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Map of the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek This blog provides information on 9 excellent day hikes that can be done when doing the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. Click here to read my other blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. Contents Introduction Ghunsa - Hike towards Nangola Pass Ghunsa Viewpoint Ghunsa - Hike towards Lumbasamba Kharka Khambachen - Hike to Jannu Viewpoint Khambachen - Hike to Nupchu Pokhari (Lake) Lhonak - Hike up the Side of the Lhonak Glacier Lhonak - Hike up "Lhonak Ri" Pangpema - Hike up Drohmo Ri East Tseram - Hike towards Lapsang Bhanjyang Pass Links to My Other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek 1. Introduction to Day Hikes on the Kachenjunga Trek Trekkers usually focus on the main trail and don't take the time to enjoy the side trails. I have been guilty of that. The best scenery in Nepal is at the higher altitudes. It therefore makes sense to enjoy your time up there after all the effort and expense in getting there. I became aware of 2 high altitude day hikes only while I was actually on the Kanchenjunga trek ( see my Trip Report ). They are the day hikes from Khambachen to the Nupchu Pokhari (lake) and the hike up "Lhonak Ri", which is at an altitude of 5,700 metres. I didn't do these day hikes on the Kanchenjunga trek. They are both excellent but tiring. There are 3 possible day hikes at Ghunsa. I recommend that you only do one of them for acclimatisation unless you have plenty of time. The day hikes at Khambachen and Lhonak are a better option as the mountain views are superior. I have not included the hikes to North Base Camp and the Oktang viewpoint. I regard these hikes to be part of the main Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. Most trekkers do them. 2. Ghunsa - Day Hike towards Nangola Pass This day hike on the Kachenjunga trek goes westwards from Ghunsa to Olangchung Gola over the Nango La (4,795 metres). It takes 2 days to hike to Olangchung Gola. Initially you follow the very scenic trail back towards Phale. After passing the Tashi Choding Gompa there is a sign pointing the way to the pass. From there it is all up hill! Initially the trail is through the trees but eventually the scenery opens up and there are views of the mountains. I only hiked up to 3,810 metres. I wasn't fit as I twisted my ankle 2 months prior to the trek, my hip was hurting and I had a cold. In addition the weather was changing and on the way back down there was a brief shower. It is unlikely that you would be able to reach the pass and return to Ghunsa in 1 day. The turn off for the Nangola Pass is well marked The initial ascent on the Nangola Pass trail The trail going towards the Nangola pass View back down the Nangola pass trail View back down the Nangola pass trail View back down the Nangola pass trail 3. Ghunsa Viewpoint Day Hike The most popular acclimatisation hike on the Kanchenjunga trek is up the hill on the west side of Ghunsa. There are various viewpoints and the prayer flags can be seen from Ghunsa. It looked like a hard slog to the top viewpoint which is at an altitude of 3,990 metres. I have seen photos taken from the viewpoints and the views weren't amazing. 4. Ghunsa - Day Hike towards Lumbasamba Kharka This trail goes to Ramche over the Lapsang Bhanjyang pass (5,161 metres). The pass itself is difficult and can be dangerous. It is possible however to hike to Lumbasamba Kharka (4,210 metres) and back to Ghunsa. This section of the trail passes the Yamatarin Glacier. I believe the trail mainly goes through forest so the views would be restricted. My guide asked the owner of our tea house about the trail. Apparently there is a river that has to be crossed and it can sometimes be difficult. I therefore opted to do the Nangola Pass trail. 5. Khambachen - Day Hike to Jannu Viewpoint Many local trekking agencies have only 1 night at Khambachen in their itinerary for the Kanchenjunga trek. This is dangerous as it is essential to stay 2 nights in order to acclimatise. Even if you have already acclimatised it would be a shame not to spend at least 2 nights at Khambachen so you can hike up to the Jannu viewpoint. It is a reasonably easy 3 hour hike up to a viewpoint near an interesting Hindu shrine. It is 400 metres above Khambachen. There is a stone path most of the way but this is more of a hindrance as many of the stones are loose. The scenery is superb throughout the entire hike. Unfortunately the hike is directly into the sun in the early morning and it is blinding at times. I walked a further 20 minutes up to the top of the lateral moraine of the Jannu glacier and reached an altitude of 4,606 metres. The views were worth the extra effort. I have read that you can continue hiking on to Jannu base camp but it is an exhausting hike. When I stayed a Khambachen 2 Spaniards hiked towards Jannu base camp. They enjoyed it but didn't go all the way. A well marked trail Leaving Lhonak before the sun had risen over the mountains The stone path on the way up - looking back to Khambachen Looking west along the Jannu Glacier The Hindu Shrine under the Boulder The Hindu Shrine Temple near the Hindu Shrine Jannu is on the right View of the Jannu Glacier from the Lateral Moraine above the Hindu Shrine The highest altitude reached 6. Khambachen - Day Hike to Nupchu Pokhari (Lake) I met 3 trekkers from the Czech Republic who hiked to Nupchu Pokhari (4,952 metres) and they raved about the scenery. The map shows the trail which goes north west of Khambachen. It would take about 5 hours to reach Nupchu Pokhari and 3 hours to return. It is a long day's trek and it would be better to do it after the hike to the Jannu viewpoint so you are better acclimatised. It would be a good trek even if you didn't go the entire way. I recommend spending 3 nights at Khambachen and doing both the day hikes. Khambachen has at least 2 good tea houses and it is a nice place to stay. Spending 3 nights at Khambachen improves acclimatisation and would make it easier to hike up "Lhonak Ri" and Drohmo Ri East. 7. Lhonak - Day Hike up the Side of the Lhonak Glacier I did this hike to improve my acclimatisation for my planned hike up Drohmo Ri East from the North Base camp on the Kanchenjunga trek. The map shows the trail to be on the west side of the Lhonak glacier. I had read on another blog that there was a better trail on the east side of the Lhonak glacier. The owner of our tea house confirmed that the trail on the east side was better. He showed us the way as he was visiting a mountaineering camp further on but the trail is easy to find and follow. There was one slightly tricky section early on that goes across large boulders. After the boulders there is a river with a small bridge consisting of 3 logs. The logs are often icy and dangerous. My guide found a way across without using the bridge. If you can't cross the river I believe that you could hike eastwards along the Chhyatungdinga glacier instead. Our lodge owner said it could be done but I didn't see a trail. I walked for 3 hours up to an altitude of 5,124 metres. From the top of the lateral moraine I could see the confluence of the Lhonak, Chabuk and Chijima glaciers. There is little point in going further. The entire walk took 5 hours and 45 minutes and that included a stop to eat my packed lunch. I wasn't that impressed with the scenery on this hike even though I really like seeing glaciers. Unless you have plenty of time I recommend doing other day hikes whilst doing the Kanchenjunga trek. Icy Bridge River from the Chhyatungdinga Glacier We walked up to the ridge of the moraine and reached an altitude of 5,124 metres. I could see the confluence of the Chabuk and Chijima glaciers. I could also see the tents of the mountaineering expedition that were at this confluence.  Looking back towards Lhonak Looking back towards Lhonak The Lhonak Glacier Looking towards the Confluence of the Lhonak, Chabuk and Chijima Glaciers There was little point in going further so we turned back. There was a cold wind on the way back. The entire hike took us almost 6 hours. On the way down near Lhonak 8. Lhonak - Day Hike up "Lhonak Ri" Three trekkers from the Czech Republic told me about this hike and raved about the views from the summit. They said the summit was at 5,700 metres and named it Lhonak Ri, although that isn't the official name. I later met 2 Spanish trekkers who had done this hike on the recommendation of the Czech trekkers. They also raved about the views. The main difficulty of the hike is the altitude. A bit of scrambling is involved at the very top. The peak is off the trail that goes to the North Base Camp on the Kanchenjunga trek. I am sure the owners of the tea houses at Lhonak could provide directions. 9. Pangpema - Day Hike up Drohmo Ri East I had planned to hike up Drohmo Ri East which is at an altitude of 5,965 metres. Unfortunately the Pangpema tea was closed because of the Tihar festival so I couldn't do it. That was a big disappointment. As I have stated in my blog on the Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek you cannot rely on this tea house being open. Also it is very small so it could be very crowded or full. I had brought a tent in case. Most trekkers who hike up Drohmo Ri East stay at the Pangpema tea house the night before. They start hiking up early the next morning and return to Lhonak the same day. It is a very tiring day. If there isn't snow on the ground the trek isn't too difficult apart from the altitude. Therefore it is better to spend 3 nights in Khambachen and 2 nights in Lhonak beforehand to acclimatise. It would make the hike both easier and more enjoyable. The terrain isn't difficult except for the last 200 metres when there are boulders and rocks on the ground. If they were covered by snow or ice it would be difficult. Depending on your acclimatisation and fitness it would take about 3 hours to ascend and 2 hours to descend. There is a viewpoint before the boulders and some trekkers turn around there. The trail starts behind the Pangpema tea house. Wikiloc shows the route up Drohmo Ri East and there are also some photos. 10. Tseram - Day Hike towards Lapsang Bhanjyang Pass Between Ramche and Tseram there is a sign pointing westwards that says Napsangla Pass. This is the alternative trail to Ghunsa and it crosses a difficult and dangerous pass. On my map the pass is named Lapsang Bhanjyang rather than Napsangla Pass. It should be safe to do a day hike towards the pass. The trail is closer to Ramche but it could also be hiked from Tseram. There are no trees on this eastern side of the pass so the views would be much better than from the trail on the forested western side. 11. Links to My Other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek Kanchenjunga Trek - Trip Report Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek Planning your Kanchenjunga Trek

The Sarena Dzamija Mosque in Tetovo Contents 1. Introduction 2. Skopje Parking in Skopje The New City Centre Old Skopje 3. Tetovo 4. Excursion to Popova Sapka 5. Accommodation in Tetovo 6. Links to My Other Blogs on North Macedonia 1. Introduction We stopped for 3 nights in Tetovo during our road trip from the UK to Greece and visited Skopje as a day trip. See my blog Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 for our daily trip report . We stayed in Tetovo as we found a good apartment at a very reasonable price. With the benefit of hindsight I wish that we had stayed in Skopje instead. 2. Skopje 2.1. Parking in Skopje We parked at the Shopping Centre Vero on the south side of the river. It is a short walk along the riverside to the centre of Skopje. We visited Skopje on a Sunday and so the parking was free. You have to pay most days but the charges are reasonable. It is a large car park below the shopping centre and there was a security guard. There is a good supermarket on the upper floor of the shopping centre as well as free toilets. There is parking at Kale Fortress in Skopje but reviews mentioned that vehicles had been broken into. 2.2. Skopje's New City Centre I was very impressed with the new area of Skopje that runs along both banks of the River Vardar. It is a spacious area, with well designed buildings, and there are huge statues, monuments and fountains everywhere. This area was renovated by the Skopje 2014 project. Some critics believe that it is like Disneyland and want the monuments and statues removed. I must really like Disneyland! Makedonija's Square is the focal point of Skopje on the south side of the river. In the middle of the square there is a huge statue of a Warrior on a Horse. The warrior is Alexandra the Great. There are numerous restaurants and cafes around the square. To the north of Makedonija's Square the ancient Stone Bridge crosses the river to the historic centre of Skopje on the north bank. Just north of Stone Bridge is a plaza with an impressive monument to Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great's father. In the plaza there is the Fountain of the Mothers of Macedonia and 3 other fountains. There is a beautiful water and light show at night. There is an esplanade to the west of Stone Bridge that runs 6 kilometres along the south bank of the river. It is a good place to walk and at night the path is lit. There is even a beach on the river at City Park. A Bridge over the Vardar River in Skopje A Statue near Stone Bridge in Skopje The Warrior on a Horse in Makedonija Square The Fountain of the Mothers of Macedonia Philip II of Macedonia Statue and Fountain Dame Gruev monument in Skopje Statue of Georgi Pulevski 2.3. Old Skopje We had difficulty locating several of the historic sites in old Skopje, despite the many signs. Eventually we found them but it was tiring and frustrating as it was hot. We wandered around the pedestrianised streets and alleys of Skopje's Old Bazaar area. It is atmospheric but most of the shops are geared for tourism. There were a lot of tourists, and some tour groups, despite it only being late April. A Street in the Old Bazaar We visited 4 main sites in old Skopje: The Cifte Amam National Art Gallery In my opinion it is the most impressive building in Skopje. It used to be a hamman (Turkish bath house) but is now an art gallery. We didn't go in but admired the exterior from the plaza on the south eastern side of the building. Cifte Amam Art Gallery The Church of Sveti Spas The exterior of this Ottoman era church is unimposing. It was built partly below ground level since the church's bell tower couldn't be taller than a mosque. It is famous for its intricately carved wooden iconostasis. This is a screen of icons and religious paintings separating the nave from the main part of the church. It was made in the early 1800's. There is an entry fee of Eur1. The Church of Sveti Spas in Skopje The Interior of the Church of Sveti Spas, Skopje Mustafa Pasha Mosque This is the largest mosque in Skopje and was built in 1492. We had a quick look inside just before prayers commenced. Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Skopje The Interior of Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Skopje The Kale Fortress Entrance to the Kale fortress is free as the 10th century fort is very neglected. You can walk along the walls which give good views over Skopje and the river. There is nothing else to see as only the fortress walls and towers are still standing. The entrance is at the north east side of the fortress. Kale Fortress, Skopje 3. Tetovo Tetovo is a lively town only a 45 minute drive from Skopje. It is worth visiting as it is unspoilt by tourism but there aren't a lot of sights. The main things to see are: 3.1. Tetovo's Central Shopping Area Tetovo's main street is Boulevard Illyria (also called Marshall Tito). It runs from Illyria Square to the Palma Shopping Mall which has a large supermarket. Boulevard Illyria is very vibrant, lined with shops and restaurants for locals rather than tourists. Northeast of the junction with Blagoja Toska street is the large indoor Green Market. Running south from Illyria Square is Ilindenska street, another major shopping street. The Serena Dzamija Mosque and the hamman are on this street. There are a couple of shops selling small barbequed chickens for Eur 5 which is something we enjoy! The Green Market in Tetovo The Green Market in Tetovo 3.2. The Sarena Dzamija Mosque This small and colourful 16th century mosque is the prettiest building in Tetovo. Both the interior and exterior are stunning. It is in the centre of Tetovo on the river Pena. The Sarena Dzamija Mosque The Interior of the Sarena Dzamija Mosque 3.3. The Hamman (Turkish Bathhouse) at Tetovo It is a beautiful 15th century building in a very scenic spot in the centre of Tetovo. It is across the river from the Sarena Dzamija mosque. It now houses an art gallery. The Bathhouse at Tetovo 3.4. Arabati Baba Bektasi Teke The Bradt guide book says this is " one of the prettiest sites in Tetovo " although it is " in considerable disrepair ". Their first statement is wrong and misleading! The place is a mess and there is nothing worthwhile to see. Don't waste your time going there. 4. An Excursion to Popova Sapka Popova Sapka is a ski resort a 20 kilometre drive from Tetovo. It is 1,800 metres above sea level. It is a scenic drive up on a good road but sadly the road side was strewn with litter. The Bradt guide mentions that " parking is at a premium ". We were the only visitors in late April so parking wasn't a problem. It must be a lot busier in the summer months as it makes a good day outing for locals from Tetovo and even Skopje. There are hotels at the ski resort. In the summer time a number of hikes are possible. There was a hiking signpost at the ski resort (see the photo) but we didn't see any route signage. Hiking maps for the area can only be bought in North Macedonia. It is therefore difficult to plan a hike from abroad. Besides we knew that there might be too much snow around in late April so we didn't come prepared to hike. As we couldn't get a good view of the mountains from the ski resort we walked half an hour up a nearby hill. Popova Sapka Ski Resort A View from a Hill above Popova Sapka Ski Resort Hiking Signpost at Popova Sapka 5. Accommodation in Tetovo We booked a spacious 1 bedroom apartment in the centre of Tetovo through Airbnb . It cost Euro 112 for 3 nights plus Euro 20 for underground parking. I reviewed this apartment on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 10). 6. Links to My Other Blogs on North Macedonia Ohrid Town, North Macedonia: Travel Guide Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4

Vilan Lighthouse on Stage 5 Contents Introduction The Official Lighthouse Way Website Maps & Signs for the Lighthouse Way Taxis & Buses Accommodation & Restaurants in Muxia Weather Organised Lighthouse Way Treks Stages of the Lighthouse Way & Shortening Options : Stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way 8. Links to Other Blogs about our Road Trip 1. Introduction to the Lighthouse Way The Lighthouse Way is a hard 8 day hike along the Coast of Death on the tip of north-west Spain. It is called the Coast of Death because of t he numerous shipwrecks. The Lighthouse Way is n't busy or commercialised like the Camino Frances and the majority of the trail is on coastal paths rather than roads. We had never heard of the 8 day Lighthouse Way hike until a friend of Lani (my wife) mentioned it and suggested they do it while I was trekking in Nepal. They didn't do the Lighthouse Way hike and I think they would have struggled with the long and tiring sections. When I was planning our 10 week road trip from the UK to southern Morocco in 2024 I decided to spend a week in Muxia at the end of the journey. Our plan was to do the last 5 sections of the Lighthouse Way as day hikes from Muxia. Some of the advantages of doing day hikes on the Lighthouse Way from a comfortable base, rather than doing it as a continuous trek, are: It is easy to do it independently. You don't have to carry, or arrange transfers for, your bags. If the weather is bad you can postpone hiking to another day. Galicia isn't known for it's great weather! Road sections at the start and end of each daily stage can be cut out easily when using taxis. You can have rest days and do excursions. Most of the 8 stages of the Lighthouse Way hike are long. Unfortunately the excellent official website  for the Lighthouse Way doesn't provide any information on how the stages can be shortened. We wanted to do more relaxed hiking so I worked out how sections 4 to 8 of the Lighthouse Way hike could be shortened without missing out on too much of the great scenery. My blog includes information on: How to shorten the daily sections of the Lighthouse Way. How to use buses and taxis to get to and from the daily sections. A review of sections 4 to 8 of the Lighthouse Way to help you decide which sections you want to hike. Route finding. See my trip report Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way for additional information about our hikes along the Lighthouse Way. 2. The Official Lighthouse Way Website The official website for the Lighthouse Way provides excellent information about the 8 day hike. It provides detailed information for each of the stages including downloads of the trail on Google Maps and Wikiloc. There is also information on taxis, accommodation and restaurants. Unfortunately the Lighthouse Way website is designed to help hikers who want to do the Lighthouse Way in full and as one continuous hike. A hiker we met informed us that the officials don't want to encourage shortened sections and therefore don't provide any information on how it can be done. My blog provides information that isn't on the official website about hiking individual sections of the Lighthouse Way and shortening some of the long sections. 3. Maps & Signs for the Lighthouse Way The trail for the Lighthouse Way has been marked with green dots and arrows painted on to rocks and trees. Sometimes they aren't clear and the markings have been made for hikers going from north to south. Fortunately the official website provides information on each stage of the Lighthouse Way. This includes trails for the 8 stages which can be downloaded on to Google Maps or Wikiloc. You can then see your position in relation to the trail. We followed the trail on Google Maps and it worked very well. We would have gone the wrong way several times without Google Maps. We found that when hiking along a road or beach it is often not apparent when to turn off on to a path and Google Maps alerted us to the turn off. Mark for the Lighthouse Way 4. Taxis & Buses I had planned to use buses for 2 of the Lighthouse Way's sections in order to save money. In the end we used taxis for the 5 sections of the Lighthouse Way that we hiked as it was more convenient and the cost was reasonable. Google provides details of 9 taxi drivers in Muxia. One of these drivers is Mathew Smith (telephone 34 683 36 24 65) who is a Brit married to a Spanish lady. We used Mathew for all our hikes as he is a great guy and we could communicate with him in English. Lani is learning Spanish but she didn't relish phoning a Spanish taxi driver and trying to arrange a trip. Particularly since most of the time we were trying to shorten the stages and start hiking a few kilometres after the official starting points. When I first contacted Mathew I asked about the cost. After that I didn't bother as the Muxia taxi drivers have set rates for all the destinations and Mathew had them on a sheet of paper. The fares were reasonable and the official website provides details of many of the fares. There is a taxi office on Muxia's seafront but it is only manned when there are drivers waiting for rides. The taxi rank is shown as Parada de Taxis on Google Maps. Aviva Spain has a bus service between Fisterra, Muxia and Camarinas. There are 5 buses each day on weekdays and 1 daily bus at weekends. Single bus tickets currently cost Eur 2.60. This bus service is useful when doing stages 6 and 8 of the Lighthouse Way. If you are based in Muxia you can take a taxi to the start of stage 8 and then take the bus from Fisterra to Muxia at the end of the stage. For stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way hike the bus service provides a couple of options if you are based in Muxia. If you want to do the entire section 6 you can take a bus from Muxia to Camarinas. However, if you want to reduce the length of stage 6 you can take the same buses and alight at Cereixo. Mathew Smith - The best taxi driver in Muxia! 