The Markha Valley is where most people meet Ladakh on foot for the first time, and it is hard to imagine a better introduction. Over five or six days the trail follows a green ribbon of barley fields, willows and mud-brick villages through a landscape that is otherwise rock, sky and wind. It ends over Kongmaru La, at 5,260 m the highest point of the route, with a long descent through a gorge back towards the Indus. We have walked it in early summer and again in September, and both times it felt like a complete journey rather than a hike: a river valley, a high pasture, a pass, and villages that still live from their fields and their animals.
Where the trail goes
Most itineraries now start at Chilling, on the Zanskar River about two hours by road from Leh, or slightly beyond it at the footbridge that crosses to Skiu. The older start from Spituk over Ganda La (4,970 m) adds two days and a second pass, and it remains a fine option for a longer trek, but the road up the Zanskar has made the shorter version the standard. From Skiu the trail turns east into the Markha Valley proper and climbs gently past Sara and Chalak to Markha village itself, a cluster of houses and a small monastery on a shelf above the river at about 3,750 m. The next day continues to Hankar, with its ruined fort on a crag, and then climbs out of the valley towards the pasture of Nimaling at 4,700 m. From Nimaling the route crosses Kongmaru La and drops steeply to Chogdo and Shang Sumdo, where the road resumes. Total distance from Chilling to Shang Sumdo is roughly 65 to 75 km depending on where you camp.
Villages, homestays and the rhythm of the days
What sets the Markha apart from many Himalayan treks is that it runs through inhabited country for most of its length. Villages appear every few hours, and in each of them families take in walkers for the night in a simple homestay arrangement: a room, a shared meal, butter tea in the kitchen. This makes it possible to walk with a light pack and no tent, at least as far as Hankar. It also puts a little money into the valley in a direct and visible way. We found the etiquette straightforward: remove shoes at the door, accept the tea, ask before photographing anyone, and do not wander into the fields. The days are not long, typically four to six hours of walking, which leaves time to sit by the river or visit the monastery at Markha in the afternoon light.
Nimaling and the view of Kang Yatse
Nimaling is the emotional centre of the trek. It is a broad high pasture at 4,700 m where villagers from Markha and Hankar bring yaks, sheep and goats in summer, and where a few tea tents and campsites sit beneath the twin summits of Kang Yatse, the higher of which reaches about 6,400 m. Arriving there in the afternoon, after the long climb from Hankar past the small lake at Thachungtse, we felt the change in the air at once. Nights are cold even in July, with frost on the tents and a startling sky. It is worth spending an extra night here if the itinerary allows, both for the acclimatisation and for a walk up the moraine towards the glacier below Kang Yatse.
Crossing Kongmaru La
The pass day starts early. From Nimaling the trail climbs steadily for about two and a half hours over grass, then scree, to the prayer flags at 5,260 m. The gradient is never technical, but the altitude makes the last few hundred metres slow, and we walked the final stretch in short steps with long pauses. From the top the view opens north across the Ladakh Range and, on a clear day, towards the Karakoram beyond. The descent is the harder half. The trail drops about 1,500 m in a single day, first over open slopes and then into a narrow gorge where the path crosses and recrosses a stream on rock steps, sometimes wet, sometimes icy in the morning. Walking poles earn their weight here. By mid-afternoon the gorge opens at Chogdo and the last hour to Shang Sumdo is easy walking beside irrigation channels.
Season, altitude and permits
The trekking season runs from mid-June to early October. July and August bring the warmest days and the greenest fields, but also afternoon cloud and occasional rain; September is our favourite, with harvest in the villages, stable weather and cold clear nights. Snow can close Kongmaru La into June and again from mid-October. Altitude is the main risk on this route. Leh itself sits at 3,500 m, and it is essential to spend at least two full days there before starting, longer if you have flown in. On the trek the profile is kind, gaining height gradually over several days, but Nimaling and the pass are high enough that headaches and poor sleep are common. Descend if symptoms worsen; the road at Shang Sumdo is never more than a day away. The valley lies within Hemis National Park, and walkers pay a park entry and environmental fee, arranged in Leh or at the trailhead. This route does not require the special permits demanded in some border districts of Ladakh, but rules change, so confirm before you travel. Water is plentiful but should be treated. Sun protection matters more here than almost anywhere: the air is thin and dry, and the light on the pale rock is relentless.
Why it stays with you
There are higher passes in Ladakh and wilder valleys, but the Markha combines what the region does best. It shows the old irrigated agriculture of the Indus tributaries, the monastic culture of the villages, the summer pastures where the animals are taken up, and a real high pass with a real mountain over it. Walked slowly, with nights in family houses and a rest day at Nimaling, it is a trek we would recommend to anyone with good fitness and a little patience for altitude. We came down to Shang Sumdo both times dusty, sunburnt and already thinking about a return in another season.