Markha Valley: Ladakh's Tea-House Trek, Village to Village
Youth Travel India ·
Village to village in Ladakh with homestays, high passes and Kang Yatse views.
→ The Markha Valley route map: camps, passes and elevation
Markha Valley is Ladakh in village form, a walk from settlement to settlement through Hemis National Park with homestays instead of long camping hauls. The full route is about 65 to 80 km over six to eight days, starting near Chilling or Zingchen from Leh and ending at Chokdo. The top point is Kongmaru La at about 5,260 m, about 17,260 ft, with Kang Yatse at 6,400 m in view. Days run five to eight hours with no technical climbing, only altitude, sun and river crossings. It is moderate to difficult and suits a fit beginner who rests well in Leh first.
Getting there: base in Leh at 3,500 m for two full days before walking. From Delhi the classic student choice is the HRTC Delhi to Keylong to Leh bus, about 990 to 1,212 km in about thirty to thirty six hours with a change at Keylong, fare about ₹1,800 to ₹1,900. It runs only when passes are open, roughly June to September. Faster options are bus or train to Manali or Jammu plus onward buses, or flights Delhi to Leh often from ₹5,000 to ₹9,000 early. In Leh stay in guesthouses from ₹800 to ₹2,000.
Getting there: Leh to the trailhead is by shared taxi. Leh to Chilling is about 70 km, two to three hours, Leh to Zingchen about one hour. Seats often cost roughly ₹500 to ₹1,000 shared, a full vehicle roughly ₹2,500 to ₹3,500 to split. Return from Chokdo to Leh is two to three hours. JKSRTC lists Leh to Srinagar fares from about ₹600 to ₹1,100 for those linking Kashmir and Ladakh. Take cash from Leh, as there are no ATMs on trail.
What it costs: you can trek tea house style with little camping. For 2025 to 2026 guided groups of six to seven days are listed from about ₹23,000 to ₹31,000 plus tax, some to forty thousand for small groups with Leh hotels. That covers hotels on set nights, tents where needed, meals, guide, transport and park fees. Independent trekkers often spend ₹12,000 to ₹18,000. Homestays are ₹1,200 to ₹1,800 per night as room plus dinner plus breakfast plus lunch plus tea. Guides are ₹1,800 to ₹2,500 per day, meals ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per day.
When to go: go June to September when homes are open. July and August are warmest, though streams run high. June can hold snow on the pass, September brings colour and fewer walkers but colder nights. From October to May homes close and high roads shut. Manali to Leh and Srinagar to Leh roads close in winter, and summer rain can delay links, so keep buffer days around the trek for flights and buses.
Stay safe: altitude shapes each day. You sleep from 3,400 m to about 4,800 m at Nimaling and cross 5,260 m, so sickness can start above 3,500 m. Rest two days in Leh, walk slowly, drink four to five litres daily, avoid alcohol early, and descend if headache, vomiting or walk trouble appear. Be able to carry a light pack six to eight hours, so train with cardio, stairs and loaded walks. Insurance for high trekking and air rescue is advised. Park and Inner Line permits are arranged in Leh.
Day by day: rest in Leh two nights with light walks. Drive to Chilling, cross the Zanskar bridge and trek seven km in four to five hours to Skiu at 3,400 m. Next walk Skiu to Markha, a long twenty km in six to seven hours along the river to 3,700 m past bridges and walls. Markha has monastery, fort ruins and barley fields. Eat home food with thanks and sleep warm in the family home.
Day by day: trek Markha to Hankar, eleven km in five to six hours to 4,000 m with Kang Yatse views. Climb Hankar to Nimaling, ten km in six to seven hours to 4,700 m of pasture, marmots and blue sheep. At dawn cross Kongmaru La at 5,260 m in about two hours up, then drop through gorges to Chokdo and drive to Leh. Some add a rest day at Nimaling for health or weather, which is wise at this height.
Leave no trace: Markha is a national park and stays clean only if all act as keepers. Carry back all plastic, use refill bottles and treated water, stay on paths to save crops and pasture, and use toilets well. Wash away from streams with no soap in water. Keep noise low for snow leopard, ibex and birds, and do not feed animals. What you bring in, you bring out fully.
If you are visiting from abroad: homes are Buddhist and courteous. Greet softly, walk clockwise around shrines, remove shoes in prayer rooms, ask before photos and dress modestly. Most need an Indian e visa before arrival, and operators arrange park and Inner Line permits from passport copies. Carry passport original on trail plus rupees in cash. Food is dal, rice, thukpa and tea, usually veg and egg. Evenings are quiet, so keep voices low.
What makes Markha special is that money stays local. Villages host on rotation, so income spreads across homes instead of pooling in one lodge. Small cafes run by women, plus local guides, add direct pay. Choosing homestays keeps leakage low and shows how soft adventure funds mountain life.
Route craft, safety thinking and expedition notes in this guide draw on Dr Satinder Singh Malik's Adventure Tourism in India.