Spituk - Zingchen (4-5 hours) After an early start from  Leh, we will travel by jeep to Spituk, where horses will be waiting to carry  our equipment. The trek will begin along an old jeep road into a parched and  exposed region, so water and sunscreen are absolutely vital! After plodding  through the shattered land for 3-hours, we will enter the lush Zingchen Valley,  where the Rumbak River flows into the mighty Indus. Further into the valley  lies our campsite, in the two-house hamlet of Zingchen (meaning big field). The  rest of the day may be spent relaxing, or even taking a dip in the river.

Zingchen - Ganda La base (3-4 hours) Today we will enter Hemis  National Park, where we may be fortunate enough to glimpse wildlife as diverse  as the snow leopard, lynx, Ladakhi Urial (a type of goat), arghali (great  Tibetan sheep), blue sheep, red fox, Tibetan wolf, dhole (wild dog), marmot and  mountain hare. After paying the entrance fee, we will climb gradually through a  beautiful gorge that will unveil the imposing Stok Range from time to time.  Before reaching Rumbak, we will stop at a teahouse run by women from the  village. After a warm cup of tea, we will continue through Rumbak, and pass by  the house of Yuruche, before reaching camp at the base of Ganda La (4545m).  From our campsite, we can see a spectacular view of Stok Kangri and the whole  of the Stok range.

Skiu - Markha (7-8 hours) Following the Markha River,  we will hike through the lovely valley on a fairly level path. The trail  bisects the river at various points, and passes winter settlements that contain  Lhatos (religious shrines for local deities) and Mani walls (stones inscribed  with Buddhist prayers). During peak season, a number of tented teahouses will  be open for refreshment. Once we cross the river for the final time, we will  arrive in Markha, the largest village in the valley (consisting of around 20  houses, an old monastery and a ruined fort). Note: Water and sunscreen are essential,  since the valley is quite exposed.

Markha - Hankar (5-6 hours) The Markha valley trail  continues passed old stone-mills, a ruined castle and the auspicious monastery  of Techa, which proudly perches upon a towering cliff that looms above Markha,  but is well worth visiting, if we have the energy! The path then intersects the  river several times before cutting through the last hamlets in the valley.  After leaving the village of Umlung, we will be afforded our first view of  mighty Kang Yatse (6400m), which will stay in sight. We will press onward to  the Hankar, where we will make camp.

Hankar - Yakrupal (5-6 hours) After yesterdays strenuous  walk, today is easier as we walk through the remote Langthang valley, where few  other tourists go. It?s only the villagers from Markha, who use this valley as  a pasture ground for their sheep, donkeys, yaks and horses. From Hankar follow  the valley down until it divides, cross the river and follow the valley to the  left along the Langthang Chu River. The valley down to the right leads to  Markha. The Langthang River has the tendency of rising during the day due to  snow melting in the mountains and by noon it becomes a dangerous river to  cross. An early start in the morning is therefore essential, as one has to  cross the river several times. Yakrupal is a nice, green campsite where both  the horses and we will have a good meal.

Yakrupal - Khar via Zalung Karpo La (5-6  hours) After Yakrupal, continue up the valley  towards the pass of Zalung Karpo La (5200m). From the top of the pass there is  a spectacular view of the Zanskar range on the one side, while on the other,  the highest plateau in the world appears, the Chang Tang plateau stretching far  into Tibet. The only inhabitants of this desolate wilderness, where the climate  is so extreme that you can get sunburn and frostbite at the same time, are  nomads and semi-nomadic people, who live in tiny villages with only their yak,  sheep, pashmina goats and a small harvest of barley on which to survive. The  trail down is steep and again several river crossings will follow. The  beautiful and lush campsite of Khar will be our home for tonight. Kharnak means  black castle in Ladakhi, and situated on a hill above the campsite one can  imagine the former palace of Khar where the king of Kharnak used to live. Now  only the ruins of this former kingdom remain, which the nomads believe to be  haunted. It is also said that the nomads in Dat are descendants of the people  that lived in Khar and that they for some reason moved to Dat three to four  generations ago.

Khar - Dat (5-6 hours) A relatively easy day and a  beautiful walk through wide, lush valleys (by Ladakhi standards!). At Tantse  Sumdo the valley divides, the left valley leading to Dat and the right to Zanskar,  by the Jumlam trek, a trek where one really would get wet feet with its 80  river crossings! On the way we pass several nomads? camps before reaching the  tiny village of Dat, a settlement of stone huts and the winter headquarters for  the nomads in Kharnak. Here they live from October to December and March to  June. The nomads of Kharnak are a colorful and joyful people moving together  with their yaks and pashmina goats. In Dat there is also a Gompa, still used by  monks of the Gelugpa Order. When the villagers are away from Dat, they return  every second day to light the candles in the monastery.

Dat - Lungmo Che via Yar La (5-6 hours) From Dat we enter the  fantasyland of the Changthang plateau and follow a long, wide valley before  taking one of the side valleys towards Yar La (4950m). In the spring the nomads  move with all their animals towards Zara and one will be astonished by the  sight of 30-40 families moving with their yaks in caravans. It is an easy  ascent to this pass. From here it is a short walk (1-1 ½ hours) down to the  pastures of Lungmo Che where we spend the night, surrounded by snow-capped  mountains, grazing yaks and pastel light.

Lungmo Che - Zara- Leh (6 hours) The trail follows the rolling  hills towards Yagang, another settlement of stone huts belonging to the Kharnak  nomads. From Yagang we will drive towards Leh via Taglang la 5200 m.