Leh – Phanjila via Lamayuru (5 hrs drive) We leave Leh in the morning  for Lamayuru by jeep. Along the way, we will come across some of the oldest and  most famous monasteries in Ladakh. The monasteries in Lamayuru, Likir and Alchi  are truly worth visiting for their age and history. After reaching Phanjila we  will camp overnight.

Phanjila- Hanupatta (5- 6 hrs) Today we will start the  first day of our adventure. After a short walk from Phanjila the valley becomes  more and more narrow, leading into a spectacular gorge with rock walls rising  several hundred meters above the river. The Zanskar River is making its way  deep down in the gorge, and in this barren, harsh landscape beautiful  rosebushes flower. We will camp close to the river just after the village of  Hanupatta (3860m), from where we have a great view down the valley.

Photoksar – Base of Singe la (5- 6 hrs) After crossing the small  pass of Bumiktse la (4200), we enter into the broad and lush Photang valley. A  gentle trail leads us through this enjoyable landscape, where the villagers  keep their yaks and horses grassing. One of the most fascinating things about  the Zanskar trek is the ever-changing landscape. Every time you turn a corner  or cross a pass, a new world will appear in front of you: the deepest gorges,  the greenest fields, the majestic Zanskar River giving formations and life.  Slowly we ascend towards our camp at the base of Singe la (4600 m).

Base of Singe la – Gongma via Singe la (6-7  hrs) A steep ascend will lead us to Singge la  (5090m), meaning the "Lion Pass." The last few hundred meters are steep, but  the top of the pass presents a rewarding view. From the pass a steep descend  for few hundred meters. We follow the trail high above the Zanskar River, the  mountains having taken a greener and gentler formation, before ascending  gradually to Kiupa la (4400 m). From the pass the trail down is steep zigzag to  the village of Gongma (3840m).

Gongma- Lanang via Lingshed (6- 7 hrs) From Gongma we climb up the  gentle trail to the Margum la (4400m) from where we can see Lingshed an hour or  so away. The monastery is founded by the Gelugpa order and gives home to around  60 monks. The village itself is spread out over a big area, enclosed in green  fields of barley. After visiting monastery of Lingshed we will continue towards  Lanang.

Lanang- Zingchen via Hanumur la (6-7 hrs) A steep and long ascent will  take us to the pass of Hanumur la (4950m). Once there, the views north to Singe  la and the snowcapped peaks of the Ladakh range are spectacular. From the pass  it is an easy descend for an hour before a steep descend down to Snertse. Just  above Snertse, there is a herders' camp, and sometimes fresh cheese, milk and  curd are available here. Down in the riverbed it's possible to go hunting for  fossils, and the locals sometimes show a nice collection of what they have  found. When the Indian plate slammed into the stationary mass of Asia some 50  millions years ago, the Great Himalayas were formed. The Zanskar range consists  of layers of sediments from the ocean floor while the Ladakh range consists of  granite, born in the immense heat generated by the friction between the two  plates. After resting for a while at Snertse we will continue towards Zingchen,  where we can take a bath in Oma Chhu river.

Zingchen- Hanamur via Parfi la (4- 5 hrs) In the early morning we  head for our last pass before Padum, Parfi la (3950m), juniper covered trail  zigzagging up to the pass. This area is also home to the Himalayan brown bear,  as well as blue sheep. From the pass we descend down to the banks of the  Zanskar River and to the village of Hanamur (3380m), which will be our camp for  tonight

Hanamur- Pishu (4-5 hrs) This is a relatively level  stage along the Zanskar River. On the way we will pass Pidmo (3420m), a small  village with a few families. It is another 2-3 hours journey to Pishu, (3470m)  which is a scenic village located on the west side of the Zanskar River.  Hanamur, Pishu and Pidmo together with Tsazar and Honia on the other side of  the river, constituted the former kingdom of Zangla. The entrance to Pidmo is  marked by a long mani wall and chortens, from where we find our way to a grassy  campsite.

Pishu – Padum (6-7 hrs) We have another quite easy day  ahead of us along a dry, dusty jeep road. From Pishu the trail leads to Rinam  (3550 m), following the banks of the Zanskar River. Arriving at Karsha (3600m)  we can visit the famous monastery. After visiting the monastery we continue towards  Padum (3531m), the capital of Zanskar and a major trade center in the valley.

Padum - Kargil (234 kms) We begin our safari toward  Kargil, passing Sani monastery (6 kms) turning west, crossing the Doda River at  Dhungri, we will drive along the right bank of River. Further ride will lead us  to the beautiful valley covered with comprehensive green patches. Between Padum  to Aksho, we will come across few small villages of Dhungri, Phay and Hamuling.  Here we can see slowly leaving Zanskar valley and Drang Drung Glacier beside  the Penzila. In the middle of the valley, next we can see Rangdum monastery  situated on a rock hill. Then come the villages of Shakar, Parkachik and  Panikhar. Before reaching the Panikhar about 12 kms at Thangbu village, we can  have an incredible photographic view of Nun (7135 m) and Kun (7080) mountains  before reaching Kargil.

Kargil - Leh via Sham valley (230 kms) Today will be our last day to  travel before coming back to Leh, passing some of the most beautiful monasteries  and villages of Sham.