Chadar Trek
Tour Detail
Region :- Leh, Ladakh, J & K
Duration :- 09 days
Grade :- Difficult
Max Altitude :- 11,123 Ft.
Approx Trekking Km :- 75 kms.
Ladakh can be a difficult place to travel. The mountains are steep and
in the winter snowfall closes many of the mountain passes and makes
the few roads treacherous. Some villages become completely
inaccessible between November and March. One method of accessing
snow-bound villages during the winter is trekking on top of the ice of
frozen rivers. The Chadar trek is one such route, connecting villages
in the Zanskar valley (deep in the mountains) with Chilling (on the
road to Leh) along the frozen Zanskar River. This route has been used
for centuries for trade and transportation, and is most reliable in
February when the ice is most stable.
Now, We should make it clear that the Zanskar river is big and
fast-flowing. For most of its length between Chilling and the Zanskar
valley the river is confined within a steep canyon. If the idea of
walking over frozen river ice with a large pack on your back and very
cold rushing water a few inches below your feet is terrifying, then
you are not alone. People sometimes die on the Chadar trek, usually
local porters who carry goods on the river for their livelihood and
can't afford to be conservative. The hike from Chilling to the Zanskar
valley takes more than a week, and at night porters usually sleep in
caves in the canyon walls.
This trek is considered as one of the most exciting and unique treks –
a very special and an extraordinary trek on shiny ice on the bank of
Tsarap River. You will be dropped by a vehicle at Chilling Sumdo
(crossed road) then your trek leads in a narrow valley filled with
breath-taking views of ice-peaks and unexpected hanging icicles that
will attract your gaze for some time. You will spend the night at cave
camps with the help of a born fire that will keep you warm and
relaxed.
Our daily trek begins at around 9:00am and by then the sun's up and
blue skies bring cheer despite the cold temperatures. The trek goes
along the Tsarap River in the region of Nyerag, Lingshed and
constitutes to Zanskar!
Needless to say, having a good guide is critical on the Chadar trek.
Trekking on the ice was intimidating. A covering of snow made it
difficult to assess its thickness. At times we had to walk along a
narrow margin of ice, constrained by the canyon wall on one side and
deep rushing water on the other. Slipping in or falling through would
not just be cold; it could be fatal. The water was deep and fast, and
you would likely be swept under the ice in seconds.
For better or worse, the Chadar trek is an endangered activity and
within 5 years will cease to exist in it's current form. A road is
currently being blasted out of the rock face above the river. When
completed, winter access to the Zanskar valley villages in the
interior will be relatively straight-forward. The road will certainly
be safe and more convenient than the river, but its completion will
mark the end of an ancient local practice.
The 'Chadar' is a perfect example of this resourcefulness of the
Ladakhis and their indomitable spirit, in the face of such daunting
odds. The term 'Chadar' means blanket in the local language, thereby
giving an indication to the nature of this whole experience. Large
sections of the river Zanskar, which is one of the mightiest rivers in
Ladakh, freeze over in the dead of winter and are covered by a thick
blanket of ice. This frozen blanket or 'Chadar' is the only way in and
out for Zanskaris in winter, when the road and various other caravan
routes are closed due to heavy The icy wonderland of the 'Chadar trek'
snowfall blocking the high passes. It has been their traditional trade
route in winter for Centuries. The seven to eight days walk from
chilling to Padum is both challenging as well as an incomparably
exiting experience. The landscape aquires a pristine grandeur in
winter as the trail enters into the gorge of the Zanskar, where
temperatures sometimes drop to –30 to - 35 Degree Celsius.
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