Markha Valley trek - long circuit

Day 1 Delhi to Leh

I set out for the airport the night before.  I thought I'd sleep in the airport and conveniently take the flight further.

Bad move. Sleeping on domestic terminal is not convenient at all. I don't know why I even did that. Maybe just nervous about the trip.

Anyhow, the flight itself was an experience in itself. The view from the window looks grand prior to landing.  I was able to click many pictures and videos before the air hostess requested me to not do so. To have the best view, make sure you have the "F" seat. 

Perks of taking the "F" seat

Leh, first impression is a sleepy town. Shops open late.. Hardly anybody on the streets.
I bought Gloves and a torch for the trek.  In my opinion, I'm fully equipped now.

I spoke to a few people about my plans to do Markha Valley solo. Well, let's just say that they kind of put me into panic mode.

Told me about bad weather, tigers, confusing routes. 

Apple tree at the hotel in Leh - Bimla Hotel

However, I've decided to go ahead on my own. Use my judgement to the best and make sensible decisions.

If it snows, the trail would disappear. I would have no clue where to go. 

I have a million apprehensions about this. I must stay positive and take things on a day to day basis.

Tomorrow will set the tone for the rest of the trek.
Fingers crossed!

Day 2 Leh to Zingchen to Rumbak

Today was the action day. I left from Leh around 9 am and reached Spituk by 945 am.

There is nothing in Spituk besides a monastery. I took the dusty road to Zingchen and walked 6 km in an hour and half. 

Trek start point, road on the right

Take right after this bridge for Zingchen

I was all alone except the very occasional cars spewing dust on my face.
I hitchhiked in one of the cabs till zingchen.

Zingchen wasn't what I was expecting it to be. Homestay wise.
There was a small concrete structure but it was locked and there was one parachute tent which served only Maggi.

From Zingchen to yurutse the trail follows the river until a point comes when you have to cross a bridge. No rocket science, the trail bends that way.

I decided to hike till yurutse initially but later decided to take a detour to Rumbak instead because of its proximity.

If you keep right on the trail from Zingchen, you reach yurutse, if you take the left detour and keep following the red poles, you reach Rumbak. Rumbak is closer while coming from Zingchen.

Since this isn't trekking season for Markha, I didn't encounter many humans let alone trekkers on the trail. 

Day 1 -- The hunt for Rumbak

I almost went into panic a couple of times since I was hungry, tired and there was no village visible on the horizon. I had veered off towards the animal sheds mistaking them for homes.
Luckily, I met a few people who pointed me towards the right direction.

I huffed and puffed to Rumbak!

Scenic Rumbak Village

  

Inside the home stay kitchen

There are 9 homestays in Rumbak. All of them have a typical Ladakhi architecture.

I took refuge in the very first home stay for tea and lunch.
I pitched my tent right outside that home stay and asked them to prepare dinner for me as well.

On asking around, I came to know there are a couple of trekkers headed for Markha. Problem is that they are camped in yurutse and I'm here sipping hot tea in Rumbak.

I need to be around people while crossing Ganda La. I need to have a backup plan incase AMS hits me.

With that thought I'm mentally fixated at my next goal - reaching yurutse early morning.
From what I've been told, it's an hours trek.

A few milestones for the day - 

• Distance covered - 17 kms approx
• Longest trek day absolutely solo.
• Highest camp for me yet

Rumbak is 3947m altitude as per my phone's GPS.
Previous highest was Bedni bugyal at 3600m.

Day 3 Rumbak to Yurutse

Yurutse, the two house town which serves as a launch pad for hiking further to Ganda la base.

Unfortunately, Ganda la base campsite is closed since it is off season.

I woke up at 7 am today, packed my stuff, had breakfast at homestay at Rumbak. Left lazily at 9:40 am.

On the way to Yurutse

Today was a short hike day.  I had no plans to even think of crossing Ganda la today. Today is the short hike day I had initially planned for.

From Rumbak, I descended from the homestays to the river bed, from where I started looking for a trail. Those were really anxious times.

Like yesterday, I didn't see any trekkers on the trail and walked absolutely alone. I found a trail diverging from the river bed and had a huge sigh of relief. 

The trail was pretty straightforward till the pastures. Later it diverges to a trail going upwards. Since that trail looked dominant, I started following it.

There is a mild ascent and you cross the 4000m mark pretty soon. The trail keeps going up.
I began to breathe heavy and took a lot of breaks. I kept myself hydrated whenever I took a stop.
Soon, after walking for exactly 2 hours all by myself, I saw prayer flags. 

