Snow leopard country
Hemis National Park was founded in 1981 to protect the Rumbak and Markha catchments. It holds about 200 snow leopards.
After the trail · the almanac
The trek in four numbers
Markha is a homestay trek: villages, monasteries and high pastures, then one big pass.
5,260m
Kongmaru La
67km
Walking, over 5 days
~200
Snow leopards in Hemis NP
4homestays
Skiu, Markha, Hankar, Shang
💪 Moderate to hard☀️ Jun–Sep🏠 Homestays🪪 Environment fee
Day by day
Five days, step by step
This is Ju-Leh Adventure's plan from Chilling. Bikat starts at Zingchen over Ganda La instead.
How high you are on each kilometre
- Day 1Leh → Chilling → Skiu60 km drive, then up the Markha river6.9 km · 2–3 h🛏️ Homestay · 3,366 m
- Day 2Skiu → MarkhaThe long day, past Sara21.2 km · 6–7 h🛏️ Homestay · 3,760 m
- Day 3Markha → HankarPast Techa monastery and Umlung11.2 km · 4–5 h🛏️ Homestay · 4,030 m
- Day 4Hankar → NimalingUp to the summer pastures10.7 km · 5–6 h🛏️ Fixed camp · 4,841 m
- Day 5Nimaling → Kongmaru La → Shang SumdoOver the pass and down the gorge17 km · 6–8 h🛏️ Homestay, or drive to Leh
Stories and nature
The valley of homestays
Rinchen Zangpo's Skiu
The monastery at Skiu dates from the 11th century; its foundation was laid by Rinchen Zangpo.
The Amchi's sour spring
Below Kongmaru La, the sour spring of Chuskurmo is used in traditional medicine by Ladakh's Amchi doctors.
When to go
A summer trek
Hemis National Park's trekking routes are open from mid-June to mid-October.
June
Nights −10 to 5 °C, and snow is possible.
July–August
Peak season: days 10–25 °C.
September
Clear, but Nimaling can drop below freezing.
Winter
The high route closes; the Zanskar freezes into the Chadar.
Plan your trip
Getting to Chilling
Leh is the start and end. Plan two days there to acclimatise first.
- Leh🚙 60 km to Chilling, about 1.5 h
- Chilling
At the end, Shang Sumdo is about 2 hours' drive from Leh.
Cost
Ju-Leh's 8-day fixed departure is €690. Bikat's 10-day Zingchen version is ₹35,500 + 5% GST.
Permits
Indians no longer need an Inner Line Permit: since 2021 they pay Ladakh's online environment fee at lahdclehpermit.in (₹400 once, ₹20 a day wildlife fee, ₹50 optional Red Cross; Discover with Dheeraj, May 2026). Foreigners: see below.
Grade
Ju-Leh: moderate, 3 of 5. Bikat: difficult, BRS 5.
Altitude sickness
Kongmaru La is above 5,000 m. Acclimatise in Leh first, and go down if symptoms get worse.
Good to know
The small things
Cash, signal, water, permits and help on the way. Checked October 2026; confirm with your operator.
Bring cash
Leh has plenty of ATMs. There are none on the trek. Bikat Adventures
Phone signal
Only postpaid SIMs work in Ladakh. On the trek, BSNL and Airtel signal comes and goes. Bikat Adventures
Emergency phone
Each village has a satellite phone for emergencies. Personal satellite phones are banned in Ladakh. Ju-Leh Adventure
Charging
Most homestays have solar panels, so you can charge. Bring spare batteries: the cold drains them. Ju-Leh Adventure
Drinking water
Homestays give boiled or filtered water. Add purification tablets to be safe. Ju-Leh Adventure
Food
Families cook simple vegetarian Ladakhi food: rice, dal, momos, thukpa. They pack your lunch each morning. Ju-Leh Adventure
Homestays
No running water, so no showers. Bring a sleeping bag: the blankets can be dusty. Nimaling has tents and mattresses. Ju-Leh Adventure
Horses, not porters
Horses carry the luggage in Ladakh. Use a soft bag: hard suitcases can't go on horseback. Ju-Leh Adventure
Offloading
Himalaya Shelter charges ₹500 a bag a day, for up to 12 kg. Himalaya Shelter
What to pack
Your checklist
Tick items as you pack. Your ticks stay saved on this device.
Clothing
Shoes
Gear
Papers and money
Health
List from Himalayan Hikers: what to pack for Markha.
Who runs it
Choose an operator
We found 7 operators with a Markha Valley page in October 2026. Only Ju-Leh Adventure, based in Leh, lists dated departures, for May to September 2027; it prices in euros. Prices differ because some include Leh hotels and acclimatisation days.
Prices are base prices from each operator's own page (October 2026); most add 5% GST. Ratings are what each operator shows, not an independent audit. Names marked † show last season's price or one seen only in a search snippet.