Ladakh or the ‘Land of High Passes’ is a barren yet beautiful region located in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Sharing its east border with Tibet, Ladakh has Lahaul and spiti to its south and the Kashmir valley to the west. Strategically placed on ancient trade routes, Ladakh lies between the Kunlun Mountains in the north and the Himalayas in the south. The region originally comprised the Baltistan valley, the Indus Valley, Zanskar Lahaul, Spiti, Aksai Chin and Ngari.
The Markha Valley is one of the most popular trekking routes in Ladakh accessible from Ganda La pass near Spituk in the west, which is usually the beginning point of the trek, and Gaongmaru La pass near Hemis where the trek usually ends. Villages on the route of Markha valley trek are Rumbak, Shingo, Skyu, Sara, Markha and Hankar. Kongmaru La (5,265m) marks the highest point of our trek with excellent views of Kang Yangtse, the distant Nun-Kun peaks and northwards to the shimmering peaks that mark the Tibetan border.