Ladakh Markha Valley Trek

Your arrival point is at Kushok Bakula Rimpochi Airport in Leh, India. Upon arrival at Leh Airport, outside the arrival hall, look for the placard with your name on it. And meet our team member, then our team member will transfer to your booking hotel for check in. The rest of the day for acclimatization.
[Elevation of Leh: 3,500m/11,500ft]

In Leh, you will stay at Omasila Hotel, a famous hotel in Leh where the hotel also boast of beautiful gardens where you can relax and enjoy the greenery. Also breakfast will be provided at Omasila Hotel and your accommodation will be on twin sharing basis.

Your accommodation during the trekking period will be tented camping. A tent will be provided for every 2 travellers with a foam mattress. There will also be a kitchen tent, dining tent, toilet tent, table, chairs and more for your comfort. If in case of a single by default, we will arrange a single tent for you at no additional cost.

We will provide three meals a day (Fresh breakfast, packed Lunch and fresh dinner) during the trek. Since this is a full camping trek, our kitchen crew will serve freshly prepared meals during the trek. We consider hearty and delicious meals as a key component to the overall success of our trip. You can and are encouraged to bring along comfort food which you enjoy eating – chocolates, power bars, dry fruits, candies, other snacks etc.

We provide boiled water for drinking purpose on all our Camping trek. During mealtime, you can ask the staffs to fill the hot water for you. We strongly discourage the use of single-use plastic bottles such as mineral water on all our trips. Carrying a hot water bottle is highly recommended.

Daily wake up calls will be between 6.00 am to 7.00 am while on the trek. The wake-up time and breakfast time will be decided a night before during the briefing time. The time table for each day will entirely depend on your walking duration for that particular day.

Before breakfast, you are required to pack your duffel bag as it will be loaded by the mules while you are having your breakfast. After 3-4 hours of walk, we stop for packed lunch mid-day. The afternoon’s walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea.

The best time to trek Marka Valley is from mid-June to September. Until September, the days are dry and warm with bright overhead sun, enough to cause dehydration, however, evenings and nights can be really cold, amidst the desert landscape of this valley. The hills are bare with little or no vegetation, and only in the valley below are trees and fields scattered along the entire route. Camping can get really cold due to the high altitude.

The Marka Valley trek is considered challenging due to the long days and the maximum elevation of the Kongmaru pass of 5260 meters. But the trail is relatively easier following good paths. Average daily walking hours on this trek is 6 to 7 hours due to long days. So basic knowledge of adventure is essential in this trek. No previous trekking experience is required, but you should be fit and comfortable carrying your day pack and walking for 6 to 7 hours every day, although anyone with a good level of stamina and determination can do this trek.

We request clients to keep the duffel bag weight under 15 kgs due to mules weight restrictions, allowing maximum of 30 kgs weight per mules. We provide 1 mules for every 2 participants. During the trek, clients are required to carry only a day pack containing essentials such as a water bottle, camera, sunscreen, spare jacket, etc. This light load ensures a more enjoyable camping trekking experience. Therefore, upon arrival in Leh, any additional luggage or items not needed during the trek can be stored at the hotel in Leh.

We encourage you to get all equipment listed below for the trip and kindly ensure you check and try every equipment.

Clothing and Footwear

– Long-sleeved shirts
– T-Shirts
– Trousers
– Warm Jackets/Sweater/Pullover
– Waterproof jackets and trousers
– Thermal
– Inner wears
– Undergarments
– Warm socks
– Warm Hat, Gloves and Bandana/Scarf
– Down Jacket
– Sleeping bag
– Trekking shoes
– Slippers/Flip flops to wear at camp
– Duffel/Kit Bag
– Daypack 30-35 litres (To carry your sunblock, water, camera, waterproof jackets and others that you may require while trekking)

Important Documents

– Passport with visa and validity of 6 months after your trip completion
– 4 copies of passport size photos for permits and official formalities
– Travel Insurance (Please refer to the general information page for more detail about it)
– Flight tickets
– Credit cards in case of emergencies
– Driving ID or any other ID in case of loss of your passport.

(Please carry the photocopy of all the documents along with you and leave a copy to next of kin)

Others: Important

– Headlamps with extra batteries
– Sunglasses with UV protection
– Camera with charger or spare batteries
– A pair of trekking poles
– Water bottle one (1) litre
– Laundry bag to keep the dirty clothes
– Large plastic bags to keep the clothes dry
– Padlock
– Binoculars
– Reading materials, notebooks and pens

Toiletries and Hygiene

– Quick-drying towel
– Small face towel
– Toothbrush &Toothpaste
– Deodorants, Soap and Shampoo (Smaller bottle)
– Face and body moisturizer, Sunscreen and lip balm
– Hand sanitizer/Antiseptic wipes
– Hygiene products
– Basic first aid kit

Yes, permits are required for any trekking in Ladakh. Trekkers need to obtain a Ladakh Inner Line Permit, which is mandatory for all treks in the Ladakh region. Additionally, if the trek route passes through restricted or protected areas, additional permits may be required. It is important to check with local authorities or trekking agencies to ensure that you have all the necessary permits before starting the trek.