Ladakh & Africa, July-September, 2013


OUR ACTIVITY RESORT, ATALI GANGA WINS THE 



Only Indian Adventure Company to be featured twice
When it comes to travel to remote regions, to altitude or to inhospitable conditions, you need an outfitter with the right credentials, the right guides and the right equipment.
 
Our Ladakh Trips are recommended by the National Geographic Traveler !!
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Dear Friend,
 
Its time to begin planning for the the big monsoon season that arrives in the Himalaya late June, where the only avenues for adventure travel remain tucked away in India's Trans Himalaya. Our Ladakh and Zanskar trips are certainly our most popular multi-day adventures, with a great mix of hiking, drives and witnessing the Grand Canyon of Asia, journeying down the incredible gorge of the Zanskar. This year, we have two departures so you are not disappointed when this trip runs full.
 
We are also launching the Amazing African Adventure, combining a descent of the Zambezi starting at the base of the Victoria Falls, and running the best of the river, and then viewing wildlife at South Luangwa, as only Africa can offer.
 
We also have trips on offer for the trekker, with two great hikes in Ladakh. One is a trek into the less traveled Ripchar valley with its small villages, nomadic settlements and pastures where we see a wide variety of flowers till the end of August, and birds too. We cross some high passes with excellent views of the Karakorams and the Zanskar ranges. And ofcourse, the ever popular Markha valley.
 
So, Africa or Ladakh, we hope to see you take the plunge.
 
Vikram Joshi
                                                                                              
Title : Markha Valley Trek    Category : Trek
Duration : 08 Days
Location : Ladakh
Season : Monsoon (July - Sep)
Grade : Moderate
                          

Dates : July 05-13, 2013 
  
One of the most popular trek in Ladakh, the proximity to Leh brings a lot of people in this valley. Beautiful landscape and good chances to spot some high altitude wildlife. 
 
Ripchar Valley Trek  
Category  : Trek 
Duration   : 08 Days 
Location   : Ladakh 
Grade       : Moderate
Dates        : July 13-20, 2013
 

 Lonely Planet calls it the 10 Best Things to Climb !  The ascent of this 6000m plus mountain in 10 days is probably the quickest one can climb it, keeping in mind that one needs some time to acclimatize to the altitudes as well. After spending the first couple of days acclimatizing in Leh during which time we also visit some monasteries and the interesting Leh market, we set off for a week long trek. Instead of approaching the mountain head-on we travel some distance west and then approach it through a slightly longer route crossing the Stok La (4890m) and then descending to the Stok valley. This approach gives us a little more time to acclimatize and the steep climb up to Stok La acts as a good test before the final ascent.

The final climb of Stok Kangri will present a challenge to even the fittest of the members. Even after being fully acclimatized and completely in form, one would always find any climb going over 6000m to be a hard one. This is about as high as non-professional mountaineers get on the planet: a clear day sees exquisite views of K2, with the huge Ladakhi capital of Leh a mere speck on a horizon, hemmed in by the imposing mountains of the Karakoram Range.
 
Category : Multi-Activity Adventure (drives, hike, camp, raft the Zanskar canyon) 
Duration  : 12 Days                       
Location  : Ladakh and Zanskar
Grade     : Moderate 
Dates     :  Aug 09-20 & Aug 20-31  
 
 
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
Waterfall stop below Constriction, Zanskar
classic. Most people agree that in terms of the scenery it is more magnificent than say the Grand Canyon or the Colorado, Canada's 
Over the Pensi La
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.

 Undoubtedly a classic, this journey to the last truly lost horizon of our shrinking planet - Zanskar, the "land of white copper" is a trip 
 
Beginning the trip below Vic Falls
THE BEST OF AFRICA - Sep 08-18, 2013 
 
Victoria Falls, Zambezi White Water Rafting  & the South Luangwa, here are 3 of the 1000 places to see before you die!    
The Victoria Falls is where the wide Zambezi River simply drops some 100 meters into a narrow gorge. The Falls lie across the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Called "Mosi-oa-Tunya", (the smoke that thunders) in the local language the Falls are one of the seven wonders of the world and when you first come to Zambia, Livingstone is must visit destination.
 From here we get into our rafts and practice paddling techniques before we paddle across rapid 1. Here we have the option to carry the rafts up over a few rocks and float around in the "Boiling Pot" directly beneath Victoria Falls, the best start to any raft trip in the world. We run rapid after rapid such as the Midnight Diner, Gulliver's Travels and the Mother where we can have a 

The Kali flows, one of our favorites, straight out of Jungle Bookwondererful riverside banquet lunch whilst watching other rafts come through, Oblivion!   We float on down to our camp at Rapid 23 called Bobo Beach where we will sample sundowners, a fantastic barbeque (vegetarian options are available) and a homemade apple crumble for dessert. Fall asleep in your tent or under the stars in your Sunrise million star hotel. Two more days are spent running the best of the Zambezi. As the gorge opens out we see the occasional crocodile and see our last (and best) rapids of the trip, 
Chamamba and Upper Moemba. On our way out, we visit stunning villages such as Mukuni Village and Songwe.
  
We move into a whole new dimesion now!! The South Luangwa Park offers an absolutely unique variety of animals. 
Spending 3 days at the reserve make it a
heady combination after running the wild Zambezi.
 

The Kali flows, one of our favorites, straight out of Jungle Book



Our mountain trips are featured on The New York Times, Boston Globe and TIME magazine, amongst many others - who you go with is now quite easily answered.. Boston Globe

  New York Times-Where the Earth Meets the Sky  Time Magazine MAy 29, 2008