This is perhaps the most famous treks of the Himalayas. Starting from the lush green valley of the Himalayas, it slowly traverses the great Himalayan range and as it arrives in the trans-himalayan range the landscape and the people go through an amazing transformation. The scenery here is truly spectacular and the monasteries are really remote and cliffhanging.
About 20kms south of Rangdum stands the Panzila watershed across which lies Zanskar , the most isolated of all the trans Himalayan valleys. The Panzila top (440/m) is the picturesque tableland adorned with two small alpine lakes and surrounded by snow covered peaks. As the Zanskar road winds down the steep slopes of the watershed to the head of the stop valley. One of Zanskar's main tributary valleys,the majestic "Drang-Drung"glacier looms into full view. A long and winding river of ice and snow, the “Drang-Drung†is perhaps the largest glacier in ladakh, outside the Siachen formation. It is from the cliff-like snout of this extensive glacier that the stool or Doda River, the main tributary of river Zanskar rises.
Zanskar comprises a tri-armed valley system lying between the Great Himalayan Range and the Zanskar mountain. The three arms radiate star-like towards the west, north and south from a wide central expanse where the regions two principal drainages meet to form the main Zanskar River. It is mainly along the course of this valley system that the regions 10000 strong mainly Buddhists population lives. Spread over an estimated geographical area of 5000 sq.kms high rise mountain and deep gorges surround Zanskar has the distinction of being the least interfered with microcosms of ladakh, and one of the last few surviving cultural satellites of Tibet. Within the mountain ramparts of this lost Shangrila stand a number of ancient yet active monastic establishments. Some of these religious foundations have evolved around remote meditation caves believed to have been used by a succession of famous Buddhist saints for prolonged meditation in pursuit of knowledge and enlightment.
The frozen Zanskar river is used as a short route to reach Nimmo. This also attracts few adventure lovers to trek in frozen region during the winter. Particularly in the month of December mid to first of march.
Places of Interest
Padum : one the capital of the ancient kingdom of Zanskar , Padum ( 3505 meter ) is the present day administrative headquarters of the region. Padum town is 240 km from kargil, around 12 hours journey crossing through tanzil-la pass (440 m). Padum is the most popular settlement of Zanskar , it also has the large number of Muslim community whose origin dates back to 17th century. Lately, Padum has become a famous as a major trekking base and a popular tourist destination. Several place of tourist intrest in the vicinity of the town ship can be visited in the course of entertaining walks for the nearest momoment is the set of accident rock carving on a huge boulder near the river bank. Just below the old township.
Starring Monastery:- The Stereo monastery with about 30 resident monks clings to a tree covered covered ridge above the old town. Across the expanse of cultivation lies the old village of pipiting , dominated by its picturesque hill top monastery, a superb manifestation of stupa architecture.
