Leh to Khotan,Padam to Lamaryu,

"The Sorghak goldfields (7060' or 2152 m) are 102 kms away from Kiria eastwards in 3 marches. From Kiria there is a frequented track southwards by Polu, (8430' or 2570 m) and 88 kms away over the Kuenlun range by the Diwan pass to Ghubolik Lake (16,960'or 5171 m) with Sulphur mines –69 kms- and across the Changthang and Chang Chenmo Plains by the Yeshil Kul (16160' or 4927 m), the Tashliak Kul at (16620' or 5067 m) and the Mangtza lakes to Noh, 392 kms, and Rudog 32 kms- Total distance by Noh and Tankse to Leh is 880 kms."

{ from Leh in Ladakh, India to Sinkiang, China when it was a popular trade route in the 19^th C. Today it has been replaced by a Kashgar – Karachi Highway.}

LEH to KHOTAN by Ilchi or Yangi Dewan pass :- from an 1897 book called "ROUTES IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR" written by Maj. Genl Le Marquis de Bourbel, also former Chief Engineer of the Jammu & Kashmir State.

T.- Transport coolies, ponies, mules or yaks available for an ordinary party of travelers.

TREKS:

Padam to Lamayuru

From Padam to Lamayuru via Sirsir La:

From Kargil after about 300 kms of driving on the most fabulous road in India reach Padam the same day or better still do it in two. That way the Nun and Kun peaks and the Brahmas across the Pense La and the glaciers by the road can be ogled at leisure.

Padam: At the confluence of the Doda and Tsarap Lingti Chu. Set in a wide plain with extensive views all around of many 6000+ peaks. Several guest houses and electricity till 23.00 hrs. A surprisingly well maintained PWD rest house is also available provided one gets there enough to salaam the PWD engineer if there is no advance reservation. Food in the nearby open air restaurants is better. To the west and high above is an attractive ice cream cone like 6424 ft high peak.

Day #1: Padam to Thongde (halt if U want to C the gompa) (3400 m ?) – 4 hrs- cross the Tsarap Lingti Chu bridge and walk along the right bank. Widish valley. With quite a few green fields and Leh berry bushes and hills rolling up to snow peaks some of which have interesting rock faces. From Thongde is a tough trek up the Sahdi ravine to Phutkal gompa that seems to pour out of a cave.