I had reached Yurutse. There are two homestays here. I decided to choose the homestay option and not pitch my tent today, reason being, I need an early start tomorrow to reach Skiu and packing my stuff takes me a long time.

View from rooftop - Homestay at Yurutse

I'm getting more confidence from the success of the last 2 days. If I make it to Skiu tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I'll also make it to Shang Sumdo.

Highlights of the day :

• Distance covered - 4 km
• Max altitude - 4100m
• Highest camp for me - breaking yesterday's record

Next highest would be Nimaling - 4700m.

I met other trekkers today. A couple from France, a couple of Indians, a few ladakhi guides.

Guess I'm not walking alone tomorrow.

Day 4 Yurutse to Shingo

I started the day early at 6 am. Slept fine last night in short bursts of about 2 hours each. I felt rested when I woke up.

After leaving Yurutse, the sun was really harsh

I left early along with the other trekkers for Skiu via Ganda la.

Closed Ganda La Base :(

The first half of the trail was pretty easy. I checked the GPS when I reached 4600m.
Every step after that was  struggle especially with my 18 kg backpack pulling me back.

Atop Ganda La Pass @ 4950m altitude

Chilling while actually being Chilly at Ganda La

I started walking from Yurutse at around 8:30 am and reached Ganda la,  altitude 4920m as per GPS at around 12:30 pm.

This was very slow and I blame the heavy bag for that. Heavy bag and the high altitude made it really difficult for me.

However, unlike the past 2 days, I had company on the trail.

Ganda La pass was very cold and extremely windy. I rued not having gloves.

The view from there was simply breathtaking with the Zanskar range on one side and the Karakoram range on the other. I also saw the Stok Kangri peak in all its glory radiating from the sunlights glow.

After Ganda La, we started descending. My back started to hurt from the weight and the steep initial descent. I decided to not go till Skiu and halted before at Shingo.

Everybody else also decided to halt at Shingo. Should I have walked in pain and tried for Skiu?
I guess I decided to take it easy.Good for me.

Reached Shingo at 2:45 pm, had the packed lunch I carried from the previous homestay and called it a day.

I made it across a 4940m high mountain pass with almost full camping gear.

Confidence++

Highlights of the last day :

• Distance covered - 10.5 km
• Max altitude at Ganda La - 4940m

I met a German lady today. We had an interesting discussion about destiny. She seems sorted, like she has figured life out. Yet another perspective on life.

I feel like a collector of sorts. I collect opinions. I do not act on them and I don't let them change the way I am.
I just observe and sometimes pass it on to others.

Perspective ++

Day 5 Shingo to Sara

I woke up at the usual 6 am today. The day before was very intense and I had a very nice deep sleep.

The group I'm following decided to hike till Markha today to make up for yesterday's lapse in distance covered.

I was not sure how long I should follow them as they were not sure if they're going all the way.
Finally, one of the guy decided to return from Markha and the other decided to complete the trek.

My back and my backpack were two burning issues. The first due to the latter. 

I left Shingo lazily at 8 am,  following the group.
The trail zig-zagged along the Shingo river with various ascents, descents and level walks. Difficulty was easy gradient wise but the distance was too long.

Scenic trail from Shingo to Sara

The view was magnificent at several turns.

After walking in the sun for a good 2:30 hrs, we reached Skiu at 10:40 am. Skiu looked like a ghost town with many homestays.
The sun was really pounding by the time we left for sara village.

The trail from Skiu ran parallel to the river with the same occasional ascents and descents. Overall, a gentle gradient. If you follow the river, you can't go much wrong except missing an easy trail for a walk on the boulder filled river bed.

My shoulders were feeling the brunt of the tight shoulder straps. I took occasional breaks to relieve tension.

Tenting at Sara, Big mistake

After no sight of Sara village till 2 pm, I made up my mind to not pursue Markha village today.
So, I pitched my tent at Sara village when we reached there by 4 pm.

I walked 7 hours today and covered a distance of 18 km. Today was an easier walk thanks to the loss of altitude.

The trail was simple and didn't require any guidance. I spent all day walking with the same couple of guys because our speeds are the same. I feel I could've easily done this even if there were no other trekkers. 

Sara stands at 3450m high as per GPS. Lowest campsite so far.

I'm thinking about the grand views I witnessed today, as I go to sleep in my tent. The picture perfect Valley, the blue river, the rising peaks and the endless trail.

