Kanji Padum Trek
The Kanji Padum Trek is a breathtaking 11-day expedition through the rugged Zanskar Valley. Traverse four high-altitude passes, including the challenging Kanji La (5,250m), with ever-changing landscapes—from rocky trails to windy ridges and alpine meadows.
Highlights of the Trek
- Cross 4 high passes: Kanji La, Pikdong La, Hanuma La & Purfi La
- Explore ancient villages: Lingshed’s monastery, Hanumil’s riverside charm, Zangla’s palace ruins
- Wild Himalayan scenery: Moon-like valleys, glacier streams, and snow leopard tracks (if lucky!)
- Cultural immersion: Sip butter tea with locals, witness traditional farming
Best Time to Visit
- Ideal Months: July–September
- Weather: Warm days (10–20°C), cool nights
- Avoid: October (early snow) & June (meltwater floods)
Difficulty Level
- Challenging (5–9 hours hiking daily)
- Best for: Fit trekkers with prior high-altitude experience
How to Extend Your Adventure
Pair this trek with other Ladakh classics:
- Markha Valley Trek (moderate)
- Chadar Frozen River Trek (winter-only)
Permit Tip: Check the official Ladakh Inner Line Permit website for updates.
Why This Trek Kanji Padum Trek?
isn’t just a hike—it’s a journey into the hidden Himalayas. Experience:
- Prayer flags dancing in the wind
- Villagers’ warm smiles
- Starry nights in untouched wilderness
Ready for the adventure? Book your trek today or contact us for expert guidance!
Trip Itinerary
Leh to Kanji (3,800m) – 5hr drive through Indus Valley, passing magnetic hill and confluence at Nimmu, with gradual ascent to Kanji village for first-night acclimatization amid stark Himalayan landscapes.
Kanji to Base Kanji La (4,500m) – 4hr trek along moraines and scree slopes, camping below the pass with twilight views of snow-capped ridges.
Cross Kanji La (5,250m) to Rusgog Dho (4,400m) – 8hr challenge: steep ascent over loose rocks, panoramic Zanskar vistas, then long descent to grassy campsite by a glacial stream.
Rusgog Dho to Pikdong La Base (4,350m) – 5hr hike through wide valleys dotted with marmot burrows, preparing for tomorrow’s pass beneath towering rock walls.
Pikdong La to Dibling (4,100m) – 6hr traverse: climb switchbacks to the wind-swept pass, then descend into Dibling’s meadows where wildflowers bloom in summer.
Dibling to Lingshed Sumdo (3,900m) – 5hr walk along the Tsarap River, entering Zanskar’s cultural zone with first glimpses of Lingshed’s terraced fields.
Lingshed Sumdo to Lingshed Village – 6hr climb past chortens and mani walls to the 11th-century monastery, where monks welcome trekkers with butter tea.
Lingshed to Snertse via Hanuma La – 7hr grind up barren slopes to the pass, then zigzag down to Snertse’s campsite under jagged peaks.
Snertse to Hanumil via Purfi La – 5hr journey: cross the pass early, then follow the Zanskar River to Hanumil’s whitewashed houses and poplar groves.
Hanumil to Zangla – 5hr riverside walk to Zangla’s crumbling palace, once home to Zanskar’s kings, with optional visit to nearby nunnery.
Zangla to Leh – 8hr drive via photogenic Kargil Road, stopping at Lamayuru Monastery before descending back to Leh’s bustling streets.
Trip Inclusions
- Comfortable Vehicle: For sightseeing on all days as per the itinerary
- Accommodation: At all locations on double (for couples & special requests) and triple sharing basis in standard hotels/camps in Leh
- Buffet Breakfast and Dinner: Starting with Dinner & ending with Breakfast as per itinerary
- Experienced Guide: Experienced and Certified Trekking Guide
- Supported Staff: Supported Staff Including Cook, Helper, Horsemen (Only applied for Camping)
- Inner Line Permits & Ladakh Union Fee: Assured
- Trek Certificate
- Oxygen Cylinder & First-Aid: During the tour
Trip Exclusions
- Airfare: Not included
- Lunch: Lunch in Leh
- Insurance: Please Note : We strongly recommended please check with your insurance company to cover your insurance above 5000m
- Monastery Fees: Not included
- Adventure Activities: Any kind of adventure activities are not included
- Tips: Tip for the Supported Team is not included
- Travel Insurance: Not included
- Other Expenses: Anything not mentioned in the inclusions
Adventure470401356092025-06-20Verified Superb❤️👍💪👏👏 Super Exciting Trip! The itinerary planned was so comfortable and suited to all four family members. Day wise activities, stay and travel was awesome. The vehicle provided was very comfortable and our guide was an excellent person full of experience, information and know how of each and every surprises within the mountains. He made our trip memorable one. The lunch, tea and dinner points en route were so excellent that food added extra points to our Leh trip. Thanks to whole team of Mountain Intelligence Treks! Great 👍 All the best to your incoming projects. 💐💐👍👍 Harsh Dabas2025-06-01Verified Wonderful Stay with Warm Hospitality We stayed at De Reeva Resort, Tso Pangong, for one night as a family (my wife, parents, and I), and had a truly memorable experience. The staff was incredibly helpful and attentive, ensuring all our needs were taken care of. The rooms were comfortable, and we felt well looked after throughout our stay. A special mention to the food — it was fresh, delicious, and comforting, especially in the cold weather. