Chalungdo to Nidder Trek Tour

Drive by car from Leh to Chalungdo. The pleasant drive along the Indus takes 4 hrs. On the way one can stopp at Chumathang, famous for its Hot Springs. People come here for medical treatment – or washing their laundry. The village of Chumathang is located 2 km further west from the Hot Springs with a small monastery. 3 km behind Mahe Bridge on the way to Tsomoriri and Tsokar one can find several Camping grounds at the river Paldong at an altitude 4.200 m. Overnight in Camp.

Activities : Camping

As this day is not too long for not sleeping in too high altitude, one can take it easy in walking uphill. First you can find a lot of little bushes, but this type of vegetation gets the rarer the higher you climb. One follows a small river and finds many opportunities for camping. We recommend one at a doksa at an altitude of 4.775 m on the right side of the valley, a beautiful place from where one can have a walk into a side-valley. Overnight in Camp.

Activities : Camping , Hill Stations & Valleys

One has to follow the river higher and higher. The landscape becomes wider and the „real Changthang-feeling“ arises. On the way to the pass the river stopps running and one has to climb up to 5.390 m on the pass Lungmar-la. From there the view is breathtaking. On the right the show-covered peaks of Chalung, Changser Kangi and Lungser Kangri rise high in the sky, far away one gets a glimpse of the lakes of Kyun Tso and towards Tibet to the forbidden parts of the Changthang for Westerners. The downhill is quite steep in loose sand so the other way round wouldn't be a nice option. But from this side it is fun to sometimes jump down towards a small gorge. In the upper part of it, at 4.820 m, is the only place with some water, which can be used as a camping ground. So don't walk too far! Overnight in Camp.

Activities : Camping

Today is an easy, but beautiful walk down, sometimes in the gorge, sometimes on the plateau left to it. At the bottom at 4.390 m one meets the big valley and can see a rough road on the opposite side. But up to the small village of Tsongkar Karu on 4.265 m it is better to stay on the left side. Tsongkar Karu has 16 houses and a small school. Another half hour brings us to Niddar, a slightly bigger village with a middle school and a monastery. There is a road up to Chunur (forbidden for western Tourists), but very rare that cars are going. The Camping in Niddar is on a nice meadow just before the village. Overnight in Camp.

Activities : Camping , Hill Stations & Valleys