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Welcome aboard! Thanks for taking the time to find out a little more about us.
We are a travel house based from Mumbai and are a bunch of passionate travelers who help you explore Himalayas and Wildlife Reserves of our magnificent India! Be it Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim or Himachal we help you unfold the most unique memories!
Photograph a panorama, stroll on a bed of ice, and enjoy the iridescent beauty over a cup of hot chai... Cozy up in the most comfortable accommodations, surrender to Mother Nature, lose yourself outdoors and let your spirit fly...
We design for you the time of your life, your way!
Unlike travel agents, we are like minded friends designing not just a vacation but a wholesome experience for you to remember forever! We are not here for mere business. We are a passionate bunch of travellers with our roots in Himalayas, so it helps you to explore this land even better with us. We have our quest for exploring unmapped, uncharted places. We visit the places ourselves, stay in the hotels. So before we recommend anything to you, we have already been there, done that.
With more than eight years of exploration behind us, we have developed a vast network of experts and contacts across India. We tap into these resources when crafting our itineraries to create unique and exciting opportunities for our clients.
Our Sustainable Travel Philosophy As an organization that seeks to inspire others to care about the planet. Walk to Himalayas is committed to sustaining the character and integrity of each place we visit - its environment, culture, heritage, and the well-being of
its residents. We strive to protect the sites we visit, support local economies in our choice of accommodations and services and increase our clients' understanding and appreciation of people of varied customs and traditions through meaningful cultural exchange.
Day 1: Arrive in leh by morning flight to give more acclimatization time
The temperature in Leh is always in the negative. Keep a jacket, woolen cap and gloves handy in the flight to face the blast of cold air the moment you land from the plane.
Leh is totally covered by a blanket of snow. It’s white all around. Sometimes the roads have a coating of a thick sheet of ice. Watch out when you walk on them and be wary of slips and falls.
The city of Leh only partly open during the winter months only the shops catering to the local needs are open. Buy all your gears from your city and don’t keep any major shopping to do at Leh. Leh at 11,800ft is higher than your entire trek. It is colder too. Daytime the temperature hovers at around -10 degrees and after sundown drops to -16 or more. Get used to the cold at Leh during the day in the sun but get into your rooms once the sun goes down.
Guest House or Hotel in leh
Day 2: Leh to Darr (by private bus or jeeps), camp at Darr/shingra yokma.
Take your first few steps on Chadar carefully getting a feel of the surface you are stepping on. The Chadar surface can be of various kinds – a coating of fresh powder snow, hard and shiny ice, a freshly formed chadar (sheet of ice), chadar thats weak and breaking or another new texture. It is easy to walk on a fresh coating of snow. The snow gives you good grip and you can walk normally. An old hard and shiny surface of ice is what is tricky in initially. Do a penguin kind of walk on such a surface without lifting your feet too much off the ground.
The Darr/Shingra yokma campsite comes within an hour of your trek.An elevated level field makes a good camping spot. On the opposite side are a few caves were those not carrying tents can camp. The locals on their journey through the Chadar tend to stay in caves. A campfire will make it better but it comes at the cost of the last traces of vegetation (dried) left on the banks of the Chadar.
Camp at Shingra yokma/Darr
Day 3: Trek from Shingra Yokma to shingra kogma , 5. kms, 4 hrs.
Wake up with the sun at about 7 am and prepare to leave the campsite by 9 am. Though the sun is up, Darr like most parts of the Chadar gets direct sunlight only during mid day. Another reason why the Chadar forms and remains.
The morning walk on the Chadar may feel like a walk inside a deep freezer. Your face should be the only exposed skin but its enough to give the deep freeze feeling. As you walk on the Chadar, listen to the sounds it makes. Depending on the thickness of the Chadar, the sounds change. You will soon start recognizing where the Chadar is thick and where it is thin and dangerous.
Shingra Kogma is a big camping ground on your right as you walk up stream. Its right below a huge stone wall which is straight out of a hollywood movie. The Zanskar river takes a beautiful turn right in front of the camp site and sharp peaks rise on the other side of the river.
Camp at Shingra Kogma
Day 4: Trek from Shingra Koma to Tibb, 15 kms, 7 - 8 hrs.
The trek from ShingraKoma to Tibb is a long one. It is also one of the most beautiful days of the trek. Watch the small waterfalls on the left standing still in the form of icefalls.
A couple of hours into the days walk brings you to a massive waterfall on the left. Prayer flags flutter on the trees in front of the waterfall. You know that the place is revered by the Ladakhis. Surprisingly the waterfall is not frozen. Notice the greenish moss growing on the rocks under the water.
Camp at Tibb
Day 5: Trek from Tibb to Nerak, 12 kms, 7 hrs.
