What is Chadar Trek?

Tucked away in the high reaches of the Himalayas, the Zanskar River in Ladakh is a popular destination for adventure enthusiasts. While whitewater rafters navigate its rapids in summer, trekkers are drawn to its icy splendour in winter, the perfect time to experience the thrill of a wildly remote trek known as the ‘Chadar Trek’.

Chadar means ‘blanket’ in the local language. As the mountain passes get blocked in winter, the only route to the outside world is over the frozen river. For centuries, the local have used this as a winter trade route.

The overall distance is approximately 105 kilometres (65 mi) – an average trekker walks 16 kilometres (10 mi) per day.

The best time to do the Chadar trek is January to February, when the temperature during the winters drops sometimes to -30 to -35 degrees.

Chadar trek starts from Chilling however with time the organizers tend to drive ahead to about 1 km away from the first camp at Tilad Sumdo (10,390 ft). Over the next days the trek moves to higher camps till Nerak (11,150 ft). This is return point of the famous trek. There are other variations of the trek which go till Lingshed while a bigger version will take you to Padum over almost 14 days.

A road is under construction to maintain year round connectivity between Leh and Zanskar and is expected to be completed sometime soon. The locals have been demanding this road for a long time and will make their life a lot easier, specially to answer medical emergencies during winter. However, the road construction has disturbed the local wildlife primarily the snow leopard. It used to be its prime territory for the snow leopards in the winter, but now they dwell up higher in the valley.

Walkers undertaking the trek have to face dangers like sub-zero temperatures, unpredictable weather conditions and total isolation in case they get trapped. On the positive side, the stunning alpine landscape and a chance to interact with the local Tibetan community which has retained its unique culture due to the geographical isolation, promises an unfortunately enriching experience.

 

Picture Credit : Google