Chadar Trek 2018 – Experience of a Lifetime

 

Chadar Trek 2018 – Experience of a Lifetime

I remember falling in love with the concept of treks and with the opportunity to test my utmost limits that comes along with it. Through the years since 2001, I’ve never ceased to achieve the same and seldom do I get nervous about an upcoming trek, but Chadar trek was different.

The Chadar trek took me back to my roots to reignite my unwavering determination to be a better trekker than I ever was before. As a sign of gratefulness to the place, I will be narrating the story of an adventure seeker in this blog, describing the innumerable wonders of nature which mesmerised me this adventure in Ladakh.

Day 1: Arrive in Leh and Acclimatise

Towards a frosted beginning: As my flight landed on Leh airport runway, the pilot announced that the outside Leh Ladakh temperature was -10 degrees.  I was soon going to move away from the comfort of the plane to the harsh cold weather outside. I was well equipped for the cold having packed my fleece, down jacket, gloves and balaclava in my handbag.  As I exited the aeroplane, I was taken aback by the beautiful sights around the airport that I had only familiar with books. It didn’t take much time for me to conclude that the books that I’ve been reading have been undermining the true colours of Leh. I was barely holding back the irresistible urge to drop my bags and proceed to climb the frosted peaks of the place. I was so spellbound with the sights that it took me a while to feel the bitter cold that was chewing away my skin. I booked my taxi at the counter just outside the airport and proceeded to the guesthouse where I was to meet my other batch mates. I had to spend two days in Leh and get accustomed to the abrupt change in weather and the high altitude.

Day 2: Acclimatising in Leh to avoid High Altitude sickness

Despite the freezing temperatures, I couldn’t hold back from exploring every nook and cranny of the place before the big day. The locals caught me up with their culture as I explored their markets for souvenirs. With some last-minute shopping from the army store, I was ready for the big day.

Day 3: Leh to Chilling onwards to Shingra Koma

And the journey begins

The day I was waiting for years had finally arrived. I embarked on my quest to witness the frozen waterfall of Nerak. The fact that some of the best batch-mates accompanied me around made my journey even more exciting. I wish the drive to Tsomo Paldar was a little longer. Although, I did manage to take some beautiful pictures at Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, which just happened to be one of our designated stops. After having a conversation with the locals and having a cup of hot coffee, we continued our journey.

Eventually, the car came to a halt. We were standing at the edge of the road, and I managed to catch a glimpse of the Zanskar river, which seems to be the real marvel of nature.

Dangerously Beautiful

As I put my first step on the frozen Zanskar river, a tiny shiver of fear gripped my heart. I’ve previously climbed and conquered steep mountains without feeling anything nearly relatable to how I was feeling now.

There was a thick layer of snow above the thin surface of the ice. We were warned by our experienced guide to measure every step that we took and not walk in haste. We were to tread carefully at a slow pace. There was a danger of the ice cracking underneath our foot. After some time, I got used to it, and my walk transitioned back to its normal state. It started feeling like any other hike, the only difference being that it was coupled with a stunning view and a frozen river beneath my feet. I can never emphasise enough on the beauty of the frozen Zanskar river. I completely got lost admiring the fact that I can observe stagnant droplets of the river just there, frozen in time. I was standing there enjoying the view until one of my batch-mates broke me out of the trance. The Chadar Trek was a fantasy that turned into a beautiful reality for me.

A night under the stars

I thought I already knew of the sights I would be experiencing in the journey, but I’m glad to say that I was completely wrong. As everyone was getting cosy within their respective tents, I decided to step out to introduce myself to the place personally. As I stepped out, I was awestruck with the innumerable stars dancing within the canvas that was the night sky. I have previously witnessed a sight comparable to this, but this was certainly on another level. I decided to make the most out of it by admiring it until the absolute freezing temperatures got hold of me.

