Region :- Leh, Ladakh, J & K
Duration :- 12 Days
Grade :- Difficult
Max Altitude :- (6157M) 20,080 Ft.
Approx Trekking Km :- 40 kms.
Ladakh is the most beautiful northern state of India that is popular among tourist for empathy and support of its inhabitants. Situated at the great height of 3500-3800 M of sea level, Leh, the capital of Ladhak, is the most attracting point for the trekking lovers. Not only for its geographical position, but trekkers are fascinated by the raw beauty they experience walking through mountains. Stok Kangri in Leh is the most attractive trekking point of the zone. Stok Kangri encompasses the true Himalayan beauty, deserted surroundings and thorough silence where you can hear your own heartbeat. This trek provides the opportunity to experience some amazing scenes of nature. Walking on the ridge, you might experience a sudden change in the surroundings and that are the best parts of this trek where you can witness the sudden transformation of the nature.
About the Trek
The Stok Kangri trek begins with the arrival at Leh from Delhi. You will require some time to get habitual with the climate and atmosphere of the place. This whole trek comprises natural beauty of magnificent and flourishing green trees. Your trek gives you one full day to grasp this natural beauty. Day third is the day when you will have to reach Changa Ma. Next day destination is Mankorma. Fifth day you will reach at Base Camp. Base Camp is situated in the grassy field and to stay a night in tents will give immense pleasure to everybody. Again, you will rest for a whole one day and your guide will provide you complete knowledge of the climate changes of the weather. From here, you will walk for your final destination of the trek Stok Kangri. It is situated at the height, and you will walk for around 9-10 hours, to reach there. Standing at the top of the ridge, you can view Zansker Range at your south and Karakoram Range to your north. To your front, you will see the extensive ground, and at your back, the mighty Mountain will provide you the regal feel. After spending some time with the nature, you have to climb down and reach Base Camp before sunset. You will reverse your journey
Brief Itinerary
Day 1(28/07/2018) :- Arrive Leh.
Day 2(29/07/2018) :- Leh (Acclimatization day).
Day 3(30/07/2018):- Leh (11500 ft.) to Chang Ma (13087 ft.) via Stok Village.
Day 4(31/07/2018):- Chang Ma (13087 ft.) to Mankorma (14200 ft.).
Day 5(01/08/2018) :- Mankorma (14200 ft.) to Base camp (16300 ft.).
Day 6(02/08/2018) (01/08/2018):- Rest day + training day.
Day 7(03/08/2018):- Base camp (16300 ft.) to StokKangri (20080 ft.) back to base camp.
Day 8(04/08/2018):- Base Camp to Leh.
Day 9(05/08/2018):- Departure to Pangong Lake
Day 10(06/08/2018):- Departure to Nurba Valley
Day 11(07/08/2018):- Back to Leh
Day 12(08/08/2018) Departure from Leh to New Delhi (conclude the trip)
Detailed Itinerary
Day 01: Arrive Leh. Guest House
One of the most simplest approach to reach Leh is by air. It is very convenient and easy as compared to hit the roads as it will take a long time to reach Leh. You will have to take many stops all along the way, and it can be considered as a trek by itself. So, it's better go by air and have a peaceful journey along the way. After completing your daily work pack your bags and get ready to reach Indira Gandhi International Airport. Check in a way before time as the clearance at the airport will cover up the excess time. As you reach, lead yourself to the aircraft, you may feel a very exciting and nostalgic. Place yourself safely and fasten the seat belts as your plane will be going to take off very soon. You can view many beautiful mountains covered with snow from the window which you will not feel to miss the opportunity. Treks in Laddakh are considered as one of the most beautiful treks that one can ever imagine. It can be considered as a lifetime experience and should be enjoyed to its fullest. When you view the majestic hills do not so surprised as for few days you will be watching such mountains all day long for numerous number of times. Many beautiful types of scenery of high mountains of Himalayas with some deep valleys will make your trek to Leh a memorable one. As your aircraft lands safely in the airport of Leh, you can experience the sudden drop of temperature as Leh is going to be cool stay for you people. Collect all your baggage from the baggage counter and lead yourself to the exit of the airport where you can see cab waiting for you to pick up. While going to the guest house for the stay, you can view that there is a market of Leh, in which many new and different man made handicrafts and goods are sold. Some of things may impress you a lot so you can indulge yourself and spend some time in the market to get some of the things you like. As you reach the guest house, you will be introduced with your co-trekkers, and guide, who will accompany you for the trek. You can give yourself a bit of rest before hitting on the plates. You can relish the tasty vegetarian food served to you and the ambience will take it to a different level. After having a healthy dinner do not waste any more time as your bed will be calling you to provide the comfort that you deserve after a long journey. Before going to sleep, you may get the feeling of excitement as tomorrow morning you will be discovering some new places of Leh. Welcome to Leh.