5. Accommodation & Restaurants in Muxia We booked an excellent 3 bedroom apartment in the centre of Muxia through Booking.com for Eur 474 in June. It had a very high approval rating of 9.6. If you intend to use Mathew Smith's taxi service it would be worth considering the accommodation he offers which is about a 5 minute drive from Muxia. His accommodation is: A 3 bedroom house which has an approval rating of 9.6 on Booking.com . A studio apartment for up to 4 people which has an approval rating of 9.4 on Booking.com . Mathew recommended several restaurants and we ate at O Porto and A Marina. Both the restaurants were good. In June the O Porto was frequented by locals and wasn't busy. A Marina was mainly frequented by visitors and was busy. The staff at A Marina were very welcoming. 6. Weather We were surprised that the weather forecasts for Muxia were very reliable. We were lucky that in June we had good weather and no rain at all. The only negative was a very strong northerly wind for about 4 days of our stay. Apparently this isn't unusual and Muxia is particularly affected by wind. It is important to take into account the wind direction when planning the Lighthouse Way hike so that the wind is behind you. It makes walking much easier and more pleasant. We did stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way hike from the south to the north and left it until the end of our stay when the wind had died down. We found it very hot without the wind! 7. Organised Lighthouse Way Treks If you want someone to organise a self guided hike along the Lighthouse Way then On Foot Holidays seems to be the major operator. They offer packages for both the full hike and reduced stages. They also offer shortening options for each stage. The official website also offers packages for the Lighthouse Way through a Spanish travel agent. 8. Stages of the Lighthouse Way & Shortening Options We did day hikes on stages 4 to 8 of the Lighthouse Way hike. We really enjoyed stages 4, 5 and 8. The scenery on stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way wasn't as good as we expected and the second part of the trail was a bit overgrown. We only did the second half of the very long stage 6 and it was a good starting hike. When driving from Muxia to Camarinas we passed some of the first half of stage 6. The trail along the busy road didn't look appealing as too much of the trail goes inland, and through forest. 8.1. Stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way goes from Laxe to Arou. It's the easiest stage of the Lighthouse Way as it is 18 kilometres long and there isn't much elevation. The official website estimates that it will take 7.5 hours and that allows enough time for photos and a picnic lunch. We enjoyed the hike and thought that the coastal scenery was excellent. One of the highlights is near the end when the trail for the Lighthouse Way goes through a spectacular area of large boulders. We shortened the hike by taking a taxi to Praia dos Cristais instead of to Laxe. This cut out the headland that has Laxe lighthouse on it. It reduced the hike by 2.8 kilometres and saved 1 hour. Our entire hike took 6 hours. Taxis can be taken to Praia dos Cristais to start stage 4 You could reduce the length of the hike by another 3.1 kilometres if a taxi picked you up in Camelle instead of Arou. See my trip report Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way (28 June) for information about how we organised the taxi for this hike. Stage 4 could be ended at Camelle Castro Rock Traba Beach The Boulders between Traba & Camelle Approaching Arou at the end of the hike 8.2. Stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way This is one of the best stages of the Lighthouse Way hike. It is 23.7 kilometres long and the official website estimates it will take 9 hours. We shortened the hike by taking a taxi to Lobeiras viewpoint instead of Arou. This reduced the hike by 1.7 kilometres and saved half an hour. We cut out the trail from Arou to Lobeiras Viewpoint which is circled in red We didn't walk up to Vilan lighthouse and that probably saved another half an hour. The northerly wind was ferocious and 2 hikers who went up to the lighthouse told us it was much worse there. We took the track circled in red to bypass Vilan lighthouse At the end of stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way we bypassed an uphill section to the Hermitage of Virxe do Monto. The road circled in red bypasses the Hermitage of Virxe do Monte It took us 6.25 hours to reach Camarinas when cutting out the 3 sections mentioned above. We didn't think the hike was particularly tiring as there wasn't much elevation. The scenery was excellent. The hike could be reduced by an additional 3 kilometres by arranging for a taxi to collect you from Lago beach, instead of Camarinas, at the end of stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way. There is a reasonable road to Lago beach but only a tiny parking area. Taxis can access the Praia de Lago The English Cemetery is on the Lighthouse Way and it is worth quickly stopping to visit it. There is a reasonable road to the English cemetery and it continues westwards along the coast almost to the Vilan lighthouse. There is very little traffic on the road. The English Cemetery A View over to the Vilan Lighthouse Vilan Lighthouse 8.3. Stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 6 goes from Camarinas to Muxia and is the longest stage of the Lighthouse Way. The official website estimates that this 32.6 kilometres hike would take 10 hours. A lot of stage 6 isn't the sort of hiking we enjoy as the trail runs along roads and through forests. It's also too long. The hike from Camarinas and Cereixo can easily be avoided by starting in Cereixo instead. It isn't a particularly nice trail as too much of it is inland and along roads. It would reduce the hike by 14.5 kilometres (4 hours). Buses from Muxia could be used to reach the start and finish points of the hike as there are 5 buses a day between Muxia, Cereixo and Camarinas. The section from Camarinas to Cereixo could be skipped We hiked from Leis Beach to Muxia and enjoyed it. The hike was 10 kilometres long and took 3 hours. Although the trail went along some country roads there was very little traffic. It also went through forest but much of it was very nice virgin forest. We started our hike by taking a taxi from Muxia to Camping Praia Barreira Leis . We started our hike at Camping Praia Barreira Leis on Leis beach The last 2.5 kilometres of stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way continues from the centre of Muxia to the tip of the headland and back to Muxia. This section isn't necessary in order to reach accommodation in Muxia. We walked around the headland on a day we had a break from hiking and enjoyed it as we could take our time and weren't tired. The trail circled in red can be cut out at the end of stage 6 Leis Beach A Granary (Horeos) The Forest near Negro River Mills 8.4. Stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way goes from Muxia to Nemina and is 25.3 kilometres (9.25 hours) long. It is a tough section as there are several hills that have to be climbed. In addition some of the last section of the trail was overgrown in places. We were a bit disappointed with the scenery at times during the latter stages of the trail as it deviates from the coast. We did stage 7 from south to north as it was easier taking a taxi to the start of the trek than arranging for a taxi to meet us at the finish. At the end of our hike we just walked back to our apartment in Muxia. There are a few ways that stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way hike can be shortened: Our taxi driver dropped us off in the hamlet of Talon (called Heel on the official website), which is one kilometre north of Nemina beach, and it saved 15 minutes of walking. The trail from Nemina beach to Talon goes inland so the views are unlikely to be good. We took a taxi to Talon to start stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way The headland with the Tourinan lighthouse can be bypassed and this saves 3.5 kilometres (1 hour) of walking. The Tourinan lighthouse loop can be cut out on stage 7 Some hikers use the road to completely bypass the beautiful Punta Buitro headland. We were also going to do that but met someone whose wife had been attacked by a dog on that road. As a result we decided to hike around the Punta Buitro headland and cross over to the other side at a narrow point. As we walked along the headland we could see that there was too much thorny ground vegetation to be able to cross over unless there was a path. We weren't disappointed in having to hike around Punta Buitro as the scenery was superb. Then halfway to the tip of the headland there was a dirt track crossing over to the north side. I am not sure how much time it saved but it is was probably around half an hour. The red line indicated where there is a track across the Punta Buitra headland View from Mount Pedrouzo Punta Buitra Descending Mount Cachelmo with Muxia in the distance. 8.5. Stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way goes from Nemina to Fisterra lighthouse and it's 27 kilometres (8.75 hours) long. It is a beautiful hike but tiring due to the length and hilly terrain. We took 2 shortcuts which reduced the hiking time to 6 hours, including lunch and photo stops. We only saw 3 other hikers the entire hike! We started stage 8 by taking a taxi from Muxia to Area Grande. This cut out 7.3 kilometres (1.75 hours) of a mainly inland section of the hike from Nemina to Area Grande. At low tide it is also possible to wade across the Lires estuary from Praia de Lires on the north side to the south side. See the article on the Estuary of Lires in the official website. A taxi can be taken to Area Grande, instead of Nemina, to start stage 8 We ended our hike at the town of Fisterra where the taxi collected us. However, stage 8 ends at Fisterra lighthouse which is a further 5 kilometres and much of it is uphill! If I was doing the entire Lighthouse Way hike I would leave this final part to the next morning so I could enjoy it. As mentioned earlier in this blog there are are buses from Fisterra to Muxia and Camarinas. The section from Fisterra to Fisterra Lighthouse can be cut out A View between Lires & Rostro Beaches View of Nemina Rostro Beach 9. Links to Other Blogs about our Road Trip Week 1 - Salamanca, Toledo, Cordoba & Granada Week 2 - Spain to Morocco Week 3 - Southern Morocco Week 4 - Marrakesh to Todra Gorge Week 5 - Todra Gorge - Merzouga - Fes - Chefchaouen Week 6 - Morocco to Cadiz & Seville Week 7 - Seville to Portugal Week 8 - Porto to Pontevedra, Spain Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way Week 10 - Muxia, Spain to Plymouth, UK

Map of the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek I did the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek in November 2023 with a porter/guide. This blog provides information to help plan your trek. I have also published blogs on the Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek and Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Trek . Contents When to do the Kanchenjunga Trek Getting to the Trailhead Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise on the Kanchenjunga Trek Itinerary up to Ghunsa when trekking clockwise Itinerary - Ghunsa to North and South Base Camp s Itinerary - South Base Camp down to Taplejung Permits and Guides for the Kanchenjunga Trek Cost of the Kanchenjunga Trek Hiking Times on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Vlogs about the Kanchenjunga Trek Links to My Other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek 1. When to do the Kanchenjunga Trek The 2 main factors to take into account when doing the Kanchenjunga trek are the weather and the number of trekkers. 1.1 The Number of Trekkers on the Kanchenjunga Trek The official statistics show that less than one thousand foreigners do the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek every year. In addition to this there will be Nepalese trekkers, guides, porters and mountaineers. This would probably increase the number of people on the Kanchenjunga trek to about 2,000 a year. This number is low compared to most of the other trekking areas in Nepal. However, there are far fewer tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek than in the more popular trekking areas. The trekking season is shorter as some of the tea houses at higher altitudes are likely to be closed from the end of November, or even earlier, to the end of February. A trekker reported on the Tripadvisor forum that in early December 2024 the tea houses at Selele and Ramche were closed. Only one tea house was open at Kambachen, Lhonak and Tseram The number of trekkers per month in 2018 for the Kanchenjunga trek were: January 9 February 13 March 72 April 153 May 17 June 2 July 4 August 5 September 143 October 442 November 101 December 9 These figures reflect when trekkers start the Kanchenjunga trek. Many of the 442 trekkers for October would still be on the Kanchenjunga trek in November. 1.2 The Weather The monsoon season is slightly longer in the Kanchenjunga region as the monsoon enters Nepal from the east. When the monsoon ends it withdraws west to east. This means that in the Kanchenjunga region the monsoon can commence about 5 days earlier than in Kathmandu and last 5 days longer. My blog on the Everest Base Camp trek details the monsoon start and finish dates from 2002 to 2023. Over the last couple of decades the monsoon has been starting around the 12th June and ending around the 15th October. I don't recommend trekking in the monsoon as you wouldn't have good mountain views. Every 2 or 3 years cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and impact Nepal. When this happens it can spoil a trek and be dangerous for trekkers. The cyclones mainly occur in May and October. In October there is very little risk of cyclones after October 20th. Until last year I mainly trekked during May and early June in Nepal. This was because I wanted to avoid the crowds and Lani didn't want to trek in very cold temperatures. The weather in May and early June isn't as dependable as in April, late October and November but it can be a good time to trek. In 2022 and 2023 I trekked in October, November and early December as Lani didn't join me. The sky is certainly much clearer at this time of year and the cold didn't bother me too much. The worst time for feeling the cold is in the early morning but it wasn't an issue the rest of the time. 1.3 Conclusion on the Best Time to do the Kanchenjunga Trek In my opinion the best time to start the Kanchenjunga trek is in very late October or early November. If you start before the 25th October you risk encountering large groups and the tea houses may be full or very busy. If you start too late in November you may find that some, or all, of the tea houses above Ghunsa and Tseram are closed. I recommend timing your trek so you aren't staying above these villages after 20th November. When trekking in November plan your trek so it doesn't coincide with The Mountain Company's annual camping trek around the Kanchenjunga Circuit. I read a blog where the porters were a problem as they were constantly going in and out of the dining rooms. They were also sleeping in some of the rooms and were very noisy. The Mountain Company's trek usually starts in early November and consists of 10 to 12 trekkers and about 30 Nepali support staff. Late March, April and May could be another good time to trek. There are fewer trekkers than in October but the weather isn't as dependable as in November 2. Getting to the Trailhead for the Kanchenjunga Trek The quickest way to reach the trailhead for the Kanchenjunga trek is to fly from Kathmandu to Suketar airport. There are 3 flights a week. This flight route has a reputation for being unreliable so I didn't use this route. I met 2 trekkers who flew into Suketar so it is possible. It's probably a good option during late October and November when the weather is fairly reliable. I flew from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur airport and I was on the first flight of the day. It was easy to obtain a taxi at Bhadrapur airport and the fixed price to Taplejung was R20,000 ($150). It was a long 8 to 9 hour drive over a paved mountain road to Taplejung. I started walking from Taplejung the following day. I could have booked the flight online but Enjoy Nepal Treks booked the flight for me. It didn't cost any extra. It helped having the trekking agency book my flight as when I wanted to return a day earlier they arranged it for me. 3. Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise on the Kanchenjunga Trek Most trekkers do the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek clockwise as it is better for acclimatising to the altitude. This entails going to the North Base Camp of Kanchenjunga first and then crossing over the Selele to visit the Oktang viewpoint near Kanchenjunga's South Base Camp. This is what I did. Some trekkers do the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek anti-clockwise. The only slight advantage of doing this is for trekkers who intend to hike up Drohmo Ri East (5,965 metres) from Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp. It means that when you reach Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp you have been at high altitude for longer. Some of the disadvantages of doing the Kanchenjunga trek anti-clockwise are: There is a huge and dangerous increase in altitude between Tortong (2,980 metres) and Tseram (3,868 metres). There is a very steep ascent from Tseram on the way to the Selele High Camp. You will be passing more trekkers coming the other way. The busy period on the east side of the Kanchenjunga circuit is a week later. I met 2 Australians going anti-clockwise and they said the lodges at Tortong had been full on the 7th November. When I stayed at Tortong at the end of my trek there were only 2 other trekkers there. 4. Itinerary up to Ghunsa when trekking clockwise The itineraries for the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek usually only vary at the beginning and end of the trek. For the middle section of the Kanchenjunga trek, from Ghunsa to Tortong, most trekkers follow the same route and stop at the same villages. At the start of the Kanchenjunga trek there are 2 rough roads from Taplejung to Chirwa. Most vehicles take the eastern road which goes via Lingkhim. The western road goes via Mitlung and there is very little traffic. From Chirwa there is a rough road to Sekathum and the road ends there at the moment. Some trekkers take private or shared jeeps from Taplejung to Chirwa or Sekathum. This saves about a day of walking. A private jeep to Sekathum would cost R15,000 to R17,000. There are very crowded shared jeeps to Chirwa and Sekathum but I don't know the cost. If you are starting the Kanchenjunga trek from Taplejung possible itineraries would be: Recommended Itinerary Taplejung to Sinwa (5 hour walk) Sinwa to Sekathum (6.75 hour walk) Sekathum to Thangyam (6.25 hour walk) Thangyam to Ghunsa (7 hour walk) Fast Itinerary Taplejung to Chirwa (7.75 hour walk) Chirwa to Amjilosa (8.25 hour walk) Amjilosa to Ghunsa (9 hour walk) 5. Itinerary - Ghunsa to Ramche via Kanchenjunga's North & South Base Camps My blogs on the Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek and Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Trek will help you plan your trek. 5.1 Ghunsa (2 nights) In autumn it is a very beautiful 1 to 1.5 hour hike from Phale to Ghunsa as the larch trees along the Ghunsa Khola have turned golden and there are snow covered peaks in the distance. Ghunsa is at an altitude of 3,415 metres and everyone stays 2 nights unless they are already acclimatised. Ghunsa has the best accommodation on the Kanchenjunga trek and it is a good place to stay. However, it is often cold as the sun doesn't reach Ghunsa until mid morning. There are 3 day hikes that can be done during the acclimatisation day. See my blog on Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek . Trail between Phale and Ghunsa 5.2 Khambachen (2 nights) It is a 6 hour walk from Ghunsa to Khambachen (4,145 metres) and there is a tea shop on the way where you can have lunch. Trekkers should stay 2 nights at Khambachen to acclimatise to the 730 metre altitude gain. Khambachen is a beautiful location and there are 2 good tea houses. There are 2 good day hikes from Khambachen and if you have time it is worth staying a third night. Many Nepalese trekking agencies only have a 1 night stay at Khambachen for the Kanchenjunga trek. This is dangerous and also means missing out on the excellent day hike to the Jannu viewpoint. Jannu Viewpoint near Khambachen 5.3 Lhonak (2 nights) It's a 5.5 hour hike up to Lhonak (4,792 metres) and there is a tea shop on the way where you can have lunch. Lhonak is in a very pleasant setting and there are some reasonable tea houses. Most trekkers stay 2 nights and do a day hike to North Base Camp at Pangpema. Some trekkers spend the night at the small and basic tea house at Pangpema and hike up Drohmo Ri East (5,965 metres) the next day. However, you cannot rely on the tea house being open as I have explained in my blog Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek . It is possible to hike back to Lhonak after going up Drohmo Ri East but it would be a very tiring day. Another reason for spending the night at Pangpema is for photography. The sun isn't in a good position for photography at midday when day hikers are there. View from Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp 5.4 Ghunsa (1 night) It's a tiring 7 hour hike back down to Ghunsa via Khambachen and it entails a descent of 1,400 metres. Khambachen is a good place to stop for lunch. 