Day 4: Moving towards Tibb cave campsite

I woke up to the noise of our kitchen staff who were busy preparing tea for us.   I felt an emotion that I could not explain as dawn occurred, and the sun-rays bounced and played around, lighting up everything in sight. I couldn’t help but felt a little sad while the joy of warmer temperatures was overtaking me. I was worried because it would be a few hours until I could experience the wonders of the night again. Although, the moment I noticed those tiny rays reflecting the frozen river, my sadness took a backseat. We were now supposed to reach the Tibb Cave by nightfall, and I was utterly excited.

Today, I experienced my first fall upon the thick layer of snow over the frozen Zanskar river. For a moment, I thought that I had broken my hip bone due to the fall. But luckily, there was no injury, and I just laughed at that instant and carried on with my journey.

Through yet another day of marvelling the wonders of nature, we reached the Tibb Cave campsite. Previously, I thought of nature as an artist but witnessing the sharp inlays of the Tibb Cave; I was convinced that nature was a skilled architect as well. Within the embrace of yet another night where stars adorned the sky, I waited patiently for the next day, the day when we would see the frozen waterfall of Nerak within our sights.

Day 5: Tibb caves to Nerak

Through another long yet gorgeous trail, we finally arrived in Nerak. This is where the Chadar Trek culminates beautifully. The frozen Nerak waterfall looked like the reminiscent of gentle yet quick brushstrokes of vibrant colours; it was painted with ice as a medium. We got the chance to get up close and personal with the spiked edges of the frozen waterfall, and that opportunity made the entire journey worth it. We clicked dozens of pictures to remember this moment and to mark yet another conquered trail within our adventure book. I was delighted when I realised that we have many more sights to discover further.

Day 6: Rest day at Nerak Campsite

Day 7: Nerak to Shingra Koma

As we traced our steps back to the Tibb Cave campsite, the urge to go back and settle within the frosted paradise of Leh grew. Our guide had told us that the weather changes in an instant around the place, but we only realised that to be true while we were returning. Around some parts, the thin sheet of snow had built up to surround the edges of the river. Me and my batch-mates, at this point, had bonded well and it almost felt like a family. We clicked so many pictures that I’ve honestly lost count at this point. We enjoyed our last night in the place by sitting under the night sky talking about what other treks we wish to experience after this. Most of us concluded that the Chadar Trek had cast a magical spell on all of us. It would be relatively difficult for any other place to get on par with this journey.

Day 8: Shingra Koma to Leh via Chilling

Today was the last day to farewell to the Chadar. I felt as if it was an entirely different trail. Before moving ahead, I had a few more solitary moments with the chadar before I arrived at the point where the vehicle had come to take us to Leh. I was heading back to the reality of life waiting for me in Leh.

I was blessed to have booked my trek with one of the best chadar trek organisers who are a local agency from Leh. Their entire staff was from the Zanskar region, and they took excellent care of our needs and safety.

Day 9 – Fly back home after the Surreal Experience

The Chadar frozen river trek could be described as an escape from the everyday hustles of reality. It is almost as if it transports you to another world, a world where there is nothing but adventure and joy. I went to the Chadar Trek to test my physical limits but what I got along with that is the chance to explore myself both mentally and spiritually to know myself better. Not only that, but I now have a new perspective to admire nature from, owing to the nights I spent underneath the star-sprinkled heavens of Leh.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

How difficult is chadar Trek?

Is chadar Trek closing?

How long is chadar Trek?

Is Chadar Trek organized by yhai?

What is the Leh to chadar trek distance?

How to do the booking for Chadar Trek 2020?

To book the chadar trek with the best organizer from Leh, with whom I did the chadar frozen river trek click here.

 

2 Replies to “Chadar Trek 2018 – Experience of a Lifetime

  1. Very well written. Enjoyed reading it.
    Which is the best month to visit ?
    And what is the temperature at the frozen river?
    How many days of trekking?

    1. Hi Manish, good to know that you enjoyed reading it. Thanks 🙂
      Best months for Chadar trek are January and February. Day temperatures are around -5 to -10 degrees whereas night temperatures dip upto -25 degrees. Total trip is of 9 days whereas actual trek is of 5 days.

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