Tour Cost:  E9N-SKPC-LO

Stok Kangri Peak in Western Himalayays

I T I N E R A R Y

Day 01: ARRIVE DELHI                                                 International flight                           NO MEAL                                                                          

Arrive Delhi airport. On arrival, met with your Odyssey Manager and transfer to Hotel.

Day 02: DELHI – LEH                                          Domestic Flight   ACCLIMATISATION                                                                          BD

KARDUNG LA PASS, INDIA – SEPTEMBER 5, 2011: Bicycle tourists in Himalayas ascend Khardung La – highest motorable pass in the world. Himalayan bicycle tourism is gaining popularity all over the world

Early morning transfer to the airport to board your scheduled domestic flight to Leh.  On arrival transfer to the hotel. Rest day at hotel, recommended to get acclimatized as well as to get ready for the upcoming expedition, meet up with the crew to finalise the readiness and time to test your gears. Also to check the necessary equipment and garments, if you wish to buy or rent some stuff in case. Afternoon walk up to Shanti Stupa, a Japanese pagoda erected to symbolize the world peace. This point gives you a bird view of Leh town as well as the panorama of the vast mountain ranges. The walk is also to get your lungs tested before the real start. Overnight stay at Leh.

Day 03: LEH ACCLIMATISATION                                     CIRCULAR WALK                                                  BD

Enjoy your easy morning at the hotel. After breakfast start with your stroll out of the hotel and to the town of Leh. Walk along the streets full of local artefacts and items to be sold to the tourists. Walk along the bazaar up to the out skirts of town and test your lungs by climbing up the stairs to the Peace Stupa. A pagoda shaped structure erected by the Japanese Buddhist Society, for the purpose of world peace. The more than 500 stairs ends up at a bird eye view point, which provides a 360 degrees panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges as well as the spectacular view of Leh town. Continue walking further along the circular road providing the magnificent view of Leh Palace perched atop a hill next to the old Leh bazaar. Walk further along the streets to get back to the hotel. Evening at leisure.

Day 04: HIKING DAY                              ACCLIMATISATION                                                BD

After breakfast proceed on a hike up to Shanker village. Visit the Shanker monastery, one of the prominent places and tourist attraction. You can continue hiking up the valley until the last village and also as far as you can continue to gain height, till the trail meets up with the road to Khardung-la. As the elevation gets higher your lungs will need more air to pump and gasp for more and more oxygen, as you ascend the valley the air gets thinner and thinner. Start walking down and backwards from a point where you feel that half of your stamina is needed to get back too. Back to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 04: LEH – STOK – SMANKARMO (4380m)                                                                                                                                    BLD

After breakfast pack your bags and get set for the challenging days ahead. Drive your way up to the village of Stok and start your trekking into the valley beyond Stok Village. This lovely valley is a high and wild area, which is visited only by climbing groups and by the local people who spend some of the summer months in picturesque villages of stone huts, from where they tend their flocks of sheep and goats. After walking around 4-5 hours we camp near Shepherds huts at Smankarmo (4,380m). This is the junction, where trekkers part their ways for another trek over Stok La.

Day 06: SMANKARMO – STOK KANGRI BASE (4985m)                                                                                                                     BLD

View to the gacier on Stok Kangri during sunrise in 6000 metres altitude Ladakh Northern India Himalayas

A two-hour trek takes you up to the base camp area for Stok Kangri (Yarlas at 4,980m). This pleasant campsite is on a grassy area beside a meltwater stream. In the afternoon, we can walk above our camp for views of the Rimo peaks (adjacent to the Siachen Glacier in the East Karakoram), where the meltwater torrent flows out of the very middle of the Gulap Glacier’s terminal moraine at 5,160m. Or you can choose to lay back at campsite to have some rest. Overnight at Base camp.

Day 07: TRAINING DAY/BUFFER DAY @ BASE CAMP                                                                                     BLD

A day at base camp. You can opt to walk along the trail to gain some height and back to the base camp. A day to learn the basic and necessary skills needed to negotiate the terrain, glacier and crevasses along the route to Stok Kangri Peak. Get to your beds early, as you need to set off in the middle of the night the next day to the summit.

Day 08: SUMMIT DAY                                                                                                                                                                              BLD

Our summit day begins before dawn, to give us ample time for the climb. Psychologically it will be helpful to have previously covered the ground to the old advance base camp, as we will be doing this section of the ascent in the dark. From the advance base camp, the nature of the route depends on the snow cover. It is most likely that we do not need our crampons for the most part as we scramble over scree and boulders, which lead up to the south ridge. The 1,500 ft ridge that stretches up to the summit is exciting and superbly exposed, although never particularly steep and very straightforward. Most of the ridge is like a steep path, so ropes are not usually necessary, although some scrambling is required. At an altitude approaching 20,000 ft it is extremely tiring and anybody who needs a rope will be able to use one.

The summit is a superb reward for your effort, giving magnificent views in every direction. The city of Leh is so small that you can barely see it. After taking photographs and perhaps a bite to eat, we set off back down the hill. The route taken depends on the leader, but it is usually a reversal of the way we went up. On reaching the glacier, we return all the way back to base camp.

Day 09: BASE CAMP – STOK – LEH                                                                                                                                                     BLD

In the morning after breakfast we will descend down to Stok village and visit Stok Gurphuk monastery, dating back to the 14th century, founded by Lama Lhawang Lotus. On completion take pictures of Stok Palace constructed by the king Tsespal Tondup Namgyal in 1825, known for great collection of ancient royal ornaments, thangkas and old statues. Further drive one hour to Leh and check into your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 10: LEH – DELHI – FLY HOME                                                                                                                                                                B

India Gate and war memorial in New Delhi India

After an early breakfast check out and transfer to the airport to board on your scheduled flight to Delhi. A day to explore the important places of interest and shop around Delhi and time to explore the city as per the availability of time. You can opt to pay a visit to famous India Gate, President’s Palace, Parliament House and Cannaught Place. Finally, after a gourmet dinner transfer to airport to board your scheduled flight home sweet home.

Hotels Subject to availability, Check In 1400 hour & Check out 1200 noon.        Trekking tents provided during trek.

SRS: Single Room Supplement, CWB: Child With Bed, CNB: Child No Bed

Note: Sequence of itinerary may change due to domestic flights availability or any other operational reasons