In a land full of spectacular sights, and magnificent monasteries, it is easy to overlook a hidden wonder - the gorge cut by the mighty Zanskar river as it carves its way through the Zanskar mountains. This is a deep canyon, with 2000 ft high cliffs falling sheer into the raging river, pathless, remote, and forbidding.   Until recent years, this was only known to the local Zanskar people who viewed it with some awe, but not we suspect with any great love - they regarded it like you view a prize bull - a magnificent but dangerous necessity.  In the long winter months, the passes over the mountains are blocked by snow and the District of Zanskar is cut off from the rest of Ladakh .  Then the only link to the outside world is down the Grand Canyon of the Zanskar, walking on the frozen ice as the river still runs below - a cold, arduous, and perilous, 4 day trek.
 
In more recent years the Zanskar has become known to international river runners, and top trekkers who have hailed it as 'the Grand Canyon of Asia'.    Those who have been lucky enough to travel down the great canyons and rivers of the world, all rate the Zanskar as truly magnificent and a world classic. Most people agree that in terms of the scenery it is more magnificent than say the Grand Canyon or the Colorado,  Canada's Nahanni River, or Peru's Colca Canyon. The former are both National Parks and World Heritage Sites. Coupled with the magnificent scenery is the traditional mainly Buddhist culture of Zanskar - a fascinating example to the rest of the world of sustainable environmental living.