No. of Marches	Stages	Kms	Kms	Nature of Route	Main Valleys & mountain passes	River crossing and lakes	ASL in meters & feet	Supplies & Transport at Stages	Remarks
		Camp to camp	Total
	Leh	….	0	Road good & passable for laden animals	Up Indus Valley	…..	11350' or 3460 m	S.F.G.W. & T abundant.	Large town and fort. Capital of Ladakh. Palace of Gyalpo Raja. Residence of Wazir and British Joint Commissioner.
1	Tikse	21	21	"				" " "	Vlg & monastery
			38		Up Sarkti Valley
2	Chimre	26	46					S.F.G.W. & T moderate	"
	Sarkti		56	Very steep ascent from Sarkti to Zingral					Large vilg, well cultivated
3	Zingral	18	64					S.T. nil, F.G.W. available	Halting place
			70	Ascent to, & descent from, pass easy	Chang la, down Chang ravine, up Durbug valley
4	Durbug	24	88	Road on both banks of Durbug river				S.T.nil, F.G.W. procurable	Small vlg, well cultivated
5	Tankse	11	99			Cross Durbug river several times		S.F.G.W. & T. plentiful	Small vlg. Central Store Depot
	Muglib		110						Hamlet
6	Sowar or Chiri	21	120					S.T. nil, F.G.W. available	Small lake, also known as Chakar (or Chagra?) Talao, no houses
	Lukung		136		Up Loonkur valley				N Western end of Pangong Tso
7	Chagra	24	144	Road good			14917' or 4548 m	S. T. nil, F.G.W. available	Shepherd's camp
			155	Descent boggy from snow	Marsimik La		18990' or 5790 m		Pang Lung range
8	Rimdi	18	162		Across Chang Chen Chenmo valley			" F. scarce	Grazing ground…………………
9	Pamchalam	22	184					S.T. nil, F.G.W. plentiful	Ditto
10	Kiam	19	203	On the left bank of the Chang Chenmo river. Road level		Hot Spring -179°F, sulphur & soda. Cross Chang chnmo river several times	17045' or 5197 m	" " "	"
11	Lumkang	29	232	On rt. Banl of chang Chenmo	Up ravine	Ford Changchenmo	17501' or 5336 m	S.T. nil, F.G. scarce, W. plentiful	Halting place
			245	Road good and ascent gradual.	Lum Kang La		19501' or 5945 m
12	Nischu	32	264	Road good			17680' or 5390 m		" "
13	Burcha Thang	29	293	"	Lingtzi thang plains		17425' or 5312 m	S.F.G.T. nil, W. available	" "
14	Tso thang	32	325	Soil covered with 15 cms of saltpetre			17024' or 5190 m		Small salt lake
15	Huzak har	24	349	Road fair			16684' or 5087	"	Small lake, fresh spring
16	Mapothang	26	375				15959' or 4866 m	S.F.G.T. nil, W. brackish	Small lake, water brackish
17	Yangpa	40	415	Soil covered with 23 cms of saltpetre	Up ravine		15279' or 4658 m	" W. brackish
			427		Khatai Diwan. Across Kara		17500' or 5335 m
18	Kara Kash river	29	443	Road hence along left bank of Karakash	Kash valley	Karakash ford	15491' or 4723 m	S.T. nil, F.W. plentiful, G. scarce	Stone huts
			458	river as it flows to Shahidula*.Ascent to pass steep & difficult, much ice,			19092' or 5821 m	"	Kuenlun Range * where there was an old fort made by the Maharaja of Kashmir enroute to Yarkand.
19	Tash	30	474	descent rugged,	Yangi Diwan. Across Yanga valley.	Yangpa ford.	15583' or 4751 m	"	Stone huts
20	Kush Lash langar	21	495	road steep & bad, passable in			15048' or 4588 m	S.F.G.T. nil, W. available	"
				June, July & August			18660' or 5689 m
21	Brinjga	35	530	Road bad, ascent to pass steep over large glacier, descent	Naian Khan pass		11755' or 3584 m	S.T. nil, F. scarce, G.W. plentiful	Grazing ground. Wild senna plant.
22	Kapas	16	546	Abrupt over glacier through granite rocks: road rocky &	Down Yurung kash or Khotan valley		10650' or 3247 m	S.T. nil, worse grss & reeds, W. plentiful	Stone hut.
23	Karangotak	25	571	dangerous	Cross spur		8735' or 2663 m	S.T. nil, F.G.W. moderate	Village of 500 houses, trees and cultivation.
			582			Khotan ford
24	Pisha	24	595				8643' or	S.T. nil F.G. scarce, W. available	Village of 20 houses
25	Buia	16	611	Ascent & descent of spur very steep, road bad, down rocky bed.	Up ravine Bisha Diwan. Down Sirisu ravine.		7692' or 2345 m 10400' or 3171 m	S.T. nil, F. scarce, G.W. plentiful	Village of 100 houses
26	Yangi langar	47	658	Road good			5930' or 1808 m	"	Village of 30 houses
27	Kumat langar	8	666	On rt. bank of Sirisu			5790' or 1765 m	"	Village of 150 houses
28	Bezilia	16	682	Road sandy through well cultivated plain.			4678' or 1426 m	S.F.G.W. & T. plentiful	Village and bazaar of 1000 houses
29	Ilchi B.C.E -	18	700	Town on left bank of Khotan river. Road good through cultivation to Dol Langer, then		Khotan ford difficult	4320' or 1317 m	S.F.G.W. & T. abundant	Capital of Khotan, popln 40,000. Town, fort, large bazaar, country well cultivated.
	Yurung Kash		705	sandy plain covered jungle		Yurung Kash ford	4121' or 1256 m		Bazar of 500 shops
	Lob		723
30	Dol Langar	27	750				4420' or	S.T. nil, F.G.W. available	Village 150 houses
31	Beshtoghrak Langar	24	774					"	Halting place
32	Chira B.C.E.-	32	806	TAKLA MAKAN desert 5 kms north			4220' or	S.F.G.W.T plentiful	Town of 600 houses
			838			Chira ford
33	Karakia	40	846					S.T. nil, F.G.W. available	Village of 10 houses
34	KIRIA B.C.E.-	45	891	Road sandy until Kiria river, then through cultivations and gardens.		Kiria bridge	4580' or	S.F.G.W. and T. ample	Large town of 7000 houses on right bank of Kiria river.

	Sun, Mar 19, 2006 at 11:20 AM

Chimre

Sarkti

Zingral

Durbug

Tankse

Muglib

Sowar or Chiri

Lukung

Chagra

Pamchalam

Huzak har

Mapothang

Brinjga

Kapas

Karangotak

Pisha

Ilchi

Lob

Chira

TREKS: