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The climb to Shingo La is not hard by Himlayan standars, and
can be completed in a couple of hours too, but it may take a little longer
early in the season when the approach is completely under snow. A series
of prayer flags marks the Shingo La. It is set beneath an impressive
backdrop of 6,000m snow-capped peaks defining both the main Himlayas and
the Baralacha Range.
Day 1: Padum To Mune (3,
900m)
(Average walking time 6 hours)
Day 2: Mune To Purne (3,700m)
(Average walking time 8 hours)
Day 3: Purne To Phugtal &
Tetha (3,950m)
(Average walking time 4 hours)
Day 4: Tetha To Kargyok (4,050m)
(Average walking time 7 hours)
Day 5: Kargyok To Lakong (4,470m)
(Average walking time 6 to 7 hours)
Day 6: Lakhong To Rumjak (4,290m)
(Average walking time 6 to 7 hours)
Day 7: Rumjak To Darcha (3,350m)
(Average walking time 6 to 7 hours)
At
Darcha there are tea stalls, and an adequate campsite. The local bus to
Manali departs
early in the morning. If heading north, there are also regular truck
convoys, which could provide a lift to the Indus valley and
Leh .
Alternate Trek:
TREKKING FROM DARCHA TO PADUM
Many trekkers follow the above trek from Padum to Darcha in the opposite
direction. If one follows this route it is essential that one spend at
least a few extra days acclimatising before crossing the Shingo la.
Day 1: Plan to trek from Darcha to Jankar Sumdo. This should take
around seven to eight hours. Here one can spend a rest day before making
it up to the stone shelter huts at Chumik (4,640m) below the Shingo la on
the following stage.
Day 2: The next stage over the Shingo la to Lakong in the upper
Zanskar valley taken six to seven hours. The pass crossing is not so
arduous when compared with other passes over the main Himalayan range.
From camp, there is a gradual ascent for the first 2½ hours to reach
the terminal moraine at the base of the pass. The trail then steepens,
crossing a rocky slope to the true right of the glacier before rounding a
large crevasse to a Chorten in the centre of the valley. This is not the
top of the pass. However, most of the climb is over, and a gradual ascent
to the pass follows. The pass is marked by a series of cairns and Mani
walls draped in prayer flags.
Day 3: The initial descent from the pass is quite steep, and care
must be exercised when crossing the snowfield as it is often very icy just
beneath the surface. The route heads to the left of the valley across
scree slopes before the final descent to the valley floor. After crossing
a large side stream there is a choice of campsites on the meadows known
locally as Lokong (4,470m). There are no tea stalls, but there are
shepherds' huts where one can shelter overnight.
Day 4: From Lakong, it is a further six to seven hours trek to
Kargyak. From there on to Padum,
allow four stages. The first takes one to Tetha village and the second to
Purne and Phugtal monastery. The third stage would see one at Reru and the
fourth stage at Padum, with time that day to organise onward transport to
Kargil.