Winter Chadar Trek

Walking on Frozen river of Zanskar the ultimate experience for an adventure lover. The traditional name of the trek is "Chadar trek" - the frozen sheet, which was initially the only way in and out for Zanskaris when all other ways were closed due to heavy snow fall at high passes. Therefore, it had been trade route for centuries for Zanskari People. Now, the route has become famous as beautiful winter trek among adventure lovers.

One of the toughest and most adventurous trek, the total distance of this tour (one way) is approximately 105 Km and will be covered with average distance of about 15kms a day. The temperature is in the range of -15 to -20 C during the day and drops a good 10 degrees to – 25 to –35 during the night. It makes sense to bring out the warmest jackets, a cozy sleeping bag and sturdy non-slip shoes.

This Chadar trek allows you to penetrate the isolation and to examine some of the villages along the Zanskar River in the midst of winter and thus catch a glimpse of the lifestyle during this unique time of the year. A visit to the ancient monastic establishments of Karsha and Zangla promises to heighten your insight into the mysteries of this Shangri-la, a land and culture frozen in time behind the ramparts of the Zanskar Mountains. Chilling and Lingshed are the only sizeable villages on this trek until Hanamur and Pidmo before Pishu and Zangla in Zanskar, all the rest are names of places and caves along the route.

Most of the trek is done on the ice (Chaddar) but at some places we must climb icy rocks or trails and in Zanskar itself one can walk through the normal trail used by the locals. This trek is not meant for the average individual and one must have great endurance capacity to accept tough camping and walking conditions.