Markha Valley Trek Route

Overview

The area around the town of Leh, Ladakh is covered in numerous short, medium and long treks (from 2 to 22 days in length). All can be done with guides and ponys via trekking agencies or independantly.

This is a 7-9 day trek involving three passes (4900m - 5200m) thru the Markha Valley, between the Zanskar Range and the Stok and Masho mountains. This is the the standard medium-long trek out of Leh that sells for $40/day but can be done independantly for about $10/day.

Getting There

Transportation to/from Leh.

Reaching Leh, the capital of Ladakh is either from the west (Shrinigar) or the southeast (Manali) along a single (and only) road. From Shrinigar you can catch the daily J&K bus (600rs) that takes two days to reach Leh (over night stop usually at Kargil). You may also take a shared jeep (1200rs) that takes 12-14 hrs.

To reach Leh from Manali you can take a state bus 600-800rs depending on direction) that takes two days. The independant buses range from 1000-1500rs and take two days (with an over night camp costing up to 400rs). You may also take a 16-18hr shared jeep (1500rs front and center row seats or 900rs rear jump seats). Note that the road between Manali and Leh is probably one of the worst road on the planet and a jeep ride of this duration can seem like hell.

Optionally you can fly into Leh for around $100.

The bus from Leh to Stok village (trailhead) leaves from the Leh New Bus Park daily at 8am, 2pm, and 4pm. The last return bus leaves Stok around 6:30pm.

The bus from Hemis Gompa to Leh leaves daily at 12:30pm. The bus from Sumdo leaves each morning at 8am). The Hemis bus stops at the power plant bridge in Martselang on its way to Leh so it is not necessary to hike all the way up to the gompa. At the village of Karu (on the main highway across the Indus River) there are countless bus options to Leh.

Route Description

Day 1 Stok to Camp after Stok La.
This trek has two starting points. The more popular and easier one is the village of Spitok, however we chose the harder and more scenic option of Stok village. Follow the river upstream from the teahouses located at the south end of the village (end of the road at the washed out bridge). Stay on the right side of the river (facing upstream) unless forced to cross temporarily due to frequent washouts. Note that there is a tent teahouse located three hours before the Stok La Pass that denotes the location of a trail split. The trail to the left across the river leads to the Stok Kangri base camps, while the direct (right) trail leads to the Stok La pass and the Markha valley. The river will eventually dry out as you reach higher elevation so be sure to refill your bottles or you will face problems at the end of the day. There is a shepherd's stone hut located at the base of the false pass. This is an ideal camp location if you have enough water. Otherwise you will be forced to cross the pass and head down into the valley for an additional hour to reach the first campsite with water. Camp before the pass at the stone hut or after the pass at the first water location.

Day 2 Camp to Rumbak or camp before Ganda La Pass.
Depending on where you camped the previous evening, you can continue over or down from the pass to the green valley and spend the night at the Rumbak village home stay or proceed an additional hour to the Yurche home stay (single home, no village), or on to the tea tent campsite (you can stay in the tea tent for 50rs) before the Ganda La Pass.

Day 3 Skyu Village.
The first half of the day is uphill to cross the Ganda La Pass. The trail then descends into a wide easy downhill valley and then into a very long winding narrow gorge. You will have to cross the Willow shrouded stream (Shingri Nala) many times due to washouts. The gorge opens onto the wider Markha valley at the Skyu Monastery. Skyu village is around the bend to the southeast where a number of tea stalls and campsites are located. The home stay is an additional 15 minutes walk upstream from the village.

Day 4 Skyu to Markha Village.
The walk from Skyu to Markha is a long but easy one. The scenery changes constantly and the trail crosses the river a number of times (8hr day). The home stay is located at the beginning of the village (before the bridge).

Day 5 Markha Village to Namling tea tent camp area (8-9 hrs).
Note that some guides suggest that you stop at the Tahangtse tea tent camp area (6 hrs). The walk to Tahangtse is generally easy, but with a number of wet river crossings (take off your shoes and wade across frigid waters) and false trails due to washouts. From Tahangtse the trail begins a steady (and difficult) two hour ascent to higher elevations. The trail then levels out when you reach the small mountain pond and circular rock formation. From this point it is an additional hour to the Namling tea tent campsite.

Day 6 Namling to Chogdo or Sumdo.
This is another long day due to the 2-3 hrs spent crossing the Gangmaru La Pass (5200m). At the Namling camp ground cross the stream at the wood bridge and proceed directly up the opposite slope (some maps incorrectly show the trail going upstream). At the top of the slope the trail opens up onto a plateau heading northeast and the starts a zigzag ascent to the Gangmaru La pass (no false summits in this case so it is very direct). The other side of the pass is very steep and it takes 1-2 hrs to reach first water and a campsite (Larsa). From this point you are in a tight gorge with many washouts and difficult trail finding conditions for at least 4 hrs (to tea tent camp 1 km before Chogdo). Note that you will cross the river many times until you reach the final solid trail on the left side of the downstream gorge (note that earlier left side trails are washed out). There is a home stay at Chogdo. Sumdo is an additional two hours downstream and now serviced by a gravel road (bus leaves each morning at 8am) and has a Guest House.

Day 7 Chogdo to Hemis Gompa.
If you stayed at Sumdo you can catch the bus to the main highway and then to Leh. If you stay in Chogdo you walk along the gravel road to Martselang for 2 hrs and then an additional 2 hrs uphill to Hemis Gompa where a bus leaves daily for Leh at 12:30pm. There is now a road directly from Martselang across the Indus River and the village of Karu. From Martselang or Karu there are many bus options back to Leh. All the older guide books end this trek at Hemis, but a more logical option now is to end at Sumdo since walking on gravel and paved roads is not that pleasant.

Essential Gear & Accomodation on the Trail

You could do this entire trek without a tent, but it would be risky given some of the high passes and the possibility of harsh weather (it snowed the night we were in Namling in early September).

Accommodation on the trail is either Home Stay for a flat fee of 300rs (even though we were told 350rs in the city) and includes dinner, place to sleep, breakfast and a pack lunch (chapati and jam). Home stays also have a camp area and charge 100rs per tent.

Some tea tent campsites also offer home stay in the dining tent (after the last guest has gone) or in an additional tent. It cost 100rs to set up a tent at these tea tent sites (proceeds go to the local Monastery and a receipt is provided).

In any village (one house or more) there is usually private camp areas costing 100rs per tent.

External Links and Maps

Visit my website (www.dirttreks.com) for more photos.

Markha Page

GPS Waypoints: Datum WGS84

# Latitude Longitude Elevation
1 N 34 04.042 E 077 32.651 3414
Trailhead teahouse Stok Village across washed out bridge
2 N 34 02.482 E 077 27.831 4442
Day 1 tent camp (other side of Stok La Pass)
3 N 34 02.790 E 077 23.272 4369
Day 2 tea tent camp site after Yuruche (before pass)
4 N 34 02.500 E 077 21.771 4980
Gundula Pass
5 N 33 58.754 E 077 16.286 3371
Day 3 Homestay & camp just east of Sku
6 N 33 53.077 E 077 24.994 3410
Day 4 Homestay in Markha Village
7 N 33 49.151 E 077 35.669 4857
Day 5 tea tent camp site, Namling
8 N 33 47.420 E 077 37.045 5289
Gongmaru La Pass
9 N 33 49.790 E 077 40.169 3990
Day 6 Homestay in Chogdo village
10 N 33 54.764 E 077 42.218 3673
Hemis Gompa (End)

Other Trek Options in this Area

(source: Indian Himalaya Maps Sheet 3, by Leomann Maps)

Padam to Leh via Charcha La

Padam-Lamayuru Trek via Zangla and Namtse La

Images

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