It’s a sheet of ice that enslaves the snowclad Zanskar river. One might think that trekking is a recent fad, but the way to Chadar trek in Ladakh is something unexplored.
It is the closest one you can get to walking on a Glacier. The idea of a successful expedition on the snow-filled boulders is something unparalleled. It’s rejuvenation and something more than a trek.
When can you go for the Chadar trek?
You should go in the middle of January or till late February. It is the time when you can catch the thrill of passing through an ice-filled river. The trek takes about nine to ten minutes.
One has to walk sixteen to eighteen km each day.
How is the weather at that time?
The temperature in Leh during the day happens to fall down between degree Celsius.
At the most, it is zero degree celsius. The temperature starts to drop as the sun sets, and it goes down – 25° Celsius.
One needs to carry a feather jacket during the trek.
If you are visiting the monastery, it is essential to take off your shoes and carry a thick pair of socks.
How can you reach the starting point at the Zaskar river?
The only way to reach the Zanskar is through the air. Leh has the nearest airport and flights land before noon. It will lead you to the chilling by road, and it takes about 2 hours to reach the Tilat Sumdo, which is the starting point.
Detailed itinerary at Chadar trek
As you arrive at Leh, you will get transferred to the hotel. On the first day, you will be at the hotel as it takes time to acclimatize to the higher altitude and cool weather. Go sightseeing and explore the highlights of leh. Otherwise, you can relax at the hotel. On the third day, it will take you to the local hospital for a health checkup. The fourth day will direct you to the Zanskar river that meets at Nimo. It will start the journey heading to Shingrayokma. By the end of the fifth day, trekkers will reach the cave which is a spot for the locals. On the 6th day, trekkers will move to Nyerak village. It will need them to pass through the frozen waterfall which is a point to stop by for rafting trips. On the 7th day of the trek, it will head towards Hotang from the village following the same route. the Trek will take almost 9 hours to complete, wherein the trackers will stop by for a few minutes to rest. It’s a nine-day trekking plan.
Things to learn about Kashmir great lakes trek
The Kashmir Great Lakes trek is available to trekKers from July to September. The reason for this is that during the other months, Kashmir is engulfed in snow due to extreme weather conditions, making snow trekking difficult. While the other part of the nation experiences a monsoon season, the entire route in Uttarakhand, including the Valley of Flowers, has a unique climate condition.
Indeed, Kashmir is an anomaly. Kashmir has the Pir Panjal range, which divides Kashmir from the rest of the Indian subcontinent. July to September gets viewed as the peak summer months as they turn into autumn. It is also one of the reasons Kashmir looks so beautiful during these months. The colors you see and the landscape change over three months as Kashmir prepares to welcome the autumn season.
What is the climate in great Kashmir Lake like?
Temperature and weather are the two conditions that one should look for when heading out to the Kashmir lakes Trek. Kashmir has the Pir Panjal mountain range. As such, it lies in the shadow region. The days of the plains of Srinagar can be warm between 25 to 30 degree Celsius.
What do you need to take to the Great Kashmir Lakes trek?
Packing right for your stuff is as essential as the physical training that you do for the trek. It will make sure that you have all that you need during the tour.
As a part of the great Kashmir lakes Trek, here is a list of things that you need to carry.
- Padded jacket
- Trekking pants
- Rucksack about 60 to 70 liters
- Bag covers
- Rain poncho
- Headlamp or torch for the Campsite
- Medical certificate
- Original and two pieces of photocopy of your ID
- Woolen sock
- Campsite clothes
How can you plan your Kashmir Great Lakes Trek?
The paradise of the world gets rewound during the seven days walk and walking distance of 65 km. On the first day, you will move from the Srinagar airport to Sitkari. It will stop by Srinagar at 1 o’clock. Next, it moves to Nichnai, which is about 11 km from Sonamarg. it will allow the trekkers to spend one day at the hotel to acclimatize based on the weather conditions.
It will take you to Vishansar lake, which takes about six to seven hours to reach. Take rest and acclimatize to the weather conditions. on the fourth day, it will take you to the Kishansar lake and move back. The fifth day will guide you to Gadsar, which is about 14 km from the lake.
It will move to the Meghendop, which is about 10 km, and take five to six hours. The next day, trekkers move to Nundkol Lake.
Naranag is about 11 km from the lake. It covers 60 km from Srinagar. At the end of the trek, it will guide you to Srinagar at 7 p.m. The Great Kashmir lakes Trek will not just allow you to see the six large Alpine lakes. But, it will also give you all new hiking flavors.