Overview
We are the only company in the world who send an international guide and doctor on our Ladakh Tri-Adventure while keeping group sizes sustainably small. Established in 2007, we offer high altitude trekking and mountaineering in some of the most breath-taking locations around the world.
Bike, Hike & Raft Ladakh
Ladakh Tri-Adventure is a 16 day trip; 4 days of mountain biking, followed by 4 days of trekking before finally spending two days rafting down the Zanskar river, covering a total distance of 270km. The entire expedition is at high altitude (with a low point of 2940m and a high point of 5005m) which adds another challenging element to this adventure.
Ladakh is a region in North Western India stretching from the Himalayan to the Kunlun ranges on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The name ‘Ladakh’ means “land of high passes” in Tibetan/Ladakhi.
Ladakh is more akin to Tibet than India with over 90% of the population practising Buddhism. As well as time spent on the trail, we take every opportunity to visit local monasteries, palaces, villages and markets.
Bike
We cover a distance of 150km over the four-day biking section. We begin in Leh and follow the Indus river for the majority of our journey, exploring a region considered to be the birthplace of civilisation. The majority of our trail will be over paved roads. On day 3 we climb away from the Indus and begin making our way to the heart of Zanskar. The four days spent on the bike are a good challenge, with the final day being the toughest as we spend 6 hours climbing to Hanupatta.
Trek
We trek for a total of 50km over the four days in an area considered to be one of the most remote regions of the Himalayas. This route is quite as we will have the trail to ourselves apart from a few villagers that we may pass going about their daily routines. We cross the river several times and trek over 4 high passes: the Sirsir La Pass (4826m), the Burniktse La Pass (4390m), the Sengge La Pass (5,005m) and the Chuchokhuri La Pass (3970m).
Raft/Kayak
The Zanskar River is considered by many to be one of the best rivers in the world for rafting. We will paddle over 70km across the two days we spend on the river. The river flows through a large box canyon with walls over 1,000m and no road access – so once we begin our journey, we are committed to reaching the end of the canyon! Our journey ends at the confluence of the Zanskar and Indu Rivers.
Ladakh Tri-Adventure Expedition Costs & What’s Included
The total cost of the Ladakh Tr-Adventure is highlighted above. You are required to pay a 399.00 deposit. You can pay the remaining balance by instalments or in full. All fees must be paid two months prior to departure.
Your fees include the following;
- Return International flights from Dublin to Delhi (Economy Class) (UK flights not included)
- Internal flights in India
- Experienced Irish/UK expedition leader
- Experienced Irish/UK expedition doctor
- Training Weekend
- Local guides, cooks & muleteers
- All accommodation based on twin sharing in hotels in Delhi and Leh and camping elsewhere
- All meals and drinking water except in Delhi where accommodation is based on B&B
- A celebratory dinner
- All transport throughout the expedition
- All group gear consisting of first aid kits, mountaineering equipment, cooking equipment, bikes & helmets.
Flying from the UK?
You are more than welcome to join us from the UK. If so, you can select the ‘exclude flights’ option on the checkout. You can then book your own international flights to join us in India.
Watch our Info Talk
If you’d like more information on this expedition or the Kenya Tri-Adventure you can watch our information talk that we recorded in the Great Outdoors. James talks about Kenya first and starts the Ladakh talk 7 minutes in
Itinerary
Day 8
Tarchit to Hanupatta (3851m), 6 hrs biking.
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Cycle from Tarchit to Hanupatta. We say goodbye to our bikes and hello to our hiking boots today!
Day 9
Hanupatta to Photosgar (4193m) via the Sirsir La pass (4826m), 8 hrs trekking.
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Our first day of trekking in Ladakh! We trek over the Sirsir La pass to reach Photosgar.
Day 10
Photosgar to Sengge La base(4426m) via the Burniktse La pass (4390m), 7 hrs trekking.
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Cross the Burniktse La pass to Sengge La base.
Day 11
Sengge La base to Yulchung (3850m), 8 hrs trekking.
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Trek over the Sengge La pass (5005m) to reach Yuchung.
Day 12
Yulchung to Nyerak (3470m), 4 hrs trekking.
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Trek from Yulchung over the Chochokorila La Pass (3970m) to Nyerak. This is our final day of trekking.
Day 13
Nyerak to Lamaguru (3190m), 6 hrs rafting/kayaking.
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Our first day rafting on the Zanskar river. Paddle from Nyerak to Lamaguru.
Day 14
Lamaguru to Nimu (2743m) to Leh, 6 hrs rafting/kayaking.
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Paddle to Nimu and then drive to Leh.
Day 15
Day 15: Leh to Delhi, afternoon sightseeing.
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Fly to Delhi. Explore Delhi and go shopping in the afternoon.
Facts
Ladakh is the highest plateau of the Indian state of Kashmir with much of it being over 3,000m. The total area of 45,110sq km makes Ladakh the largest district in India. The largest town in Ladakh is Leh.
Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture. It spans the Great Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges and the upper Indus River Valley.
Ladakh is sometimes called 'Little Tibet' due to strong cultural and geographical similarities with Tibet. The approach to Ladakh is invariably marked with many long walls running 2-3 km, decorated with engraved stones bearing the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hun' and chortens which symbolises Buddha’s mind.
Buddhism is the religion of the majority of Leh District’s population. The most attractive features of the landscape of Leh are the Buddhists Gompas ( Monasteries). The Gompas are situated on the highest points of the mountain spurs or sprawl over cliff sides, located in the vicinity of villages and provide a focus for the faith of Buddhists.
Best time to visit Ladakh?
The best time to visit Ladakh is in the Summer. Ladakh is a high altitude desert, as the Himalayas create a rain shadow thus prohibiting the entry of monsoon clouds. The main source of water here is the winter snowfall on the mountains that form the glaciers. In many parts of the country, people pray for rain, here Ladakhis pray for the glaciers or snow to melt for irrigation and drinking purposes. Surprisingly though, the thin air makes the heat of the sun even more intense than at lower altitudes.
What do you need for Ladakh?
We have an extensive packing list on what you should bring with you to Ladakh. You can view this packing list here.
How to prepare for Ladakh Tri-Adventure
We have classified Ladakh Tri-Adventure as a level 6 expedition, for more information about our levels system click here. Tri-Adventure expeditions are very demanding, and participants need to have a good level of fitness. These events have been specifically designed to challenge people. The expedition involves four days on the bikes, followed by four tough days of trekking and then two days of rafting, all at high altitude. The group moves at a comfortable pace and nobody is ever left behind. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility to contact us if you have any concerns regarding your level of fitness, health or ability to complete the trek. We strongly recommend that you read the expedition itinerary in full before signing up to this challenge. You can read this document here.