Rafting Expeditions - Zanskar River Expedition
The Zanskar Gorge is found in the Zanskar region of Indian-administered Kashmir. Its walls are near vertical cliffs up to 600m high and the Zanskar River (a tributary of the Indus) is only 5m wide in places. In summer it is a spectacular and remote location for rafting. It provides an access route to the Zanskar Valley, but only in winter when the river is frozen but since Indian army digging into the gorge to cut through a road to access in the vally through out the year soon in few years it wont be as nice as it is now.
Zanskar is a subdistrict or tehsil of the Kargil district, which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative centre is Padum. Zanskar, together with the neighbouring region of Ladakh, was briefly a part of the kingdom of Guge in Western Tibet.
The Zanskar Range is a mountain range in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir that separates Zanskar from Ladakh. Geologically, the Zanskar Range is part of the Tethys Himalaya, an approximately 100-km-wide synclinorium formed by strongly folded and imbricated, weakly metamorphosed sedimentary series. The average height of the Zanskar Range is about 6,000 m (19,700 ft). Its eastern part is known as Rupshu.
Zanskar River Expeditions Itinerary
Day 01 : Enjoy Himalayan views as you fly from Delhi to Leh in the morning. Meet your trip leader at the Leh airport on arrival around 9:AM, and take a 15 minute drive to one of Leh's finest hotels. Enjoy a welcome drink on arrival, rest of the day walking around Leh, getting acclimatised of 3505mt city of Leh traditional snacks and tea/coffee at 3:30 PM, then a traditional dinner at 7 PM. Over dinner, absorb the first part of a fun and friendly orientation seminar.
Day 02 : A full day for siteseeing , we start after breakfast a drive to Shey Palace and visit Theksey and Hemis few of the most spectuler monestries in Leh and evening exploring the down town Leh and traditional Dinner on roof top reataurent.
Day 03. Today we drive to Kargil 7 hour of 235km , our first day of Overland safari begans and we follow the lower Indus till Lamayuru and will take you to 12198ft high Namika La, a windy yet scenic pass. Roughly 40kms Namika La is Fotu La, the highest point on the Srinagar - Leh highway, (13,479ft), then we reach Mulbek and make a breeak for Lunch and then half way to Kargil overnight in the Hotel.
Day 04 : Today we leave early after breakfast at 8:30AM , follow the Suru River all the way to source and stunning view of Nun Kun mountain massif comprises a pair of Himalayan peaks: Nun, 7,135 m (23,409 ft) and its neighbor peak Kun, 7,077 m (23,218 ft).[2] Nun is the highest peak in the part of the Himalayan range lying on the Indian side of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. (There are higher peaks in the Indian part of the Karakoram range.) The massif is located near the Suru valley, Kun is located north of Nun and is separated from it by a snowy plateau of about 4 km (2.5 mile) in length. Pinnacle Peak, 6,930 m (22,736 ft), is the third highest summit of the group.
Around 4pm we are nearly reaching Rangdum is in a valley situated 3,657 m (11,998 ft) above the sea level, in an isolated region of the Suru valley . On one side are the colorful hills while on the other side are rocky mountains and glaciers, notably Drang-drung.
Rangdum, with its gompa and the attendant village of Juliodok, is the last inhabited region in the Suru valley; it is also the destination of the nomadic herdspeople called Bakarwals, who trek up every year from the Himalayan foothills near Jammu, bringing their flocks of sheep and goats to grow fat on the rich summer growth of grass. From Rangdum the valley rises to 4400 metres and the Pensi-la, the gateway into Zanskar.Over night Camping.
Day 05 : We leave the campsite after breakfast at 8:30AM and drive into Zanskar valley, today we have a stunning view of the Drang-drung glacier is the largest glacier in Ladakh, situated near the Pensi-la. The Stod River originates from this glacier and driving over the Pensi-la which is known as the Gateway to Zanskar. Pensi La is 4,400 m (14,436 ft) above sea level and connects the Suru Valley region to the Zanskar Valley region. The summit at this end of the Suru Valley, the only peak which can be seen, is 7,012 m (23,005 ft) high, while the mountain to the north is 6,873 m (22,549 ft). The pass is about 25 km from Rangdum Monastery. We will be reaching our next camp site Kursha or Karsha Monastery is a Buddhist monastery . The Doda River flows past the monastery . It was founded by the translator, Phagspa Shesrab the monastery, also known by the name "Karsha Chamspaling', was founded by Phagspa Shesrab, under the Gelugpa Order or the Yellow Hat Order. Overnight camp.
Day 06 : An early morning to pack up for river trip and to leave our vehical and things we don't want on the river, after a safety briefing we start our expedition on Stod river and pass the conflunce of Stod and Tsrup Chu, today we float a long section of easy water and reach out camp site Hanimool , the las village before the canyon starts,, Overnight camp.
Day 07 : Today we leave at 9:00 AM,and enter the canyon, a box canyon ist walls are near vertical cliffs up to 600m and amazing site and the only accsess to be there by river, today wee have number of class III, and few IV rapids and a mindblowing water fall comes out from middle of a cliff thats where we Stop for a lunch break., another hour and half raft down to our next camp site Nirakh.
Day 08 : Another day on the canyon with some good rapids and a classic IV rapid called construction rapid the narrowest part of canyon, we will be sneaking through 3 mt wide passege one of the most exciting spot on the river and we continue till the next camp lamaguru .
Day 09 : Today you have good white water and Zansker meets to Indus at Nimo, just around we camp for the night and back in civilization. Over night camp at Nimmo.
Day 10 : Today is our last day of the Rafting expedition , we send all our camp and kitchen support back to Leh fro Nimo and we go down the big water with sfety kayakers and run down till Lardo and see the massive white water of Lower Indus and drive back to Leh . Overnight hotel.
Day 11 : A rest day in Leh , explore the city or go shopping over night hotel.
Day 12: mountain bike/ car ride ride to Khardungla pass and explore Nubra valley. Over night Hotel.
Day 13: Drive/ Mountain bike ride back to Leh over night Hotel.
Day 14: Early morning fligth back to Delhi visit Taj Mahal Over night Hotel./ Those who are for 3 weeks they have a peak to climb and a trip to Tossomorrri lake.
Day 15: Fly back home .
