Zanskar & Ladakh Expedition

 

This Expedition takes us to India’s northernmost provinces Zanskar and Ladakh to photograph their majestic landscapes, solitary Buddhist monasteries, sapphire-coloured high-altitude lakes, and the unique customs of the inhabitants of the highest plateau in India.

Bounded by the Great Himalaya to the south and the Karakoram to the north, Ladakh lies in the folds of the highest mountain system in the world, across the Zanskar and Ladakh mountain ranges, at an average altitude of 3.500mt above sea level. At this elevation, the Himalayas’ rain shadow shields it from the clouds of the Indian monsoon, making Ladakh a high altitude desert.

In spite of its inaccessible location, Ladakh marked the connecting point between South Asia and Central Asia and was a key strategic stop along the Silk Route. Its name means ‘land of high passes’, but to the traders of the ancient Silk Route who travelled through Ladakh on their way from China to the Punjab until the late 1800s, this land of frozen peaks was known as ‘The Kingdom in the Sky’.

Ladakh, which geographically forms part of the Tibetan plateau, is also sometime called ‘Little Tibet’ in recognition of the strong influence exerted over the region by Tibetan culture.

Created some 50 million years ago by the collision between the Indian sub-continent and the Eurasian tectonic plate, and shaped over millennia by the erosion of wind, water, and the movement of glaciers, the mountain ranges of Zanskar & Ladakh are amongst the most spectacular in the world.

The complex geology of the region makes for excellent opportunities for landscape photography and during the Expedition, we photograph three ranges of strikingly different appearance; the Zanskar range, which is made of folded layers of sediments from the ocean floor, the granite Ladakh range, and the Great Himalaya, which is made of base material from the Indian plate.

Our route takes us from Leh, the ancient capital of Ladakh that once ranked amongst the busiest market towns on the Silk Route, through the Suru Valley, to the remote region of Zanskar. Here we will have a chance to witness and photograph the Festival of Gustor, held once a year in the extremely remote monastery of Karsha. One of the highlight of this Expedition is the trek around Tso Moriri, the largest high-altitude lake in India; along its banks, Korzok monastery is said to be one of the oldest settlements in the world.

The longest and the most arduous of our Indian journeys, this Expedition is equally rich in spectacular opportunities for landscape and people photography.

 

Dates: August 2009
This Expedition begins and ends in Leh, Ladakh, India (18 nights). Dates refer to actual days on the ground in Zanskar & Ladakh and exclude days of travel to/from Ladakh.
Expedition Leader: Dariusz Klemens
Participants: 4-8
Cost: £2950
Includes:Tuition. 18 nights accommodation, with breakfast daily. All transfers within Ladakh by private, four-wheel drives. 3 day trekking around Lake Tso Moriri with all meals. Guides, porters, and translator. All entrance fees.

 

Notes:

The Expedition begins and ends in Leh, Ladakh. India. The group will meet in Leh on Day One of the Expedition. It is the responsibility of individual participants to reach Leh in time for the start of the Expedition – please see Practical Information.

Accommodation in Zanskar and Ladakh is in hotels, and tents. As these are very remote regions, accommodation outside Leh is basic.

Transportation is by private vehicles. Travelling in our own 4 wheel-drive, allows us to move in relative comfort and gives us flexibility to explore the extraordinary vistas afforded by some of the highest motorable roads in the world along which we will travel.

Although we make every effort to ensure that we travel and sleep in comfort, participants should note that this Expedition involves crossing a number of high altitude passes and walking on steep inclines and along rough terrains, amongst other physical demands.

 

For a sample of images from the area, please visit our Ladakh Gallery.

For any further information please email us through our Contact page.