Zanskar Travel Guide and Trekking Attractions

Zanskar in the trans Himalayan region is one of the most secluded kingdom lying in the north western part of the Himalayas in India. Lying across the Panzila axis to the south east of Rangdum, the isolated Zanskar village today has around 10,000 people living here. At an elevation of around 3500m, the temperatures in this region are very cold, thus making the Zanskar region one of the coldest inhabited places in the entire world.

The sub district of Zanskar lies in the Kargil tahsil and lies in the  eastern part of the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir. With Padum as its administrative centre, this is a great valley zone lying between the Zanskar mountains and the Great Himalayan range. With the River Zanskar flowing through this region, Zanskar is a great paradise. The Buddhist population here dominates the residential inhabitation in Zanskar and the region looks really lovely and mesmerizing with its enchanting sights.

Zanskar is spread around 5000 square kilometers of mountainous region and has the deepest gorges and the highest rising mountains that any region could have. In fact, Zanskar is not approachable at least for eight months in a year as there is too much snowfall which closes all the accesses to this place. The people living here have been able to sustain themselves only because of the esoteric nature of Buddhism practiced here and also the geographical acclimatization. Zanskar thus has been able to sustain a life of isolation yet is the most fascinating and interesting zone in this part of the world. The people here have learnt to survive here and with the unique environment, the lifestyles and habits of the inhabitants is not only intriguing but also interesting.

Zanskar is great therefore as an adventure destination and has scantily occupied valleys of the Himalayas. Wrapped and covered with snow most of the time, it has the most pristine two alpine lakes. But one has to see the Drang Drung glacier here just to feel the beauty and the charm that this incomparable natural feature exudes.

Places to see in Zanskar

While in Zanskar there are many places that you could visit.

Zangla

This is a region lying in the northern part of Zanskar and is found at the end of the long road of 35 km from Padum. It was a titular king who ruled Zangla till he died some years back. There is a very old ruined castle and also a chapel that is found over the hill looking at the valley below. Zangla has a small community of nuns who live in the nunnery. Then there are the frescos found in the nearby Tsa-zar villages.

Zangla is the mid point on the very famous Padum Strongdey Zangla Karsha Padum trip. Most of the cultural sites here in Zanskar are found in Zangla. Treks from Padum to Markha also start from Zangla.

Zongkhul

The Zongkhul is a lovely cave monastery in the Zanskar region which is a must see. Lying on the Padum Kishtwar trekking trail the Omali- la pass starts here. Located on the Ating George, the monastery is a fascinating structure and has a legend about how an Indian yogi Naropa gave a lecture at the Universities of Vikramsila and Nalanda. It is believed that the Indian Yogi used the two caves here for meditation. There is a footprint on the stone at the entrance to the cave and innumerable frescos on the walls. All these are very old and show the level of artistic abilities of the past. It is said that it was Zhadpa Dorje who created these murals on the walls.

Stongdey

This is another lovely monastic establishment and lies around 18 km on the north of Padum. Stongdey today is the second largest such establishment of monastic establishment and is inhabited by the Gelukpa monks. The entire complex has many temples and each of these exude the kind of monastic legacy this place has. The climb up this monastery is physically tiring yet all those who want to come do not mind the strain as they look forward to seeing not only the monastery but also the eye catching visual delights from the top.

Panikhar

This is a very important region in Zanskar Valley and lies in the Suru Valley border. Here is where you have the fort of Zorawar Singh which is a very important tourist attraction in this part of the world.

Penzella

The Penzella Pass is a great natural structure that divides the Suru Valley and the Zanskar Valley. this is a great camping site and also an important point of viewing the entire region filled with lovely mountains and enchanting country sights.

Karsha

This human settlement is a place which is present in Zanskar with basic facilities. The monastery of Gelugpa here in Karsha is a must see as it introduces the tourist to the importance of religion in the life of the people of Zanskar. Labrang has a mural art which is also worth seeing in Zanskar.

Ladakh is predominantly Tibetan. With the loveliest monasteries and enchanting villages, Zanskar in Ladakh too offers to the tourists great glimpses of Tibetan culture and tradition. This Trans Zanskar expedition is a lovely way to get to the region of Zanskar well enough.