Traverse Planning – Kashmir-Arunachal, 2026

Introduction

Colonel Anand S. is putting a team together to attempt a 9 months / 5350km long Trans Himalayan traverse from Kashmir to Arunachal from Jun 2026 to Feb 2027. Planning a detailed high altitude long-distance route through various seasons took a significant effort in analyzing various topographic maps. Below we present the summary of the plan.

• Summary
• Traverse
• Food Drops
• Ladakh/Kashmir
• Himachal/Uttarakhand
• Nepal
• Sikkim
• Bhutan
• Arunachal

Summary

Below shows a summary of distance and duration (assuming a 20km/day mileage). Trail distance 4544km over 7.5 months, total distance 5352km over 9 months. Plan is to start mid June in Kashmir and finish by end Jan / early March in East Arunachal.

Traverse

Download below GPX files in nakarte.me to study the plan in detail:

• Western Himalayas
• Nepal GHT
• Bhutan towns and villages-(update:include-Snowman’s-trek)
• Sikkim towns and villages
• Arunachal towns and villages

Food Drops

Army style food supply is planned using periodic food drops every 1 week to 10 days (150-200km). A total of 36 food drop locations below.

Food Drops	Nr	Location
Western Himalayas	1	Pahalgam 34.03220 75.32265
	2	Panikhar 34.11867 75.94676
	3	Rumbak 34.05452 77.43160
	4	Thukje 33.35974 78.02269
	5	Chitkul 31.35179 78.43591
	6	Mana 30.77053 79.49561
	7	Kathi 30.11209 79.94006
	8	Darchula 29.84911 80.54147
Nepal	9	Khandeshwari 29.80780 80.87539
	10	Simikot 29.97204 81.81844
	11	Chandannath 29.27495 82.18327
	12	Dangibada 28.97986 82.82490
	13	Kagbeni 28.83626 83.78341
	14	Darapani 28.52430 84.35449
	15	Khorlabesi 28.25446 84.88329
	16	Syabru Bensi 28.16367 85.33725
	17	Bagaam 27.91903 85.87058
	18	Thame 27.83189 86.65048
	19	Bhotkhola 27.76385 87.36329 (hiking)
Bhutan	20	Phungling 27.35648 87.67289
	21	Ha: 27.36905 89.29181
	22	Punakha: 27.58429 89.85931
	23	Trongsa: 27.50161 90.50759
	24	lingmethang: 27.26098 91.17137
	25	Trashigang: 27.33274 91.54633
Sikkim	26	Pelling 27.30017 88.23549
	27	Gangtok 27.32905 88.61227
Arunachal	28	Tawang, 27.58827 91.86438
	29	Tungri, 27.44464 92.38069
	30	Jomo, 27.65809 92.99987
	31	Koloriang, 27.90192 93.35228
	32	Taliha, 28.23346 94.14727
	33	Yangrang, 28.53100 94.37595
	34	Tuting, 28.99485 94.89201
	35	Aruzdu, 28.49080 95.82790
	36	Dingliang, 27.97970 96.39576

Detailed sections and metrics below.

Ladakh/Kashmir

Sate	Section	Trail Distance	Road Distance	Total Distance	Trail Duration	Road Duration	Total Duration
Kashmir	Kashmir Great Lakes	62		62	3.1	0	3.1
	Road Sonamarg-Baltal		20	20	0	1	1
	Amarnath	35		35	1.75	0	1.75
	Gulol Gali	10		10	0.5	0	0.5
	Bhot Kol	45		45	2.25	0	2.25
Ladakh	Lago La	8		8	0.4	0	0.4
	Road Panikar – Rangdum		42	42	0	2.1	2.1
	Kanji La	38		38	1.9	0	1.9
	Yogma La, Snyutse La	24		24	1.2	0	1.2
	Road Photoksar – Panjila		25	25	0	1.25	1.25
	Konske La	28		28	1.4	0	1.4
	Dunduchen La	19		19	0.95	0	0.95
	Road Chilling – Skyu		11	11	0	0.55	0.55
	Gand La	22		22	1.1	0	1.1
	Stok La	8		8	0.4	0	0.4
	Stok to Karzok	169		169	8.45	0	8.45
	Parang La	100		100	5	0	5
Total		568	98	666	28.4	4.9	33.3

