STOK KANGRI Expedition
Price per person INR 24800 only.
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Stok Kangri Expedition
Region: - Leh, Ladakh, J & K
Duration: - 09 days
Grade: - Difficult
Max Altitude: - 6153Mt.
Price per person: INR 24,800
Fixed Departure
01st Aug to 09th Aug 2015
19th Aug to 27th Aug 2015
03rd Sept to 11th Sept 2015
Stok Kangri
Expedition 6153M
All expert mountaineers
should for sure go on a Stok Kangri trek to experience the ultimate thrill.
Eight days of challenging and exciting trek through the Ladakh Mountains will
push you to the limit. Stok Kangri, at about 20128 feet above sea level, is the
highest peak in its namesake range of the Ladakh Himalayas. Before you start
the excursion, you get a whole day just to roam around in Leh, a scenic and
culture-rich town. You then travel to the old village of Stok, where you will
reach after a drive through winding mountain roads lined with birch trees. The
elevation gain will begin right from the moment you start the expedition from
the village. You will first travel to Chang Ma, where you will find your tents
set-up on slopes at an altitude of around 13087 feet.
The next day you
continue the Stok Kangri expedition and make for Mankorma. This is among the
most picturesque of journeys as along it, the mountains will keep changing
colour depending on the amount and angle of sunlight. Mankorma with its flat
terrains provides a pretty contrast to the slopes of Chang Ma. At night, the
Orion arm of the Milky Way galaxy with millions of twinkling stars is clearly
visible from here. Wake up in the morning and get ready for a tough part of
your excursion. The diminishing oxygen levels, rising cold and increasing
altitude will make you utilise all your mountaineering skills.
This section of Stok
Kangri trekking will take you to the base camp of the mountain. You will get to
look at some wonderful scenery, which will take away all your stress and the
feeling of the hike being difficult. Along the way, you will come across many
small glacial lakes, which shine white because of the bright sunlight. A lush
green meadow by a narrow brook makes for a perfect spot to set up camps. To
reach the top, you will first ascend to a glacier, and then begin the real
ascent. You will have to walk on all fours along the southern face of the
mountain because of the narrow rocky path, and the approximately 75 degree
gradient of the slope. After an hour, the climb will become easier, and at the
top, you will get views of the Zanskar and Karakoram Mountains. After you reach
Stok, you will drive back to Leh, where you get a whole day to rest.
Detailed
Itinerary:
Day
01: Arrival in Leh
There are numerous
options to arrive in Leh, which is the administrative centre of the Ladakh
region. You can come here all the way from New Delhi via road. Alternatively,
you may also opt to take flights from New Delhi to Leh, or book trains to Jammu
and complete the rest of the journey by road. On arrival in the town, find your
lodging and rest for the night.
Day
02: Leh (Acclimatisation)
Day two is for you to
continue gathering energy for the ensuing Stok Kangri trek, and acclimatise to
the cold weather, high altitude and diminishing oxygen levels. You can also
utilise your free time to stroll through the town, and learn about its culture.
You may see the raw beauty of the Ladakh plateau, shop at local markets or pay
visits to numerous Buddhist stupas and monasteries nearby. In the evening,
return to your lodging for another overnight stay in the town.
Day
03: Day hike to Horzey village [Upper Leh} 13500 feet from Leh.
Today after breakfast
guided walk to Horzey village till Lunch. This day is very important to get use
to height and little bit of practice for trekking next days. We will reach back
to Leh around post lunch. Evening gear
checking for Stok expedition. Overnight in hotel.
Day
04: Leh (11500 feet) to to Mankorma (14200 feet) via Stok Village (11800 feet)
In the morning, drive to
the picturesque village of Stok. It is located south of Leh, and from the
vehicle, you will get enchanting views of naked mountains and the lush green
fields nestled amidst them. The road goes through the Himalayas, and is lined
with birch trees, which provide a rich contrast to the otherwise barren slopes
of the region.
Stok, located at an
altitude of around 11800 feet, is among the oldest inhabited places in Ladakh.
The village was the residence of the former Ladakhi royal family, and a museum
here displays their belongings. The most prominent attraction here is the Stok
Monastery, which was constructed somewhere in the 14th century. Your Stok Kangri
expedition begins after you arrive in this picturesque and culturally rich
village. In the first stage, you hike through the mountains to Chang Ma. On the
way you pass some pretty streams and scenic high-altitude Ladakhi mountain
valleys. As you cross the first brook, the scenery will change altogether. Till
here, the mountains would have seemed grey and lifeless, but beyond the river,
the angle and amount of sunlight will be such that the hills will become
purple.
Mankorma consists of
flat and wide terrain with thorny bushes, typical of desert-type vegetation,
scattered all around. A narrow stream flows below and makes for an ideal site
to camp. On reaching Mankorma, stay overnight in tents. When it is pitch black,
do not forget to look at the skies. You will see millions of twinkling stars in
a white band, which is the Orion arm of the Milky Way – our galaxy. If you are
a couple, this would be among the most romantic settings to camp anywhere in
the world.
