- Duration
- 6 days
- Difficulty
- 3 of 4 — Demanding
- On foot
- 71 km
- Total ascent
- ≈ 2,750 m
- Highest point
- ≈ 5,140 m
- Season
- June – September
- Group
- 2 – 10 people
- Nights
- Camping
Distances and ascent measured from our own GPS tracks, which you can download day by day below.
In one paragraph
Six days on foot from Zangla, our village at the northern end of the inhabited valley, south-east over a 5,140-metre pass and down the upper Tsarap to Phuktal Monastery. Wide gravel valleys, two long pass days, camps beside glacial water, and a last day through a gorge that ends with a monastery appearing in the cliff above you. Luggage travels on horses. There is no phone signal after the first morning.
Is this route for you?
It suits you if
- You can walk five to seven hours a day on rough ground, for six days in a row.
- You are comfortable sleeping in a tent for five nights, with no shower.
- You have been above 4,000 m before, or you are willing to take the acclimatisation days seriously.
- You want a region rather than a summit.
It does not suit you if
- This would be your first multi-day walk of any kind.
- You need to be reachable during the week.
- You want a guaranteed fixed itinerary — rivers and snow decide part of it.
- You are travelling with children under about twelve.
How our difficulty levels work
Day by day
Each day links to the GPX track we recorded ourselves. Day 1 · Day 2 · Day 3 · Day 4 · Day 5 · Day 6
Day 1Zangla → Sumdo
The route leaves the village on the old path rather than the road, past fields and irrigation channels, and climbs steadily into a landscape that empties out within an hour. There are river crossings on this first day — shallow at this time of year, but a useful introduction to how we handle them. Camp is in the side valley at Sumdo.
Day 2Sumdo → Kong Lumche
A short day by distance and a real one by altitude: the camp is 500 metres higher than the last. That is deliberate. The valley opens as you climb, the vegetation thins to cushion plants, and with luck there are blue sheep on the slopes above. This is the day the acclimatisation is actually being done.
Day 3Kong Lumche → Yarumchun
The pass day. A long climb on scree and old snow to the highest point of the route, at around 5,140 metres by our own GPS track, then a descent to a glacial stream and a camp on the far side. Short in kilometres, long in hours. We start early and we walk kulé kulé.
Day 4Yarumchun → Lar La
An easier day after the pass, following a wide river valley north-east between rock walls that change colour through the morning. Almost no climbing. This is the day people start noticing the silence rather than their legs.
Day 5Lar La → Shadey
Two crossings in one day, with a steep flank in between and a stupa marking the arrival at Shadey — an isolated settlement in the upper Tsarap that sees very few visitors. The hardest day after the pass, and for most people the most memorable.
Day 6Shadey → Phuktal Monastery
The long last day, following the Tsarap down through a gorge, over hanging bridges, until the monastery appears above you on the cliff without any warning at all. Twenty-three kilometres, but almost all of it downhill and beside water. We sleep near the monastery.
What it is like
The walking
Long valley approaches on gravel and old moraine, a couple of steep climbs to passes, river crossings most days. Nothing technical — no rope, no exposure that requires a head for heights — but the ground is rough and the altitude does the work. We start early, walk slowly, and stop often.
The nights
Five nights in tents, at between 3,800 and 4,300 metres. Two-person tents, a mess tent for eating, and a toilet tent. It gets cold after sunset, quickly. The last night is in simple accommodation near the monastery.
The food
Cooked fresh by our own cook: rice, dal, vegetables, chapati, soup, eggs, plenty of tea. Vegetarian by default and easy to keep that way. Tell us about allergies and preferences when you book — at 4,300 metres improvisation is limited.
Who guides it
Both of us, on every departure — this is the route we grew up walking. Meet the guides.
What is included
Included
- Local guiding by both guides, plus cook and horsemen
- All camping equipment: tents, mess tent, toilet tent, mats
- All meals and hot drinks during the trek
- Luggage transport by pack horse, up to 20 kg per person
- Accommodation near Phuktal on the last night
- Permits and local route arrangements
- First-aid support and route decisions on the ground
Not included
- Flights, and the flight to Leh
- Hotel and meals in Leh before and after
- Transport between Leh and the start and end of the trek (we arrange it; it is quoted separately)
- Travel insurance, which must cover trekking above 5,000 m
- Sleeping bag — bring your own, rated to about −10 °C
- Personal equipment, tips and drinks outside the trek
Price
| Group size | Per person |
|---|---|
| 2 – 3 people | €1,500 |
| 4 – 6 people | €1,250 |
| 7 – 10 people | €1,000 |
The price falls with group size because the fixed costs — guides, cook, camp — are shared. Payment is 50% at confirmation and 50% on arrival. How booking and payment work.
Dates
We run this route on your dates within the season, from June to September. Tell us the week you have in mind and we will tell you what the rivers and passes are likely to be doing.
Before you come
- Altitude and acclimatisation — two nights in Leh, minimum.
- Packing list — the sleeping bag is the item people get wrong.
- Safety in remote areas — what happens if something goes wrong out there.
Questions about this route
How fit do I need to be?
If you can walk five to seven hours on rough ground several days in a row at home, you have the fitness. The altitude is the harder part and there is no way to train for it at sea level — which is why the acclimatisation days matter more than the gym. More on difficulty.
Do I need previous high-altitude experience?
It helps, but it is not required. What is required is that you take the two nights in Leh seriously and tell us honestly how you have reacted to altitude before.
How much do I carry?
A daypack of 20 to 30 litres: water, layers, sun protection, camera. Everything else goes on the horses, up to 20 kg per person.
Is there phone signal?
No. There is none after the first morning, and there is no wifi. Tell people at home before you leave. Connectivity in Ladakh generally can also go down for extended periods, so build slack into any plan that depends on being reachable.
What if the weather turns?
We change the plan. That may mean a shorter day, a different camp, a different pass, or — very occasionally — turning back. The decision is the guide's and it is not negotiable on the day.
Can I download the route?
Yes. The GPX track for each day is linked in the itinerary above. It is our own recorded track, not a plotted line.
Related
- Phuktal to Tsokmichik — the natural continuation, and it can be walked straight on from here.
- About Phuktal Monastery
- About Zangla, where the route starts