek. Ladakh's capital city of Leh & the Indus Valley.

Photos © Bruce Klepinger 2004 Near Rong

Background

In northwest India, just behind the Outer or Great Himalaya, lies the first of several parallel Trans-Himalayan Ranges, the Zanskar Range. The core of this complex, tangled knot of mountains is the site for Ibex 2008 trek. Lofty, ragged peaks are repositories of winter snows that produce the icy melt-water of summer. Torrential rivers roar through enormously deep kaleidoscopic canyons that cleave the flanks of the range. In close proximity to the Great Himalaya, but beyond the reach of the monsoon, there is little rain in summer and vegetation is sparse. The landscape is diversely pigmented with burn Zanskar3 t oranges, dark reds and coppery tones blending with purple peaks and sienna sands.

Clumps of green shrubbery dot the mountainsides and ribbons of tamarisk and willow trees line the tumultuous cascading waters. Isolated from the outside world until the last decade, Zanskar possesses a sense of serenity, harmony, and solitude rarely found elsewhere. While many trekkers pass farther east, our route is seldom traversed. Roads are now penetrating into the interior and the old ways will change with their introduction. Little time is left to see what is soon to disappear. Now is the time to go. Along our route, it will still be possible to witness the unchanged. The earth-colored native dwellings are low and half-buried. The infrequently encountered villages are small and primitive. In this hostile environment, farmers irrigate their fields of buckwheat and barley with the silt-laden glacial melt water. Goat herders tend their flocks in the high mountain pastures. Despite the Trail near Zangla © Bruce Klepinger 2004 difficult living conditions, Zanskaris are extremely friendly. Zanskari customs are ages-old. Although their dress is becoming more Western, most in the hinterland still wear their traditional robe-like dress, which is well suited for the bitter winter climate. The ancestral headdress for special occasions for a woman is large and turquoise studded. Tibetan Buddhism is practiced. Mani walls, heaped high with stones engraved with prayers, line the major trails for hundreds of feet. Brilliant whitewashed chortens stand on expansive plains in a sea of sand and rock. Monasteries lie hidden in narrow defiles or perched high on slopes. Although trade routes crossed the passes years ago, none remain active in the center of Zanskar. Zanskar is the perfect place to trek. During the summer months, rain is infrequent. The winter snows on the lofty,

ragged peaks provide the source of the icy runoff of summer. Ibex trek route follows the main spine of the Zanskar Range, rather than cutting across as all the familiar routes do. The route neither enters nor exits at the usual trekking points. The journey commences at a point a long day's drive west of Leh and south of Kargil. The walk proceeds along a diagonal through the untouched core of the western portion of this remote range. From each of the passes there are stupendous vistas of the Zanskar Range, the Great Himalaya and the Karakorum. The trail - indistinct in most places - is bordered by ragged, colorful peaks and crosses through several small villages. As we approach the Zanskar River, all villages vanish. It will be possible to exit early if you are short on time Most trekkers will want to

Western Zanskar © Bruce Klepinger 2004 continue on the final portion and end their trek near on the Leh-Manali Highway.

Particulars

Based on new information, Ibex has had to make minor changes since our first publication of this trek in 2007. A new military road has led to a shift on the beginning point of the trip. We want to keep our route as pristine as possible. With that in mind, it has become necessary to slightly lengthen the trip and to break it into segments. An exact day-b Zanskar4 y-day itinerary is available upon request. The starting date is now scheduled for Saturday August 15 in Delhi. We’ll begin our actual trekking on August 19. Our first potential exit will be on Aug 25 near Ringdom Gompa. It requires a one-day auto trip to return to Leh. We recommend you stay until at least 25 August when another exit will be possible from Zangla on 04 September. From Zangla it is a two-day return by road to Leh. The full trek will end on September 11. We are crossing a large amount of new territory not normally trekked by others. This two (three)segment trek, each part of which is a high altitude journey, crosses at least 8 passes each more than 14,000-ft. The highest pass will be 16,892-ft. The first “half” can be taken as a stand-alone trip, but – because of acclimatization problems – the second half cannot be taken by itself. The trek starts just south of Kargil on the road to Padum. Daily walking time averages 5 to 7 hours per day depending on the group. There may be a few days as long as 8 to 9 hours. This part of Zanskar is one of the world's most remote regions and is devoid of any medical care. Most of the route traverses true wilderness. We may encounter a few trekkers on the second half, but extremely few foreigners have ever set foot on the first half of this route.

Participants should be in good physical and mental condition for this exceptional journey. Physically, the rugged terrain - with multiple ups and downs - is challenging. Lying north of the Himalayas in their "rain shadow," precipitation should be minimal in August. However, “spillage” across the Great Himalaya sometimes happens… even in August.

There will be up to 3-nights in a hotel in Leh at the beginning Photo © Bruce Klepinger 2004 and another night or two on the return to Leh after the trek. All other nights are in camp. If the flight from Leh to Delhi operates on schedule, the hotel overnight in Delhi is included.

Schedule

Sat Aug 15: Arrive Delhi. Begin Ibex Expeditions services.Transfer and overnight near airport

Sun Aug 16: Early morning transfer to domestic flight to Leh. Transfer to hotel. Orientation meeting. Overnight in hotel. All meals included until end of trip.

Mon Aug 17: Day in the Leh area for acclimatization (11,000 feet). Opportunity to visit monasteries and cultural sites. Overnight in hotel.

Tue Aug 18: Drive west on the Leh-Srinagar Highway as far as Kargil and then south to our trailhead. Begin trek. All nights in camp until return to Leh. It may be possible to leave the trek about half-way through.

Wed Aug 19 to Fri Sep 11: Trek. All nights in camp. Specifics available upon request.

Fri Sep 11: End trek on the Leh-Manali Highway. Drive to Leh. Overnight in hotel.

Sat Sep 12: Fly to Delhi, weather permitting, or day free in Leh if flight is cancelled. Overnight in hotel. Breakfast and farewell dinner included

Sun Sep 13: Day free in Delhi or fly to Delhi if flight of previous day was cancelled. Evening transfer to the airport. End Ibex Expeditions services.

Ibex Expeditions, Inc.®, PO Box 5112, Eugene, OR 97405 / 2657 West 28th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97405-1461 Tel: (541) 345-1289 Fax: (541) 343-9002 Email info@trekibex.com Internet www.trekibex.com

LAND COST INCLUDES

all group transfers per itinerary, all meals except some meals in Delhi, all overland transportation, all accommodations per itinerary, all group camping equipment, all entrance fees per itinerary, all leadership and all group trek expenses.

DOES NOT INCLUDE

items of a personal nature, including sleeping bag, bottled beverages, laundry, immunizations, etc. international and domestic airfare, accomm Zanskar7 odations and expenses to/from Delhi, non-group transfers, tips to local staff, some meals in Delhi, excess baggage charges, additional nights at beginning or end of trip, airport departure taxes and visa charges.

COST

Land cost from USD $3670 per person Single Supplement: USD $390 Deposit USD $500 Delhi/Leh/Delhi airfare (high season) USD $512 (subject to change with currency rate). A less expensive rate may be available through our outfitter for those who book early. Ibex uses Jet Airways.

Trek and equipment information, reading list, and maps will be sent upon receipt of $500 per person deposit and completed trip application.

Plan your trip

Before you finalize your air itinerary, please check with Ibex to make sure your scheduling matches our programs and is suitable for you.