The union territory of Northern India, Ladakh, is renowned for its scenic beauty, Buddhist culture, and charming attractions. Popularly known as the Land of High Passes, it is home to some of the most beautiful mountain passes, including Khardung La, Marsimik La, Kongmaru La, etc.
Besides its high passes, Ladakh is famous for its crystal blue lakes, beautiful valleys, snow-capped mountains, and exciting treks. Home to many Tibetan monasteries, Markha Valley in little Tibet is popular for its Markha Valley Trek. It is a challenging trek that offers you scenic views and access to charming remote villages.
Over the years, this trek has become quite popular among hikers, adventurers, and naturalists. This blog will provide you with detailed information that will help you plan your trek to the Markha Valley Trek nestled in the colorful mountain ranges of Ladakh. Let’s get into the exploration of this colorful and thrilling trek.
About the Markha Valley Trek:
The Markha Valley Trek of the Markha Valley of Ladakh is a popular adventure destination in India. It is well-known for its unique features, including waist-deep river crossings, rocky canyons, and a colorful trek through the Hemis National Park, which is the largest national park in the country. This thrilling trek offers alluring views of the Zanskar ranges and takes you through beautiful villages with welcoming locals.
The Markha Valley in the land of Lamas, Ladakh, has superior connectivity to major cities of India through air and road. The Markha Valley trek difficulty is moderate, which makes it suitable for trekkers of all skill levels. However, physical fitness and previous trekking experience are required for this trek. The trek starts at the Markha Valley through Zinchen to Shang Sumdo, crossing the Ganda La and Kongmaru La passes.
Accommodations in the Markha Valley Trek:
The Little Tibet of India, Ladakh, is well-known for the most beautiful hotels in Himachal Pradesh. Markha, being one of its most enchanting valleys, is home to comfortable and charming homestays and hotels. You can easily book your accommodations after reaching here or before through online reservation sites.
The distance of the Markha Valley Trek is 90 km and takes 5 to 6 days to complete. It means you need to trek over 14 km daily. This trek is popularly known as the ‘tea house trek’ as there are many tea shops and homestays here, where you can stay overnight in parachute tents. This helps trekkers as they don’t need to carry their sleeping bags or tents with them. However, they’re not very luxurious, but they offer a unique and memorable experience.
Main Highlights of the Markha Valley Trek:
1. Villages of Markha and Hankar:
The Markha Valley Trek follows you through the charming villages of Ladakh. Among them, Markha and Hankar are quite popular. Markha village, the largest village on this trek, is known for its lush green landscape, ruined palace remains, and picturesque abandoned forts. Contrasting with the lush greenery of the Markha village, the Hankar village located in the Hemis National Park is known for its raw, isolated beauty and centuries-old remnants of the forts.
2. Buddhist Monasteries and Prayer Flags:
In addition to its scenic views, the Markha Valley Trek is a well-known destination because of its Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, including the Hemis Monastery, Spituk Monastery, Tacha Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, and many others. Among these, the Tacha and Spituk monasteries are a must-visit. Located near Hankar village, the Tacha monastery is surrounded by golden brown mountain ranges. The Spituk monastery serves as the gateway to this thrilling trek and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. You must visit these ancient monasteries to get insights into Buddhist culture, traditional ornament kitchens, and Buddhist prayer flags.
3. Kongmaru La:
The highest pass in the Ladakh range, Kongmaru has the highest elevation of the Markha Valley Trek. A trail through this pass offers breathtaking views of the highest peak in Ladakh, the Kang Yatse peak. The short ascent to Kongmaru La and the long descent to Chogdo are considered the most challenging parts of the trek. The other pass that you’ll pass through this trek is Gonda La. Both of these passes offer enchanting views of the Karakoram ranges of the Kashmir region.
4. Ladakh’s Exclusive Wildlife:
Another most captivating aspect of the Markha Valley Trek is that it offers the opportunity to get a glimpse into the exclusive wildlife of Ladakh. From spotting magnificent creatures like Himalayan snow leopards, Eurasian brown bears, and Tibetan wolves, to getting sights of adorable Himalayan marmots and several species of birds, this trek is a paradise for nature lovers.
5. Leh:
Before starting your journey to the Markha Valley Trek, spend some days in Leh, which serves as the starting point of this trek. You can stay at the most comfortable luxury resorts with some of the best cafes in Himachal Pradesh here. These cafes serve enchanting and delicious Ladakhi food, including Skyu, Phirni, Butter Tea, Chhurpi, Chang, yak cheese, apricot jam, etc.
Best Time for the Markha Valley Trek:
You can plan for the Markha Valley Trek between late May and mid-September. During these months, the sunny skies and comfortable temperatures keep the weather lovely there. Also, the trek isn’t open for visitors during the winter season due to snow. During the winter months, if you plan for this trek, you won’t be able to go farther than Markha village. However, during the winter months of October and November, there’s the highest possibility for leopard sightings, but then you’ve to deal with low temperatures.
Some Tips for the Markha Valley Trek:
1. Before starting the trek, spent some days in Leh to get adapted to the high altitude.
2. Wear lightweight hiking shoes with good grip for this trek.
3. The weather here is quite unpredictable, so pack your clothes and other necessities accordingly.
4. It is advisable to get assistance from an experienced guide for this trek, as it includes challenging parts like crossing the Markha River, steep ascents, and deep descents.
Markha Valley Trek: A Colorful and Charming Trail through the Ladakh Ranges:
Mounted mountains, ancient monasteries, charming villages, and Hemis National Park are all part of the alluring journey of the Markha Valley Trek. If you wish to get a glimpse of traditional Ladhaki culture, exclusive wildlife, and scenic views of the Himalayan ranges in Ladakh, then this trek is best for you. Staying in the local tea house homestays during this trek will make this trek more memorable for you.