Lamayuru to Chilling trek

More Images

The Sham Valley, in the lower part of Ladakh, is celebrated for its beauty and richness during the harvesting season. This Ladakh trekking tour follows the old caravan route to Lamayuru, which diverges from the Kargil to Leh road at the Phatu La.

According to a legend, Lamayuru was once a lake, which miraculously disappeared by the hand of Lotsawa Naropa. The monastery at Lamayuru was built in the 10th century and is one of the oldest in Ladakh tourism, and belongs to the Kargyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This trek offers not only the view of many natural beauties of Ladakh travel, but also some of its most famous monasteries and the traditional lifestyle of the natives.

We will start by ascending to the Prinkiti La pass, then trekking down into the Shilakong Valley, where the village of Wanla is situated. From Wanla, we will trek on to the Hinju Valley, which is a good base camp for the next day’s ascent to Kongski La (4,950M). This pass offers a great view of the mountain ranges all around, and it's one of the few places in Ladakh tour where there is a miniscule possibility of spotting the elusive snow leopard or the blue sheep. From Kongzki La, continue, the next day, to the Sumdo Choon, where there's another monastery decorated with ancient paintings. After a night at Sumdo Choon ascend to the Dung Dung La pass. Dung Dung La, with its stunning views of the Zanskar Valley, leads down into a valley where the main village is chilling.

Day 01: Leh – Lamayuru 3420m – Wanla 3250 m (3 hrs)

We will leave Leh by taxi in the morning for Lamayuru, following the Indus River, through Sham Valley. After visiting Lamayuru monastery, we will pack our backpacks and set off for our first day's adventure. We will follow a stream for some time, and gradually climb up to the pass of Prinkti La (3750m). We will later pass through the small village of Shilla (3700 m) before reaching our campsite at Wanla (3250m), where we will spend the afternoon either relaxing in the sun or visiting the monastery.

Day 02: Wanla – Hinju 3720m (4-5 hrs)

Following a dusty road we will reach the small village of Phenjilla (3410 m) and the scattered village of Ursi. We will then walk through a narrow gorge until we reach a traditional Rangthak (flour mill) at the far end of the village. The trail will then cut through the village of Hinju (3720 m), roughly 2 km below our campsite in a yak herder’s encampment.

Day 03: Hinju – Sumda Doksa 4430m (5-6 hrs)

From the encampment, we will continue along the trail and ascend the ridge below Kongskil La (4950m). If lucky, we will get glimpses of some wildlife. We will then climb gradually until we reach Kongskil La, where we will be surrounded by dizzying views of the Karakoram and Stok ranges. The descent down the trail is quite steep, with loose moraine causing the difficulty. The trail then follows the left side of valley floor, passing a yak herders’ hut (4500m), before we reach our campsite. This valley is occupied mainly by the villagers of Sumda Chenmo.

Day 04: Sumda Doksa – Dung Dung Chan la base 4430m (4-5 hrs)

After a short walk and a few river crossings, we will reach the village of Sumda Chenmo. From there we head towards the true left side of the valley, which provides us a beautiful view of the village, with its lush greenery. Further on, the trail cuts through the valley’s wild rose bushes and leads us to another river crossing. This stream originates from the high snow-capped peaks of Photoksar (5685m). Before making a steep, challenging ascent over Lanak, we will see Edelweiss and some of the other rare wild flowers of Ladakh. From the campsite, we get to see some splendid views of Konskila.

Day 05: Dung Dung Chan La base – Chilling 3550m (5 hrs)

We will begin the day with a straightforward climb to Dungdung Chan La (4820m), which offers views of the beautiful vistas of the Stok Range in the east, and the Zanskar Range in the south. From the pass, the trail gradually descends down a ridge toward the valley, continually tapering before reaching the village of Chilling. Chilling is the only village in Ladakh that has provided metal works such as copper, bronze, tin, silver and iron to the Leh market through the centuries. From Chilling, we will drive for about 3 hours along the Zanskar River. We will eventually reach its confluence with the Indus and the easy road back to Leh.

Package Includes:

- Accommodation in Guest House in Padum and Hotel in Kargil with all meals.

- All transportation by Toyota Qualis, Innova or Scorpio.

- Two men tent, Kitchen and dinning tents.

- Kitchen equipments and Toilet Tent.

- Stool, Table and mattresses.

- Food veg and non-veg.

- Cook, helper and guide.

- Horses for Luggages.

- Monument entrances, wild life fees and camping charges.

- Climbing permit to Stok Khangri and Equipments.

Package Excludes:

- Any flight tickets and any Accommodation except Padum and Kargil.

- No accommodation in Leh is included in Trekking Packages.

- Sleeping Bags, trekking shoes and clothing.

- Any Kind of Personal Expenses or Optional Tours / Extra Meals Ordered

- Any thing not specifically mentioned under the head “Prices Included”.

- Tips, Insurance, Laundry, Phone Calls.

- Any Kind of Drinks (Alcoholic, Mineral, Aerated)

- Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control.

Terms & Conditions:

- Prices valid from 01 January 2012 to 30 December 2013.

- 10% cancellation charges if the trekking is cancelled within 30 days before the tour.

- 20% cancellation charges if the tour and trek is cancelled within a one week before the tour.

- No refund if the trek or tour is cancelled after starting or middle of the trek or tour.