The trek from Tibb to Nerak is 12 kms long. This is the day when you encounter the much awaited frozen waterfall. The day is beautiful too going through the cliffs and gorges and valleys of Chadar. 5 hours into the trek and after your lunch break is when you see the first sights of Nerak. Prayer flags around Juniper shrubs by the Chadar signal that you are now close to Nerak and before that the waterfall.
Nerak is a village located about 2,000ft higher than the river bed. The Chadar trekkers camp not at the village but at the camping ground 200 ft higher than the river. There is a lone shelter at Nerakcampsite which serves as a Rafting point in the summer months. During winters, it serves as a shelter for the Chadar trekkers.
Camp at Nerak
Day 6: Return from Nerak to Tibb, 7 hrs.
The return path is theoretically a retrace of the route you took the last 3 days but in reality can feel like a totally new one. The dynamics of the Chadar can make the whole place look and feel different. Old Chadar breaks, new ones form where there was none earlier, texture of the Chadar changes and so on.
Sometimes the Chadar breaks right under your feet and floats away like a raft. You have no option but to run on to the safer sheet ahead. You see the same broken raft getting stuck somewhere downstream and other icicles clinging on to it to form a whole new Chadar elsewhere. The Chadar trek is an experience. Your experience and what you see will be totally different from anyone else’s.
Camp at Tibb
Day 7: Trek from Tibb to Shingra Kogma.
Camp at Shingra Kogma
Day 8: Trek from Shingra Koma to Tilat Sumdo and drive back to Leh
Hotel or Guest House in leh
Day 9: Departure
Inclusions
1. Accommodation type camp on triple sharing basis during the trek and in leh 06 Nights stay in High altitude trekking tents. 02 Nights stay in leh with breakfast only (day 01 and day 08)
2. All meals during the trek
3. Transportation by NAC Tempo Traveler or Mazda bus / departure transfers, pick up / drop to and from the trek starting / end point.
4. Knowledgeable and well-mannered trekking Guide during trek.
5. All Trekking arrangement as following
• All equipment of community-use nature and nature friendly including high altitude 3 person client tents,
• Dining tents
• Kitchen Tents
• Sleeping bags
• Toilet tents,
• Staff tent,
• Mattresses
• Camping charges
• Kitchen equipment like cooking utensils, camp crockery, tableware, lamps, bowls
• Trek support team including cook& helper, with enough porters to carry the provisions and
during trekking.
• Separate vehicle to carry the trekking equipment and support team to / from trek starting
ending point
• Oxygen cylinder
• Oxy meter + medical box
• 01 ice axe
• 01 rope
Exclusions
• Airfares.
• Clothing of personal nature like trek shoes, kit bags, day packs, sleeping bags, down jackets and other special clothing’s etc.
• Medical expenses (apart from first aid) and insurance of any kind.
• Tips, laundry, liquors, wines, mineral water, telephone charges and items of personal nature.
• Transportation is not on disposal basis. It is strictly as per the programme, any extra running will be charges extra.
• All the arrangements for trekking as preplanned and prepaid. In case of not completion of
the trek due to any reason whatsoever there will not be any refund for any unutilized services. Any extra expense due to the same has to be paid extra.
• Any expenses arising out of unforeseen circumstances like flight delay / cancellation / hike in fare, strike, curfew or any other natural calamities (like: road block)// water flown up in the chadar, and due to heavy snow or any emergency evacuation expenses. or any emergency evacuation expenses. If there is any changes in itinerary due to the above circumstance, guest will have to pay directly over there as per uses.
There is no refund if the tour not complete due to reason of any natural calamities or any
personal reason.
• Any other item not mentioned in the cost includes section.
Guest bags
Note: for the guest bag, if porter required please that need to inform a week before so that we can arrange the same.
Bookings & Cancellations Policy
All bookings must be made well in advance so that all arrangements like Hotel reservations, Transport, Logistics arrangements etc. can be made. Once you finalize a package and book with us, we will make a provisional booking of Hotel rooms and send you a confirmation along with an invoice.
We ask for 50% Advance Deposit, which has to be paid within 3 to 5 working days of the date of package confirmation and Balance 50% before 30 days of the Tour start date.
As soon as the payments are received, a receipt will be send to you. Once all services are confirmed a Client Services Confirmation voucher will be mailed to you.
Cancellations must be made in writing and will be effective on the date of receipt in our offices.
The following cancellation charges will apply: (shown as percentage of total package price)
More than 6 weeks before arrival - 40%
Between 41– 20 days before departure - 75%
19 days or less before arrival – 100%
All re-payments for cancellations will be made within 4 weeks from the effective date)
Tour once commenced will strictly go as per the itinerary finalized. In case of events andcircumstances beyond our control, we reserve the right to change all or parts of the contents of the itinerary for safety and wellbeing of our esteemed guests.
Please note that no rooms have been blocked and the same would be done on your confirmation, subject to room availability.
