Kang Yatse 2

Your journey begins in Leh — the heart of Ladakh and your first step into high-altitude terrain. At 3,500m, the rarefied air will feel noticeably thinner, and even short walks might make you breathless. That’s completely normal. We recommend checking into the hotel and staying indoors until the afternoon to give your body the best chance to start acclimatizing.

Later in the evening, if you feel comfortable, we’ll take a short walk to Shanti Stupa, perched on a hilltop above Leh. The walk is gentle, the views are expansive, and the evening light over the Stok Kangri range sets the tone for the adventure ahead.

Altitude: 3,500m
Activity: Rest + gentle evening walk
Altitude Gain: +3,500m (from sea level)

This is not a rest day — it’s a critical day to help your body adjust and build a strong foundation for the climb ahead. We’ll do a light acclimatization hike, heading to Leh Palace, Namgyal Tsemo, or Shey Monastery. These are short but slightly uphill walks — perfect for triggering your body's oxygen adaptation without overexertion.

The drive also gives you a glimpse of the Tibetan-Buddhist cultural fabric of Ladakh — prayer flags, stupas, and the deep spiritual calm of monastery life. By afternoon, you’ll be back at the hotel for rest and a pre-trek briefing. Hydration is key today — keep sipping water and allow your body to adapt.

Altitude: 3,500m
Activity: Light hike + cultural exploration
Altitude Gain: Minimal

We leave Leh early and drive along the Leh–Kargil highway until we reach the spectacular confluence of the Indus and Zanskar Rivers, a jaw-dropping landscape where green and muddy blue waters meet. From here, the road turns into a dramatic off-road track that hugs the edge of the Zanskar Gorge, taking us to the starting point of our trek at Skiu village.

After a quick orientation, we begin our walk through the lower Markha Valley. The trail is a gentle one — mostly flat and running alongside the riverbed, passing clusters of wild rose bushes, willow trees, and barley fields. A 4–5 hour walk through wide open spaces brings us to Sara, a lesser-known but peaceful camping spot near the river.

Altitude: Skiu (3,400m) → Sara (3,500m)
Trek Distance: ~6 km
Duration: 4–5 hours
Altitude Gain: +100m

Today’s trail is picture-postcard Ladakh — wide valleys, hanging bridges, mud houses, and fluttering prayer flags. As you move deeper into the Markha Valley, the trail undulates gently. You’ll cross several icy streamlets and pass mani walls, occasional stupas, and even wild grazing horses or marmots if you’re lucky.

The Markha River keeps you company throughout the day as the trail slowly climbs in elevation. Markha village, your destination, is one of the largest settlements in the valley. It’s surrounded by barley fields and framed by jagged ridgelines. You’ll camp near the village, with the soft rumble of the river acting as your lullaby.

Altitude: Sara (3,500m) → Markha (3,700m)
Trek Distance: ~10 km
Duration: 4–5 hours
Altitude Gain: +200m

This stage marks a distinct transition: the valley greens gradually give way to arid alpine terrain, and the journey feels more like true high-altitude trekking. After leaving Markha village behind, the hillside terraces and occasional homesteads fade, and the trail largely hugs the banks of the Markha River.

The trek is about 11 km long, taking roughly 4–5 hours. You’ll gain approximately 500–550 m in altitude. Along the way, you’ll cross the river multiple times—sometimes on foot—adding a little adventure to your day.

Look out for the stunning Techa cliff‑side monastery perched above the trail before you reach Hankar. This peaceful settlement is more isolated than Markha and offers an authentic taste of Ladakhi village life.

By the time you arrive at Hankar—now above the tree line—you’re fully within the alpine zone. The views narrow into a flaring gorge, with muted red and ochre rock faces set against the river’s blue hues. Vegetation is sparse, and the landscape grows wild and dramatic.