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a peaceful and well-managed stay near Pangong Lake! We stayed at De Reeva Resort, Tso Pangong, for one night as a family (my wife, parents, and I), and had a truly memorable experience. The staff was incredibly helpful and attentive, ensuring all our needs were taken care of. The rooms were comfortable, and we felt well looked after throughout our stay. A special mention to the food — it was fresh, delicious, and comforting, especially in the cold weather. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a peaceful and well-managed stay near Pangong Lake! Mani C2025-01-29Verified Ice climbing It was a amazing experience, I was a beginner and rigzin helped me a lot to climb my first ever wall. They had all the gears and I always felt safe. Will do it again when I am in leh. Clement L2024-10-20Verified Incredible Experience in the Himalayas I had a truly unforgettable experience climbing all 6070m of UT Kangri with Rigzin, supported by his team from Mountain Intelligence. Rigzin provided incredible help in pushing me up the mountain despite the going getting tough for me, especially in the final 500m of elevation or so. My acclimitization was not the best (my fault) and so the altitude was a challenge. Nonetheless, Rigzin supported me every step of the way and helped when he was needed the most. On the descent, I accidentally fell into a river and suffered some cuts and abrasions. Rigzin and team went out the way to send me to a hospital and got me checked. It goes without saying that I could never have made it up and down safely without their help!I wish them all the best and definitely look forward to the next adventure with them! William Dickens D2024-09-08Verified An incredible time in the Himalayas We had an unforgettable experience touring Ladakh, all thanks to Rigzin and Mountain Intelligence. From the moment we first inquired, their team stood out for their quick, prompt responses and excellent value compared to other operators. Our entire trip was seamlessly planned, from airport pick-up to drop-off, with every detail in between—accommodation and the itinerary—carefully organized to suit our needs. Rigzin and his team made everything feel effortless, allowing us to fully enjoy the stunning landscapes and rich culture of Ladakh. We can’t recommend Mountain Intelligence highly enough for anyone looking to explore this beautiful region. Thank you Rigzin for an incredible trip! Alpine Trail2024-09-08Verified Amazing UT Kangri Expedition with an Excellent Team I just returned from an incredible UT Kangri expedition at 6070 meters with Mountain Intelligence Company and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. The trip was perfectly organized, and everything went smoothly thanks to the fantastic team. Rigzin, our main guide was outstanding. He is a true expert in mountain climbing and made sure we were safe every step of the way. His experience and careful planning helped us reach the summit and get back to base camp without any issues.The whole organizing team did a great job with all the details from the gear we needed to the logistics. They made the whole process easy and stress-free.If you’re planning a high-altitude adventure, I strongly recommend Rigzin and his team. They made our climb an amazing experience and I’m grateful for their hard work and expertise. Thanks Rigzin and Mountain Intelligence for a fantastic adventure! Sonam Lama2024-09-01Verified Leh Ladakh Private Tour by Mountain Intelligence I had an amazing trip to Leh Ladakh with Mountain Intelligence Treks led by Rigzin Angdu. From booking to the end of the journey, everything was perfect. The itinerary was well-planned, the accommodations were comfortable and the guides were knowledgeable. The trip was safe, enjoyable and great value for money. I highly recommend Mountain Intelligence Treks for an unforgettable Ladakh experience. Trip430811084642023-10-15Verified Beautiful places! The best team to climb beautiful mountains! I highly recommend the services of these gentlemen! Specialists in every detail! Jose María S2023-09-03Verified A memorable tour in Zanskar We just completed the "Ladakh Zanskar Expedition" by Mountain Intelligence.What a magnificent experience! Losal, our guide and driver, made of this a memorable trip. Being a Zanskari himself, his insights about everything we were seeing along the way were priceless. An excellent an calm driver, he safely drove us across Zanskar all the way to Srinagar in Kashmir.Zanskar is such a beautiful territory. We can only wonder how all the new roads and construction will transform this beautiful and still remote region. As for now, it preserves the beauty of nature in its most overwhelming and magnificent form. Peter2023-08-08Verified Good value for money Very good organisation.Rigzin the owner came to visit us in our guesthouse for all the explanation and to arrange the permit.We went out for 4 days.Beautiful views, authentic homestays.Our guide Urgyan was great, received a lot of explanation and an expert in his field.Will definitely come back.Because our daughter had to stop the trek due to altitude sickness, they adjusted the price afterwards, very fair.