Trek to Rupshu Tsomoriri

Early morning transfer to Delhi airport where our flight to Leh awaits us. We fly over the Himalayan chain offering an incredible aerial view of the entire mountain range with its gigantic glaciers and soaring peaks. We arrive in Leh, a fertile valley just north of the mighty Indus river (this flight is subject to appropriate weather conditions and perfect flying conditions). We are transferred directly to the hotel.

Free day to relax and acclimatize to the altitude (3,500m). In the late afternoon, stroll through the streets of Leh and its bazaars. Once, the city was an important commercial hub on the Silk Road from China. At 9 stories high, the Nyamgal Palace dominates the city, making it a mini-version of the Potala Palace in Lhassa.

In the morning, we are transferred to Rumtse (approximately 3 hours by car). On the way, we visit Shey, Thiksey and Hemis Gompas.. Continuing our journey, we arrive at Rumtse (in the afternoon) the starting point of our trek where we meet our local team (Kitchen staff and pony handlers). The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the local area.

After breakfast, our trek begins with much enthusiasm. The hike climbs into the Kyamar Valley, known as Jadis La, the salt route. This is the valley through which salt from Tsokar Lake was transferred to the Leh region. We now arrive in the Changthang region which is totally different from the rest of Ladakh and much closer to Tibet. We camp at Kyamar.

Hiking Time: 4-5 Hrs

The Green Valley at Kyamar is a refuge for a number of wildlife species such as hares, black partridge, ibex, the wild ass of Tibet called Kyang. We observe it as we approach the Pass. Descending into the Riti River Valley, we find shepherd camps with their castles. Once again, we climb for a while to reach our camp which is located in a hollow valley.

Walking Time: 6-7 Hrs

In the morning, starting from Riti, our trail heads towards a calm desert. A gentle climb of one hour brings us to Shibuk la Pass from where we can see a part of the Tsokar Lake surrounded by a number of prominent peaks. The descent through a valley leads us towards Tsokar Lake. Since the area is totally dry, we must be certain about water before camping.

Walking Time: 5-6 Hrs

Today is a longer and more difficult day. As we progress, the landscape becomes increasingly impressive. As we continue our hike along the Lac Tsokar on the west side, the enormous presence of salt on the shore of the Lac Tsokar appears like a moon. Then, a new climb begins through a splendid valley towards an easy pass called Nuruchan la from where we can have an excellent view of the Lac Tsokar. From there, we descend towards the Ponglong Chu Valley where we camp near the shepherd huts.

Walking Time: 7-8 Hrs

Today, the trek is short, and so, before leaving in the morning, we spend time at camp to meet the nomads whose lifestyle and way of life are truly admirable. The colorful capes on the backs of Changpa women are superb. We must be careful of the dogs here. The trek begins gradually towards Kayaru pass and takes us to an exceptionally beautiful site. From there, the trail descends gently towards Gyama Chu where we camp for the night, not far from the nomads.

Walking Time: 4-5 Hrs

Today, it's a short trekking day and our last opportunity to camp near the nomads. A short but steep climb to Barma la Pass from where we can have spectacular views of the peaks and valleys. We then descend the valley and the road leads us to Gyama Chu where we see the nomads with their cattle. From there, an easy climb takes us to our camp, well situated in a beautiful valley. We camp at the base of a mountain range. It is the highest altitude camp during our trek.

Walking Time: 4 Hrs

Having spent the last eleven hours at high altitude, our body is normally sufficiently acclimatized to climb to the highest summit of our trek: Lanyal la at 5650m. The climb offers no particular difficulty, but sometimes high altitude makes it difficult. After crossing a small glacier, we reach the summit from where we can take beautiful pictures. From the top, the trail descends down to a frozen lake where we have lunch. After the trek, we rejoin the pastures of the Lanyal valley and set up our camp.

Walking Time: 7-8 Hrs

Descending into a large valley surrounded by high mountains, the landscape here is completely different from all the previous places we have discovered but nevertheless remains wonderful. The hike gently follows its path along oases of greenery. Here, we can see a number of rabbits and other mammals galloping quickly through the meadows.

Walking Time: 7-8 Hrs

After breakfast, the trek begins with a descent along Phirtse Chu (Chu means water, stream or river in Tibetan language). From there, the valley becomes steep and a different landscape emerges before us. After trekking through the gorges and moraines, the trail finally ends in a valley surrounded by colorful mountains and snow peaks. Yes, we have reached our final destination, Tsomoriri Lake. The water of the lake is crystalline and blue.

Walking Time: 7 Hrs

Today, we continue our hiking on the west side of this magnificent Tsomoriri lake. (Access to the east side of the lake is forbidden due to its proximity to the Chinese border). The local population advises against swimming in the lake to avoid incurring the anger of the gods who feel disturbed by human interference in the lake. From there, a gradual ascent begins along the north side of the lake. A number of migratory and wild birds can be seen here. The magnificent village of Korzok is located at an altitude of 4500 meters and is one of the highest inhabited villages in the world. The Changpa people live here year-round. It also has a beautiful monastery that houses approximately 30 monks.

Hiking Time: 7 Hrs

After breakfast, we depart early in the morning for Leh by Jeeps. A journey of approximately 7 hours awaits us from Tsomoriri Lake passing through another magnificent lake named Thatsang Karu and over Namshang La (pass) before the road descends along the Indus Valley where we drive along the river from Upshi to Leh.

Early this morning, a flight awaits us to Delhi.