I'm also thinking about the fact that I haven't been in touch with the rest of the world for 4 days now. I think that's a personal record, one I'm sure I'll extend in the coming days. 

Tomorrow is a long day too. I must rest and prepare myself mentally.


Highlights of the day :

• Distance covered - 18 km
• Max altitude - 4028m

Day 6 Sara to Hangkar

I made a terrible mistake last night by sleeping in my tent. The cold was brutal and my throat started paining. I woke up at 1:30 am frantically trying to find comfort in my sleeping bag.

I had random spells of sleep mixed with miserable awakenings.

I got up at 6 am with an aching throat and checked myself for fever. My forehead was cold and I wasn't feeling any symptoms besides the throat pain.
The German lady gave me tea tree oil for my throat. She seems nice.

I left Sara at 9:15 AM and followed the same group as before. After a continuous walk of two and a half hours, I reached Markha village.
The trail Sara to Markha was along the river, crossing it sometimes. The views were stunning with plain grass Meadows, blue river, red flowers presenting themselves at every stretch.

The Markha river crossing is now covered with a bridge. One doesn't need to cross the cold river on foot anymore.

Markha village in itself seems to be the most developed of all the other villages. It even has a school. I gave away my chocolates to the kids I met on the way. Markha also has good monasteries, wish I had the time to go inside one.

I exchanged my heavy bag with the guide of the group I was walking with. 17kgs for 10kgs seemed a very good barter. The group itself was just one more person, since the other person gave up and set off for Leh via chilling.

I took breaks every 2 hours and enjoyed the view. The sun was harsh and the trail is mostly dusty. This aggravated my throat condition.

Also, the trail today involved long stretches of walking on the river bed. One needs to be extremely careful with each step. A slip can ruin the whole trek.
Today was a long walking day.

Stopover at Umlung, on the way to Hangkar

I covered 17 km in 7 hrs and I'm now in Hangkar which sits at an altitude of 4000m.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day as well with the destination being Nimaling which is at 4700m altitude.

Hangkar Panorama

I took the homestay option today since my throat is bad and I can't afford to risk it.

Nimaling doesn't have homestays but just parachute tents. It's going to be extremely cold there. Last painful night of this trek.

This trek is also coming to an end. Next night at Nimaling and the one after that at Shang sumdo which is quite close to civilization.

I look back at the previous days and especially the ones I spent walking alone and I feel like patting myself on the back for not giving up. Once the clouds of doubts are blown away with the winds of hope, life looks a lot clearer and you see the trail very clearly.

All I did was hung on and pursued my objective actively.

Rest of the victory talk after I summit Kongmaru-La (highest point of trek @ 5200m). However, I am satisfied with where I am right now.

Highlights of the day :

• Distance covered - 17.5 km
• Max altitude - 4000m

Day 7 Hangkar to Nimaling

The night at homestay at Hangkar was very comfortable. The only problem was my throat which woke me up early morning.

I ate a hearty breakfast knowing the altitude I have to reach today. I stuffed up as much food as I could and left for Nimaling at around 9 am.

On the way to Nimaling from Hangkar

The first checkpoint is Thochuntse which is not homestays but a parachute tent. Thochuntse is closed during this season. The trail was very clear and the best part was that there was minimum walking on the river bed.

Thochuntse parachute tent visible

I reached Thochuntse at around 1120 am and sat down to have some light snacks. Thochuntse is a level meadow ground with a parachute tent and a few structures which looked like homestays in the making.

Thochuntse is also where the trail becomes steep and climbs up constantly. The air got noticeably thin and I was struggling after every few steps. The views were magnificent though. Especially, the one looking back from Thochuntse.

After a long monotonous climb till an altitude of 4750m, I reached a lake. Other trekkers were having their lunch there. I had my packed lunch too - a boiled potato, bread and cheese slice.

The view of KangYatse peak from the lake was amazing. I took an hours rest there, knowing that Nimaling is nearby.

Magnificent Lake and the view of KangYatse in background

From the lake, after a hike of 1:30 hrs,  I reached Nimaling. Nimaling is just a huge plain area, which is rare on this trail. The trail from the lake wounds around the kangyatse peak and descends to the huge pasture area.

You can spot Nimaling from about 2 kms far,  since it's just a very long flat land. Looks closer than it is. Took me around 25 minutes to reach it from when I spotted it.

Endless Nimaling Plains

The famed Nimaling Parachute tent - Best food here!

