Frozen River (Chadar) Trekking

Area: Zanskar (Ladakh Himalaya)
Altitude: 3850 mts/12628 ft
Grade: Moderate to tough
Duration: 13 days
Season: Mid Jan to End Feb

The Chadar Trek (Frozen River) is a freezing escape that embarks upon the blanket of a large icecap on the River Zanskar. The strenuous walk connects us from Ladakh to the snow bound villages of the Zanskar Valley, covering a distance of approximately 90-100 kilometers. The trail all throughout leaves you with clattering teeth and frost dried eyes and during the blanched nights it leads to shiver you to empathize the temperature you never experienced before.

The Frozen River Trek starts from an unholy first night at Chilling, a day before you drive to Tilad Do, where the temperature might rove between 1-3 during the day and falling at minus 10 degrees during the night. Hence you got an ARTIC FEELING ahead even being in the Indian Himalaya. The trail from Tilad Do to Gylapo, which is entirely on the frozen river, will knock you the strenuous route ahead. Well, the porters will guide you like sensors, stimulating their sixth sense as to where exactly to step on the icesheet. At places, it might be necessary to wade through ankle deep water, or climb on the cliffs at the side of the river. Eventually you will get used to walking on the Chadar, which appeared like a cross between gliding and skating. The journey thereafter leads to Tibb Cave, which is approximately 14 kilometers en route the deep ravines, mountain caves and frozen waterfalls. The unique part on this trek is the moss covered rock, which is the only greenery and viewed at the plunge of a miraculous waterfall. After camping for the night inside one of the big caves the trail the next morning heads up to Naerak. The journey is simply breathtaking if you can accept the challenges. Up the clear blue sky, down the snow white slippery boulevard, passing through the snow fed walls and gorges, your FRIGID LAG will obviously take away by the colours of nature. Walking few steps up on the frozen floor it heads up to the mother-of-all frozen waterfalls – a huge instance of suspended animation several feet tall and equally wide.

The return trail down from Naerak to Leh follows the same route, covering a total of 7 amazing and tempting days even in the below freezing point.

Highlights

• Humble and genial Zanskari (local) people, highlighting the tribal and traditional Ladakhi life.
• The challenging lives of porters and nomads and their struggles for surviving.
• Cultural Expeditions by exploring different monasteries like Hemis, Thiksey Monastery and the most famous Shanti Stupa.
• A fantastic glimpse of frozen Nyarak Waterfalls
• Amazing high-end Zanskar ranges
• Incredible sight-seeing at High Stok Kangri ranges and more