Day 02: Leh (Acclimatization day). Guest House
One of the highest and tallest mountains which can be seen from all over Leh is StokKangri. During winter seasons, it will be fully covered with snow, and now you will be trekking over the place itself. From down you will see the stok kangri peak of the mountain and after someday a time will come when you will reach the top of the mountain. Stok kangri is going the final destination of your trek.
Early morning you will have a perfect start of the day by drinking a hot cup of tea giving you lot of motivation and a fresh start. You can have your share of breakfast and after that day will call you for the acclimatization to the extreme temperature. Today you will do nothing but cherish the cultural and natural beauty of Leh. Today you will be fully aware and familiar with the culture and climate of Leh which will be with you all along the trek. Your acclimatization will be done in the heights of 3000 meters from the sea level. Altitude sickness can be an issue for the trekkers so you can choose to come down from that height. The night will be not planned because of the sudden snowfalls or snowstorms. Even altitude sickness can be an issue. So, to get used to such situations, some recommended exercise and body movements are required, to heat up your body. It will be just a heaven on earth when you get some sun rays at such a climate. The beautiful sunrise early in the morning will make your day. If you are not comfortable enough and have some respiratory problem, then it is suggested to carry some oxygen cylinders. Alchi is a place where you can visit some ancient temples where you can workshop. It is situated just lower than Leh and for spending the rest of the day Leh market can be a good place where many different items are available for you to purchase. You can also enjoy the food which will help you to keep your body warm.
Day 03: Leh (11500 ft.) to Chang Ma (13087 ft.) via Stok Village. Camping (L and D)
Today is the starting of the trek. You may feel very excited because it can be one dream, which is coming true. Very few people come to such position and get the opportunity to experience such an adventurous trek to Leh. In this country, you need serious courage and dedication to choosing to go to any one of the trek. As you start from Leh, you can see many scenes, which you cannot resist yourself to watch. To reach Chang Ma, you will have to come across Stok village, which comes on the way. Stok village is full of natural beauty and adventure. The place is surrounded with beautiful colorful flowers all over the place. During summer, it gives you the best experience when all the flowers blossom and gives a different feel to create the best ambience. This village is located to the south of Leh, and it is also having a palace of King of Ladakh. You can also visit the museum, which is just attached to the palace. In the museum, there are many handicrafts related to history and religious beliefs. Many of them are related to ancient rulers.
This place is not the destination for the day so you will lead towards Chang ma. Since it is the starting of the trek it may be difficult for you to start, but on later days it will not matter you much. The path will be covered with snow, and it is fun in walking above the snow towards Chang Ma. This place is the most popular camping site where everybody will have a high time in camp fire. You ca set up your camp over here and enjoy the pleasing night between the mountains. You are not supposed to stay awake late night as tomorrow you will have to start your day trek pretty soon early in the morning. Next day will be waiting for you to give many surprises.
Day 04: Chang Ma (13087 ft.) to Mankorma (14200 ft.). Camping (B,L and D)
Today you will reach Mankorma by the end of the day which is at 14200 feet from the sea level. There will be some climb which you will face. You will also come across some rough path which you are supposed to traverse with ease. The scenery is very beautiful, and the high mountains add the extra spark. It is important to acknowledge that when you are trekking with your teammates you should maintain a healthy rhythm with them and trek al the path with the same speed. In this part of trek, you will rarely find any trees. You will only feel admits cold as after each step you are gaining some altitude. But this barren land has its own beauty, and it makes the Ladakh the highest cold desert present in the whole world. There will be many barren lands spread till far, and many beautiful valleys as you continue your trek in this direction for some time. You will need to have proper grip with land as the terrain is stiff and the weather is windy. The velocity of wind can sway you from one part to another, and you will some serious consequences if you are not careful. The worst part of today's trek is that you will have to cross some streams in which glacier water will be flowing. After proper precautions and drying yourself a bit leads you to reach Mankorma. The rest of the day can be spent with ease enjoying the scenic beauty of this place. Take some medicines along with you as the altitude is quiet high and you may face with headache. Set up your tents and enter inside respective sleeping bags, to give your body rest and peace.