The view is amazing and it feels like you're walking into a painting.
With snow covered peaks flanking the green ground on both sides.

There are just parachute tents in Nimaling. No homestays. Tents are pitched for hikers near the parachute tent and are equipped with mats and rugs.

Nimaling is incredibly windy. The tents are always making that rattling sound.

I am feeling feverish as I sit in the parachute tent and write my journal for the day. Maybe the throat problem is worsening.

Just one more night I'm thinking. Just don't fall apart for one more day.

Tomorrow is the last day of the trek. I shall reach Shang sumdo tomorrow, take a cab back to Leh and probably heal.

This is it. I've been walking for 6 days. Sometimes alone, sometimes with other trekkers.

Tomorrow I shall cross Kangmaru-La, the highest pass on this trail and charge for Shang Sumdo.

So close. So damn close.

Fever fever go away!

Highlights of the day :

• Distance covered - 12 km
• Max altitude at Nimaling - 4700m 
• Highest altitude I've ever camped at

Day 8 Nimaling to Shang Sumdo to Leh

The worst night of my life. I woke up at 3 am struggling to breathe. I had very bad AMS.
Everytime I slept, my breathing stopped.
I had various hallucinations. I doubted if I'd see morning.
Really fucked up hallucinations.

The morning was better, infact at around 6 am, the AMS disappeared. I had a hearty breakfast yet again. The same food I've been having for 4 days. Roti, jam, butter.

There were many trekkers in the camp. French, Australians, Germans, Swiss and Indians.

There were just two Indians. Me and another guy.
Today we had to scale Kangmaru La pass. I started later than the others at 9 am. I was feeling dull due to lack of sleep.

I set out for Kangmaru LA with my 17 kg backpack. As per news, Kangmaru La had heavy snow deposits due to the wind. The groups guides had left to make footholds in the snow. The guide who was carrying my backpack had also left.

So, I was left with the heavy task of climbing 5250m with my backpack.

I was really struggling throughout the ascent. The air was really thin and I was struggling to breathe. The trail from Nimaling starts right next to the stream near the camp and goes up steeply. The muddy trail is flanked by snow on both sides and if you look back you get views of Kang Yatse peak (6400m).
I stopped numerous times and got lost in the visual spectacle. Too bad I couldn't click any pictures today, the climb was really difficult and demanded my entire attention.

I reached Kangmaru la in 2 hours. Kang Yatse looked amazing from there. I had made it, reached the highest point of the trek and the highest altitude reached in my life, another barrier broken.

After the ascent, the descent to Shang sumdo wasn't a cakewalk either. The guides present in the vicinity offered to rope me up with others to descend.
It was very strenuous and my knees were very tired. There was Valley exposure and the trail was covered by soft snow. My foot caved in the snow entirely multiple times. It was doable without ropes too but the guides had the ropes with them and they wanted to use it.

Descending after the snow ended was relatively easier but my knees were giving up on steep slopes. I stopped and reorganized my bag, layered down, readjusted straps and tightened my shoe laces. I also had juice I was carrying all by myself, absorbing the sounds of nature.

I caught up with a group and followed them to shang sumdo. Total time taken from Kangmaru la to Shang sumdo was 6 hours.

The trail involved mostly walking on the river bed. You can bypass the river bed by walking on the side trails which ascend high and then go parallel to the river.

The river bed really punished my knees but there were no injuries. I tried a few interesting river crossing moves keeping up with the group.

I passed chuskirmo and chokdo camps on the way to Shang sumdo. Chokdo in particular was a very beautiful village with huge homestays. It is here that you start noticing the electricity poles. Just before reaching Shang sumdo, the trail beautifully wounds into various twists and turns. You can spot Shang sumdo from a long way.

And.. with that.. the trek was over.


Highlights of the last day:

• Distance covered - 18.2 km
• Max altitude at Kongmaru La - 5250m (17240 ft)
• Highest altitude reached yet and that too with camping gear!

I decided to take the cab back to Leh with the group who I've been walking with for the most part of this trek.

The cab was waiting in a ground in Shang sumdo. The cab driver mentioned that very few Indians finish this trek and to do this in off season was admirable. I felt proud of myself.

Ending the trek felt bittersweet. Bitter because I've been part of a wonderful trip away from the world, away from all the worries.
Sweet because.. I hadn't showered in 8 days. I really needed to shower. My BO could've been used as a WMD.

I reached Leh at around 7 pm and straightaway checked into the hotel where I had previously stayed at. Taking a shower has never felt this nice.