5.5 Selele High Camp (1 night) It's a 4.75 hour hike from Ghunsa to Selele High Camp (4,200 metres). The trail climbs steeply from Ghunsa. It is mainly through forest until the View Point Tea shop is reached after a 3 hour and 600 metre ascent. The tea shop serves dal baht at a very reasonable price. From the tea shop it is a 1.75 hour hike, and a 200 metre ascent, over open terrain to Selele High Camp. There are 2 reasonable tea houses in a good setting A view of the valley between Ghunsa & Khambachen when hiking from Ghunsa to Selele 5.6 Tseram (1 night) It is a long and tiring 7 hour hike from Selele High Camp to Tseram (3,868 metres). At the end of the hike there is an 800 metre descent to Tseram. Take a packed lunch with you as the only tea shop on the route is too far from Selele High Camp. Also you can't rely on the tea shop being open. Tseram has 3 tea houses and 2 of them are reasonable. View of Jannu from the Mirgin La 5.7 Ramche (1 night) The walk from Tseram to Ramche is extremely scenic and is one of the best sections of the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. It takes 3.5 hours to reach Ramche (4,610 metres) and there is an ascent of 750 metres. I would advise setting out as early as possible for 2 reasons: It is possible to walk to the Oktang viewpoint the same day but often the clouds obscure the views from midday. I was very fortunate and the sky was clear all afternoon. There are only 2 tea houses at Ramche and they can become full. One of the tea houses is very basic and it is preferable to have a room in the newer tea house. It takes 1 hour 20 minutes to hike to the Oktang viewpoint and from there you can walk a bit further along the lateral moraine. After that a landslide makes access to Kanchenjunga South Base Camp very difficult and dangerous. Trekkers rarely go there. View of Kabru when hiking between Tserang and Ramche 6. Itinerary - Kanchenjunga South Base Camp to Taplejung If you visit the Oktang viewpoint for Kanchenjunga South Base Camp on the day you arrive at Ramche it is possible to hike down to Tortong the next day. If the weather clouds over when you arrive at Ramche it is certainly worth waiting until the next morning to walk to the Oktang viewpoint. If you do that there would only be time to hike down to Tseram that day. The traditional end to the Kanchenjunga trek was to hike south down to Yamphudin and then walk for several days back to Taplejung. There is now a road at Yamphudin that goes southwards to Phidim. This road joins the main Taplejung to Bhadrapur road. It is therefore possible to take a jeep from Yamphudin to Phidim. Some trekkers still hike back to Taplejung from Yamphudin. The trail goes via Mamangkhe, Phumphe Danda, Kande Bhanjyanga and Lali Kharka. It is usually a 4 day hike but it could be done in 3 days. There is a little used road between Taplejung and Phumphe Danda. It would be possible to take a jeep to Taplejung from Phumphe Danda. There is a new trail from Tortong that follows the Simbuwa Khola westwards to Hellok and Ranipul. This new route avoids the large landslide between Tortong and Yamphudin. I took this trail. It is a very hard 5 hour hike from Tortong to Kengsra. There are 2 new tea houses at Kengsra. It is then an easy 2.5 to 3 hour hike to Hellok and Ranipul. From there it is a 3.5 to 4 hour jeep ride to Taplejung. Alternatively it takes 2 days to walk to Taplejung from Hellok or Ranipul. 7. Permits & Guides for the Kanchenjunga Trek Permits for the Kanchenjunga Trek The Kanchenjunga trek is in a restricted area and a trekking agency must obtain a permit on your behalf from the Department of Immigration. The permit costs $20 per week and trekkers would normally need a 3 week permit for the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. The Department of Immigration is closed from 15.00 on Fridays to 10.00 on Sundays. So you must be in Kathmandu during one of the days that they are open before you head out on your trek. Sometimes the office is only open for 2 hours during public holidays. There are many public holidays during the October and November trekking season! Permits for the Kanchenjunga trek will only be issued if there are 2 foreigners trekking together. Some agencies can get around this by obtaining a ghost permit for a non-existent trekker. This is usually done with the help of an Immigration official. I obtained a ghost permit for an Indian woman who I never met and I had to pay $60 for her 3 week permit. I also paid $35 to Enjoy Nepal Treks for arranging the ghost permit. There aren't any checkpoints on the Kanchenjunga trek but if there had been I would have stated that she had become sick and had gone back down. A fee of R3,000 ($23) is payable for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project. It used to be payable at Tapethok but the office there has been closed and it is now payable at Ghunsa. Guides You have to trek with a guide in the Kanchenjunga restricted area. I had a porter/guide from Enjoy Nepal Treks at a cost of $25 per day. The daily cost has now been increased to $30. 8. Cost of the Kanchenjunga Trek I paid $1,119 to Nepal Enjoy Treks for the following services for the Kanchenjunga trek: Porter/Guide (21 days @ $25 per day) $525 Insurance for the Guide $35 Restricted Area Permit ($120 for 2 people for 3 weeks) $120 Admin fee for the ghost permit $35 My flight to and from Bhadrapur $254 Guide's flight to and from Bhadrapur $150 TOTAL $1,119 The expenses that I paid myself are shown in the table below: Overnight Stop Total Cost Room Food Drink Transport Other Notes Taxi to airport 900 900 Taxi from Bhadrapur to Taplejung 20000 20000 Taplejung 1680 1000 500 180 Chirwa 1570 500 750 320 Itahari 2900 700 1500 700 Thangyam 1470 600 650 220 150 1 Phale 2030 500 1100 430 Ghunsa (2 nights) 8000 1600 2580 820 3000 2 Khambachen (2 nights) 6150 1400 3500 1250 Lhonak (3 nights) 10965 2400 5375 1940 1250 3 Ghunsa 2700 800 1250 500 150 1 Selele 4400 1000 1700 900 800 3 Tseram 2850 700 1350 500 300 1 & 3 Ramche 3500 500 2400 600 Tortong 2560 500 1700 360 Kengsra 3140 500 1500 440 700 4 Hellok & Ranipul 700 500 200 Jeep from Ranipul to Taplejung 15000 15000 Taplejung 1490 1000 350 140 Jeep from Taplejung to Bhadrapur 20000 20000 Bhadrapur 2500 1500 700 300 Taxi in Kathmandu 900 900 TOTAL NPR 115105 15200 27405 9350 56800 6350 TOTAL USD 880 116 210 71 434 49 Notes for the other expenses: 1 Toilet Paper 2 Kanchenjunga Conservation Project fee 3 Boiled water for my water bottles 4 Beer I have summarised the expenses under each overnight stop. The expenses include drinks and meals while at other locations that day. The total cost of my Kanchenjunga trek was $2,000 compared to a cost of around $3,000 for a group trek. Other advantages of doing the Kanchenjunga trek by myself meant that I could determine my itinerary, choose the tea houses, have a room to myself and have plenty of space in vehicles. Most nights I had the company of other trekkers and wasn't restricted to being with the other members of a group. I have been on 2 camping group treks in Nepal but I would never do a lodge trek with a group. I could have reduced my costs by not having so many hot drinks and not ordering boiled water for the cold mornings. I didn't bother as the cost wasn't that material and it improved my enjoyment of the Kanchenjunga trek. The biggest expense was for transport. I had wanted to take a shared taxi from Ranipul to Taplejung but couldn't as it was a public holiday. I would have saved a lot if I had used public transport between Kathmandu to Taplejung but I didn't fancy doing that. It is always difficult to determine how many Nepalese rupees should be taken on a trek. My chart above gives an idea of how much is needed. If necessary I use some of the Nepalese rupees that I have brought for the guide's tip and give the guide USD instead. 9. Hiking Times on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek These hiking times for the Kanchenjunga trek exclude stops at tea houses for drinks and lunch. The Australians' times were quite fast even though they were in their mid 60's. The Indians consisted of a small group. They were slower but I know the leader was a keen photographer. I have recorded these times mainly to assist trekkers with the planning of their Kanchenjunga trek. I certainly found information on trekking times very useful when planning my trek. It also helps when deciding whether to hike a bit further at the end of the day. Trekking isn't a race although I kept on meeting one French trekker who seemed to think so. He was always asking how long everyone had taken and was proud of his speed. Quite often you can only hike so far in the day on the Kanchenjunga trek due to altitude acclimatisation and the distance to the next tea house. By walking fast you just reach your destination quicker and end up spending more time at a tea house. I am not a particularly fast trekker but I could have walked faster than the times shown for me. I wasn't very fit due to spraining my ankle prior to the trek. I also followed my guide and sometimes he walked slower than I needed to. I wasn't in a rush and was happy to enjoy the fantastic scenery on the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. If you want to do the Kanchenjunga trek quickly it is possible to do it in 8 days from Taplejung! A trekker posted details of this on the Tripadvisor forum . DAY FROM TO MY TIME AUSSIES' TIME INDIANS' TIME AVG TIME 1 Taplejung Mitlung 3 h 15 m 3 h 15 m 1 Mitlung Sinwa 1 h 45 m 1 h 45 m 1 h 45 m 1 Sinwa Chirwa 2 h 45 m 3 h 15 3 h 2 Chirwa Tapletok 1 h 15 m 1 h 15 m 2 Tapletok Ranipur 2 h 1 h 50 m 1 h 55 m 2 Ranipur Sukethum 1 h 55 m 1 h 2 Sukethum Itahari 30 m 35 m 30 m 3 Itahari Lama Tar 1 h 30 m 2 h 5 m 1 h 45 m 3 Lamar Tar Amjilosa 2 h 20 m 2 h 30 m 2 h 25 3 Amjilosa Thangyam 2 h 2 h 30 m 2 h 15 m 4 Thangyam Gyabla 1 h 50 m 2 h 20 m 2 h 5 m 4 Gyabla Phale 3 h 45 m 2 h 50 m 3 h 45 m 3 h 30 m 5 Phale Ghunsa 1 h 15 m 1 h 1 h 30 m 1 h 15 m 7 Ghunsa Khambachen 6 h 5 h 6 h 5 h 40 m 9 Khambachen Ramtang 3 h 3 h 30 m 3 h 15 m 9 Ramtang Lhonak 1 h 40 m 2 h 1 h 50 m  11 Lhonak Tea Shop 2 h 50 m 2 h 50 m  11 Tea Shop Pangpema 1 h 40 m 1 h 40 m  11 Pangpema Lhonak 3 h 15 m 2 h 40 m 3 h 30 m 3 h 10 m  12 Lhonak Ramtang 1 h 10 m 1 h 8 m 1 h 10 m  12 Ramtang Khambachen 2 h 15 m 2 h 15 m 2 h 15 m  12 Khambachen Ghunsa 3 h 30 m 3 h 30 m 3 h 30 m 3 h 30 m  13 Ghunsa Viewpoint Tea Shop 3 h 3 h  13 Viewpoint Tea Shop Selele High Camp 1 h 45 m 1 h 45 m  14 Selele High Camp Tseram 7 h 5 h 15m 6 h 10 m  15 Tseram Ramche 3 h 30 m 3 h 3 h 15 m  15 Ramche Oktang Viewpoint 1 h 20 m 1 h 30 m 1 h 25 m  15 Oktang Viewpoint Ramche 1 hr 1 h  16 Ramche Tseram 2 h 20 m 2 h 20 m  16 Tseram Tortong 3 h 30 m 3 h 3 h 15 m  17 Tortong Kengsra 4 h 50 m 4 h 50 m  18 Kengsra Hellok 2 h 35 m 2 h 35 m  18 Hellok Ranipur 30 m 30 m 10. Vlogs about the Kanchenjunga Trek When I did the Kanchenjunga trek in November 2023 there was a group of 8 trekkers with Project Himalaya 2 days behind me. One of these trekkers posted 3 videos of the trek: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 In late March/April 2024 a German trekker, who posts a lot on the Tripadvisor forum, did the Kanchenjunga trek. The weather was terrible and his videos give a different perspective to the trek. It shows that the weather in late October and November is more reliable. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 11. Links to My Other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek Kanchenjunga Trek - Trip Report Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

Map of the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek Contents Quality of Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek Tea House Food on the Kanchenjunga Trek Internet on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Electricity on the Kanchenjunga Trek Showers, Toilets etc on the Kanchenjunga Trek Dining Rooms & Kitchens on the Kanchenjunga Trek Cost of Rooms on the Kachenjunga Trek Tea Houses at Mitlung and Sinwa Chirwa's Tea Houses Tea Houses at Tapethok, Ranipur and Lelep Tea Houses at Sekathum and Itahari Lama Tar's Tea House Amjilosa's Tea Houses Thangyam's Lodge Gyabla's Tea Houses Phale's Tea Houses Ghunsa's Accommodation Tea Shops Between Ghunsa & Khambachen Khambachen's Tea Houses Ramtang's Tea Shops Lhonak's Tea Houses Tea Shop between Lhonak and Pangpema Pangpema's Tea House Tea Shop between Ghunsa & Selele High Camp Tea Houses at Selele High Camp Tea Shop between Selele High Camp & Tseram Tseram's Tea Houses Ramche's Tea Houses Tea House at Andhafedi Tortong's Tea Houses Kengsra's Tea Houses Hellok's Homestays Bhadrapur Links to My other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek 1. Quality of Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek I had read several older blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. The accommodation at that time was very basic and rough. In November 2022 I did the Makalu Base Camp trek and those tea houses were pretty dire! The tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek were looking to be no better. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of most of the accommodation on the Kanchenjunga trek. The accommodation was only poor at Tseram and Ramche, but that was because the better tea houses were closed because of illness. Your experience at the tea houses will greatly depend on how busy the Kanchenjunga trek is. When I went at the end of October 2023 there were usually at most 6 other trekkers and their guides and porters at each overnight stop. I could choose the tea houses I wanted to stay in and the rooms as well. See my blog Kanchenjunga Trek - Trip Report . If I had started my Kanchenjunga trek a week earlier it would have been an entirely different scenario. There were several large groups and many tea houses were full. Trekkers had been sleeping in the dining room at Amjilosa. At Khambachen large tents were erected for the guides and porters to sleep in. Lhonak was full. In autumn I would recommend delaying the Kanchenjunga trek until after approximately the 25th October in order to avoid the peak season. A bit later would be better. There are less trekkers in spring but it can become very busy for a few days at Tseram during the climbing season. See my other blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. 2. Tea House Food on the Kanchenjunga Trek The food was so much better than I expected. On the Makalu Base Camp trek there were no menus and the food was mainly Nepali dishes. On the Kanchenjunga trek most tea houses had menus and they could cook a variety of dishes. I only eat rice and noodle dishes when trekking so I can't comment on the quality of the western food when it was available. On long trekking days there was usually a tea shop on the way and they cooked dal baht and other dishes. It is best to check if they will be open before leaving your tea house. When I trekked from Selele to Tseram the tea shop had been dismantled and we hadn't taken a packed lunch. The cost of food and drink increased with altitude. Dal baht cost R200 ($1.50) at the start of the trek but the cost had increased to R800 ($6) at Lhonak. A cup of black tea cost R50 ($0.40) at the beginning of the Kanchenjunga trek and had increased to R150 ($1.15) at Ramche. 3. Internet on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek The only tea house on the Kanchenjunga trek that had wifi was at Ranipul, which is just before the bridge to Lelep. I could get internet on Nepal Telecom up to Sekathum. After Sekathum I could sometimes use WhatsApp with Nepal Telecom. Ghunsa used to have internet at the medical centre but it hasn't worked for a year. However, messages can be sent and received on WhatsApp in Ghunsa most of the time. 4. Electricity on the Kanchenjunga Trek All the tea houses that I stayed at had mains or solar power and there were lights in the bedrooms. Sometimes the lighting was a bit dim. At most tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek up to Ghunsa there was free charging of electrical devices as they were connected to a power line. The exception was at Itahari near Sekathum as they had solar power. The tea houses north and east of Ghunsa all had solar power. Most of their batteries were not large enough to allow charging of electrical devices. The Kanchenjunga Guest House in Lhonak was an exception. Electrical charging was free for guests and they charged visitors R500 ($4) per device. I took a solar panel and 2 small power banks. I used the power banks but didn't need to use the solar panel. I had 3 batteries for my video camera but could have coped with 2. I had 2 USB adapter plugs. One of them had 2 ports which was very useful in Ghunsa as I quickly had to charge several devices one evening. I used the second adapter plug in the dining room. I used USB adaptors with 2 round pins and they can be bought in Thamel. The adapter plugs are usually loose when plugged into the electrical sockets at tea houses. I take tape so I can secure them properly. In the past I took Sellotape (Scotch tape) but this time I just used some micropore tape. 5. Showers, Toilets etc on the Kanchenjunga Trek Ghunsa is the best place to have a hot shower on the Kanchenjunga trek. I had a cold shower at Thangyam and could have also had one at Sekathum. The only rooms with attached toilets are at Ghunsa. The floors in the communal toilets can become icy and you definitely don't want to fall over in their. Most tea houses sell items like toilet paper, biscuits and soap. The prices increase with altitude! 6. Dining Rooms & Kitchens on the Kanchenjunga Trek The fire in the dining room can make a big difference to the comfort of a tea house. The fire isn't usually lit until about 16.00. They stop adding wood at around 19.00 unless the tea house is busy. It becomes cold by 20.00 which encourages the trekkers to go to bed! The coldest time of day is at breakfast time yet the dining room fire was never lit in the morning. If there aren't too many guests it is often possible to have meals in the warm kitchen. I always enjoyed that for both the warmth and the atmosphere. 7. Cost of Rooms on the Kanchenjunga Trek A single room costs between R500 ($4) and R1,000 ($8) per night. The price increases with altitude. At Ghunsa the cost of a room with an attached toilet was R800 ($6) . The most expensive room was R1,000 ($8) at Selele High Camp. Later on in this blog I have attached several of my bills and menus that show the cost of food and rooms. It may be possible to negotiate a lower rate but I didn't try as the cost was low. I was more concerned about obtaining a good room. However, I always determined the room cost before taking a room. 8. Tea Houses at Mitlung and Sinwa I forgot to take photos of the tea houses in these villages. We had lunch at a tea house in Mitlung and the food was good. Sinwa is quite a large settlement and there was a modern looking hotel. I met 2 trekkers who stayed there and they enjoyed their stay, except for the dogs barking at night. 9. Chirwa's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses in Chirwa with about 5 bedrooms in each. I stayed at the Kanchenjunga Guest House and was charged R500 ($4) for a single room. There wasn't a menu. The cost of tea and food was very reasonable as can be seen from the photo of the bill. I could access the internet on my phone with a Nepal Telecoms SIM card. The other tea house in Chirwa was the Tamang Guest House. It was almost full when I arrived so I didn't stay there. The Kanchanjunga Guest House in Chirwa The Dining Room at the Kanchanjunga Guest House My Bedroom at at the Kanchanjunga Guest House The Tamang Guest House is on the right 10. Tea Houses at Tapethok, Ranipul and Lelep There are tea houses in all these villages but I only have details of the two tea houses in Ranipul. Ranipul wasn't shown on my map and is across the river from Lelep. Trekkers usually stay at Ranipul at the end of the trek if they have taken the new trail westwards from Tortong to Hellok along the Simbuwa Khola river. The Hotel Dream & Lodge is the most popular of the 2 lodges at Ranipul and is used by groups. They have hot showers and free wifi. 11. Tea Houses at Sekathum and Itahari There are at least 2 tea houses at Sekathum and 1 tea house at Itahari which is half an hour past Sekathum. I stayed at Itahari and didn't see the tea houses at Sekathum. The tea houses at Sekathum are larger and would be used by groups. The tea house at the tiny settlement of Itahari has only 4 basic, but clean, rooms. It has an outside shower and toilet. The internet can be accessed on Nepal Telecom when outside the tea house. They have solar power but electrical devices can't be charged. There are 2 problems with the tea house at Itahari. Firstly if it was full you would have to walk back to Sekathum to find alternative lodging. Secondly their prices are too high. For example a cup of coffee was R200 ($1.50) whereas at other tea houses at this altitude it was R100 ($0.75). As there is no menu the high cost isn't readily apparent. The Itahari Hotel & Lodge The Itahari Hotel & Lodge My Bed Room at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge The Dining Room at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge My bill at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge on Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek 12. Lama Tar's Tea House The village of Lama Tar isn't shown on the map for the Kanchenjunga trek. It is a 2 hour walk from Sekathum and a 2.5 hour walk to Amjilosa. The tea house is basic but looks clean. It could be a good option if you are trekking at a busy time. It wouldn't be used by groups. Lama Tar Guest House 13. Amjilosa's Tea Houses There are 2 tea houses at Amjilosa. I had lunch at the one in the north of the village. The dal bhat was fine and cost R250 ($2). The rooms were dark and basic. They had several beds in each room. The other guest house looked better from the outside but my guide said it was about the same standard. The tea houses at Amjilosa were full the week before we arrived and trekkers were having to sleep in the dining room. Groups tend to stay at Amjilosa and I recommend that trekkers don't stay here. 14. Thangyam's Lodge Thangyam is shown on the map as Thyangyani. It is a 2 hour walk from Amjilosa and a 1 hour 50 minute walk to Gyabla. A lodge was built here in 2019 but it wasn't opened until last year because of Covid. It was built by the owner of the large hotel at Gyabla. The lodge has about 10 bedrooms, a western toilet, an Asian toilet, a shower room and a sink with running water. It is all very nice and the guy running it was friendly and switched on. It is a far better choice than staying at Amjilosa. It seems that groups don't stay here but unfortunately that could change. It isn't expensive and I paid R1,470 ($11) for my room, dinner, breakfast and hot drinks. Far cheaper than the rip off tea house at Itahari and it had a far superior standard of accommodation and food. The Kitchen The Dining Room My Bedroom 15. Gyabla's Tea Houses Gyabla has a very pleasant position on top of a hill. It is sunny and there are excellent views. I didn't stay there but spent an hour relaxing and drinking tea. There are at least 2 lodges. The Hotel Shingi Namjong is a large modern place. Some trekkers don't like it and prefer the more traditional and rustic tea houses. I have stayed in plenty of those! If you stay at Thangyam it would be too early to stop for the night at Gyabla. I walked on to Phale but everyone else who stayed at Thangyam walked on further to Ghunsa. Hotel Shingi Namjong Hotel Namaste 16. Phale's Tea Houses I stayed at Phale as it is an authentic Buddhist Village at an altitude of 3,215 metres. I could easily have walked another 1 to 1.5 hours to Ghunsa. However, I was in no rush and wanted to acclimatise well in order to go up Drohmo Ri East (5,965 metres) from Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp. There are 2 tea houses at Phale and I stayed at the Fale Guest House. I was the only guest there and really enjoyed my stay. The dining area adjoins the Tibetan kitchen. The owners were very hospitable and the food was good and plentiful. My bill for lunch, dinner, breakfast and the room was a very reasonable R1,980 ($15). The other tea house has more rooms but also 2 chained dogs that bark a lot in the evening! They would have disturbed my sleep but fortunately they stopped barking at 22.15. They must have been taken inside. Fale Guest House My hut at Fale Guest House A Combined Kitchen and Dining Room at Fale Guest House The Main Building of the Lhasa Guest House Most of the Bedrooms are in the annex of the Lhasa Guest House 17. Ghunsa's Accommodation Ghunsa has more accommodation than any other village on the Kanchenjunga trek. It is the only village