Fitness
Chadar trek is technically not that difficult. The challenges that you face are the EXTREME cold & highly unpredictable weather. Strong wind which take the cold to colder. Hence it is very essential to have a fit body & mind. You must be able to jog 3 to 4 km in 30 minutes or walk continuously in 10Âo incline for atleast 45 minutes In order to prepare for chadar we are giving you some recommendations. You can also read our blog How to Approach Chadar Trek for more info
What We Suggest
LUNGS Push your lungs, Most critical work in any high altitude trek is of the LUNGS. They are at over work as they get very less oxygen & physical exertion will push them harder for 1.5 month prior to the trek.
Recommendations
· Jogging in running tracks 30 to 45 min a day
· Pranayama 15 min a day
· MUSCLES A well stretched & healthy muscles make the trek that much more easier. Focus
on Legs, Back, Neck & Shoulder. 20min of focused stretching activities for 45 days will help. It determines the amount of movement your bones can make in any direction around joints such as shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Stretching improves your posture and helps to prevent low back pain.
Recommendations
1. Suryanamaskara 10 to 15 Sets a day
2. Neck & Shoulder exercise
3. Lower back stretches
4. Hamstring & Quadreceps
Things to Carry
· Backpack (55 -65 L) Light weight one
· GumBoots is the only shoes that will work great in this TREK. we strongly recommend you
buy them at Leh which costs only Rs.450/-
· You get military socks in Leh for Rs.100 to 125. ( need 05 pairs ) They are the BEST products for this trek
· Sunglasses are mandatory for this trek, Curved ones will cover your eyes well. No blue
coloured sunglass — they don’t block UV. Blacks, greens, browns are fine. Avoid multi tone
sunglasses.
If above is not possible, wear your spectacles and carry a big sunglass that can be worn over your spectacles.
Contact lenses are STRICTLY not allowed
Must Have Trek Accessories
1. Trekking pole is mandatory
2. Thermos water bottle
3. Headlamp with extra batteries
4. Must Have Clothing
5. Thermals / Body Warmers
6. Oversized Full TShirts with high neck & Track Pants (light weight)
7. Sweater / Fleece
8. Windcheaters + Down Jacket 1NOS
9. Poncho/Rain Cover + Rain Pant 1Nos
10. Socks 8 to 10 Pairs (Buy in Leh)
11. Head Cap + Balaclave 1 No
12. Hand Gloves Inner 1 + Outer (waterproof) 1
Must Have Other accessories
· Light towel (should be thin, quick drying kind)
· A Sanitary Paper
· Woolen head-scarf or muffler
· Cold cream and sun screen lotion (SPF 40+)
· Moisturizer
Must Have Medical Kit
1. Crocin 6 tablets
2. Avomine 4 tablets
3. Avil 25mg 4 tablets
4. Combiflam 4 tablets
5. Disprin 6 tablets
6. Norflox 6 tablets
7. Crepe bandage 3 to 5 meters
8. Band aid 10 strips
9. Digene 6 tablets
10. Gauze cloth 1 small role
11. Leukoplast 1 small roll
12. Cotton 1 small roll
13. ORS / Electoral 10 packets
14. Betadine or any antiseptic cream
15. Moov spray
16. Nebasulf/ Soframycine powder
Other Mandatory Instructions
· Medical Certificate format will be provided post enrolment
· Declaration & Disclaimer Form will be provided post enrolment
· Plastic Bottles are STRICTLY prohibited
· Recommended bag weight is 7 to 8 Kg
· 1 Govt ID Card is mandatory
· Amazing India Routes follows STRICT No Smoking / Alcohol policy
Please observe the following:
Do's
Use of Polythene and Plastics is unhealthy for the environment.
Carry away all non-degradable litter- empty bottles, tins, polythene bags etc. and throw them in municipal dustbins only, so that they can be disposed properly.
Observe the sanctity of holy sites. In case of any offerings contact the staff of the temple committee only.
Respect local traditions. When taking photographs, respect privacy ask prior permission and use restraint.
In case temporary toilets are set up near camp sites, after defecation, cover with mud or sand. Ensure that the spot is at least 30mts. from a water source.
Don'ts
Taking away of cuttings, seeds and roots is illegal. Allow the flora and fauna to flourish in their natural environment.
Avoid using pollutants, such as detergents, in streams or springs.
Do not use wood as fuel to cook food at the camp site and do not destroy the forest wealth of the Himalayas, which are our heritage.
Do not leave burnings cigarettes or make open fires in the forest.
Do not tempt local children by offering them foodstuff or sweets.
Do not listen to Radios, Tape Recorders or any other electronic entertainment equipment at high volume to avoid noise pollution.
Be careful in making relations, while traveling by Bus or Trains.
We at Walk to Himalayas strongly endorse the principles of Eco-Tourism. We seek to protect the environment and to minimize pollution while we send our clients on trips. We also believe that local communities should gain some benefit from our visit and we have a policy of local services wherever we can.