Altitude: Markha (~3,767 m) → Hankar (~4,264 m)
Distance: ~11 km
Duration: 4–5 hours
Altitude gain: +500 m

This is one of the most scenic and rewarding sections of the trek. After leaving Thochuntsey, the trail ascends gradually, winding through the stunning Nimaling Plains — vast high-altitude meadows dotted with streams and grazing yaks. Prayer flags occasionally flutter against the backdrop of rugged cliffs, adding to the Himalayan charm.

As you gain altitude, the mighty Kang Yatse massif dominates the skyline, its presence growing larger and more awe-inspiring with each step. The greenery starts to thin as you approach the alpine zone, where the air feels crisper and the landscape raw and untamed.

By the time you reach Nimaling, you’ve arrived at one of Ladakh’s highest inhabited grazing pastures. This is a place of both beauty and isolation, where the silence of the mountains is broken only by the sound of the wind and streams.

Altitude: Thochuntsey (~4,200 m) → Nimaling (~4,800 m)

Distance: ~12 km

Duration: 7–8 hours

Altitude Gain: ~600 m

The day begins at Nimaling, where you’ll undergo a brief training and acclimatization session. Your guides will walk you through the essentials of using technical gear, understanding the summit route, and safety protocols for the climb ahead.

After training, we start our gradual trek to Kang Yatse II Base Camp, moving through a stark high-altitude landscape of scree slopes and glacial moraines. The surroundings are dramatic—rugged cliffs and snowfields replace the meadows of Nimaling, and the air is noticeably thinner and colder.

Base Camp sits on a windswept plateau at over 5,000 m, offering an unobstructed view of Kang Yatse rising above. The remainder of the day is spent resting and hydrating in the open, saving energy for the night summit push. After an early dinner, we rest in preparation for departure around 10 PM.

Altitude: Nimaling (~4,800 m) → Base Camp (~5,030 m)

Distance: ~4 km

Duration: 2–3 hours

Altitude Gain: ~230 m

This is the biggest day of the expedition—the day you’ll remember for life. We begin the summit push around 10 PM under a blanket of stars, following a route of scree, snow slopes, and glacial ridges illuminated by our headlamps.

As the climb steepens, the air grows thin and the challenge becomes mental as much as physical. Step by step, you rise toward the sky. Just before sunrise, you reach the summit of Kang Yatse II (≈6,250 m)—a breathtaking moment where the Himalayan panorama glows in gold, with peaks of Zanskar and Karakoram visible in the distance.

After spending some precious moments at the top, we descend carefully to Base Camp for a short rest and breakfast, then continue down to Nimaling. By the time you reach the plains, the weight of the achievement truly sets in. This is a long, demanding day, but also the most rewarding of the expedition.

Altitude: Base Camp (~5,030 m) → Summit (~6,250 m) → Nimaling (~4,800 m)

Distance: ~12–14 km (round trip)

Duration: 10–14 hours (summit & descent)

Altitude Gain: +1,220 m (to summit)

Though the summit is behind you, there’s still one last challenge — crossing Kongmaru La (5,280m). The trail begins with a sharp uphill climb to the pass, where prayer flags flutter madly in the wind and the entire Markha Valley opens up one final time. From here, the descent into Martselang Gorge is steep and often tricky with loose rock and scree.

You’ll cross streams and walk alongside icy rivulets until you reach Chokdo, where the green starts to return. Vehicles await to drive you back to Leh. The transition from expedition terrain to paved roads feels surreal — but the memory of the summit stays close.

Altitude: Base Camp (5,030m) → Kongmaru La (5,280m) → Chokdo (~3,700m) → Leh
Trek Distance: ~15 km
Duration: 6–7 hrs + 3 hrs drive
Altitude Gain: +250m
Altitude Loss: -1,580m

Wake up with a head full of summit memories and a heart still buzzing with the high of the expedition. After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to Leh. You’ll leave with not just photographs, but a personal story of grit, teamwork, and a dream that reached the top.

Altitude: 3,500m
Activity: Departure after breakfast

Kept as a reserve in case of bad weather, slow acclimatization, or delays in summit rotation. If unused, it can be spent exploring Leh or resting an extra day before departure.

Activity: Summit buffer day