6 Days Markha Valley Trek

Today we start a 6-day adventure to a river valley in Hemis National Park. You will pass by many river crossings, canyons and to the high pass Kongmaru La (5200m/ 17060ft), the highest point is Mt Kang Yatse (6492m/ 21300 ft). The guide will take you to the local tea houses or arrange the tent for you along the trail.

Famous as the tea house trek, it is not difficult to find accommodation in local houses or tents. But we still suggest you find a guide together with a cook at Leh, this will be more safe and easier for you. You can share with other travelers to share the cost.

If someone prefers to take trekking by yourself, please ask your hotel for the bus information, they are available twice a week. Or, you can catch a vehicle which is heading to Chilling, the drivers are used to it since there are always many travelers want to hitch a ride in high seasons.

Your guide and the driver offered by the agency will meet you in the hotel and drive for 3 hours to Chilling and then driver for a few kilometers further to a place that can be reached by car. Follow your guide and you will take about three hours to trek 7 kilometers today. We suggest you stay at Skiu tonight but not a nearer village Kaya to balance the next day's toil. Your guide will arrange a nice homestay at Skiu, a nice village with an altitude of 3402m/11160ft.

After a simple breakfast, you will walk to southeast direction to get to Markha. Today's trek is about 20 kilometers and takes 7 hours. The road is relatively flat, but the greenery is rare. Firstly, walk along the river, there are some places you need to climb up and down to get through the broken parts. You will get to Sara at 7 kilometers away, where you will have lunch and take a rest. Or, your guide and cook will find another proper clearing for your lunch. Continue to move, you need to pass several rivers and some of them have no bridge, then you need to take off your shoes, roll up your pants and cross the river, pay more attention to the icy water, it can be very cold. Stay at a homestay at Makha, a village with altitude of 3770m/12370ft.

Today's journey is relatively easy from Markha to Hanker. The 11-kilometer journey takes about 5 hours. You will see one of the most beautiful scenery in the whole journey, the picturesque view of Kang Yatse will impress you a lot. Continue your trek from Umlung to the charming village called Hanker and stay here for an overnight. Hanker is the only place with homestay available. If the weather permits, your guide may lead to trek to Thochungtse and you will stay at a tent.

Go straight east to Nimaling, the southernmost end of the loop line. The road from Hankar is somewhat steep, the road is split into two, and follow the road to downhill to Thochungtse. Lunch will be prepared at a pond with Kang Yatse in the back. Continue your journey to Nimaling. The total 6-hour journey covers about 10 kilometers.

Today's trekking is difficult at the very beginning with a short but steepy road to Kongmaru La. On a sunny day, you can clearly see the Ladakh ranges from a distance. The most difficult part comes when the descent happening on a rocky terrain. The whole journey is about 12 kilometers.

The trek comes to an end on the flat path for no more than 2 hours. The driver will pick you up and will drive you to Leh. Where you can connect a train or flight to your next destination.