Day 05: Mankorma (14200 ft.) to Base camp (16300 ft.).Camping (B,L and D)
Today you will be reaching the base camp of Stok kangri. It is at an altitude of 5000m, and it is going to be the starting point of the summit. The base camp is the location where you can enjoy as much as you can. It will take around 5 hours to reach the stok kangri camp. The path to reach this place is also very beautiful and gives a very nice feeling. The place is surrounded with many lakes and streams which acts as icing on the cake when the sun rays fall on it. The crystal clear water sparkles and it look so pure as the water are from glaciers. As you climb higher, density of air becomes thinner, and you may find little difficult to breathe. The temperature is considerably less as compared to other peaks and hence you will need proper precautions to overcome this chilly weather. As you reach the base camp, you can have your delicious hot lunch in such cold weather. In such a high altitude, it will be a joke to expect homemade lunch. It can be very tiring to reach such high peak so you can take some rest and then make some effort to visit some other peaks like ParchaKangri, GulapKangri and many more located nearby. As you reach base camp, you may feel very exhausted, so take the basic rest which is needed. After that, you can enjoy by playing some games like truth or dare which will be helpful to spend some quality time. The upcoming days will be more problematic as the oxygen level will decrease more and it is going to affect you. As the sun sets, get ready for sleep and sleep as much as you want, as next day you will only take rest and get habitual to the surroundings.
Day 06: Rest day + training day. Camping (L,B and D)
Today is going to be an easy day for you as you will do nothing but take rest and get along with the surrounding. You will dedicate a full day to get accustomed with the place and all the routes in detail. To spend some time you can also visit some of the nearby places. Since it is just a rest day, you are not supposed to sit in your camp and sleep all day long. Physical fitness and outside surrounding are very important to view as such views you cannot see again in the near future. Today you will also get to know all aspects of team work and methods that are included in climbing a top of a mountain covered with snow. Your trek leader or guide will give you proper training so that you learn how to climb in such hills. He will also acknowledge you about the challenges that you may face along the way. The most exciting part of the climb is that the legs will be fully inside the snow while climbing as it will be very fresh and soft. So snow trekking boots are must in such conditions or else you should forget to trek in such places. Get to know about the surrounding and weather all through the day and your guide will tell you about the plans to be done in the upcoming days. Night stay will be as usual in the camp by the end you will be very familiar with the conditions and the drastic changes which happens during the night.
Day 07: Base camp (16300 ft.) to StokKangri (20080 ft.) back to base camp.Camping (L,B and D)
Waking up early is an important and crucial part, as you will have to leave your base camp very soon. From the base camp, you will go till Stok kangri which is at 20080 feet from the sea level. To reach stok kangri, you will have to cover some 400 feet more high, which means much less in oxygen quantity. After reaching stok kangri top, you will spend some time over there, and you will have to come back to the same base camp from the point you will start today. You should be ready and accompany your co-trekkers. The path will lead you through glaciers, then there will be a gradual height and then finally you can view StokKangri ridge. You should also avoid drinking too much of water and help yourself to take the lightest breakfast as heavy breakfast will make you little dizzy.
The route will start off with a tall ascent, and then with a gradual slope you reach the glacier. Starting will be very tough for you people as you might be a bit stuck with snow and other problems may arise. The best part is your co-trekkers will help you to motivate and lead forward. The best techniques are to set up small targets, and, after reaching such point, you will take rest and lead to the other point. After you start your trek, it will take some 3 hours to reach this destination. Spend some time in clicking some good photos and enjoy the picturesque location. Play with the snow for some time and then again start your journey. Do not demoralize others and keep moving so that other also gets motivated looking at you. It is necessary to carry each step forward with a lot of precaution and ease because if you slip from such an altitude down it will be really hard to survive.
At this place, oxygen will play an important role, and if you feel you cannot breathe properly, you can carry some oxygen masks along with you. It will be a very physical challenge for you to climb in 75 degree angle and at last reach the peak of the hill. As you reach the top, you will see this world very differently. Everything looks very small and tiny, and you can see up to many kilometres from such point. The Karakoram Range and the SaserKangri dominate the north, and the Zanskar ranges in the south are easily visible if you move your head a bit.
Its time to reach back to the base camp but now you will have to be more careful as now descend is way too much. The gravity will tend to pull you downwards, and you will have to control the speed. As you reach back to the base camp, you will have some of the amazing memories.
Day 08: Base Camp to Leh. Hotel (B)
This is the final day of your trek. All your high altitude gain and other valleys will be left behind, and at last you will reach Leh. The most important that you will gain from the trek is an experience which cannot be compared. When you will be returning to Leh you can again see the breathtaking views of White Mountains covered with snow. The black and grey color mountains and valleys are the attraction point of this place. From such an altitude, you will trek downwards, and many feet of height will be descend within minutes. If you try to move a bit fast in this descent sloop, then you may slip and fall over. So cover the entire trek with ease. After about 12 kilometres of trek, you will reach Stok village, which you had come earlier. After you reach this village, you will drive back to Leh. You cannot resist yourself to spend some time in hot water, which will help to decrease the stress from the body and make you feel fresh. You can also make yourself visible in a small party which will be organized at evening. The bed of the guest house will be very tempting for you to come and lie down as for so many days you were sleeping in tents. Tomorrow morning you will be leaving Leh early morning, and Delhi will be waiting for you to give a grand invitation and get along with the daily work once again.