Day
05: Mankorma (14200 feet) to Base Camp (16300 feet)
The following section of
Stok Kangri trekking will take you to the base camp of the summit. It will be a
difficult ascent as the continuous gain in altitude will result in lessening
levels of Oxygen. All along the hike, you will wind along rocky and narrow
mountainous trails. Though you will face difficulty in climbing and breathing,
the divine scenery will compensate generously for it, and make it a wonderful
excursion. After you cross a hissing river, the trail will become wider and
smoother, but will keep ascending. Along the way, you will see numerous alpine
lakes, and their tiny ripples and waves will seem white due to the sunlight
falling on them and illuminating them. You will also travel across mountainous
meadows, where you may be able to see sheep grazing on lush grass.
On reaching the base
camp, enjoy lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure. The base camp is
situated on a comparatively flatter land form. A narrow brook makes its way
through here, and the slopes and ground have a nice green covering. In almost
any season, you will be able to see some amount of snow at the topmost points
of the mountains, which encircle the base camp. There are a few smaller peaks
here, which you may climb as a means of preparing yourself for the toll-taking
ascent, which you will encounter later in your expedition. Relish dinner in the
evening, and then retire for the night in the tents provided to you.
Day
06: Rest, Acclimatisation and Training
Though it does not
involve any hiking, this is one of the most important days of your excursion.
The rest has been provided so that you are able to further acclimatise to the
weather and topographical conditions, and also get the necessary information
needed for scaling the summit. Your guide or team leader will brief you about
the different challenges and hazards you might face during the climb. Make sure
you have snow boots as the snow will be soft, and as a result, your feet will
sink in it. Also ask your guide about the trekking plan, the terrain of the region,
and what all you need to do or carry. Post the briefing, explore the area,
click pictures, relax, and later enjoy another overnight stay here in tents.
Day
07: Base Camp (16300 feet) - Stok Kangri (20080 feet) - Base Camp
The morning brings yet
another phase of long and rigorous mountaineering. Considering the length of
the journey, it will be divided into a number of smaller sections, and you will
stop to rest after each one. Starting from here you will travel to a glacier.
You will first encounter a sharp and lengthy ascent, after which the altitude
gain will become lesser. The slopes and your ascent will be gentle till you
arrive at the magnificent river of ice, which originates from the peak.
You reach the glacier
after a gruelling hike of approximately three hours from the base camp. The
real climb to the summit of Mount Stok Kangri begins here. To reach the top,
you will climb for about two hours more along the southern face of the
mountain. The gradient of the slope here is almost 75 degrees, and the path
contains loads of small rocks and enormous boulders. Remember to climb
carefully as one little mistake can be dangerous. Post negotiating the rocky
path for about an hour, you will see that the climb has become gentle, and it
is way easier to walk now than it was before.
From here, you will get
a clear view of the summit and colourful Buddhist prayer flags decorating it.
On reaching the top, look around and see the Karakoram Range in the north and
the Zanskar Mountains in the south. Post enjoying your success and clicking
photos, retrace the track back to the base camp. Coming down brings a different
challenge as due to the force of gravity, you will end up descending too fast.
You will need to keep a check on your velocity. On arriving at the base camp,
relax and enjoy your overnight stay.
Day
08: Base Camp to Leh
The last phase of your
Stok Kangri trek will make you travel for 12 km till you reach the village of
Stok. On arrival in the village, board a vehicle and drive back to Leh. After
you reach the town, transfer to your lodging and rest for the night.
Day
09: Departure from Leh
In the morning, travel
to the airport to board your onward flight, or drive to New Delhi by road.
Price
(Per Person) : INR 24,800
Inclusions:
1). Accommodation. Leh
guest house.
2).Meals while on trek
(Veg. & non Veg.)
3). Trek equipments and
camping like, Twin sharing dome tents, mattresses, dinning tent, kitchen tent,
toilet tent, sleeping bags.
4). Permits from IMF
Leh.
5). First aid medical
kits and oxygen cylinder.
6). Qualified &
experienced climbing guide.
7). Cook and Support
staff to help trekkers.
8). Transport as per the
itinerary.
9). Horses to carry your
main luggage and camping equipments.
10). Required charges
for monasteries, parks and museums.
Exclusions:
1). Travel insurance
2). Air/Train fare
3). anything not
mentioned under the head inclusions.
4). Cost incidental to
any change in the itinerary / stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad
weather, ill health, road blocks and / or any factors beyond control.
5). Lunch and dinner in
Leh guesthouse.
6). Pick & drop from
airport
8).For foreign clients,
there will be additional charges of Rs. 2000 per person for Climbing permit to
Stok Kangri.
