The Markha valley trek is often done in 6 days, from Chilling to Hemis. This trek itinerary covers a distance of 78 km and 2500m of elevation gain. It crosses one high-altitude pass. The duration of 6 days is the total duration from Leh to Leh, including transport to the start point and from the end point of the trek.

The highest point on the Markha valley trek is the Kongmaru La pass at an altitude of 5260m. The pass is usually crossed on the 5th day, while trekking from Nimaling to Shang Sumdo. The highest night is spent at Nimaling camp, at an elevation of 4841m. This is generally the 4th night of the trek, i.e. the night before crossing the Kongmaru La pass.

The Markha valley trek, as compared to other treks in Ladakh, is considered as moderate in difficulty (level 3 out 5). You need to be in good physical condition. Previous trekking experience is desirable, but not essential if you are confident of your physical condition.

The Markha valley trek is the most famous trek in Ladakh because it is one of the most beautiful treks. However, even during the peak tourist season (July-August), the Markha valley trek is not really busy and tourists can enjoy the nature without being disturbed by other groups. Indeed, the Markha valley trek is far less crowded than the famous treks in Nepal (Annapurna, Everest Base Camp…).

Leh is at 3500m above sea level so acclimatization can get difficult because of high altitude. You shall spend at least 3 days to acclimatize before you start the Markha valley trek and go to higher altitude. Drink plenty of water or other fluids such as soup, tea and juice. During acclimatization, you can visit Leh and the Indus valley.

The weather in Ladakh is generally dry and sunny. During the summer, the average temperature goes up to 25 or 30 degrees Celsius in the day while the nights are cooler depending on the altitude (it can reach the freezing point at Nimaling in September). However, the weather in the mountain can change quickly and outbreaks of rain can occur; you should be prepared for this possibility. The sun is strong in Ladakh and some days can be really hot during the Markha valley trek, especially in the valleys at lower altitude.

Ladakh is a high-altitude desert and portion of Tibetan plateau extends in the northern plains of the Changthang region. The high mountains stop the rain clouds so Ladakh is not affected by the monsoon. However, some light to moderate showers can be experienced occasionally. All mountains trekkings and activities are planned according to the good weather but one should remember that in any mountain area weather is not predictable and you should be prepared and fully equipped to deal with weather.

During the Markha valley trek, every night will be in a local house in a village (homestay) except the night in Nimaling which will be in a fixed camp.

We encourage our clients to stay in homestays during their trek. This is an effort to stem the region’s rural-urban migration and generate income to the rural communities in Ladakh. Since all the households have their own homestay and they take turns in hosting guests, it ensures that money is equally distributed between the families. The homestay system does not allow for advanced booking. In some cases, a large group might be divided in two separate houses.

Comfort in homestays is basic, but it is a nice opportunity to discover the everyday life of the villagers. Homestays do not have running water so it is not possible to take shower. You should bring your own sleeping bag during the trek. If you feel cold, blankets are available in homestays and at Nimaling camp but they can be quite dusty. At Nimaling, tents and mattresses will be provided too.

The family at the homestay will give you typical vegetarian Ladakhi food such as rice, dal (lentils), vegetables, soup, momos (dumplings), chutagi (homemade pasta mixed with vegetables), thukpa (noodle soup) … Every morning, the family will prepare a packed lunch for you (chapati, potatoes, boiled egg… it depends on the homestay). Note that in general the food is simple and there is not much variety, this is what the villagers eat every day.

During the trek, boiled or filtered water will be provided to fill up your water bottles. For extra safety, we recommend that you use water purification tablets.

Homestays usually have solar panels so it is possible to charge batteries during the Markha valley trek. You should also bring spare batteries. Note that batteries discharge more quickly in cold weather.

Only mobile phones with a local sim card work in Ladakh. In the Markha valley, there is limited mobile phone network coverage. Each village has a satellite phone which can be used in case of emergency. Note that personal satellite phones are forbidden in Ladakh.

During the trek, you should keep a light backpack with you during the day with a water bottle, your packed lunch, hat, sunglasses, sun cream, camera, etc.

In Ladakh, horses are used to carry luggage. Unlike in Nepal, using the services of a porter during treks is not common in Ladakh.

During the Markha valley trek, your duffel bag / backpack containing your sleeping bag and the clothes which you don’t need during the day will be carried by horses. The weight and size of this bag should be reasonable. Note that hard suitcases are not suitable because they cannot be taken on horseback. Other luggage that you do not need during the trek should be kept in Leh. Hotels and guesthouses in Leh usually have a storage room.

A very popular option is to start the Markha valley trek from Spituk, instead of from Chilling. In that case, 2 extra days are needed to complete the itinerary. At the end of the trek, it is a good idea to take some time to visit the well-known monasteries located in the Indus valley between Hemis and Leh.

If you join a group trek for the Markha valley, the group size will be between 4 and 9 persons. If you book a private trek, you can decide about the group size as well as the trekking dates.

The transport from Leh to Chilling (at the beginning of the Markha valley trek) and from Hemis to Leh (at the end of the trek) will be arranged by car. The distance between Leh and Chilling is 60 km. The distance between Hemis and Leh is 40 km.