Day 09: Depart to Pangong Lake (Homestay)
Pangong Lake is also known by the name of Hollow Lake and appears as a clear symbol of nature craftsmanship. The brackish water plays with sunlight to produce different effects of light. One-third part of the lake lies in India while the remaining two-third lies in Tibet, a region controlled by China. A large chunk of streams that fill the lake are located on the Tibetan part. The lake is located just 5 hours’ drive from Leh in the Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir.
Day 10: Depart to Nurba Valley (Homestay)
Aptly known as the valley of flowers, Nubra Valley is a fascinating tourist destination located near the Khardunga La pass (highest motorable pass in the world) in the north of Leh in Kashmir. One has to cross this Pass to reach Nubra. The views of this valley are mind-blowing. Fruits like apples, apricots, oranges and berries are cultivated here. You will also find several monasteries, ruins of palaces and villages around the valley. You will find several centers of Buddhist leanings here. Bactarian camels (shaggy double humped camel) and sand dunes are the other interesting attractions of the valley.
Day 11:Back to Leh. Hotel
Day 12: Departure From Leh.
With all the beautiful memories, which you will remember all throughout life, and while gathering some good experience lead yourself towards Delhi.
How to Reach
By Air :-
Jet Airways, Go Air and Air India provide daily (once every day) flight service between New Delhi and Leh. In the summer season, the services may even be provided twice a day. However if you plan a trip to this area of the country, you must try to book your tickets well in advance. This might even cut down the prices which may be levied on booking at the last time. You would enjoy the flight as you would fly over many untouched areas and even some mountain ranges. The aerial view is just fascinating and gives a great start to your tour.
By road :-
The road from Manali to Leh is only open in the summers. The road trip may take you 2 days, but depending upon the weather conditions, the travel may also extend to 3 or even 4 days. You should also make sure that you carry at least two spare tires. A good advice would be to carry a sleeping bag with you well, as the bus may stop in the middle of nowhere for the overnight stay.
Another route to Leh via Srinagar, also takes around two days. On this route, you would pass through some lonely yet famous villages like Kargil and Khalsi.
Inclusions :-
1. Accommodation. (Camping) and Leh guest house
2. Meals while on trek (Veg.)
3. Trek equipment.
4. IMF Permits
5. First aid medical kits and oxygen cylinder.
6. Qualified & experienced trek Leader, Guide and Support staff to help trekkers.
7. Transport from Leh to Road head and return.
Exclusions
1. Food / Meal in Leh.
2. Any kind of personal expenses.
3. Insurance.
4. Mules or porter to carry personal luggage.
5. Anything not specifically mentioned under the head price Includes.
6. Personal Equipment.
Essentials Things to Get for Stok Kangri Trek
· Backpack (Min 60 Ltrs) with Rain Cover
· Trekking Shoes (Forclaz 100,500 recommended)
· 3 Pairs of Full sleeve shirts/T-Shirt and Track Pants (1 should be waterproof/windproof)
· 3 Pair of cotton socks. 3 pairs of woollen socks
· 2 Full Sleeve Sweater or Fleece Jacket (preferable)
· One Heavy Jacket (Down Feather preferable)
· Thermal Inners 1 Pair
· 1 pair water proof hand gloves
· 1 Pair woollen Gloves.
· Sun Cap
· One Scarf
· Light towel
· Lip Balm
· Cold Cream & Sun Screen (SPF 40+)
· Water Bottle 1 Lt
· Headlamp or torch with fresh pair of batteries
· Personal Toilet Kit and toilet paper
· Personal Medicine Kit
· Dark Sunglasses (U/V protected)
· Walking Stick (At least one)
People who were spectacles-
Should avoid contact lenses and use use photo chromatic glasses
Instead
It Is for me?
For the trek on this trip the general rule is the more preparation you have done for it, the more you will enjoy it. The climb is pretty strenuous as we walk through hilly terrain with our back packs and the temperature is often hot and muggy changing to -15 Celsius at the top of Stok Kangri (6120M). MMG recommend that you undertake regular aerobic activities in 3 month before you trekking, particularly if you are not in the habit of regular exercise. Walking, jogging, swimming or riding a bike are all good ways to increase your aerobic fitness, which will allow you to enjoy the trek to its fullest. This trip is advisable to join MMG organize training trip before join the trip.
- The time schedule subject to change, any change MMG will let participants know early.
- If the trip not enough people MMG have the right to postpone or cancel the trip.
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