that has rooms with attached toilets. There is even a bakery. I stayed at both the Peaceful Guest House and the Mountain River View Side Lodge. They both had detached huts, with an attached toilet, at a cost of R800 ($6) per night. Only one of the huts at The Mountain River View Side Lodge had an attached toilet. I preferred the Mountain River View Side Lodge as it was smaller and quieter. Also the owners were very kind and helpful. Groups stay at the Peaceful Guest House and the dining room isn't large enough. The Kanchenjunga Guest House has a very good reputation but groups stay there. There are also several other decent looking guest houses in Ghunsa. The wifi in Ghunsa hasn't worked for more than a year. However, there is a Nepal Telecom signal and WhatsApp messages can be sent and received most of the time. The huts with attached toilets at the Peaceful Guest House The Dining Room of the Peaceful Guest House The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Mountain River View Side Lodge The room with an attached toilet at the Mountain River View Side Lodge My Bill at the Mountain River View Side Lodge 18. Tea Shops Between Ghunsa & Khambachen There are 2 tea shops at a location about 3.5 hours from Ghunsa. I only stopped for tea but they serve dal bhat and probably some other dishes as well. 19. Khambachen's Tea Houses The best known tea houses at Khambachen are the Khambachen Guest House and the Kanchenjunga White House. The Sun Rise Hotel & Lodge looked fine from the outside. I stayed at the Khambachen Guest House as they had a detached hut available. They also had rooms in the main building. I like detached huts as you can't hear other people walking around and they are generally quieter. The cost was R700 ($5.50) per night. The dining room at the Khambachen lodge was small and gloomy. At lunch time I ate outside at one of the tables. The lodge is in a very nice setting. I went over to have a look at the Kanchenjunga White House as it has a good reputation. The owner spoke good English and was very friendly. The dining room is large, bright and comfortable. They have a reputation for providing good food. There are 5 attached huts at the Kanchenjunga White House. The White House is popular with groups however. There are 3 large yellow tents in the photo below. They were erected a week or so before I arrived as all the tea houses were full. The guides and porters slept in them. Khambachen Khambachen Guest House Khambachen Guest House The Dining Room at the Khambachen Guest House My Room at the Khambachen Guest House The Huts at the Kanchenjunga White House The Dining Room at the Kanchenjunga White House Sun Rise Hotel & Lodge New Sherpa Guest House 20. Ramtang's Tea Shops There are 2 tea shops at Ramtang which is 3 hours north of Khambachen. I had a really good vegetable noodle soup at the Ramtang Tea Shop. The other tea shop was called the Himalayan Guest House and it had a couple of basic rooms. The rooms are probably only used when the tea houses at Lhonak and Khambachen are full. 21. Lhonak's Tea Houses I stayed at the Kanchenjunga Guest House as it had attached huts and no one else was staying there. The room cost R800 ($6). There was a long drop toilet behind the huts. The Kanchenjunga Guest House had large enough solar powered batteries to accommodate the charging of electrical devices. It was free for guests but cost R500 ($4) per device for visitors. There were several tea houses in Lhonak and most of them looked reasonable and had communal toilets inside the tea house. Lhonak Lhonak The Kanchenjunga Guest House My room at the Kanchenjunga Guest House The Dining Room at the Kanchenjunga Guest House The Kitchen at the Kanchenjunga Guest House 22. Tea Shop between Lhonak and Pangpema This tea shop is 2.25 hours from Lhonak and 1.75 hours from Pangpema. I had dal bhat and black tea on the way back down to Lhonak. It cost R1,150 ($9). 23. Pangpema's Tea House This tea house was closed as the owner had gone down to Ghunsa for 5 days to celebrate the festival of Tihar. He promised to return 2 days later to let a group stay there but he didn't keep to his word. Unfortunately you can't rely on this tea house being open in the off season or during Tihar. The tea house owner usually goes down to Ghunsa in the middle of November but he might go back up if a group wanted to stay there. At quieter times he stays in Lhonak until there are trekkers walking up to Pangpema. When the lodge owner is at Pangpema he can be contacted by radio from the Lhonak tea houses. I had read that there were beds in a dormitory but it must be small. There were 3 tents that would comfortably accommodate 2 people in each. There weren't any mattresses but they might have been stored in the building. There was 1 large tent that could accommodate many people. 24. Tea Shop between Ghunsa & Selele High Camp This tea shop is a 3 hour walk from Ghunsa and a 1.75 hour walk from Selele High Camp. I ordered dal bhat and while it was being cooked I lay outside in the sun on one of the mats they had provided. It took an hour for the dal bhat to be cooked and it was a very pleasant spot to wait. The dal bhat cost R500 ($4) and black tea cost R100 ($0.75). 25. Tea Houses at Selele High Camp Until fairly recently there was only one very basic tea house at Selele High Camp. Fortunately the accommodation has greatly improved. The old lodge was the Himalayan Hotel and they have now built a new annex to supplement the accommodation in the old buildings. This tea house is the first one reached after Ghunsa. It is located by a small river. I stayed at the Hillside Lodge as 4 French trekkers were staying at the Himalayan Hotel. The Hillside Lodge is on the top of a hill overlooking the Himalayan Hotel. It consists of 3 buildings. One building has a kitchen and dining room and the other 2 buildings have 7 bedrooms. The Hillside Lodge has an outside toilet. The floor was icy and in the evening we were warned not to use it! The room cost R1,000 which was the most expensive on the trek. In December 2024 both the tea houses at Selele were closed for winter and trekkers had to walk from Ghunsa to Tseram in one day. The Hillside Lodge - The Kitchen & Dining Room is in the Building to the far left The Kitchen at the Hillside Lodge My Room at the Hillside Lodge The View from the Hillside Lodge My Bill at the Hillside Lodge, Selele, Nepal 26. Tea Shop between Selele High Camp & Tseram In the high season there is a tea shop between Selele High Camp and Tseram. It isn't in an ideal position as it is a long 5.5 hour walk from Selele High Camp and then it is only another 1.25 hours to Tseram. It is better to take a packed lunch and just stop for a hot drink at the tea house. The tea shop had been dismantled for the season when we reached there. We hadn't taken a packed lunch and regretted it! The dismantled tea shop between Selele High Camp and Tseram 27. Tseram's Tea Houses Unfortunately when I stayed at Tseram the Kyabru View tea house was closed, as the owner was sick, and the Blue Sheep Hotel was full. I therefore had to stay at the Yaluangkhang Guest House which is old and rustic. I kept my rucksack in a bedroom but slept in my tent. The other 2 tea houses looked better. The Blue Sheep Hotel is close to the Yaluangkhang Guest House and the rooms are in single storey buildings. The 2 storey Kyabru View tea house is the furthest north and has 6 rooms. A blog on the Kanchenjunga trek that mentioned that all the tea houses were full for a few days in April with expedition teams on their way to climb Kanchenjunga. A post on the Tripadvisor forum mentioned that in December 2024 new chalet style tea houses were being constructed in Tseram. Tseram The Yaluangkhang Guest House The Dining Room in the Yaluangkhang Guest House My Room at the Yaluangkhang Guest House My Bill at the Yaluangkhang Guest House The Blue Sheep Hotel & Lodge Probably an Annex of the Blue Sheep Hotel & Lodge Kyabru View Tea House 28. Ramche's Tea Houses There were 2 tea houses at Ramche but only the very basic Hotel Snow Home was open when I was there. It was the most basic tea house of the entire Kanchenjunga trek. It was probably representative of what the accommodation used to be like on the Kanchenjunga trek. There were about 5 very basic bedrooms and there were several beds in each room. I kept my belongings in my room and slept in my tent. I had a good night's sleep but it was a hassle packing up the tent the next morning as it was covered in frozen dew. The dining room is a structure covered with clear plastic attached to the kitchen. The dining room is warm on sunny days but very cold in the evenings. I had to go into the kitchen to warm up. Everyone went to bed by 20.00. There is a long drop toilet in a very small outside cubicle. It was the most basic toilet of the Kanchenjunga trek. The other tea house was closed as the owner was ill. It was a small modern building with a large tent for the dining area. I doubt that there would be space for many trekkers. In December 2024 both tea houses were closed for winter. The kitchen & dining area of Hotel Snow Home The bedrooms of Hotel Snow Home in Ramche, Nepal The dining area of Hotel Snow Home The kitchen of Hotel Snow Home My bedroom at Hotel Snow Home My bill at Hotel Snow Home The new guest house in Ramche. The dining room is in the tent. The new guest house in Ramche 29. Tea House at Andhafedi Andhafedi is equidistant from Tortong and Tseram. It is a 1.25 hour walk from either village. There is a tea house just off the trail. I have read that it is often closed and I didn't visit it. Two trekkers that I met in Tortong had tea there. If it was open you could sleep there. However, there isn't a toilet. 30. Tortong's Tea Houses There are 2 tea houses at Tortong and I stayed at the Hotel Green View. The room cost R500 ($4). The other tea house was the rustic Torantang Hotel. I had a good stay there but it could be noisy if the hotel was full. I was disturbed by 4 Nepali lads in the room below me and had to move into another room. I heard that around the 5th November the tea houses at Tortong were completely full. My Bill at the Green View Hotel The Torantang Hotel 31. Kengsra's Tea Houses It is a very hard 5 hour hike from Tortong to Kengsra. Many trekkers don't stop at Kengsra and continue on for another 3 hours to Ranipur. If you have the time it would be more pleasant to break the hike in Kengsra. There are 2 new tea houses but only one was open when I was there. I stayed in the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge and had a good stay. The owner was very helpful and arranged a private jeep for my journey from Hellok to Taplejung. There was a very limited Nepal Telecoms signal that could only be accessed with an older type of mobile phone. The Kanchenjunga Hotel was closed but looked nicer. As it was at the top of a hill it would receive more sun than the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge. The sun went behind the mountains at around 14.30 at the Kengsra Hotel. The Kengsra Hotel & Lodge in Kengsra, Nepal My Room at the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge My Bill at the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge An advert for the Kanchenjunga Hotel The bedrooms are on this side The dining area is located by the large windows 32. Hellok's Homestays There aren't any tea houses in Hellock but there are a few homestays. I had lunch at the one below. The dal bhat was excellent and the lady running it was very friendly and helpful. Most trekkers pass through Hellok at the end of the trek when taking the new trail west of Tortong. However, most trekkers don't stay at Hellok and walk another half an hour down to Ranipul. As I stated earlier in this blog there are 2 tea houses at Ranipul . Trekkers often stay the night there and take a jeep back to Taplejung the next day. The road does continue from Ranipul to Hellok but there is very little traffic. There is an outdoor and indoor dining area The Bedroom Annex A bedroom 33. Bhadrapur I stayed at the Pasupati Hotel and Lodge which is just outside the entrance to Bhadrapur airport. I had a room with a ceiling fan, and an attached bathroom, for R1,500 ($11.50) per night. Rooms with air conditioning cost R3,000 ($23). As is typical of many Nepalese hotels the bathroom hadn't been cleaned for a long time. The hotel was quiet until 22.30 when five Nepali arrived singing. Fortunately they quietened down after half an hour. It turned out to be a good choice as it was so close to the airport and the food was good as well. The Pasupati Hotel & Lodge in Bhadrapur 34. Links to My other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek Kanchenjunga trek trip report Planning your Kanchenjunga Trek Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Trek

Techa Gompa near Umlung Contents Introduction When to do the Markha Valley Trek What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek Permits for the Markha Valley Trek Cost of the Markha Valley Trek Map of the Markha Valley Trek Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I did the Markha Valley trek by myself in mid August 2024. Before doing this trek I spent 3 nights acclimatising in Leh and then trekked in the Sham Valley for 3 days to further improve my acclimatisation. At the end of the third day of trekking in Sham Valley I took an unofficial taxi to Skiu. I stayed in a homestay for the night (12th August) at Skiu before trekking through Markha Valley for 4 days. I spent the nights in Skiu, Markha, Thachungtse and Nyimaling. I was concerned that the trails and accommodation could be very busy as I was hiking in peak season. I was pleasantly surprised, and probably fortunate, that neither the Sham Valley trek nor the Markha Valley trek were busy except at Nyimaling. I wanted to have my own room or tent and fortunately this was possible. At Skiu I had the homestay to myself. In Markha I had a triple bed room to myself. It was fortunate that I decided not to stay in Hankar as I later heard it was overflowing with trekkers. I had continued on from Hankar to the Thachungtse tented camp and had a tent to myself. I was one of the first trekkers to arrive at Nyimaling and was only allowed to have a tent to myself as the outer zip was broken. I really enjoyed the Markha Valley trek. The scenery was fantastic and there was great camaraderie with other trekkers. I usually don't like trekking on roads but the rough road from Skiu to Markha didn't spoil my trek. There was very little traffic and it made navigation very easy! The Markha Valley trek isn't difficult but the section between Skiu and Hankar can be very hot. There are now bridges over the river in many places. However, in years when the water level is high river crossings could be difficult on the descent from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I was fortunate that there was little snow last winter so the river levels were low. 2. When to do the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek can usually be done from late May to mid October. There is more risk of snow on the pass in May and October. In late June and July the river levels are often higher. As discussed in the section on River Crossings the river level is mainly a concern when descending the Gongmaru La as there are now bridges over most of the rivers until Nyimaling. Another consideration is the number of trekkers. July and August are the busiest months for the Markha Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. The section of the Markha Valley trek from Skiu to Hankar can also be very hot in July and August as it is in a valley. I trekked in mid August and the temperature on this section felt like it was in the mid 30's centigrade. In my opinion late August to mid September would be a very good time to do the Markha Valley trek. There should be less trekkers and the temperature would be less extreme. 3. What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek 3.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases Unless you are bringing your own tent you don't need to bring a sleeping bag for the Markha Valley trek. I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. For temperatures in mid August there were sufficient blankets and duvets at all the places I stayed at, including the tented camps at Thachungtse and Nyimaling. It would be colder in September and October but as there are less trekkers there should be more blankets and duvets available. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. You can be sure that the pillow cases provided are rarely washed. 3.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps on the Markha Valley trek provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Markha Valley trek and relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses or parasites. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days and it took me 7 weeks to completely recover. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 3.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult on the Markha Valley trek and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and that they are comfortable. I met some trekkers who had bought new footwear in Leh and were really suffering with blisters. To make matters worse they hadn't brought any plasters or Compeed. I also took water shoes as I had brought them for the Zanskar trek. I didn't use them as the river levels were low in 2024. However, when the river level is higher it would be good to at least have a cheap pair of plastic crocs for river crossings and they can be bought in Leh. 3.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays in the Markha Valley were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 3.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There was mains electricity in my room at Skiu and at Markha the homestay charged my cell phone from their solar powered batteries. My phone battery then lasted on airplane mode until I finished the trek. 3.6. Medications I hadn't taken Diamox for 20 years before this trek. However, I decided to take half a tablet on my arrival at Delhi at midnight and also the next morning and evening in Leh (3,500m). I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation in Leh as a result. I decided to take half a tablet of Diamox when I arrived at Nyimaling and half a tablet early the next morning. I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation but I usually acclimatise well anyway. Therefore I would suggest taking some Diamox on the Markha Valley trek in case you need it unless you have already spent a week or so at altitude. I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 3.7. Other Items Other items worth considering: A head torch even though there is electricity at some locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Warm clothes for Nyimaling and the amount depends on the season. It got close to 0 centigrade during the night in mid August. I had a thin down jacket and long johns. I took a pee bottle which I had bought for my Zanskar trek. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles for the descent. Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never take them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to bring! Don't bring any satellite communication devices, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 4. Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek There was connectivity with the Jio network at Skiu according to the lady running the homestay I stayed at. However, I didn't have a Jio SIM card. Outside Markha's monastery there is free internet and it worked well. The password at the time was 1234567890. However, check the password with your homestay before walking up! The Jio and Airtel networks can be accessed at the top of the Gongmaru La. Many trekkers phone from there to arrange for a taxi to meet them at Chokdo. I don't think there is any connectivity to the BSNL network on the Markha Valley trek. I had BSNL and Airtel SIM cards and the BSNL SIM card was of no use to me during my 6 weeks in Ladakh. Jio seems to be the best and then Airtel. 5. Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek If you are on a really tight budget you can hitchhike or perhaps take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go to the taxi stand in central Leh where lots of taxis are parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Skiu it costs INR 4,175 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I took a taxi to Likir to start the Sham Valley trek and then at the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Temisgam to Skiu for the Markha Valley trek. I asked about taxis at a local store in Temisgam and the owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000! For the return journey from Chokdo to Leh you have several options: Arrange a taxi to meet you at Chokdo before you start the Markha Valley trek. The official rate is about INR 4,500. The problem would be estimating your arrival time in Chokdo. I left Nyimaling at 07.15, immediately after breakfast, and got to Chokdo at 12.00. However, the numerous river crossings were very easy in 2024. Phone a taxi driver once you reach the Gongmaru La using a Jio or Airtel SIM card. It took me about 3 hours to descend to Chokdo. Hope that there is a taxi waiting at Chokdo. There were several when I got there but they may have all been prearranged by other trekkers. Try and share a prearranged taxi at Chokdo. That's what I did and the other trekker wouldn't accept any payment from me. Phone for a taxi from Chokdo and probably wait 1.5 hours for it to come from Leh. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 6. Permits for the Markha Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Markha Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Chilling. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was travelling to Chilling. However, if I was doing the longer and more difficult trek starting in Zhingchan it wasn't necessary as the road didn't go past the check point. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend there are 2 options. Start the Markha Valley trek from Zingchan or leave Leh by about 06.30 so you can get through the check point before it starts operating. INR 600 Permit for the Markha Valley Trek The Ancient Tracks Travel Agency in Leh 7. Cost of the Markha Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Markha Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The costs of my 4 day trek were: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Skiu (Estimate) 4175 50 Homestay - Skiu 1600 19 Homestay - Markha 1600 19 Thachungtse tented camp 1600 19 Nyimaling tented camp 2000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Chokdo to Leh (Estimate) 4500 54 TOTAL 16075 192 Regarding taxi fares I actually took an unofficial taxi from the end of the Sham Valley trek to Skiu for INR 4,000 and a kind trekker gave me a lift in his prearranged taxi from Chokdo to Leh. 8. Map of the Markha Valley Trek 9. Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Before travelling to Leh I read several blogs about the Markha Valley trek and also the Cicerone Trekking in Ladakh guide book. I brought photocopies on the trek as they kept warning about wrong turns and difficulties navigating the trail. I also downloaded maps on Maps.Me and Mapy.cz . The reality is that the trail for the Markha Valley trek is very easy to navigate and it would be very hard to go wrong except in very poor visibility for the section after Hankar. I never had to look at the photocopies or the downloaded maps. There is now a road all the way from Chilling to Markha so it is virtually impossible to go wrong on this section of the Markha Valley trek. From Markha to Lower Hankar there seems to be a jeep track although no vehicles were using it as they couldn't cross the river just before Markha. The trail was a bit confusing after the restaurant in Lower Umlung and after leaving Upper Hankar. After Upper Hankar you go through a gate and then walk along the left bank of the river. After a while there is a steep trail on the left up the hillside. It looked a bit hairy but it was actually okay. You don't cross the river at all until you get to the bridge just before Thachungtse. The only other time I was a bit uncertain of the trail was at the Tsigu lakes, between Thachungtse and Nyimaling. Two other trekkers in front of me were uncertain whether to take the left or right path but we all correctly guessed to the left. Other blogs suggest following the horse droppings on the trail and it is a good indicator of the right path, particularly on the descent from the Gongmaru La. On this descent there are a couple of sections where the trail briefly ascends in order to avoid going through narrow and difficult canyons. The locals can often get through the canyons when the river level is low but it is safer to take the trails up. 10. Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek The homestays on the Markha Valley trek run on a rotation system with each homestay in the village taking turns to take in trekkers. If the designated homestay is full they will send you to the next designated one, if there is more than one in the village! The rotation system sounds very fair but in reality it isn't. The rotation system means that poor quality homestays receive the same income as good quality homestays and they have no incentive to improve. In Skiu the lady running the homestay didn't like me taking photos as some areas were very untidy. She should have tidied up instead! In Markha I had a great homestay in the new section of the village but some trekkers in the old section of Markha were complaining about their accommodation. All the homestays charge INR 1,600 (USD 19) per night for food and lodging. Nyimaling tented camp charges INR 2,000 (USD 24). This cost includes dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and cups of tea. Breakfast usually consisted of freshly cooked chapatis or Tibetan bread with jam. At Skiu I was also served eggs. Dinner was usually Chhutagi or a rice dish. Chhutagi is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunches consisted of a sandwich or large pastry with a filling. Cold boiled potatoes were sometimes added. There was also a small juice box and chocolate bar. If the homestays are busy you might have to share rooms or sleep in the dining room. I was lucky and always had a room to myself. The toilets were long drops. They had a good system where you put soil down the hole after going to the toilet. I didn't find the toilets bad and they were clean. I was a bit perturbed at Markha when I saw the neighbour's dog lying underneath the long drop! The homestays provide filtered water but I recommend sterilising it. 10.1. Homestays in Skiu A couple of years ago travel blogs for the Markha Valley trek reported that there were no homestays in Skiu. I don't understand this as there are several. The taxi dropped me off at the far end of Skiu. The first homestay I enquired at informed me it wasn't their turn and directed me to the next homestay about 5 minutes away. There are also homestays at the start of Skiu which operate on a separate rotation system. My homestay was fine. I had my own room, the food was good, it was quiet and the toilet was clean. I had mains electricity in my room and I could charge electrical devices. There was limited Jio cellphone connectivity and the owner only seemed to be able to make calls from 1 room. There is probably better phone and internet connectivity in the first part of Skiu. 10.2. Homestays between Skiu and Markha When I arrived at Skiu in the late afternoon I had considered walking on as the heat had subsided. However, I wasn't sure about the accommodation after Skiu. I met some other trekkers who were continuing on but they had their own tents. The Skiu Women's Eco Cafe is a 50 minute walk from Skiu and the trekkers I had met camped there. The cafe was closed when they got there and it was closed when I passed it early the next morning. The sign doesn't mention that there is camping or homestay accommodation and the fancy flush toilet was locked. There is a camping site and restaurant at Hamurja which is a 1 hour 40 minute walk from Skiu. The sign mentions that beds are available and it looked like there were at least two fixed 2 man tents. I have never seen any mention of a settlement called Hamurja before and it is probably near Pentse. Sara is 2.5 hours from Skiu and there is a homestay and camping site. 10.3. Markha's Homestays There is at least one homestay and two campsites before you cross the river and enter Markha. They were probably used more when there weren't bridges over the 2 river crossings before Markha. Trekkers often had to wait until the next morning to cross the rivers. There are about 10 homestays in Markha. There are about 7 homestays in the old section of Markha at the foot of the hill below the monastery. There are another 3 homestays about 5 minutes further on and they are just off the trail to Umlung. I stayed in the new section of Markha and my homestay was very good. I was given a triple room and I checked that they wouldn't put other trekkers in before accepting it. The homestay was very clean and tidy, the food was good and the hosts were very pleasant. 10.4. Homestays between Markha and Thachungtse I had a drink at the restaurant at Lower Umlung. The restaurant looked good and the lady running it was very pleasant. I can't remember the homestay in detail but I think it should be a reasonable place to stay. Lower Umlung is a 90 minute walk from Markha. The homestay & campsite in Lower Umlung The homestay and camping site at Upper Umlung is about 15 minutes from Lower Umlung. I didn't take any photos of the homestays at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. There are several homestays in Lower Hankar and two in Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is the nicer location but it seems to fill up. I visited one of the homestays and the dining room looked nice but there might have only been one bedroom with triple beds. Trekkers at Nyimaling told me that the homestays in Upper Hankar had been packed the previous night and trekkers were sleeping in the dining room. 10.5. Thachungtse Tented Camp I intended to stay in Hankar rather than Thachungtse as I wasn't sure if they had fixed tents for trekkers at Thachungtse. I was also concerned about the river crossing just before Thachungtse as a YouTube video mentioned there wasn't a bridge in 2023 and that the river crossing in the afternoon was very difficult. I reached Lower Hankar very early at 10.50. It was so early that I didn't register that I was in Lower Hankar! I soon got up to Upper Hankar and had problems locating the homestays. I was finally shown the homestay and was given a triple room. I decided not to stay as I wasn't keen on the room and I wasn't sure if I would have it to myself. I tried without success to find another homestay. Luckily I met a small group of trekkers and their guide said they were going to Thachungtse. He said there were fixed tents there and that there was a bridge across the river before Thachungtse. I therefore decided to go there. There is a lower and upper part to the Thachungtse campsite and I was directed to the upper area where there were 4 two man tents and a large dining tent. There were only 3 other trekkers there and I was given my own tent with a sleeping mattress and duvets/blankets. The man running the upper campsite told us that early the next morning he was going to Hankar for 2 days and his campsite would then be closed. We therefore had to have breakfast at 06.00 but we could leave after him. I asked him if trekkers would be allowed to stay in the tents whilst he was away but he said not. The cost was INR 1,200 like the homestays and that included tea, dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch. The campsite was good but it concerned me that they were closing for 2 days in peak season. If I had arrived a day later accommodation may have been a problem. I did pass another campsite between Hankar and Thachungtse so it may be possible to stay there if Thachungtse was full. The lower campsite had some larger fixed tents and a stone dining room. It was full as a group was staying in most of the larger fixed tents. I met 2 trekkers who were staying in a 4 man tent and they said the owner had tried to charge them for 4 persons. They did negotiate the rate down a bit. 10.6. Nyimaling Tented Camp I arrived at Nyimaling at 11.15 which was very early. I asked the owner for a single tent but it wasn't possible as he didn't know how many people were coming. As he took me over to the 2 man tents he showed me one with a broken zip on the fly sheet and said I could have that tent to myself. I was delighted. The camp filled up with trekkers and by mid afternoon it was full. The last couple given a tent were told that if any one else came a third person would be squeezed in! Officially it was a 3 man tent but in reality it was tight for even 2 people. Later in the afternoon it started to rain and the campsite became muddy. One trekker who had intended to sleep outside asked for a tent and the owner told me that he would have to sleep in my tent. I refused as the vestibule of my tent couldn't be used for luggage. I would have been sharing the worst tent even though I was the first person to arrive at the campsite. In the end they found a tent for him but the owner wasn't happy with me. I read a blog that said they have plenty of spare tents at Nyimaling which they can erect if necessary. That isn't correct and the only tents are the ones erected. Most of the tents are 2 man tents but they also have a couple of 8 man tents. In total 50 to 60 people can be accommodated. Groups with their own tents tend to camp a few hundred metres away. As it often rains or snows at Nyimaling the campsite can be muddy. When it is sunny it is pleasant and you can sit outside and drink tea. When it rained everyone stayed in their tents until dinner time and then went into the very rudimentary and dark dining tent. The owner said that it was very difficult planning for meals as the number of trekkers staying varied so much and he didn't know the number until the actual day. Apparently the day before the camp was only a third full. Supper consisted of 2 huge pots of food and rice and it was self serve. It's best to line up as quickly as you can and not sit in the seats by the walls as it is difficult to get out. The food was good and plentiful. It was very sociable in the basic surroundings. Breakfast was served at 07.00 and it was again self serve. I think there was porridge and chapatis. Whilst we were eating breakfast they were preparing our packed lunches in the kitchen. I went to the kitchen after breakfast to pay the INR 2,000 for the night and collect my lunch. I didn't eat it until I got back to Leh! When I left two Israelis were trying to pay for their share of an 8 man tent. The owner was insisting they pay for all 8 people even though they weren't all hiking together. Apparently 2 of the others had already paid and left but the owner couldn't remember this. I don't know how it was resolved but the owner wouldn't back down and started being rude about Israelis. It was all a bit unpleasant. It is best to arrive at Nyimaling early so you can get reasonable accommodation. Otherwise you could end up in a 8 man tent, share a 2 man tent with 2 other people or sleep in the dining room. None of those options appeal to me! They don't make single trekkers share a tent with the opposite sex. As a result one woman had a tent to herself. 11. River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek The river crossings on the Markha Valley trek were my main concern as I was doing the trek by myself. All the travel blogs said that river crossings could be a problem just before Markha, between Markha and Umlung, before Thachungtse and on the descent from the Gongmaru La. The first river crossing before Markha village now has a bridge for pedestrians but not for vehicles. In mid August 2024 most vehicles couldn't cross this river. The final river crossing before Markha has a bridge suitable for vehicles. There are now bridges where the river crosses the trail between Markha and Umlung and also before Thachungtse. I crossed the bridge near Thachungtse in the early afternoon and it was a raging torrent. I wouldn't have attempted to wade through that river by myself. It was worse than any of the rivers I crossed on the Zanskar trek. I had to cross a small stream about 15 minutes after leaving Thachungtse early in the morning. It was very easy to jump across as the water level was low. A trekker reported in July 2018 that this stream was a raging torrent at 14.00. The time of day, snow fall the previous winter, rain, temperature etc can make such a big difference. At Nyimaling you have to cross the river to take the trail ascending to the Gongmaru La. When I arrived in the afternoon it looked like I would have to wade through it the next morning. However, the next morning the river level had dropped and it was possible to hop across on the rocks. After the initial descent from the Gongmaru La the river has to be crossed numerous times, perhaps around 30 times. Fortunately the river level was very low in 2024 and it was easy to cross each time without removing my boots. In some years this river on the descent can be a raging torrent and difficult to cross. One blog recommended trying to get to Chokdo by 10.30 to avoid difficulties in crossing. The bridges were well made but there is always a risk that a bridge can be swept away in floods and not replaced immediately. The first steel road bridge at Chilling, built in 2015, was washed away in flood water later that year! Therefore you cannot rely on the bridges I mention being in place. You should enquire about them when trekking. 12. Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek traditionally used to be started from either Zhingchan or Chilling. The Zhingchan route takes about 7 days and requires crossing the 4,973 metre high Kanda La at the start of the trek. Most trekkers don't take this route due to the risk of altitude sickness and the extra time required. If you acclimatise properly, and have the time, the Zhingchan route is the superior option. I did the Chilling route as time was a constraint and I wasn't adequately acclimatised. I actually started the trek in Skiu as there is now a road from Chilling to Markha. Very few trekkers now start the Markha Valley trek from Chilling and I don't recommend doing so for reasons detailed in the next section. Many trekkers take a taxi to Markha in the morning and either stay there or hike to Hankar the same day. This reduces the trek to 3 days and 2 nights. I think that it is a shame to drive from Skiu to Markha as the scenery is excellent and there is very little traffic on the road. 12.1. Chilling to Skiu I was driven along this section of the Markha Valley trek and most trekkers do the same. I don't recommend hiking this section as: The first part of the road is tarred and the traffic is fast. The scenery isn't as good as during the rest of the Markha Velley trek. In July and August it is likely to be very hot. 12.2. Skiu (3430m) to Markha (3806m) As I mentioned earlier many trekkers skip this section of the Markha Valley trek as they drive from Leh to Markha. I think that is a mistake as the scenery is excellent and can't be appreciated from a vehicle. The dirt road doesn't spoil the hike as there is very little traffic and it makes route finding very straight forward! I arrived in Skiu late in the afternoon and stayed the night there. That meant I could leave Skiu early and walk in the cooler early morning temperatures. It would have been even better if I had walked for 1 hour 40 minutes the previous afternoon from Skiu to the tented camp at Hamurja . I left Skiu at 07.30 and reached Markha at 13.00. The temperature was very pleasant for the first couple of hours but then it became very hot as the trail is in the Markha valley. Markha is an attractive village with a crumbling old fort and a monastery on the hillsides. I didn't see any other trekkers until I reached Markha and then I met plenty. 12.3. Markha (3806m) to Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) It only took 3 hours to walk to Lower Hankar (3,990m) and from there it was another 20 minutes to Upper Hankar (4,048m). It was too early to stop for the day and I walked another 2 hours to the tented camp at Thachungtse. Most trekkers spend the night at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is in a very attractive location with an old fort perched on a rocky outcrop. Apparently it is possible to scramble up to visit it. The altitude at Thachungtse would be too high for most trekkers who drive from Leh (3,500m) to Markha the same day. I saw very few other trekkers on the trail as I left Markha at 07.30, which was earlier than most trekkers. 12.4. Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) to Nyimaling (4848m) The weather was overcast for the first time during the Markha Valley trek. The sun makes such a difference to the the scenery and it seemed a bit bleak at times. However, there were good views of the snow covered Kang Yatse which is 6,400 metres high. It was an uphill walk to Tsigu lake. After that the terrain flattened out and the last section to Nyimaling was across a plateau. It took 3.5 hours to walk from Thachungtse to Nyimaling and the previous day it had taken 2 hours to walk from Upper Hankar to Thachungtse. As I had left Thachungtse early at 07.30 I only saw 2 other trekkers on the trail. Nyimaling is in a bit of a bleak setting. Some trekkers climbed up the hillside to the south west of the campsite to get better views of Kang Yatse. There are apparently some very nice walks around the Nyimaling area but you have to know where to go. It wasn't advisable for me to explore by myself and I wouldn't fancy spending a second night at Nyimaling's muddy tented camp. 12.5. Nyimaling (4848m) to Chokdo (3660m) I wanted to set off very early from Nyimaling but breakfast was only served at 07.00. I left at 07.15 which was before many trekkers but I still had about 10 trekkers ahead of me. There were 2 groups camped near us and I was pleased that I was about 20 minutes ahead of them. It is a steep 440 metre ascent from Nyimaling to the Gongmaru La (5,287 metres) but it wasn't difficult and it took 1 hour 40 minutes. It wasn't cold or windy at the top and I spent 15 minutes enjoying the views before starting the descent to Chokdo. The very first part was steep but there was a good path that snaked down. I was pleased that no one was ahead of me or behind me and it stayed that way until I had almost reached Chokdo. The trail to Chokdo was very clear. It crossed the river about 30 times but since the river level was so low the crossings were easy. The only time I had any doubts about the trail were when it ascended a couple of times to avoid difficult sections through the canyon. It took about 3 hours to descend 1,600 metres from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I didn't find the descent difficult or tiring and the scenery was very good. It is an enjoyable section of the Markha Valley trek when the river level is low. I was fortunate that another trekker overtook me before Chokdo. At Chokdo I asked if I could share his taxi and he very kindly agreed and wouldn't accept payment. I was back in Leh by about 13.30 and ate my packed lunch at my hotel! 13. L inks to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Mebtak La Contents Introduction Map of the Sham Valley Trek When to do the Sham Valley Trek What to bring for the Sham Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Sham Valley Trek Transport to and from the Sham Valley Trek Permits for the Sham Valley Trek Cost of the Sham Valley Trek Navigating the Sham Valley Trek Accommodation on the Sham Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Link to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I went to Ladakh to do a 35 day trek through Zanskar to Spiti trek with a small group. Before the Zanskar trek I decided to do the short Sham Valley and Markha Valley treks by myself. I started with the 3 day Sham Valley trek as it is an easy trek and altitude acclimatisation isn't an issue as the maximum altitude is about 3,800 metres, which is only 300 metres higher than Leh. I started the Sham Valley trek on 10th August 2024 which is the peak trekking period. I was pleasantly surprised that there weren't that many people doing the trek. I guess about 30 people a day. I really enjoyed the trek and although there are roads nearby it didn't spoil the trek. Some trekkers could find that the 2nd day of the Sham Valley trek is too short as it only takes about 2.5 hours. If so the 2nd and 3rd days could be combined into a 7 hour hike to Temisgam or a shorter hike to Ang. The Sham Valley trek is a good warm up trek for the slightly more difficult Markha Valley trek. It is possible to drive from the end of the Sham Valley trek to the start of the Markha Valley trek without going back to Leh. This journey takes about 2 hours and costs INR 4,000 (USD 48). 2.  Map  of the Sham Valley Trek Red line for the correct route & blue line for my wrong route 3. When to do the Sham Valley Trek The Sham Valley trek can usually be done from May to October. There is a small risk of snow on the passes in May and October but the highest pass is only 3,800 metres so usually it shouldn't be a problem. There are roads to both Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan and it would be easy to abort the trek if necessary July and August are the busiest months for the Sham Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. I did the trek in mid August and didn't find the trail and accommodation to be busy. There were less trekkers than in the Markha Valley and I didn't find the Markha Valley trek to be that busy either. It can be very hot in July and August and I found the first day of the Sham Valley trek to be hot. The temperature would be less extreme in June and September. May and October could be a bit on the cool side. 4.What to bring for the Sham Valley Trek 4.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. 4.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Sham Valley and Markha Valley trek s and I relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days. It took me 7 weeks to recover and I am now lactose intolerant as a result. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 4.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and they are comfortable. 4.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 4.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There is mains electricity in Yangthang, Hemis Shukpachan and Temisgam. 