Day 1 - Arrive Delhi

One of our drivers will be at the airport to meet you; look for the sign with your name on. A half hour drive takes you to our hotel in the heart of the main bazaar, the Cottage Yes Please. Our drivers will arrange your pick up and transfer for early the next day.

Day 2 - Fly Leh 3500m

Did you get any sleep? We are up early to board the spectacular flight to Leh, crossing the main Himalayan Barrier to the capital of Ladakh, Tashi Namgyal's 15th century Himalayan capital at 3500m. The clear high air will catch at the throat when we arrive, and now we start the serious business of acclimatization; and eating, as after we settle into our hotel we have a leisurely breakfast. It will take your body a few days to adjust to this high altitude. It is important to drink plenty of (non-alcoholic) liquids, and do not attempt to rush around. Even walking up the stairs of the guest house will make you breathless at first! We will discuss this in detail. Note that we have planned plenty of acclimatization time into our itinerary.

Day 3 - Leh 3500m

We have two days for relaxing and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of this little bit of old Tibet. Joel is virtually an honorary resident, and he will be your guide to shopping, gompas, and more. There is lots to explore in this wonderful Central Asian town; the fort and palace, colorful gompas, the mosque, a museum, back alleys with steaming Muslim bread and tiny antique shops tucked away, colorful bazaars and even polo fields.

Day 4 - Alchi 3300m

Alchi, site of one of the oldest monasteries in central Asia, is an oasis of calm, bustling with tourists on day trips but incredibly peaceful in the evening, especially in the courtyard of our hotel, the tranquil Zhimskang. We take time to walk through the ripening barley fields and visit the beautiful old Gompa.

Day 5 - Drive to acclimatization camp, Kiamang 3900m

An early start to drive to Leh, where we have a late breakfast and pick up some pastries for lunch; then on the road again, following the Indus; we then turn away on the old road to Tibet, through beautiful canyons, finally arriving late afternoon at the grassy camp of Kiamang, where our crew are set up and ready to serve us dinner.

Day 6 - Drive to Korzok 4500m

An early start to get the most from our next beautiful drive; to Mahe where our permits are checked, and then the whole landscape changes as we drive across the high plateau of what is essentially Tibet; politically part of Indian now, but culturally and historically the 'Chang Tang', home of wandering nomads - and we start to see their distant camps of yak hair tents as lake Kyagar Tso comes into sight - after four hours driving (lake) Tso Moriri, a glittering expanse of blue, comes into sight, and we drive the through Korzok to arrive at our camp. Korzok is a scruffy wild west like town, with a kind of charm; little changed since our first visit over ten years back...and we have the afternoon to visit the old monastery or just relax in the sun.

Day 7 - Trek Kiangdom 4450m

At last time to shake off the plane and jeep induced cobwebs and start walking. Today is a tough introduction to trekking, as there is no camp between Korzok and Kiangdom, and it is a long and hot 20 Km walk; thus we are away and on the trail by 7am, climbing gently to a viewpoint above the lake, then following the trail along the lakeside. It is ESSENTIAL to drink lots of water, at least three litres should be in your bag, and very important to go slow and easy; we are walking at altitude. Take in the views, and rest often; it is vital for your enjoyment of your trek to follow our advice! We stop by some 'mani walls', piles of stones carved with the Buddhist Mantra, for lunch, and by early afternoon the horses will have passed us, Ram Lal leading them to our best camp, and by mid afternoon the camp at Kiangdom ('kingdom of the Himalayan asses') will be in sight. After seven to eight hours walking, we will be in camp, enjoying the spectacular views; the lake creates its own weather, and from camp we can watch the clouds building up and moving along the lake; in the other direction, towards the main Himalayan barrier, and the sunsets...

Day 8 - Trek Norbu Sumdo 4400m

A much shorter day today, but still early days of course, so slow is good as we hop across the crystal streams around the camp and set out across the plateau; the lake o so slowly falls behind us, and the views of the snow peaks on the eastern side of the lake get better. We are actually ascending gently to a point at which the lake drops out of sight; now we are in the grazing area of the wild asses - Kiang - and we normally spot a herd around here; the head male on the skyline, and then the young and females grazing; the population of this once endangered species is on the increase. After our 'high point' at around 4500m, we descend from an escarpment to a sheltered area, Norbu Sumdo, and camp, for lunch.

Day 9 - Trek Umlung 4700m

Away early today as we have to cross the Parang Chu within an hour of leaving camp. We pass the remains of a building on a headland, a former tax post - the valley directly ahead leads to the Tibetan border in less then a weeks walking. We drop to the river, and Lobsang, who will have left early to look for the best crossing place, will meet us and help us over. After drying our feet and getting our boots back on, we move on up a valley of the proportions of the Kali Gandaki in its upper reaches in Nepal's Annapurna region; only the occasional distant Kiang gives a sense of scale to this huge landscape. The trail wends its way through nomad camps and climbs across side valleys and rock fields, but generally, once that early morning river crossing is done, it is a day to walk slowly, drink lots of water, and linger over lunch. Our camp, also known as 'Rock camp', sits adjacent to a huge boulder that rock climbing types have tried their luck on on past treks after making camp...and the more relaxed trekkers can enjoy an icy dip in the river nearby.                              ►