8 Days

Trip Code : HAT/CM26

LEVEL

MODERATE

SHARE WITH FRIENDS

CLASSIC MARKHA VALLEY

Max. Elevation

5250m

Walking Per Day

6-7

Accommodation

Hotel / Homestay

Best Season

May - Dec

Group Size

1-12

+91 99069 79078

+91 60069 19812

info@ladakhtraverse.com

TRIP OVERVIEW

A homestay trek to the classic Markha Valley combines scenic trekking with overnight stays in traditional village homes along the route. As you walk through dramatic landscapes and remote settlements, you experience the warmth of local hospitality while gaining insight into Ladakhi culture, traditions, and daily life. Staying in homestays allows you to enjoy home-cooked local cuisine and meaningful interactions with your hosts. One night of the trek is spent in a fixed tent camp at Nimaling (4,700 m), surrounded by high-altitude pastures and mountain views. The trek also includes crossing a high mountain pass above 5,200 meters, adding a sense of adventure and achievement to this iconic Ladakh trekking experience.

Trek Highlights

•Authentic Homestay Experience Stay with local Ladakhi families in traditional villages along the Markha Valley, enjoying warm hospitality, home-cooked meals, and insights into daily mountain life.

•Classic Markha Valley Trail Trek through one of Ladakh’s most iconic routes, passing dramatic gorges, river crossings, ancient monasteries, and picturesque villages like Sara, Markha, and Hankar.

•Spectacular Mountain Scenery Enjoy continuous views of high Himalayan peaks, including the majestic Kang Yatse (6,400 m), along with unique geological formations and vast alpine landscapes.

•High-Altitude Adventure Cross the Kongmaru La Pass at 5,200 m, offering breathtaking panoramic views of surrounding valleys and snow-clad mountains—one of the most rewarding moments of the trek.

•Nimaling High Pasture Camp Spend a night in a fixed tent camp at Nimaling (4,700 m), a stunning high-altitude grazing ground surrounded by peaks over 6,000 m and rich wildlife.

•Cultural & Natural Diversity Experience a blend of culture, nature, and wildlife—mani walls, ancient forts, monasteries, blue sheep sightings, and remote valleys—making this trek both enriching and adventurous.

ITINERARY

Arrival in Leh

Hotel

Arrival at Leh Airport, receive by our staff and settle you to the Hotel. afternoon short visit to the market.

Sightseeing around Leh

Hotel

Visit Hemis, Thiksey & Shey used to be the old capital of Ladakh. Thiksey is a beautiful monastery built in the style of the Potala Palace in Tibet. Drive back to hotel for lunch. You can spend time checking out the charming Leh Town and its narrow by-lanes in the evening.

Drive Leh to Nakding & Trek to Sara (3400m)

B/L/D

Hotel

Time: 3 hrs Drive & 1hr Trek
Distance: 80 km
Elevation: gain/ loss: +100m
The trail goes through a flat and desolate plain along the river Indus till its confluence with the Zanskar where we make a u-turn and enter the Zanskar Valley and drive up along the Zanskar till we reach Chilling. A little ahead of Chilling lies Kaya-Do where we cross the river on a trolley and make our way to the small village of Skiu. Overnight stay at Sara Village.

Trek to Markha (3700m)

B/L/D

Hotel

Time: 3 hrs trek
Distance: 6km
Elevation: gain/ loss: +300m
The trail to Markha is not too strenuous, rising about 300m across 22km, crossing the Markha river a couple of times. Markha is a substantial village, complete with a derelict fort on the hillside and a small village monastery. Overnight at Homestay.

Markha to Hankar Trek (4150m)

B/L/D

Time: 6-7 hrs trek
Distance: 11 km
Elevation: gain/ loss: +450m
Kang Yatse (6400m), a magnificent snow-clad mountain commands the views for the next two days. On the walk there are sights of some fascinating geological creations of large boulders balanced precariously on top of consolidated earth spikes. Continue down over a bridge to Thachungtse, a lovely valley to camp in. A popular place to spot herds of blue sheep slide up and down the steep cliffs with incredible agility. Overnight at Homestay. Hankar, is a home to 15 families, the picturesque hamlet boasts a Ruined Fort, a silent witness to Ladakh’s rich past. Hankar serves as a pivotal point, where the trails diverge towards the enchanting Zanskar, Changthang Region trails,

Hankar to Nimaling Trek (4800m)

B/L/D

Tent

Time: 6-7 hrs trek
Distance: 12km
Elevation: gain/ loss: +650m
You pass several mani (stones with prayer inscriptions) walls and suddenly come across a small pond. The view is wonderful from here - both of Kang Yatse, whose bulk gets reflected in the still waters of the lake, and also of the Markha Valley which we are now welL above.

Nimaliung to Chokdo to Leh via Kongmarula 5200m Pass

B/L

Hotel

Time: 6 hrs trek + 2hrs drive
Drive to Leh Distance: 14 km
Elevation: gain +400 / loss: -1900
Nimaling serves as a vital highland pasture for the herders of Markha Valley,
accommodating their sheep, goats, yaks, and horses during the summer months.
Situated amidst towering mountains exceeding 6000 meters, Nimaling not only sustains
the villagers' agricultural lands but also serves as their primary water source. Amidst its rugged beauty, wildlife like wolves, foxes, and wild goats roam freely. Trek from Nimaling to the Kongmarula Pass at 5200 meters typically takes 2-3 hours. From the pass's summit, trekkers are treated to sweeping panoramic vistas of surrounding valleys.
Following the descent into the valley below, adventurers several stream crossing reach Chokdo village, where a waiting car transports them back to Leh.

Airport Departure

ROUTE MAP

Route Map

Elevation Map

COST INCLUSIONS

Transportation

•Airport Arrival and Departure by Private Taxi.

•Trekking Drop and Pick up

•Sightseeing Tours(mention on itinerary)

Accommodation

•Accommodation in Leh will be provided at a hotel on a twin-sharing basis, with breakfast included

•During the trek, participants will stay in Homestay or Fixed tent (Sharing Basis).

Meals

•During the trek, participants will be provided with three nutritious meals each day—breakfast, Pack lunch, and dinner—along with tea and coffee served few times daily. All meals include hygienically prepared fresh vegetables, fruits, juice and boiled or filtered drinking water

Staff Members

•A professional Ladakh mountain guide accompanied by an experienced support crew

Porter or Horses

•Porter or Horses will be used for Personal bags etc (additional charge)

Permits

•Inner Line permits, monastery entry fees, national park fees, and other trekking charges related to this trip are included.

COST EXCLUSIONS

Any flights Domestic or International
Personal Equipments like Trekking boots / poles clothing etc
Lunch and dinner not include during your stay in Leh
If you arrive in leh earlier than planned or leave later than planned departure date for any reason, you need to pay or arrange extra for hotel nights.
Personal Travel Insurance or High Altitude Insurance / Medical Emergencies
Personal purchases like Alcohol / softdrinks/ bottled water