Himachal/Uttarakhand

Himachal	Road Kibber – Mud		87	87	0	4.35	4.35
	Pin Baba	49		49	2.45	0	2.45
	Road Kaphnu – Chitkul		97	97	0	4.85	4.85
	Lamkhaga	67		67	3.35	0	3.35
Uttarakhand	Road Harshil – Gangotri		25	25	0	1.25	1.25
	Kalindi Khal	65		65	3.25	0	3.25
	Road Mana-Pulna		83	83	0	4.15	4.15
	Dunwari Khal	33		33	1.65	0	1.65
	Sitel-Pana	38		38	1.9	0	1.9
	Sitel-Wan	14		14	0.7	0	0.7
	Wan-Himni	22		22	1.1	0	1.1
	Himni-Badiyakot	18		18	0.9	0	0.9
	Badiyakot-Kathi	14		14	0.7	0	0.7
	Kathi-Kalpata	13		13	0.65	0	0.65
	Khalpata-Namik	14		14	0.7	0	0.7
	Namik-Lilam	27		27	1.35	0	1.35
	Lilam-Mathkot	21		21	1.05	0	1.05
	Mathokot-Bona	16		16	0.8	0	0.8
	Bona-Teejam	28		28	1.4	0	1.4
	Road Teejam-Darchula		35	35	0	1.75	1.75
Total		439	327	766	21.95	16.35	38.3

Nepal

Nepal	Darchula-Kandeshwari	63			3.15
	Kandeshwari-Simikot	152			7.6
	Simikot-Piplang	58			2.9
	Piplang-Gamgadi	38			1.9
	Gamgadi-Patmara (Chandranath)	70			3.5
	Patmara-Kaigoan	70			3.5
	Kaigoan-Dangibada	45			2.25
	Dangibab-Ringmo	63			3.15
	Ringmo-Dho Tarap	60			3
	Dho Tarap-Chharka bot	37			1.85
	Chharka bot-Kagbeni	73			3.65
	Kagbeni-Manang	58			2.9
	Manang-Dharapani	84			4.2
	Dharapani-Samagaon	104			5.2
	Samagaon-Korla Besi	76			3.8
	Korla Besti-Syabru Bensi	84			4.2
	Syabru Bensi-Panch Pokhari	93			4.65
	Panch Pokhari-Chaku	62			3.1
	Chaku-Simi Gaun	107			5.35
	Simi Gaun-Thame	77			3.85
	Thame-Chukhung	64			3.2
	Chukhung-Yangla Kharka	97			4.85
	Yangla Kharka-Bhotkhola	80			4
	Bhotkhola-Olangchungola	103			5.15
	Olangchungola-Sukethum	64			3.2
	Sukethum-Phungling	57			2.85
	Phungling-Sikkim road		149		0	7.45
Total		1939	149	2088	96.95	7.45	104.4

Sikkim

Sikkim	Estimate (missing maps)	100			5	0
	Roads		50		0	2.5
Total		100	50	150	5	2.5	7.5

Bhutan

Bhutan	Border-Sangbe (maps missing)	50			2.5
	Sangbe-Ha		76		0	3.8
	Lhayul – Kyichu	15			0.75
	Kyichu – Bhudha Point	44			2.2
	Bhudha Point – Dochu La	23			1.15
	Dochu La – Punakha	24			1.2
	Punakha – Chebakha	24			1.2
	Chebakha – Pele La	30			1.5
	Pele La – Chendebji	18			0.9
	Chendebji – Tshedra	20			1
	Tshedra – Yotong La	23			1.15
	Yotong La – Chamkhar	24			1.2
	Chamkhar – Ura	32			1.6
	Ura – Sengor	23			1.15
	Sengor – Mongar	42			2.1
	Mongar – Drametse	36			1.8
	Drametse – Tashigang	22			1.1
	Tashigang-Duksum		40		0	2
	Duksum-border	36			1.8
Total		486	116	602	24.3	5.8	30.1

Arunachal

Arunachal	Border-Thingbu		120		0	6
	Thingbu-Dibbin	96			4.8
	Dibbin-Sachung	60			3
	Sachung-Tagampu	72			3.6
	Tagampu-Koloriang	48			2.4
	Koloriang-Tum Nampai	48			2.4
	Tum Nampai-Pip Soreng	54			2.7
	Pip Soreng-Dupit	78			3.9
	Dupit-Rego	60			3
	Rego-Yio	66			3.3
	Yio-Palisiyi	66			3.3
	Palisiyi-Yamelling	70.8			3.54
	Yamelling-Aokan	63.6			3.18
	Aokan-Yachombra	64.8			3.24
	Yachombra-Donli	36			1.8
	Donli-Dingliang	76.8			3.84
Total		960	120	1080	48	6	54