Set in the beautiful Hemis National Park, the Markha Valley is a stunning natural landscape and unsurprisingly, one of the most popular spots for a trek in Ladakh. The valley is home to humble mud houses perched among green fields—a sight to behold in the middle of the barren mountains of this union territory. Tibetan culture thrives in these villages and Buddhist prayer flags are ubiquitous. The Markha Valley Trek involves many river crossings and an ascent to the high pass of Kongmaru La. Along the way you will come across outstanding views of Mount Kang Yatze, rocky canyons, incredible wildlife (such as bharal, rabbits and snow leopards) and many small monasteries, the most important of which is Tacha.
The best time to go on the Markha Valley Trek is from June to September. Here’s what you can expect from the seven-day journey.
Set aside the first day of your trek for acclimatising to Leh’s altitude (3,500m above sea level). This gives your body time to adjust to the thinning air and to operate optimally in a decreased oxygen environment. This doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors though. Get out and explore Leh’s monasteries, local markets and culinary culture; interact with the locals; and buy souvenirs. Rest up ahead of your actual trekking day which begins tomorrow.
Drive to Skiu village and take in the sights of Ladakh as you go. Go on a detour towards Chilling village which sits near the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. The valley’s mountains stun with their purple, black and grey hues while juniper and tall alpine trees border the route when you cross the Zanskar River. Stay for the night at a homestay in Skiu village, which is nestled among tall rocky mountains.
Today marks the first proper trekking day. The trail to Markha abounds in wildlife so keep your eyes (and binoculars) peeled. The Markha River will keep you company on your right and you will cross it a couple of times as you pass through various winter settlements of the local populace. Look out for black sheep, deer and mountain goats on these banks. Once you cross Nagding village, you will be on your way to Sara and Chalak. Stop for a rest at Chalak before ascending upwards.
After 2-3km, the valley opens up and a river crossing takes you to Markha village. The water here can be thigh-high and icy cold so it is better to take off your shoes and socks and pull up your pants before you cross. Search for a suitable spot for wading in, preferably where the river widens. Once you cross over, trek for a couple of kilometres till you reach the final bridge crossing for the day. Markha has over 25 houses and there are many homestays there.
Today is one of the most beautiful days of trekking and the views will start to open up as you traverse the upper Markha Valley. The trail abounds with flowing rivers and streams which you can cross with the aid of a bridge. After your second Markha River crossing, it will take you two hours to reach Umlung, a small settlement. Climbing upwards from Umlung, you will get the first sighting of Kang Yatze (6,400m). Try to visit the Tacha Monastery if you can. After skirting up a gorge you will finally arrive at your destination, the picturesque village of Hankar.
The trek today will be easier than yesterday’s. Continue along the trail as it climbs up steeply from Hankar. After about a kilometre, the trail splits in two. Continue along the lower trail and you will reach the campsite of Thochuntse. There are camping sites and tea houses here as well as some green fields. Keep walking slowly and enjoy the view. Just after Thochungtse, there is a fork in the trail. Take the trail to your left which leads to a pond where you can stop for lunch. From here, it is a long and gradual descent to the plateau of Nimaling. Sheep, mountain goats and sometimes rabbits can be found grazing there. Watch out for the spectacular views of Kang Yatze to your right. Camp here for the night.
Today’s trek will be relatively difficult. You will first have to negotiate the short but steep ascent to Kongmaru La (5,200m above sea level). Cross the stream near the Nimaling campsite and proceed towards the pass. Kongmaru La is a great spot to rest after the gruelling trek up. On a clear day, you get great views of the Indus Valley and Ladakh ranges from here. Stay for as long as you want to.
The next section will be equally tricky and will punish your knees. The descent from the pass is rocky and drops down steeply as you enter into a narrow canyon after trekking down 2-3km. After descending for about two hours, the canyon will widen out until you reach Chikirmo village. You can stop here for the night if you wish to. If you decide to continue, another hour of walking you will bring you to Chokdo village. Use your phone to book a taxi from Shang Sumdo village, where you will be tomorrow, to Leh.
Today’s short and easy trek will take you to Shang Sumdo village through a flat walk on the river bed. It should take you less than two hours to reach. Hop into your booked taxi to Leh and stop en route to see the Hemis Monastery.
Land at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL) in Leh or take the train to Jammu Tawi Railway Station (JAT) and cover the 664km to Leh by taxi or bus. You can also cross over into Ladakh from Srinagar or Manali by road.