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1st Day: Padum - Thongday
(3.450 m) - Stongday Pulu, 3 hours
Padum is situated in the beautiful central Zanskar plain surrounded by stunning mountains.
You drive ti Thongde Compa 3.450 m (11.318 ft).
Here trek starts. Follow for 2 hours the steady path as far as the pastures of Thongde
2nd Day: Thongde Pulu (3.450) to Cave via Thongde-La (5.150 m), 7 hours
Fake the winding path for the last 200 m up to the Thongde-La 5.150 m (16.896 ft). Go down for about 3 hours as far as the junction with the first large valley. Further 2 hours and you see a habitable cave on the left bank after crossing several rivers.
3rd Day:
Cave to Shade, 9 hours
From the camp walk along the main stream as far as the junction with a large valley coming from the northwest. You arrive at a low wall which delimits the wooded area for the villages of Thongde and Shade. This path leaves the foot of the valley and goes up onto the right slope. Pass a small plateau. Continue along the slope and then go down to a gorge entering at right angles and turn back up onto the slope you arrive at a hut and a field. Here the valley is windiness. Go to the valley floor. The valley narrows. A wooden bridge and three Chortens mark the entrance of this gorge, which leads to the village of Shade 30 minutes away.
4th Day: Shade to Purne (3.950 m) via Phuktal monastery (4.000 m), 7 hours
From the village go to the three Chortens and follow the main valley. Half an hour after the three Chortens, the valley widens and you see the small Tanlak monastery, two houses on hill. A monk in Phuktal is responsible for its maintenance. From Tanlak go down and follow the river just till before it narrows. From there, the track rises and stays on the slope as far as Phuktal. At times the track is precarious and very elevated as far as junction with the Tserap. Walk along the Tserap for about 1 hour as far as a large cave on the right, 100 m above the path. Cross a small pass on a right, then go back down towards the river. Follow the path which is well market but sometimes precarious until the Phuktal monastery 4.000 m (13.123 ft).
Phuktal belongs to the tradition of the Gelupas. The spring that gurgles deep in the cave is still out of bounds to women. The Hungarian historian Cosma de Koros stayed here over the winter of 1825-26.
For the night you will stay in Purne 3.950 m (12.959 ft).
5th Day : Purne (3.950 m) to Ichar (3.800 m), 6 hours
From Purne you go back down. After crossing the bridge you go up the left bank. The trail overhangs the Tsarap River and is sometimes tricky and hard going. There are frequent small canyons of pudding stones. Pass a bit above a hanging, which leads to the village of Cha. Two hours later you arrive at the small village Kaydang. Carry on until Hamu pass below the village of Surle. The trail is still not good. Several stretches are a little bit difficult. The large bridge on your way leads to the impressive village Ichar 3.800 m (12.467 ft). The houses in Ichar are perched on the top of a crag. There are wonderful views west to snow-capped mountains.
6th Day : Ichar (3.800 m) to
Padum via Raru (3.800 m), 5 hours + 2
jeep
Cross back over to the left bank and then gradually climb before coming to a major tributary. Gradually descent down towards to
Reru. Here we wait our cars.
On the road we cross a beautiful plain covered with flowers as far as Mune
Gompa 3.800 m (12.467 ft). The monastery in Mune is spectacularly situated on a crag of a river bend. The friendly monks will lift your mind.
A few kilometres beyond Mune is an impressive monastery. The
Bardan Gompa belongs to the Kagyupa sect. The monsestary has been built on a tall plug of rock which rises high above the River. It is famous for its 1.80 m high prayer wheel. From Bardan you follow the jeep track to Padum 3.550 m (11.646 ft). You pass several beautiful villages on the opposite bank of the river. Padum is the administrative headquarter of the Zanskar region
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