4.6. Medications I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 4.7. Other Items Other items worth consider bringing are: A head torch even though there is mains electricity at all the locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never use them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to take! Don't bring any satellite communication device, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 5. Internet Connectivity on the Sham Valley Trek The homestays I stayed in at Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan had free satellite wifi. I had Airtel and BSNL SIM cards but only tried to use the internet when I reached Temisgam. I could access the internet on my phone in Temisgam but unfortunately I can't remember which SIM I used. 6. Transport to and from the Sham Valley Trek If you are on a tight budget you can hitchhike or probably take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as the cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go the taxi stand in central Leh where there are lots of taxis parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Likir the rate is INR 2,511 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I used a taxi driver who had already taken me on an outing from Leh and he charged INR 2,000 (USD 24) from Leh to Likir. He stopped at a couple of view points along the way and also at Magnetic Hill. At the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Ang which is where the road to Leh starts. There was a taxi parked on the road in Ang but the locals told me there were no available taxis and to walk on to Temisgam. At Temisgam I enquired at a local store about taxis to Skiu as I wanted to do the Markha Valley trek . The owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000 (USD 48)! The official rate for a taxi from Leh to Temisgam is INR 4,352 (USD 52) and to Ang it is an extra INR 500. Some trekkers prearrange for a taxi to meet them in Ang or Temisgam. Otherwise you would either need to find transport like I did or phone a taxi driver to come. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 7. Permits for the Sham Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Sham Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Likir. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was driving to Likir. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit  there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend you might be able to get through the check point if you leave Leh before 06.30 and reach the check point before it starts operating. Road Permit Ancient Tracks Travel Agency 8. Cost of the Sham Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Sham Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The cost of my 3 day trek was: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Likir Monastery 2,000 24 Homestay - Yangthang 1,500 18 Homestay - Hemis Shukshapan 2,000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Temisgam to Leh 4,352 52 TOTAL 10,452 125 9. Navigating the Sham Valley Trek Several blogs said that the trail for the Sham Valley trek isn't well marked and they are right! The Ancient Tracks travel agency had strongly advised me not to do the trek by myself as 2 Germans had recently got lost on the trek and had to be rescued. I had no intention of hiring a guide and downloaded the trail on Maps.Me and took photocopies of blogs providing directions. What could wrong on the easy Sham Valley trek which is sometimes called the Baby Trek! For my trek it went wrong about one hour after leaving Likir Monastery! I think most trekkers don't start the trek from Likir Monastery and start near the turn off from the main road to Likir Monastery. Starting at Likir Monastery made the route finding more difficult. The trail from Likir monastery only had one sign pointing the way and that was the only sign for the entire Sham Valley trek! There might have been the occasional cairn on the trek but if so there were very few. When I reached the road which leads to Yangthang I couldn't figure out how to locate the trail on Maps.Me a nd I asked a local person for directions. He wasn't very helpful and told me to continue up the road and I would see the trail. Further up the road I came across an animal conservation sign on the right and there were blue arrows marking a trail. I decided to follow the blue arrows as I thought the Sham Valley trek would be the only marked trail. The correct trail to Yangthang was later and to the left! The trail was very well marked with blue arrows and cairns. I walked through remote and rugged terrain for 3 hours and didn't see another person the entire time. I must have climbed to over 4,000 metres. It was extremely hot and I was running short of water. After 3 hours I could see a village (Saspochey) down in the valley but I was high above the valley with no clear route down. I then saw a painted animal paw print by one arrow. I had a terrible thought that the trail I was following was an animal spotting trail and didn't lead to a village. I therefore left the trail and tried without success to get down to the village. I couldn't find a way down and I was tired and thirsty. Fortunately I found the blue arrows again and to my relief the arrows did eventually lead to Saspochey. I was puzzled as to why this unused trail was well marked. I can only think the trail was often used before the road from Likir to Saspochey was constructed. It is also an area visited for viewing snow leopards and other wildlife. When I finally reached the road between Saspochey and Sumdo I had walked for 6 hours. Maps.Me showed that it would take another 3 hours to walk to Yangthang and I would reach there around 20.00. I decided to try hitchhiking but before any vehicles passed I came across a friendly road construction crew. The boss called a friend who picked me up in his car and drove me to Yangthang for INR 500. I learnt my lesson from this and afterwards was very careful! The next day's section of the Sham Valley trek was from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan. The owner of the guest house carefully pointed out the initial section of the trail to me. After that I used information gleaned from another blog as I knew the trail wasn't properly shown on Maps.Me . It was very easy finding the way from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan and I have provided details in the itinerary section. It only took me about 2.5 hours. However, trekkers still make mistakes navigating this section! Whilst I was having dinner at Hemis Shukpachan five Israelis arrived in the dark at 19.30. They had walked from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan but had used Maps.Me . It had taken them 9 hours and at the end they had to clamber down a cliff! They told me that there wasn't a trail so I couldn't understand why they hadn't realised the route was wrong. The family running the guest house at Hemis Shukpachen were very helpful and pointed out the first section of the Sham Valley trail to Temisgam. At the first pass a guide for a group pointed out the trail to the Mebtak pass. From the top of Mebtak pass it was very easy to follow the trail down to Ang . From Ang there is a tarred road to Temisgam. I didn't need to use Maps.Me from Hemis Shukpachen to Temisgam but I have been told it shows the correct trail. The five Israelis who got lost the previous day were using Maps.Me on this section and successfully reached the Mebtak La whilst I was eating my packed lunch. I have provided details of the route in the itinerary section. I don't understand why the trail for the popular Sham Valley trek wasn't marked at all yet the trail from Likir to Saspochey was well marked. My advice is to check the route at homestays and when meeting people on the trail. Also be very wary of using Maps.Me between Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan! 10. Accommodation on the Sham Valley Trek The accommodation on the Sham Valley trek is often described as homestays but the accommodation is far superior to that. The accommodation provided is really in guest houses and and they are very comfortable and reasonably priced. Some of the guest houses in Hemis Shukpachan and Temisgam even offer attached bathrooms and have proper beds. In Yangthang I stayed in the basic old village, rather than the new section. My room was comfortable and there was a flush western toilet inside the building. On the Markha Valley trek the accommodation really is in homestays! The bedrooms are usually basic and the toilets are long drops. On the Markha Valley trek you can't choose the homestay as they operate on a rotation system. On the Sham Valley trek you can choose where to stay. This has encouraged competition and raised the standard of accommodation. I did the Sham Valley trek in the peak season and started from Likir on 10th August 2024. The trail wasn't busy and nor were the guest houses. There is no shortage of accommodation for this trek. 10.1 Yangthang When walking from Likir you reach the new section of Yangthang first. There are several modern guest houses here and I believe most trekkers stay in them. They looked very comfortable. I didn't stay in the new section as I took the wrong trail when walking from Likir and ended up taking an unofficial taxi to Yangthang. I was a bit frustrated when my taxi drove past all the nice new accommodation and took me to the old village. The driver walked me through the old village to the Norbu Togochay Homestay. I was given a very good corner room on the upper floor. There was a shared flush western toilet on the same floor and a bathroom with a sink. The Tibetan dining room/lounge was downstairs. There was electricity in the homestay and I had an electric socket in my room. There were no other trekkers staying and that suited me fine. The family running it consisted of the 80 year old grandfather, his adult grandson, a lady and 2 kids. The youngest kid was a bit of a nuisance. Everyone else was very pleasant and the grandfather spent most of his time praying. Breakfast was freshly cooked chapatis with jam and omelette. Dinner was Chhutagi which is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunch was chapatis, boiled eggs, snack bar and a juice pack. The food was plentiful. There was filtered water which I sterilised with my Steripen. They had satellite wifi which was free of charge. The cost of food and lodging was INR 1,500 (USD 18). This included dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and tea. When I left the grandson walked with me for a couple of hundred metres and pointed out the first section of the trail to Hemis Shukpachan. The homestays in the new section of Yangthang 10.2 Hemis Shukpachan When I reached Hemis Shukpachan I recognised a guest house recommended by a blog and it had attached bathrooms. Before I could walk up to it a young woman approached me and asked if I was looking for accommodation. She said her family's guest house was better and she would drive me there. Her guest house was in the centre of Hemis Shukpachan near the golden Buddha. They had 2 rooms with attached bathrooms for INR 2,000 (USD 24) and several other rooms without bathrooms for INR 1,500 (USD 18). These rates included dinner, breakfast and lunch. I chose the large upstairs corner room with an attached bathroom and hot shower. The woman who drove me there was the daughter of the owner and was visiting with her sister and brother in law. They spoke good English and I had a good time talking to them. In the afternoon I met them at the Buddha on the hill and they pointed out the trail to Temisgam. They gave me tea and biscuits when I arrived. For dinner they offered to cook either Chhutagi or rice and dahl. There was free satellite wifi and electricity in my room. 10.3 Ang and Temisgam There is some accommodation in Ang and a lot more in Temisgam. There is some very good accommodation in Temisgam and it is an attractive village with a monastery and fortress on the hill above it. I had been planning to spend one night in Temisgam but when I got there decided to go straightaway to Skiu to start the Markha Valley trek . 11. Itinerary for the Sham Valley Trek 11.1. Likir to Yangthang As I mentioned in section 9 I took the wrong trail on this stage of the trek and therefore can give little guidance about the trail. It would certainly be easier to find the trail if your taxi dropped you off at the trail head near Likir village instead of at Likir monastery. The other guidance I can give is that the trail runs along the left hand side of the road from Likir to Phobe La, which is is before the village of Sumdo. The hike from Likir village to Yangthang should take about 4.5 hours. It takes just over 1 hour to hike from Likir monastery to Likir Village. The trail I took was from Likir to Saspochey and if you have time this is a very enjoyable hike to do. From Likir village it takes about 4.5 hours to reach Saspochey. The trail is very well marked from Likir to Saspochey but it would be harder to see the trail markings going the other way. I believe there is one homestay in Saspochey. It should be possible to arrange transport back to Likir or onto Yangthang. If not it wouldn't be far to walk to the village of Sumdo and hitch hike from there. 11.2. Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan This is a short hike that only takes about 2.5 hours to the centre of Hemis Shukpachan. Don't use Maps.Me for directions as it doesn't show the correct trail. If you are staying in the new section of Yangthang you will need to first descend to the old section. Yangthang is a very small village and easy to navigate through. You continue past the old part of Yangthang and you will a green oasis in the valley below as shown in the first photo. Ask for directions in old Yangthang if you aren't sure of the way. You descend down to the green oasis in the valley and cross a bridge to reach it. Follow the trail upwards with a homestay on the left. The trail by the homestay is a bit indistinct as it goes through a small stream for about 100 metres. You soon reach a dirt track and you turn right and follow it up until you see a pylon on the left and a trail by it. Take this trail and follow the pylons until you reach the top of the Tsermangchen La (3,800 metres). From there you can see a green patch in the distance which is Hemis Shukpachan. From the Tsermangchen La it is easy to follow the trail down to the tarred road on the outskirts of Hemis Shukpachan. It is a very spread out village and there are guest houses as soon as you reach the outskirts. The centre of the village is further on and is below a hill with a large golden Budhha on the top and it can be seen a long way away. I stayed in a very good homestay in the centre and it was located very near the next section of the trek to Temisgam. 11.3. Hemis Shukpachan to Ang or Temisgam This section of the Sham Valley trek is on Maps.Me but I didn't need to use the app as I obtained directions before setting out and whilst on the trail. From the second pass (Mebtak La) it was very straightforward walking down to Ang and on to Temisgam. The trail leaves Hemis Shukpachan near the Disket Guest House which is below the Golden Buddha. You follow a dirt road and after about 10 minutes reach the house in the first photo. There you take a path between the house and the line of Poplar trees. This path becomes a jeep track and you walk up it to a white chorten shown in the 4th photo. You continue up past 2 toilets to the top of the first pass. There is a dirt road to the right of the pass and if you followed it you would reach eventually reach Ang and avoid the descent down the first pass and the ascent up the Mebtak La. The trail doesn't follow the road though! You descend on a trail which turns into a jeep track. At the bottom look out carefully for a blue and red concrete marker shown on the 11th photo. There you will see a feint trail to the right and it steeply ascends the Mebtak La. There are prayer flags at the top. It is worth going a bit further up to the left where there are some other prayer flags as the views are even better there. The trail down to Ang can be clearly seen from the Mebtak La. It eventually turns into a dirt road and the dirt road becomes a paved road before Ang and continues to Temisgam. There was hardly any traffic on the road between Ang and Temisgam. It was very scenic but also hot! 12. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Contents Introduction Ways of avoiding Crowds at Meteora A One Day Itinerary for Meteora Summer Opening Times at Meteora's Monasteries Dress Code at Meteora's Monasteries Great Meteoron Monastery Varlaam Monastery Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery Roussanou Monastery Viewpoints at Meteora Accommodation at Meteora Links to My Other Blogs on Greece 1. Introduction Meteora was one of the highlights of our 3 month European road trip. The scenery is out of this world with the 6 ancient monasteries perched on sheer rocks. The only negative was the numerous tour groups. If you have a car you could visit all of Meteora's monasteries in one full day. Two nights would be sufficient if you visit one monastery on the day of departure. We stayed three nights and had two full days in Meteora. Most of Meteora's monasteries close for one day during the week. It is only at the weekend that all the monasteries are open. None of the monasteries open before 09.00 and most close early. If you only stay two nights your visit could be spoiled by bad weather. When we visited Meteora in late May it was very foggy when we arrived and it was raining on the day we left. We thought that the view of the monasteries perched on the sheer rocks, and the scenery, were more spectacular than the interiors of the monasteries. Our visit to Meteora was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4  for our daily trip report covering Meteora. 2. Ways of avoiding Crowds at Meteora We struggled with the large tour groups that arrived at Meteora by coach. They would crowd into the small chapels, and take over the space, while their guide explained the history. There would occasionally be a queue of tour groups waiting to enter a chapel. You have to understand the logistics of these tours to be able to avoid the crowds at Meteora: Most coach tours only visit 3 monasteries at Meteora. Two of them will be the Great Meteoron and Varlaam, if they are open. The third monastery that groups usually visit is either St. Stephan or Roussanou. Coach tours don't often visit the Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery and the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. There are too many steps leading up to them for their groups who have already walked up to the Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries. Some coach tours have to pick up clients from their hotels and don't arrive at the monasteries until after 09.00. Most coach tours stop at a restaurant for lunch. My recommendation for avoiding the tour groups and crowds is: Great Meteoron Monastery The Great Meteoron monastery only opens at 09.30 so you won't beat the crowds by going early. The best time may be at lunch time around 12.15 pm. That is when we went. Varlaam Monastery We visited the Varlaam monastery at lunch time (12.30 pm) and avoided many of the tour groups. As the Varlaam monastery opens at 09.00 another strategy would be to go early, around 08.30. It takes 10 minutes to walk from the gate at the base of the monastery up to the entrance. I am not sure what time the gate is opened. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery You can visit the Aga Triada monastery at any time as it isn't popular with tour groups. Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery The third monastery on most tour groups' itineraries is either Agios Stefanos or Roussanou. We arrived at the Agios Stefanos monastery at 08.45 and one tour bus had already arrived. We waited at the gate until it opened at 09.00. It is a short walk to the entrance. As it took time for the tour group to buy tickets we had the chapel to ourselves. By 09.30 there were several tour groups queuing to enter the chapel. When we left there were 13 tour buses outside the monastery! We passed Agios Stefanos at 11.00 a.m. and all the tour buses were leaving. The next day we saw that all the tour buses were leaving just before 11.30 a.m. Therefore late morning is probably a good time to visit. I don't know what Agios Stefanos is like in the afternoons. It is open until 17.30. My guess is that it may be quiet from 16.30. You would have plenty of time to see it before it closes if you arrive around 16.30 to 16.45. Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery You can visit the Agios Nikolaou monastery any time as it isn't popular with tour groups. It is best to visit the more popular monasteries at the start of the day and at lunch time. Roussanou Monastery The third monastery on most tour groups' itineraries is either Roussanou or Agios Stefanos. We visited Roussanou at 14.00 and there weren't any groups. I didn't observe it at other times but feel that some groups might come here first as for Agios Stefanos. 3. A One Day Itinerary for Meteora This itinerary for Meteora is only feasible at weekends when all the monasteries are open. During the week you will have to visit the monastery that is closed the following morning. Arrive at Varlaam monastery at 08.30. You should then be one of the first to enter when it opens at 09.00. Your visit shouldn't take longer than 75 minutes. Drive to Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. The monastery can be seen in 45 minutes. Drive to the nearby Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery. You should get there after 11.00 a.m. which is when the tour groups start to leave. You only need half an hour for this monastery. Drive back to the car park at the Varlaam monastery. Have a bit of lunch or a snack there. There are no restaurants at any of the monasteries so you will have to bring something. Walk 10 minutes to the Great Meteoron Monastery and enter by 12.30 at the latest. Drive down to Roussanou Monastery. Drive down a bit further to Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery. Visit the view points afterwards or at sunset. 4. Summer Opening Times at Meteora's Monasteries Summer is deemed to be from 1st April to 31st October. Great Meteoron Monastery Open from 09.30 to 15.00 Closed on Tuesdays Varlaam Monastery Open from 09:00 to 16:00. Closed on Fridays. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery Open from 10.00 to 16.00 Closed on Thursdays Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery Open from 09.00 (09.30 on Sundays) to 13.30 and 15.30 to 17.30 Closed on Mondays Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery Open 09:00 to 17:00. The monastery is open every day Roussanou Monastery Open from 09.00 (10.00 on Sundays) to 16.30 Closed on Wednesdays 5. Dress Code at Meteora's Monasteries The dress code for Meteora requires women to wear a dress or skirt covering their knees and men and women to cover their shoulders. All of Meteora's monasteries, except Varlaam, lend free wraps so you can comply. Varlaam sells them for Eur 3.50 and they only accept cash. I wore long trousers and in late May it wasn't too hot. Lani brought her own wrap to put over her long trousers. Some monasteries in Meteora aren't strict about the dress code but Varlaam and Roussanou are. 6. Great Meteoron Monastery There is very limited parking in front of Great Meteoron monastery and it isn't free. Most people use the free car park at Varlaam Monastery or park on the road. Finding parking can be a problem at peak times. It is a 10 minute walk from the free car park at Varlaam monastery to the Great Meteoron monastery. There are then more than 300 steps up to the entrance of the monastery. The Great Meteoron is the oldest, largest and grandest of Meteora's monasteries. Entry costs Eur 3 and it takes about an hour to see. There is a beautiful chapel, a museum, an old kitchen and excellent views from the monastery. The refectory is now closed to visitors. It is one of the monasteries you should see and for that reason it is always busy. 7. Varlaam Monastery There is a free car park at Varlaam monastery. If it is full you can park on the road. Parking can be difficult as visitors to the Great Meteoron monastery also use this car park and road. There are 142 steps up to the entrance of Varlaam monastery. There you will have to buy a garment for Eur 3.50 in cash if you don't comply with the dress code . They are strict about this. The entry fee is Eur 3.00. At Varlaam monastery you can: Visit the beautiful church dating back to the mid 1500's. See a huge old wooden water barrel. View the old winch which was used to haul people and goods up to the monastery. Visit the museum. The most interesting exhibit is a short film shot in 1924 showing how the monks lived. Enjoy spectacular views from the pleasant terrace. Use the best toilet facilities of the 6 monasteries! 8. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery The monastery of Aga Triada isn't popular with tour groups despite being featured in the James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only". It is more beautiful and interesting than the nearby Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery which is visited by tour groups. There is free parking and if it is full you can park along the road. It is a steep climb up about 145 steps to the entrance. The entrance fee is Eur 3. Aga Triada's church has beautiful restored frescoes. There is a garden and there are boulders which you can clamber up to admire the views. 9. Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery There is a small free car park in front of the entrance of Agios Stefanos monastery. If the car park is full you can park along the road. This is the monastery with the easiest access as there are very few steps. As a result it is the third most popular monastery in Meteora. The entry fee is Eur 3. The monastery was bombed in World War 2 and rebuilt afterwards. The interior of the chapel is beautiful. The views from the terrace aren't as spectacular as at some of Meteora's other monasteries. 10. Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery You can park in a small layby across the road from the steps leading up to the Agios Nikolaou monastery. From there it is a 10 to 15 minute steep climb to the monastery. Luckily that deters a lot of people so it is the quietest monastery. The entrance fee is Eur 3. This monastery is the smallest at Meteora. It is very atmospheric and the small chapel is beautiful. I am not sure if it could accommodate a tour group! You can sit in the chairs and admire the fabulous frescoes. You can climb up to the roof top from where there are excellent views of Meteora's stunning scenery. 11. Roussanou Monastery We parked on the road above the Roussanou monastery and had a 10 minute walk down to the monastery. Equally you can park on the road below the monastery which would involve a 10 minute walk up. If there is no parking in one area drive to the other area. There is an entrance fee of Eur 3 and the dress code is enforced. The Roussanou monastery has a small chapel with gruesome seventeenth century frescoes of beheadings, spearings and mutilations! There is a small terrace outside with good views over to the other monasteries. You can see the Roussanou monastery in 15 to 20 minutes but walking to and from the monastery adds another 20 minutes. 12. Viewpoints at Meteora We went to several good viewpoints: The rocks next to Varlaam Monastery's car park. The rocks before the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery, when coming from the west. The " Main Observation Deck of Meteora " on Google Maps. They are popular viewpoints and are easy to find. They provide some of the best views of Meteora's monasteries. 13. Accommodation at Meteora Most people visiting Meteora stay in Kalambaka as it has the most accommodation in the area. It is a 15 minute drive to the Great Meteoron monastery Kastraki is a smaller and more attractive place to stay. It is a bit closer to the monasteries but has less accommodation options. We booked a 1 bedroom apartment in Kalambaka through Booking.com at a cost of Eur 61 per night for our 3 night stay. My review of this accommodation is on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 12). 14. Links to My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Mystras, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Contents 1. Vicenza to Koper, Slovenia 2. Koper to Ljubljana, Slovenia 3. Ljubljana Day Trip 4. Ljubljana to Lake Bohinj, Slovenia 5. Lake Bohinj Day Trip 6. Day Trip from Lake Bohinj to Vrsic Pass 7. Lake Bohinj to Novi Sad, Serbia 8. Links to My Other Blogs 26 April 2023 - Vicenza to Koper, Slovenia We woke to sunshine for a change and the weather forecast is good for a few days. Today we drove 3 hours from Vicenza to the old coastal towns of Piran and Koper in Slovenia. We didn't leave Vicenza until midday so that we could arrive at our new accommodation just after the earliest check in time of 15.00. Our Tomtom satellite navigation had problems locating our new accommodation and tried to take us down some very narrow tracks. We were becoming very frustrated and tried Google maps instead and that did the trick. I was surprised to find that our apartment was one of seven apartments in a building. The owner was very friendly and the apartment was very clean and nicely furnished. However, I am concerned that there is a connecting door with another apartment. I dislike such doors as they let in noise. We will see what happens tonight! We drove about 20 minutes to Piran, parked outside the town and took the car park's free bus into the old centre. It is probably misleading to say free as the parking is about Euro 3 per hour! In summer Piran is jammed with tourists and parking is difficult. Luckily for us there were very few tourists and there were plenty of parking places. We walked around the old Venetian town for about 2 hours and then had supper on the seafront. It was warm enough to sit out and we had very good grilled calamari and sardines. I have done a blog on " 1 Week in Slovenia " that provides detailed information on the places that we visited in Serbia. 27 April 2023 - Koper to Ljubljana, Slovenia Last night we had our best night's sleep since leaving home and there was no noise from the adjoining room. We checked out at 10.30 and drove 5 kilometres to the port of Koper. Parking can be a real problem at Piran, and it is very expensive, but at Koper there are plenty of car parks near the city centre. We were about to pay at the machine when a man kindly informed us that it was a public holiday and parking was free. Not only is it a holiday today but also May 1st and 2nd! This does cause a problem with grocery shopping as no supermarkets are open on public holidays. It also seems they won't be open on 30th April. We will have to stock up tomorrow! We wandered around the historic buildings of Koper for a couple of hours in warm and sunny weather. We forked out Euro 4 each to climb up the Bell Tower for views of the city. I don't think we will bother doing this in other towns as it is a lot of effort and cost for very little benefit. We had lunch at a very small eatery outside the market called Fritolin . It is recommended in the Lonely Planet guide book for cheap and fresh seafood. We both ordered grilled calamari and chips and with a soft drink it cost Euro 22. We ate it at one of the few basic tables outside and it was very good. Afterwards we walked an hour and 15 minutes along the coastal promenade to Izola. It was a very nice walk and was popular with the locals who were cycling, roller blading and walking. We had a quick walk around and after buying some bread for tomorrow's breakfast, and gelato, we took a short bus ride back to Koper. It was then just an hour's drive to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, where we had booked an apartment for 2 nights. See my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 ". I knew that we would be sharing the garden with the owner's parents. However, we were shocked to see that there were 4 people moving a pile of soil, and sifting it, only about 3 metres away from our apartment's windows. They were all talking very loudly and it was like a construction site. The apartment was otherwise very nice and the parents were friendly. By 18.15 I had had enough of the noise and texted a complaint to their daughter. They stopped at 18.30 and agreed to only work the next day whilst we were sightseeing. It did take the edge off things though. 28 April 2023 - Day Trip to Ljubljana We drove to Lidl's in the morning to do some grocery shopping since all the supermarkets will be shut from Sunday to Tuesday. We didn't realise that it was in central Ljubljana, but luckily there was hardly any traffic and driving was easy. Parking was also easy and only cost Euro 1.50 for an hour. After unloading the shopping at the apartment we walked back into Ljubljana and it only took about 20 minutes. Initially it was exceptionally quiet for a capital city but after a while it got a bit busier. The guide books say there is nothing in particular to see, but we found it to be a very pleasant city to walk around. We walked around for about 4 hours and it was very relaxing compared to the crowded towns of Verona and Venice. We had taken sandwiches for lunch, but there were a lot of outdoor stalls selling great smelling food. We walked up the hill to the castle, although you can use a funicular for about Euro 4. It was expensive to enter (about Euro 12), but free to walk around the grounds and even to climb up onto the walls. In Italy we spent a fortune on public toilets as they charged from 70 cents to Euro 1.50 in Venice. In Slovenia there are plenty of clean toilets and they are all free! Great for old guys who need to pee often! 29 April 2023 - Ljubljana to Lake Bohinj, Slovenia We left Ljubljana at 09.30 to make our way to our next accommodation at Lake Bohinj. Going directly would take only about 70 minutes, but our plan was to visit Skofja Loka, Radovljica and Lake Bled on the way. It was very easy driving out of Ljubljana and once we had got off the motorway we drove on pretty, rural roads with the snow covered Julian Alps in the background. We reached the historic town of Skofja Loka after about 30 minutes. There is quite a large historic core and we spent about 2 hours wandering around. Then it was another short drive to the town of Radovljica. The historic centre there mainly consists of one street of 16th and 17th century houses. It only took about half an hour to wander around. A 15 minute drive later and we were at Lake Bled. Slovenia is a very compact country! We experienced traffic congestion for the first time in Slovenia. Lake Bled is obviously very popular and it was a beautiful sunny and warm day on a holiday weekend. We turned off at the first parking sign we saw and the charge was Euro 15 for 4 hours or Euro 25 for the whole day! This is as expensive as Venice, but we decided to pay for 4 hours rather than have the hassle of driving around trying to find somewhere cheaper. It was a very short walk to the lake shore and it was very busy with many local tourists. I dread to think what it would be like in the summer. We walked the 6 kilometres around the lake and it was only busy at the start and end. It should have only taken about 90 minutes, but it actually took 3 hours with a lot of stops, a lot of photos and congestion on the trail. Apart from the number of people it is a very nice path around the lake with great views all the way. It is so photogenic with the island, the castle perched above the lake and the snow covered Julian alps in the distance. Some people were swimming and the water didn't feel that cold. It took 30 minutes to drive from Lake Bled to the apartment we had booked at the village of Stara Fuzina, which is on the shore of Lake Bohinj. Our apartment is on the attic level of a "Swiss chalet" and the owners live on the 2 lower levels. I selected this Airbnb apartment as it had good reviews and I prefer not to have people clunking around above us. The woman running the apartment was very friendly and offered us some honey liqueur. I readily accepted and as it was too harsh and strong for Lani I forced myself to drink hers as well! We had a basic supper of bread, cheese and salad in the apartment and then a very good night's sleep. 30 April 2023 - Day Trip around Lake Bohinj Lake Bohinj's weather forecast was for rain today, but when we woke up it was misty and dry. The mist soon cleared and at 10.15 we started walking the 12 kilometres around Lake Bohinj. We decided to go along the southern side of the lake first, but unfortunately the trail followed the road and trees often blocked the views. We got to the end of the lake at 11.45 and had our sandwiches at a picnic table overlooking Lake Bohinj. The weather was still dry and warm and there were some sunny spells. Clouds covered the tops of many of the snow covered mountains of the Julian alps. There is no road on the north side of Lake Bohinj and the trail is close to the lake. However, there are a lot of trees that partially obscure the views a lot of the time. We got back to our apartment after 3 hours. Lonely Planet states that Lake Bohinj is more beautiful than Lake Bled but I don't agree. However, it is far less touristy. In the afternoon we rested on our apartment's balcony. The weather forecast tomorrow has now also improved and it should be dry. If so we will drive about 1.5 hours up to the top of the Vrsic Pass which is at 1,611 metres. It is usually closed due to snow until the end of April or early May and it has just been opened for this year. 1 May 2023 - Day Trip from Lake Bohinj to Vrsic Pass A few days ago the weather forecast for Lake Bohinj was dismal and over 1 inch of rain had been forecast for today. Luckily weather in the mountains is difficult to predict. The weather forecast improved and we woke up to some sun and views of the snow covered mountains. We started driving to the Vrsic Pass at 09.20. When we reached Kranjska Gora, at the turn off to the pass, the view of the Julian Alps was superb. Unfortunately it wasn't possible to park quickly enough to take a photo and the mountains partially clouded over. There are numerous parking spots on the way up to Vrsic Pass and we used them to enjoy the views and take photos. After 46 miles of driving, and 26 hair pin bends up the pass, we reached the top of the 1,611 metre high pass at 11.30. The road was a bit narrow around the hair pin bends, but otherwise it wasn't a difficult drive. We had originally planned to go back down the same way, but we decided to go down the 24 hair bin bends on the other side. The hair pin bends weren't as tight and the scenery wasn't as dramatic as on the way up. We looked out carefully for the site of the memorial Russian Chapel built by Russian prisoners of war in 1916. Unfortunately we missed it and decided not to drive back up to locate it. The fastest way back to our apartment would have been to go back up Vrsic pass and return the way we came. The alternative was to do a longer circular route, which we decided to do in order to see different scenery. The road was narrow at times and it was slow progress as we had to drive carefully. We reached our apartment at 15.00 after driving 130 miles. 2 May 2023 - Lake Bohinj to Novi Sad, Serbia We woke up to the rain that they had been forecasting for the last 2 days. If it had to rain then today wasn't a bad day for it. We left Lake Bohinj at 09.00 and estimated it would take us 8 hours to reach Novi Sad. We had informed the owner of the next apartment that we would arrive between 17.00 and 18.00. One of the problems with booking apartments, rather than hotels, is arranging a time to collect the keys. We can estimate the driving time from Google maps but there are often delays. With this journey the border with Croatia and Serbia was the big unknown. Particularly since we couldn't buy car insurance for Serbia in the UK and had to buy it at the Serbian border. It was a fairly relaxing drive despite the rain and spray from other vehicles. The highways aren't congested in Slovenia and Croatia like they were in Switzerland and Italy and the drivers are less aggressive. The scenery was very unspectacular and it wasn't improved by the bad weather. Most of the time we drove at about 110 kms an hour, despite the speed limit being at 130 kms an hour. There were no border formalities at the border between Slovenia and Croatia as both countries are part of the Schengen area. It seemed that we would get to Novi Sad at about an hour earlier than expected, but then we reached the border between Croatia and Serbia! There was a huge queue of cars and despite us choosing the best lane it took one hour to enter Serbia. Then we had the issue of buying car insurance. We were relieved when a helpful policeman directed us to an office where we could buy the insurance. Unfortunately the person there didn't know how to issue the insurance and had to seek assistance over the phone. This man was becoming very frustrated with the process and as his English was poor we didn't know what was really happening. After 30 minutes the insurance was issued and we had to pay. Until then we didn't know the cost, but I thought it wouldn't be more than Euro 50 for the 4 days we would be in Slovenia. The amount was RSD 21,000, but we didn't know what this equated to in real money. We couldn't google it as our phones didn't have roaming for Serbia. We tried to pay by credit card but it was rejected. The man then said we could pay in Euro and it was Eur 230! I did query it, but in the end we had to pay, which left us feeling ripped off. Later that evening I researched it and discovered that it is virtually only UK car insurance policies that don't cover Serbia. There were a few comments on the internet about the prohibitively high cost of insurance at the Serbian border so we weren't cheated. However, if I had known what the cost would have been I wouldn't have chosen a route going through Serbia. When we left the Serbian border we texted the apartment owner that our ETA was 18.15. Unfortunately when we got to Novi Sad it was difficult to find the apartment and we didn't get there until 18.35. We booked the apartment through Booking.com and the apartment had excellent reviews. However, no review mentioned that the apartment block dated back to the communist era and didn't look nice on the outside or in the common areas of the building. The apartment itself was a very spacious apartment on the Danube with 2 bedrooms and 2 balconies. It costs only Euro 45 a night! Unfortunately they skimped on items like cooking utensils and there were a few other things that needed attention. See my blog Novi Sad, Serbia: Travel Guide for details about Novi Sad. Links to My Other Blogs Cornwall to Venice - Week 1 Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 The Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8 Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12 Dolomites to Home - Week 13 UK to Greek Island Accommodation - Part 1 UK to Greek Island Accommodation - Part 2 Hiking in Val Gardena, Dolomites

Contents Introduction Leh, Ladakh Stok & Spituk Shey, Thikse, Matho & Hemis Likir, Alchi, Lamayuru & Kanji Nubra Valley & Pangong Lake Taxis, Restaurants, Hotels & Laundry Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I spent a very enjoyable 6 weeks in Ladakh during August and September 2024. I mainly went to trek in Sham Valley, Markha Valley and Zanskar. However, I took advantage of being in Leh and did a lot of sightseeing whilst there. Leh is a very nice town and there are few hassles like in many parts of India. The people are friendly and welcoming and Leh hasn't been overwhelmed by traffic like in so many Asian towns. It helps that the main shopping street is pedestrianised. Leh is a good base for day trips to many of Ladakh's ancient Buddhist monasteries. It is important to be selective as there are so many monasteries in the vicinity of Leh. I visited most of the most important monasteries and this blog covers them. Trekking is another popular way to see Ladakh. The Markha Valley and Sham Valley treks are 2 short and easy treks near Leh. They can be done independently or you could join a group trek arranged by many of the travel agencies in Leh. See my blogs on trekking in Ladakh for information about these treks. I didn't do the popular 2 or 3 day trip to the Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake. It is very scenic but also touristy. 2. Leh, Ladakh 2.1 Central area of Leh The long pedestrianised shopping street called the Main Bazaar is the centre of Leh. At the northern end is the Jamia Masjid mosque. On the west side there is a Tibetan Refugee market. There are local markets south of the pedestrianised area and to the east a local shopping street runs parallel to it. Leh Palace can be seen from the northern end of the Main Bazaar and the dilapidated old town is east of the mosque. It is worth wandering through the old town on the way up to, and down from, Leh Palace but there aren't many buildings of interest. The Chokhang Vihara Temple was consecrated in 1980 and is in an area just north west of the Main Bazaar. It is worthwhile having a quick wander around this peaceful part of central Leh. 2.2 Leh Palace Leh Palace looks spectacular from the Grand Bazaar and it is lit up at night. It's definitely worth visiting Leh Palace and the entry fee was only INR 300 (USD 4) in 2024 for foreigners. The nine storey Leh Palace was constructed in 1630 and visitors enter on the fourth level. The Royal Shrine and a couple of rooms with exhibitions are on the fourth and fifth levels. Otherwise most of the rooms in the Leh Palace are empty. There are good views of Leh from the top floors. 2.3 Leh Old Town 2.4 Shanti Stupa The white Shanti Stupa was built in 1991 on a hill about 100 metres high. It's a 10 minute walk past the Hotel Omasila in the north western part of central Leh. There are 566 steps from the road to the stupa and there is a cafe at the top. Shanti Stupa is a popular spot at sunset as there are good views over Leh. 3. Stok & Spituk I spent 6 hours visiting Stok and Spituk by taxi that cost INR 2,500 (USD 30). The first section of the journey from Leh to Choglamsar went through an unattractive urban sprawl but the Choglamsar to Stok road was scenic. I returned to Leh via Spituk and the scenery from Stok to Spituk was excellent. It made a nice outing. 3.1 Stok The main places to see at Stok are the Palace, the Golden Buddha on the hill, the monastery and a heritage house. The village itself sprawls over several kilometres and is not worth walking around. Stok Palace was built around 1820 and became the royal residence in 1834. There is a museum and temple included in the small admission charge of about INR 200. Part of the Palace is now a heritage hotel. Photography isn't allowed in the museum and temple. The Golden Buddha is a couple of kilometres from the Palace. It's 22 metres high and was built in 2012. The Buddha is right above a modern monastery and the nearby shop has the key. There are excellent views from the Buddha. There is monastery nearby dating back to the 14th century. I didn't visit it but wish I had. The Gyapthago Heritage Home is a few kilometres further on. I had a tour of the old house and a nice lunch for INR 500 (USD 6). 3.2 Spituk Monastery & Village The impressive monastery at Spituk is built on a rocky outcrop and can be seen from several kilometres away. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh and dates back to the 11th century. There are about 4 chapels and chambers that can be entered but photography isn't allowed. Spituk village is built on the steep rear side of the monastery. My taxi took me around to this side and I walked up through the old and atmospheric village. There is a long line of white chortens at the base of the village. 