Yalung Nong Peak Expedition (6,050m)

Distance: 7 km | Time: 3-4 Hours | Altitude Gain: +500m elevation

After an early breakfast, we take a short 7 km drive past the Spituk Monastery, watching the Indus River cut through the stark, rocky floor. We leave the vehicles at the mouth of the Zingchen gorge. The trail introduces you to the classic Hemis National Park landscape: narrow, sun-baked canyons, dramatic limestone cliffs, and dry stream beds. The path climbs gently and steadily on a well-defined trail, eventually opening up into the striking green barley fields and willow groves of Rumbak village—a vibrant oasis cradled by the massive Stok mountain range.

Distance: 12 km | Time: 5-6 Hours | Altitude Peak: 4,900m (Sleep at 3,500m)

Today is a vital acclimatization test. Leaving camp, the trail winds upward, growing steeper as it switchbacks toward the crest of the Stok La pass (4,900m). The landscape turns surreal here—surrounded by jagged, multicolored rock cathedrals in shades of deep purple, ochre, and rust, a known habitat for the elusive snow leopard. Reaching the top, you are rewarded with sweeping views of the Stok Kangri massif. The initial descent is sharp and technical, contouring through two sweeping valleys before flattening out along the riverbed toward Stok Village. Here, we visit the historic Stok Palace Museum before driving back to Leh for a comfortable night's rest.

Distance: 150 km drive | Time: 5-6 Hours drive | Altitude Gain: +1,080m

We leave the Indus Valley behind, driving past the grand monasteries of Shey and Thiksey before tracking up into the mountains. The road twists up the legendary Taglang La pass—the second-highest motorable pass in the world at 5,328 meters—where prayer flags snap wildly in the freezing wind. Descending the other side, the jagged peaks give way to the immense, rolling plains of the Rupshu plateau. We arrive at Pangunagu near the shores of Tso Kar, a vast, brackish lake ringed by white, salt-crusted marshes and low, rolling hills.

Distance: 15 km | Time: 5-6 Hours | Altitude Gain: +70m

A flat, expansive, and deeply peaceful trekking day. The trail traces the eastern shores of Tso Kar Lake, across vast sand flats where the sky feels infinitely large. The landscape is an alpine desert steppe, home to rare black-necked cranes, ruddy shelducks, and herds of Kiang (Tibetan wild ass) galloping across the horizons. Toward the end of the day, the trail turns away from the lake, following a gentle stream into the small, remote pastoral settlement of Nuruchan.

Distance: 13 km | Time: 4-5 Hours | Altitude Gain: +290m

The trek shifts into higher nomadic territory today. We begin with a gradual, steady ascent through a wide, gravelly valley up to the broad saddle of the Horlam La pass (4,900m). The climb is physically demanding due to the altitude but technically straightforward. From the pass, we drop gently into the beautiful, wide-open valley of Rachungkaru. This area is a bustling summer camp for Changpa nomads and Tibetan refugees, who live in traditional yak-hair tents (Rebo) surrounded by thousands of yaks, sheep, and valuable Pashmina goats.

Distance: 16 km | Time: 6-7 Hours | Altitude Peak: 5,430m

This is the most strenuous trekking day on the approach, crossing two distinct high-altitude passes. We climb steadily out of Rachungkaru up to the Kyamayuri La pass (5,430m), where the thin air makes every step deliberate. The views from the top span across an endless sea of rolling, high-altitude ridges. A short descent brings us to a high plateau before we ascend once more over the Kartse La pass (5,380m). From here, the path drops easily into the wide, emerald-green summer pastures of Gyama, a pristine valley isolated from the modern world.

Distance: 14 km | Time: 8-9 Hours | Altitude Gain/Loss: +880m / -880m

The defining moment of the expedition. An alpine start under a brilliant blanket of stars, leaving camp around 4:00 AM. The route follows a long, continuous, and steady ridge line. There is no technical ice or vertical rock work, but the sustained angle and extreme altitude require mental toughness and a rhythmic pace. As the morning sun lights up the Changthang, you step onto the massive summit plateau of Yalung Nong Peak at 6,050 meters. Below you, the stunning, vibrant blue expanse of Tso Moriri Lake stretches across the landscape. After celebrating at the summit, we carefully retrace our steps down the long ridge to the safety of our Gyama camp.

Distance: 14 km | Time: 6-7 Hours | Altitude Loss: -570m

Our final day on foot takes us out of the high pastures. We conquer our final pass, the Yalung Nyau La (5,440m). As you crest the ridge, the 20-kilometer-long, deep turquoise eye of Tso Moriri Lake reveals itself completely, framed by snow-capped peaks on the horizon. The descent is long, sandy, and knee-jarring, passing colonies of whistling Himalayan marmots. The trail levels out as we reach Korzok Phu, one of the largest and most vibrant nomadic winter settlements in Ladakh.