Ladakh's Chadar Trek: Walk On 42 Kms Frozen Zanaskar River With Mountains In Company

A walk on the frozen Zanaskar river that starts from the second week of January, every year. The unique Chadar trek draws participants from across the country and foreign tourists as well.

It usually takes around three days to cover the trek on the frozen river bed.

Are you an avid trekker? Or even a normal traveler? If yes, just imagine a location where you can walk on frozen sheets of ice, with mountains on both the sides enveloped by snow on one side and a stream, slowly freezing or melting on the other! Yes, this is quite possible, and to make your thrilled further, one can witness the surreal beauty in India. This is the Chadar Trek, also known as the Frozen River Trek. The Ladakh administration is ready with its annual tourism attraction – the Chadar Trek. A walk on the frozen Zanaskar river that starts from the second week of January, every year. The unique Chadar trek draws participants from across the country and foreign tourists as well. The trek is 42 km long and it starts from Chiiling upto Padam in Zanaskar. With a normal trekking regime, it usually takes around three days to cover the trek on the frozen river bed. The trek goes through Zanaskar Gorge at a height of nearly 20 thousand feet. In the run-up to Chadar trek 2020, the District Magistrate, Leh Sachin Kumar Vaishya also visited the frozen Zanskar river up to the base camp. The DM assessed the condition and also analyzed the facilities to be provided in order to ensure safety and security of the trekkers. He also spoke to the officials and workers to be deployed.

This year due to severe cold, with mercury has already touched -32°C. The river has frozen solid and thereby enhancing chances of a great trek for enthusiasts. This will be the first trek since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of Ladakh as a Union Territory by the Government of India in August.