Markha Valley Trek

The Markha Valley Trek is the classic introductory trek of Ladakh — 75 km from Spituk near Leh, over the Ganda La pass (4,970 m) into the Markha Valley, then over Kongmaru La (5,260 m) and down to the Hemis monastery in the Indus valley. It crosses some of the most striking high-desert landscapes on Earth — bare rock canyons in colours from rust-red to lavender, sparse Buddhist villages with prayer-flag-strewn whitewashed houses, and the great peaks of the Stok Kangri range filling the southern horizon.

The walk is 7 days at a steady pace, with the highest pass on day 6. Starting from Spituk on the Indus, the trail climbs through Zingchen and Rumbak (a beautiful traditional village where most groups stay the first night) to Ganda La, then descends sharply to Skiu in the Markha Valley. The middle days follow the river upstream past the small villages of Markha, Umlung, and Hankar — stone houses, parachute-tent tea stops, occasional river crossings on rope bridges and stepping stones. Day 5 climbs to Nimaling, a high pasture camp at 4,800 m with the dramatic south wall of Kang Yatze (6,400 m) directly above. Day 6 is the pass day: an early start to be over Kongmaru La by mid-morning, then a long descent into the gorge of the Shang Chu and out at Shang Sumdo near Hemis. The bus back to Leh takes 90 minutes.

Trek season is mid-June to mid-September — the rest of the year is too cold and the high passes are snow-bound. Two permits are required: the Hemis National Park entry permit and (for some sections) the Inner Line Permit. Most trekkers organise through a Leh agency ($500–800 for the 7-day all-inclusive with mules); independent trekking is increasingly common and the village homestay network is well-developed (₹1,000–1,500 / $12–18 per person per night with meals). Altitude is the trek's main risk — acclimatise in Leh (3,500 m) for at least 3 days before starting, ideally with a day-trip up to Khardung La or Stok village. The trek is non-technical but the back-to-back high passes and limited oxygen above 4,500 m make it physically demanding.