Trekking Markha Track in Ladakh

From Stokla pass it was down the slope, nearly for four hours up to Rambak, a remote Buddhist village of about a dozen hutments. Village dwellers were busy either in tending their cattle or in cultivation of barley. Deep wrinkled faces were spinning the prayer wheels in their hands. Dwarf Ladakhi women were carrying load of twigs, and animal dung cakes to their hearths for their fuel in the kitchen. It is a camping place for the trekkers en route to Yurchu - Gandala pass to Markha valley. The group stayed for two nights at Rambak, purposely to get further acclimatized to high altitude. From Rambak the group marched towards Gandala pass in the early morning of next day.

It was a difficult terrain. It started drizzling at the very start. All the members were wearing raincoats. While on way to Yurchu - Gandala the rains made the steep trek muddy. The Gandala pass is 4950mts above sea level. The slope became slippery. The poor visibility due to mist, chill winds and snowflakes falling made difficult to stand at the pass. So everyone preferred to creep down the pass to reach Shango village (4250mts). Shango was the camping place for the group. On the following day the group started for Shango, the next stop Sku. This track parallel to flowing Shingry brook is dangerous, as the stones from loosen rocks roll down. Therefore the group had to keep an eagle’s eye around to keep themselves safe from hitting stone. The group reached Sku Monastery in six hours of trekking with thrill and rejoices.

Sku is a tri-junction where one track goes to Zanaskar area and other to Markha valley and third to Shango. Sku is a confluence of Shingri stream and the main Markha River running towards the Zanaskar. Here, the local monastery has statues of Buddha and Mahakali. From Sku, the group followed Markha route and camped for a night at Pintsa 3583mts. On the next day early morning the group trekked along the bank of Markha River. Vegetation was dense with low level poplars and willows and thorny shrubs growing wild on the river slit. It took seven hours to walk over tedious, narrow and steep ascent track of Markha valley to reach Techustechay (4200mts) a camping place. The group spent the night in the tents and next day morning all the trekkers set out for Nimaling base 5100mts. Nimaling is a wide field at the foot of Kang Yatse peak where base camp was established. During the first night here it rained heavily and snowed at high ridges.

The rained continued till next day also. The clouds touched down to the base camp area. All day long climbers waited for the good weather. It took three days for the weather to get cleared. The climbers took the chance to start the climbing along the ridge over the glacier covered with two feet deep fresh snow fall. Both the peaks Kang Yatse - I and Kang Yatse -II were clearly seen. Climbing over spongy snow was difficult and tiring at the same time scaring because of invisible crevices beneath the snow. After five hours of strenuous climb, the group reached the summit of Kang Yatse - II. It was great joyfulness moment for the group . They didn't try for Kang Yatse - I as the saddle between the two peaks was not negotiable due to extreme bad weather.

Kang Yatse peak mostly remains shrouded under bad weather most of the time and makes expedition successful in rare cases. Many expedition teams in past had to return disappointed. But these students were lucky to conquer the peak . On next day the group trekked to Shang Sundo via Kongmarula (5030 mts) a distance of 14kms. The group passed the night at Sahng Sundo camps and next day morning trekked upto Hemis, a distance of seven kms. From Hemis they boarded cars to reach Leh Hotel .Next day the British student of Marlborough College flew back to their native country with untold memories of 18 days trip to craggy landscape.

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Trekking Markha Track in Ladakh

	From Stokla pass it was down the slope, nearly for four hours up to Rambak, a remote Buddhist village of about a dozen hutments. Village dwellers were busy either in tending their cattle or in cultivation of barley. Deep wrinkled faces were spinning the prayer wheels in their hands. Dwarf Ladakhi women were carrying load of twigs, and animal dung cakes to their hearths for their fuel in the kitchen. It is a camping place for the trekkers en route to Yurchu - Gandala pass to Markha valley. The group stayed for two nights at Rambak, purposely to get further acclimatized to high altitude. From Rambak the group marched towards Gandala pass in the early morning of next day. It was a difficult terrain. It started drizzling at the very start. All the members were wearing raincoats. While on way to Yurchu - Gandala the rains made the steep trek muddy. The Gandala pass is 4950mts above sea level. The slope became slippery. The poor visibility due to mist, chill winds and snowflakes falling made difficult to stand at the pass. So everyone preferred to creep down the pass to reach Shango village (4250mts). Shango was the camping place for the group. On the following day the group started for Shango, the next stop Sku. This track parallel to flowing Shingry brook is dangerous, as the stones from loosen rocks roll down. Therefore the group had to keep an eagle’s eye around to keep themselves safe from hitting stone. The group reached Sku Monastery in six hours of trekking with thrill and rejoices.
Sku is a tri-junction where one track goes to Zanaskar area and other to Markha valley and third to Shango. Sku is a confluence of Shingri stream and the main Markha River running towards the Zanaskar. Here, the local monastery has statues of Buddha and Mahakali. From Sku, the group followed Markha route and camped for a night at Pintsa 3583mts. On the next day early morning the group trekked along the bank of Markha River. Vegetation was dense with low level poplars and willows and thorny shrubs growing wild on the river slit. It took seven hours to walk over tedious, narrow and steep ascent track of Markha valley to reach Techustechay (4200mts) a camping place. The group spent the night in the tents and next day morning all the trekkers set out for Nimaling base 5100mts. Nimaling is a wide field at the foot of Kang Yatse peak where base camp was established. During the first night here it rained heavily and snowed at high ridges. The rained continued till next day also. The clouds touched down to the base camp area. All day long climbers waited for the good weather. It took three days for the weather to get cleared. The climbers took the chance to start the climbing along the ridge over the glacier covered with two feet deep fresh snow fall. Both the peaks Kang Yatse - I and Kang Yatse -II were clearly seen. Climbing over spongy snow was difficult and tiring at the same time scaring because of invisible crevices beneath the snow. After five hours of strenuous climb, the group reached the summit of Kang Yatse - II. It was great joyfulness moment for the group . They didn't try for Kang Yatse - I as the saddle between the two peaks was not negotiable due to extreme bad weather. Kang Yatse peak mostly remains shrouded under bad weather most of the time and makes expedition successful in rare cases. Many expedition teams in past had to return disappointed. But these students were lucky to conquer the peak . On next day the group trekked to Shang Sundo via Kongmarula (5030 mts) a distance of 14kms. The group passed the night at Sahng Sundo camps and next day morning trekked upto Hemis, a distance of seven kms. From Hemis they boarded cars to reach Leh Hotel .Next day the British student of Marlborough College flew back to their native country with untold memories of 18 days trip to craggy landscape.