MT Sobek: India Zanskar River Rafting

Day 1 Arrive in Leh, Ladakh
Welcome to Ladakh, India's northern region, and its largest town Leh. Known as the 'land of high passes,' the region is often called 'the Little Tibet' for its well-preserved Buddhist culture and stunning scenery. Spend your first day enjoying this scenic town nestled in the mountains and acclimatizing to the elevation of 11,483 feet. In the evening, meet your MT Sobek trip leader for an orientation and group welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel Leh
(D)

Day 2 Explore Ancient Palaces, Buddhist Monasteries, & Markets in Leh
6-hour city tour
After breakfast, explore the sights of Leh. Start at the monumental Leh Palace, a former royal palace built in 1600 that offers impressive views of Leh in the Indian Himalayas. Next, roam monasteries and Tibetan religious structures called gompas, including Shey, Thiksey and Hemis. Wrap up the day at the ancient Leh market, the most colorful place in town, where you can get anything from jewelry to spices. Share your impressions of the day over dinner with your fellow travelers.
Accommodation: Hotel Leh
(B, L, D)

Day 3 Visit Caves & Forts on a Scenic Drive from Leh to Kargil
6-hour private van transfer
Set out toward the town of Kargil in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Along the way, marvel at the striking painted caves of Saspol, the mud-brick fortress of Basgo, and the Lamayuru monastery, one of Laddakh's largest and oldest gompas. Past Nimu, the confluence of the Zanskar with the Indus, travel over the 13,500-foot Fotu La pass, and reach Mulbekh village, famous for its rock-carved Buddha. In Kargil, settle into the hotel, enjoy a shower, and then prepare for the great outdoors.
Accommodation: Hotel D’Zojila
(B, L, D)

Day 4 Journey High into the Himalayas
6-hour private van transfer
Today, enjoy a spectacular drive past the magnificent Panikkar and Parkachik Glaciers that hang off the slopes of the imposing 23,000-foot Nun-Kun massif. Admire Balti settlements surrounded by lush fields filled with crops and fruits. The road swings past the last Muslim settlement of Parkachik, and travels to the 18th-century Buddhist Gelukpa monastery of Rangdum. An optional hike through the huge surrounding meadow can be added should you wish to stretch your legs.
Accommodation: Hotel D’Zojila
(B, L, D)

Day 5 Cross Pensi-la Pass & Descend to the Stod River
6-hour private van transfer
Journey over the 14,000-foot Pensi-la pass, known as the Gateway to Zanskar. Marvel at the imposing Zanskar peaks that tower over the Drang Drung glacier — a long river of ice and the source of the Stod River (a tributary of the Zanskar). Descend down to the Stod, and travel past remote villages and Padum, the capital of Zanskar, to Remala, a pretty beach of sand and pebbles where your rafting trip starts. Enjoy the first night under open skies at your riverside camp.
Accommodation: MT Sobek – Zanskar River Camp
(B, L, D)

Day 6 Paddle from Padum & Hike to Karsha Gompa
4-5 hours/19 miles rafting and optional hiking
Rise today to start your rafting adventure! Near the town of Padum, set out to raft among the grandiose 20,000-foot peaks. You will paddle for some four to five hours, and stop midway for a refreshing lunch with hot beverages. This whitewater section features Class II rapids, and is a great warm up and a good introduction for first-timers. In the afternoon, settle into your camp, then consider a long walk around the camp or an optional hike to Karsha Gompa, Zanskar's largest Buddhist monastery.
Accommodation: MT Sobek – Zanskar River Camp
(B, L, D)

Day 7 Raft Easy Rapids from Karsha Camp
4-5 hours/15.5 miles rafting
Enjoy another day of easy paddling on Class II and Class III rapids, just perfect for mastering your stroke and tuning into the rhythm of the river. After a late morning start, set out to raft 15.5 miles from Karsha Camp to Honyo/Pidmo, a beautiful grassy and flat campsite. As you relax listening to the river in the evening, recharge your body and spirit for another big day of whitewater rafting ahead.

(B, L, D)

Day 8 Experience the Zanskar’s Grand Canyon
4-5 hours/15.5 miles rafting
Today, charge over an exciting Class III whitewater section as you raft towards the remote village of Nyerak (10,780 feet). As you progress, the gorge gets narrower, until it eventually forms a series of rapids just after the last village of Honimul, at the entrance to the canyon. As these cascades churn the turquoise waters of the Zanskar, and mountain walls rise thousands of feet up in the air, you'll see why they call this the Grand Canyon of the Himalayas. Enjoy a relaxed evening by the campfire in the gorge just below Nyerak.

(B, L, D)

Day 9 Relax, Recharge & Visit the Remote Nyerak Village
Today is a well-deserved layover day. Take time to relax and soak up the gorgeous mountain scenery from underneath willow trees. You can also choose to hike to the remote Nyerak Village, which can be reached only by rafting expeditions in summer or trekking over a frozen river in winters.

(B, L, D)

Day 10 Raft Classic Whitewater in the Zanskar River Gorge
22 miles/4-5 hours rafting
Get ready for the most exciting rapids so far. Warm up over Class III whitewater as you charge through the very heart of the majestic Zanskar River Gorge. Eventually, the gorge narrows down to a mere 18 feet and the rapids turn to an adrenaline-boasting Class IV. Savor a lunch by a sky-high waterfall, then paddle a bit more to the camp at the confluence of the Zanskar and Markha rivers. Along the way to Lamaguru at 10,465 feet, soak up the extraordinary colors and take in monumental rock formations.

(B, L, D)

Day 11 Meet the Fork of the Indus River & Return to Leh
1-hour private van transfer
25 miles/4-5 hours rafting
Your last day on the Zanskar is the grand finale of your journey! Over the 25 miles between Lamaguru and Nimu villages, enjoy the rush of Class III and Class IV rapids. Just past the village of Chilling, the rapids plunge out of the canyon to meet the Indus River. Where the Zanskar and Indus come together, take a moment to reflect on the past days and plot to take on the Indus next. After a shuttle ride to the hotel in Leh, enjoy a hot shower and one last group meal.
Accommodation: Hotel Leh
(B, L, D)

Day 12 Depart from Leh
Say your farewells early in the morning, then take a shuttle to the airport.
Accommodation: Hotel Leh
(B)