4. Monasteries at Shey, Thikse, Matho & Hemis These famous monasteries are south east of Leh and can be visited as a long day trip from Leh. 4.1 Shey Palace There is a 2 storey temple in Shey Palace which contains Ladakh's most famous statue of Buddha. It is large and very impressive. The entrance fee for Shey Palace is only INR 40 (USD 0.50). There is a dilapidated fortress on the hill above the fortress. It's possible to clamber to the top from where there are good views. There are restaurants in the village just below Shey Palace. 4.2 Thikse Monastery Thikse monastery dates back to the 15th century. It is one of the biggest and most impressive monasteries in Ladakh and shouldn't be mis sed. Photography is allowed in the prayer rooms unlike at several of the other monasteries. The entrance fee is INR 50 (USD 0.60). 4.3 Matho Monastery Matho monastery dates back to the 15th century and photography in the interior is permitted. The entrance fee is INR 50 (USD 0.60). 4.4 Hemis Monastery Hemis monastery dates back to the 17th century and is probably the most famous monastery in Ladakh. It houses around 500 monks and there are about 5 chambers that can be visited. 5. Likir, Alchi, Lamayuru & Kanji It is about a 2.5 hour drive westwards from Leh to Lamayuru monastery which would make a long day trip if the monasteries at Likir and Alchi were visited on the way. It would be far more relaxing to spend the night at Lamayuru where there is plenty of accommodation. There are at least 2 decent hotels that have rooms with attached bathrooms. The interesting and attractive Tibetan village of Kanji is only a one and a quarter hour drive from Lamayuru. There is a homestay in Kanji and the night could be spent there instead of at Lamayuru. If you organise this trip yourself do ensure that you obtain a Protected Area Permit as you often need to show it at police road blocks. It only costs INR 600 (USD 7) and can be obtained quickly through most travel agencies in Leh. See my Markha Valley trek blog for further details. On the road from Leh to Alchi there are a couple of quick pull overs: The first one is Magnetic Hill where vehicles which have stopped appear to move uphill due to an optical illusion. In reality the road goes downhill. The next one is Sangam viewpoint which is above the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. 5.1 Likir Monastery Likir monastery was founded in the 11th century and there are now around 100 monks practising there. The monastery sits impressively on a hill that is about 5 kilometres off the Leh to Srinagar road. There are 2 main chapels and a museum that can be visited. Behind the monastery there is a 25 metre high golden image of the Maitreya Buddha. The entrance fee is only INR 50 (USD 0.60) and the opening hours are 08.00 to 13.00 and 14.00 to 18.00. Photography is allowed in the chapels but not in the museum. 5.2 Alchi Monastery Alchi Monastery is one of the oldest in Ladakh and is different from most of the other monasteries. It doesn't have a spectacular setting and is very small. However, the monastery's 3 very small chapels were very atmospheric and impressive. Alchi Monastery is open from 09.00 to 13.00 and from 14.00 to 18.00. At the entrance all cameras must be put in individual lockers. I visited at midday and fortunately there were no other visitors in the small chapels. However, when I left Alchi just before the monastery reopened at 14.00 there were groups waiting to visit. The chapels wouldn't be so magical if there were too many other visitors. The best restaurant in Alchi is the popular Alchi Kitchen run by women. 5.3 Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru monastery is one of the most impressive and largest monasteries in Ladakh. It is surrounded by a moonscape landscape and there are several viewpoints in the vicinity from which this moonscape can be fully appreciated. It takes about 2 hours to explore the fascinating monastery complex and there are around 4 chapels that can be visited. Photography isn't allowed in most of the chapels. 5.4 Kanji It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Lamayuru to the interesting and very scenic Tibetan village of Kanji where there is a homestay . The road to Kanji goes over the 4,108 metre high Fatu La which is the highest point on the Leh to Srinagar road. Just before Kanji the road goes through a spectacular canyon. I walked through it and met up with my vehicle on the other side of the canyon. 6. Nubra Valley & Pangong Lake The scenic drive to Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake is very popular. You can either arrange your own taxi or join one of the tours organised by the numerous travel agencies in Leh. When I was in Leh the reputable Ancient Tracks travel agency were advertising tours shown on the photo below. I didn't do this trip as I didn't have enough time and I was going to see a lot of Ladakh's wonderful scenery during my 6 weeks trekking in Markha Valley, Zanskar and Sham Valley. 7. Taxis, Restaurants, Hotels & Laundry 7.1 Taxis Taxis aren't usually hailed in the street. There are 2 main taxi stands in Leh, one is near the Main Bazaar and the other is by the bus station. There is a taxi union in Leh and they set the rates to each destination in Ladakh. The 2022/23 rate sheet is on their website . The cost of a taxi from the airport to Leh was INR 550 (USD 7) in 2024. 7.2 Restaurants in Leh There are a lot of good restaurants in Leh. I mainly ate at the following ones: Chopsticks Tibetan Kitchen Bon Appetit Most restaurants in Leh don't serve alcohol but Bon Appetit does. 7. 3 Hotels in Leh There are a lot of good looking hotels in Leh. I stayed at the Hotel Omasila which was one of the first hotels in Leh. The hotel is set in nice grounds and the rooms are spacious but need updating. The staff were very pleasant and helpful. 7.4 Hotels in Lamayuru The Grand Moonland and the Dragon Hotel get good reviews. Both hotels have attached bathrooms. I think I stayed in the old Hotel Moonland which was fine. I had an attached bathroom which was more than I expected. 7.5 Homestay in Kanji I camped at Kanji as it was the start of my Zanskar trek . I saw the Thankar Painter Homestay whilst wandering around the village. 7.6 Laundry There are 2 laundries near the Hotel Omasila in Leh. They are both on the same side of the road as the hotel and one is before the hotel and the other one after it. Usually laundry handed in by 21.00 it will be ready for collection the following evening. The cost is very reasonable. 8. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide to the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Pa rt

Contents Map of the Zanskar trek 8 September 2024 - Rest Day in Shade 9 September 2024 - Trek towards Phugtal Monastery 10 September 2024 - Trek to Phugtal Monastery 11 September 2024 - Drive to Kargyak 12 September 2024 - Rest day in Kargyak 13 September 2024 - Ascent to 5100m before Tserichen La (5680m) 14 September 2024 - Trek to Chumnik Marpo via Tserichen La 15 September 2024 - Trek to Kham Krap Sumdo (4500m) 16 September 2024 - Trek to Sarchu (4300m) 17 September 2024 - Drive to Leh Links to my other blogs on Ladakh & Zanskar Map of the Zanskar trek 8 September 2024 - Rest Day in Shade We had a rest day in the unspoiled village of Shade. Our campsite is just 100 metres from where the friendly local women milked the yaks every morning and evening. They usually finished at 19.00 and then started again around 05.30. They have a very tough life. I wandered around Shade a couple of times and it was deserted during the day time as the villagers were harvesting crops. 9 September 2024 - Trek towards Phugtal Monastery The government has upgraded the trail from the village of Shade to Phugtal monastery. This section of the trail for the Zanskar trek is now in a very good condition and provides spectacular views as it runs above the blue Tsarap river. The plan had been to camp in a side canyon about 3 hours before Phugtal monastery. Unfortunately the stream in the side canyon had dried up and we couldn't camp there. We continued for another hour and camped in a small rocky area just off the main trail where there was a small stream nearby. 10 September 2024 - Trek to Phugtal Monastery We continued our walk along the Tsarap river to Phugtal monastery. It only took 2.5 hours to reach the monastery and it looked spectacular in the bright sunshine. Our campsite was at a basic lodge 10 minutes past Phugtal monastery. Whilst waiting for the horses to arrive the weather changed and it started to rain. In the afternoon we visited the atmospheric Phugtal monastery which is one of the main monasteries in Zanskar. As usual photography on the interior wasn't allowed. 11 September 2024 - Drive to Kargyak I didn't like last night's campsite as there were too many people camping and staying at the nearby basic lodge. An Indian group made a lot of noise until 22.30 and we normally go to sleep well before then. In the morning we walked 1 hour to the road and were met by 2 jeeps. All the luggage and camping equipment was transferred from the horses to the jeeps. From there it was a 1.5 hour drive to the village of Kargyak, which was the home of one of the crew. Initially the road was rough but nearer the Kargyak it was tarred. The weather was very windy when we arrived at the campsite and it looked like it would rain. We therefore had lunch and sat in the dining tent until the weather improved enough for us to put up our tents. The weather got worse again in the late afternoon and it became chilly and wet. 12 September 2024 - Rest day in Kargyak The weather was miserable yesterday afternoon and evening. However, when I got up at 07.00 the sky was clear and it wasn't windy. I was pleased that it was a rest day as my tent was covered in ice. The day was mainly spent washing clothes, having a wash in the cold river and using the internet. In the late afternoon I wandered around the village of Kargyak and as usual the villagers were very friendly and welcoming. 13 September 2024 - Ascent to 5100m before the Tserichen La We left the village of Kargyak (4,120 metres) to begin our ascent over the 5,680 metre high Tserichen La. We stopped and camped for the night at 5,100 metres. Two of the other trekkers began having problems with diarrhea in the afternoon but I was feeling fine. I had been walking strongly and someone complimented me about it during supper. Unfortunately that's when my problems started! Shortly afterwards I started feeling a little bit off and I took Diamox on the assumption it was mild altitude sickness. During the night I hardly slept as my stomach ached and I felt very nauseous. 14 September 2024 - Trek to Chumnik Marpo via Tserichen La We woke up to light snow. Martin from Canada had frequently vomited during the night and couldn't continue trekking. He therefore descended back down to Kargyak with one of the crew with the intention of joining us 4 days later at Sarchu. Another trekker had bad diarrhea but continued trekking like me. It was a huge effort to ascend 600 metres to the top of the 5,680 metre Tserichen La whereas the previous day I had no problem ascending 1,000 metres. I really struggled and had to constantly stop. At the top I started vomiting. I didn't have any lunch and descended down to our next camp at 4,900 metres. It was a very tough day as I was very sick. I skipped supper and just lay in my tent from the time I arrived at camp to the next morning. During the day I had started to suffer from diarrhea. I took the antibiotic Azithromycin and that quickly cured the diarrhea. Unfortunately it had no effect on my nausea and vomiting. At least I didn't need to frequently run to the toilet tent! 15 September 2024 - Trek Kham Krap Sumdo (4500m) I slept for about 12 hours and still felt nauseous when I woke up. I just had Muesli with water for breakfast. Fortunately it was only a 4 hour hike today and the majority of it was downhill. The weather wasn't good and I didn't take many photos. I skipped lunch again and didn't have dinner. I just lay in my tent from the time I arrived at camp to the next morning. 16 September 2024 - Trek Sarchu (4300m) Jamie said it would be another short 4 hour hike to our next camp at the village of Sarchu (4,100 metres). I was relieved about that as I was still feeling very sick. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 7 hour hike! The trail was reasonably flat but there were a lot of ravines to go down and back up again. An hour before camp we had to cross a river which involved changing into river shoes. The river level was about knee height and the rocks on the river bottom were very slippery. The scenery was quite stunning as we approached Sarchu but I was too exhausted to properly appreciate it due to my illness. When we reached camp I was relieved when one of the crew helped to put up my tent. I briefly joined the group for supper and just had soup. I was still feeling very sick and knew I wouldn't be able to continue trekking and do the last 9 day section of the Zanskar trek. Jamie and Esther thought I would be able to continue as I had been walking at a reasonable pace. However, that pace had pushed me to my limit and I knew I couldn't do it for another 9 days. Another factor was that in India satellite phones are prohibited so a helicopter rescue wouldn't have been possible. 17 September 2024 - Drive to Leh Three of us drove back to Leh. Martin from the UK had always intended to end the trek in Sarchu due to time constraints. Martin from Canada had recovered but didn't feel strong enough to continue. Only the 2 Australian trekkers were completing the final 9 day section of the Zanskar trek with Jamie and Esther. The camp was packed up by 10.00 and we all walked a mile along a flat track to where the jeep was parked. I really struggled on this very easy section and felt very nauseous. I had clearly made the right decision to go back to Leh. It was a tiring 7 hour drive to Leh through very bleak and unattractive mountain scenery. The Mamali to Leh highway had a lot of road construction going on for most of the way which slowed us down. We stopped for lunch but I was too sick to eat anything. I didn't have any dinner either! Instead I went to the hospital in the evening and the doctor prescribed a lot of medication. Everything was free! When I returned to the hotel I researched the medication on the internet and decided not to take it. 18 September 2024 and onwards I managed to change the date of my Virgin Atlantic flight from Delhi to the UK and surprisingly the flight change cost only £45. Unfortunately my flight on the morning of 20th September was cancelled and I was rebooked on a 01.00 flight the next morning. I spent the rest of the 20th September lying sick in bed at a 5 star hotel provided by Virgin Atlantic. I was too sick to eat any of the free food at the hotel. I went back to the airport in the evening and struggled to make it through the long line ups for passport control and security. I was very happy when I managed to make it to the boarding gate. I wasn't so happy when they announced that the flight would be delayed by 2 hours due to a software issue. Then they kept putting back the departure time. It looked like the flight would be cancelled again. However, they eventually announced that the software issue had been resolved and we took off 5.5 hours late. I reached home on the evening of 21 September and I was starved as I had hardly eaten for 8 days. My weight was down to 63 kilograms which was 10 kilograms less than when I flew to Ladakh. I improved a lot a few days after returning to the UK but still had stomach pains. I saw my doctor who arranged blood and stool tests and an ultrasound scan. It seems that I had bad gastroenteritis and that has caused lactose intolerance. My 44 days in Ladakh were fantastic but it was a shame it had ended this way and that I couldn't do the last section of the Zanskar trek. I will never rely on filtered water again. I will either drink boiled water or sterilise the water with a Steripen. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh & Zanskar Zanskar Trek - Part 1 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Contents Map of the Zanskar Trek 29 August 2024 - Trek to Chapskang (4270m) 30 August 2024 - Trek to Zingchan 31 August 2024 - Trek to Hanumil (3600m) 1 September 2024 - Trek & Drive to Zangla (3600m) 2 September 2024 - Visit to Padum & Karsha Gompa 3 September 2024 - Trek to Zangla Sumdo (3850m) 4 September 2024 - Trek towards Yarichun 5 September 2024 Trek to Yarichun (4220m) 6 September 2024 - Trek towards Shade 7 September 2024 - Trek to Shade Links to my other blogs on Ladakh Map of the Zanskar Trek 29 August 2024 - Trek to Chapskang (4270m) We started hiking to the top of the 4,640 metre high Barmi La at 08.30. There is now a rough road over the pass and in the next 2 to 3 years the road will go all the way to Dibling. Jamie had arranged for a jeep to come from Leh with resupplies for the next stage of our Zanskar trek. Jamie had hoped the jeep would come early and we reached the top of the Barmi La at 09.30. Unfortunately the jeep only arrived at midday and then the supplies were loaded onto the horses. After lunch we descended steeply to our campsite where I had a well needed wash in the river! 30 August 2024 - Trek to Zingchan We kept to our usual routine of breakfast at 07.00 and leaving camp at around 08.00. We immediately hiked steeply to the top of the 4,710 metre high Hanuma La. It took 2 hours to ascend 700 metres to the top of the pass where there were very good views. Initially the scenery on the other side of the pass wasn't very special. However, after lunch we followed a high, narrow and very exposed trail above a spectacular canyon. We reached our campsite at 15.30 and had it to ourselves like all the other campsites so far on our Zanskar trek. It was in a scenic location and there was plenty of flat space for our tents. We had dinner outside for the first time as it was a warm evening. 31 August 2024 - Trek to Hanumil (3600m) We often camp at the bottom of valleys which means there is often a steep ascent at the start of the day. That's what happened this morning as we immediately hiked about 600 metres to the 3,900 metre high Parpi La. It took about an hour and a half to reach the top of the pass. We then had the inevitable descent to our campsite. It was very scenic as the path was on the mountainside above the wide Zanskar river. The path was at times only 12 to 18 inches wide which is often the case in Zanskar. It wasn't a problem until there was an eroded section and then the exposure was a bit nerve wracking. It was a shorter and easier day and we arrived at a pleasant campsite outside the tiny village of Hanumil around 14.00. 1 September 2024 - Trek & Drive to Zangla (3600m) We had our breakfast outside as it was sunny and warm. We delayed setting off until 08.40 as we were meeting up with jeeps later in the morning in order to avoid walking along a section of road. It only took 1.5 hours to walk from our campsite at Hanumil to the village of Zangla. It was another very scenic hike above the impressive Zanskar river. Two jeeps and a tractor trailer were waiting for us. It was then an half hour drive along a good tarred road to our campsite. Initially I wasn't very impressed with the campsite as it was just off the main Zanskar road. The campsite was very spacious and grassy but there wasn't any shade and it was hot. There were quite a few locals picnicking there as it was a Sunday. The locals were very friendly and gave us some of their local brew and some snacks. Later the local women danced whilst the inebriated men slept. 2 September 2024 - Visit to Padum & Karsha Gompa It was a rest day and we were driven to the town of Padum after breakfast. There was a lot of construction going on in Padum which made it very messy and not very pleasant. A lot of trekkers start or finish their treks in Zanskar in Padum or use it as a resupply point. We took a taxi from Padum to the nearby Karsha monastery which is the most important monastery in Zanskar. The Karsha monastery dates back to the 10th century and it was atmospheric with five monks reciting holy scripts. We had lunch at a Korean restaurant in Padum! Most of us also treated ourselves to cake and coffee. I am not particularly keen on Korean food but the cake and coffee were good. 3 September 2024 - Trek to Zangla Sumdo (3850m) A taxi was meant to drive us to Zangla palace but it never turned up. We ended up walking there on the main road and it took 45 minutes. Zangla palace was built in the 10th century by the king of Zanskar and is on a hill outside the village of Zangla. The palace wasn't open but it was interesting walking around the site. After leaving the palace we descended into canyon and walked through it for about 4 hours until we reached our campsite. We had to wade through the river numerous times. 4 September 2024 - Trek towards Yarichun We started hiking at 08.00 and ascended 500 metres to our next camp, which was at an altitude of 4,350 metres and on the way up to the Pangdang La. The terrain was very barren and rocky today with one slightly tricky section across a scree slope. We had to cross the river several times. In the late afternoon 4 young Israelis came past our campsite. They were trekking in the opposite direction to us and were going to camp a bit further down. They were carrying very basic food supplies and their meals weren't going well. 5 September 2024 - Trek to Yarichun (4220m) We left our campsite at 07.50 to begin the 900 metre ascent to the Pangdang La (5,250 metres). Yesterday the scenery was very barren and desolate but today the hike was very scenic. The trail wasn't tricky and it took 3 hours to reach the top of the Pangdang La. From the summit we descended for one hour to our campsite. We stopped before we reached Yarichun and the campsite was at an altitude of 4,600 metres. When I returned to my tent after dinner my head lamp lit up the eyes of an animal which was initially about 100 metres away. It came closer before going up the mountainside. It moved like a cat and I think it was a snow leopard. 6 September 2024 - Trek towards Shade It was a cold night and the temperature dropped to 4 centigrade in my tent. In the morning there was frost on my tent and my hands were very cold and painful when packing it up. Fortunately the sun hit the campsite at 07.00 and we had breakfast outside in the warmth. There were numerous river crossings today. Due to the low river levels we could jump across on rocks most of the time and only had to change into river footwear twice. The weather changed for the worse as we walked and at lunchtime it started to lightly rain. The scenery was great but would have been so much better with sunshine. At the end of the day we had to ascend 420 metres to the 4,680 metre high Lar La. It doesn't sound much but it was tiring at high altitude. It was sunny at the top of the pass and we had great views. On the way down it rained heavily and it was the most rain we had in Zanskar. 7 September 2024 - Trek to Shade It was below freezing last night and there was frost on our tents again. We left the packing up of the tents until the sun came out at 07.05. We had breakfast outside as the temperature was pleasant in the sun. Soon after leaving camp we had a 600 metre ascent to the Rotang La. The trail wasn't as steep as yesterday's and we reached the top of the Rotang La after 2 hours. It was a clear and sunny day but at the top of the pass it became very windy. It was a very scenic descent to the small village of Shade where we camped for 2 nights. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh Zanskar Trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024