I woke up outside the homestay at Stayangs and joined the three Swiss ladies which I had met the previous evening for breakfast at 6am. Their guide had prepared yummy porridge, a refreshing relief from the standard cuisine. They also gave me their leftover pooris which would keep me going the rest of the day.
The trio was proceeding to Leh with a cab, a good 8 hour ride from here. I bid adieu, crossed the stream and started the steep hair pin ascent to the Kyupka La at 4440m. From the top I was treated on a bird’s eye view on Stayangs as the morning sun rays just hit the small hamlet.
From Kyupka La you can either take a right towards Yulchung from where you can further proceed across the Kong La towards the Zanskar river and Nerak village on the opposite side. Alternatively you take a left and follow the road towards Photoksar.
The road contours left and gradually climbs up to the Singge La at 4950m. The trail short cuts the final hair pin road up to the pass from where you can beautiful views on both valleys. Buddhist prayer flags decorate a few stuppas and an abandoned rest house.
The hills on both sides of the pass are still covered by snow mid July. The trail gradually descents into the valley where a herd of wild yaks are grazing the high altitude pastures. I pass a group of foreign hikers accompanied by several horses.
New power lines are being erected along the road. Soon Lingshed and surrounding villages will be electrified. The trail joins the road and crosses the stream mid way to Photoksar. On the right side you get overwhelming views on magnificent orange-brown rock faces which rise high above.
Just before Photoksar I pass a large herd of sheep grazing the meadows in front of a huge canyon through which the river flows towards Sumdo. Unfortunately at this time the water level is still too high to traverse the canyon.
I finally reach Photoksar, a small green oasis built above the stream at the base of huge vertical cliffs, similar to Lingshed. The village is surrounded by lush green farm fields. At the outskirts a group of French hikers pitched up their tents. I check for a dhaba but in vain and finally an elder local gentleman offers me tea and bread, enough to satisfy the hunger at the end of the day.
Being only late afternoon I push ahead towards the next pass: Sirsir La at 4800m, a 650m ascent from Photoksar. I follow a small trail which shortcuts the hair pins of the road. From the pass the trail gradually descends 300m towards the Spang river.
Here the road proceeds downstream and turns right towards Hanupatta. I cross the Spang stream and climb up left towards to my next destination Kanji seperated still by two passes. As the evening falls I settle down on a nice flat campsite 150m above the stream.
A cold icy wind blows across the slope so I build a small rock wall to cut out the chillness. I sleep off deeply after a long tiring day in this peaceful isolated spot to the gentle sound of the nearby streams.
Alarm buzzes at 6am as the first sunrays hit my campsite. I pack up and hope to reach Kanji today as I am nearly out of food ration. The initial ascent towards the Nigutste La at 5100m goes along breathtaking rock formations. Sharp orange-red rock faces rise up steeply on both sides of a small stream.
I reach the pass after a 500m ascent and descent into an uninhabited valley in between the Nigutse La and Yogma La. I have to use my ice axe to cross a small frozen snow section on the way down. Always exciting to be in a remote place away from any settlements.
The trail contours left through a small side valley where I encounter an enclosure and cattle grazing. I see one nearby shelter where I assume the cattle herder resides. He probably locks up his animals in the enclosure each night to protect them from nocturnal attacks of snow leopards and other predators.
The stream in this “in between” valley flows down into a deep canyon towards the village Chilla. A trail runs through the canyon is unfortunately destroyed by landslides as per one of the Swiss ladies.
Just before the Yogma La I meet another hiking party. A foreign couple accompanied by 5 heavily loaded horses, a guide, a cook and a horseman. Quite a contrast with the solo alpine style explorer.
As I cross the pass a few wild yaks are climbing up from the opposite valley leading to Kanji village. These gentle animals are weary of people and will preferably keep a distance. I m surprised to see they also use the pass to graze adjacent valleys.Further down in the meadows I encounter several fat marmots who make a squeeking sound to warn others of your presence and run off to their holes below the ground. A few kilometres before Kanji I come across a first beautiful hamlet of a few homes surrounded by lush green farm lands.
Further down I finally get to Kanji, a larger settlement at the confluence of two valleys. The left valley connects to Dibling in Zanskar across the Pidong La. Unfortunately the water level in the stream is too high in July to follow this trail.
At the outskirts of Kanji I find a small dhaba where – being out of food ration – I indulge in some yummy Maggie with eggs and catch up with a local trekking hike who seems impressed by my 100 pass journey.
I now proceed along the road for 12km towards the Leh-Srinagar highway. The road runs through a deep canyon with impressive vertical rock formations on both sides. I reach the highway and hitch a ride to Lamayuru (120km from Leh) where I indulge in yummy cuisine, restock my rations and recharge my electronics for the next traverse towards the Markha valley.
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