The Chadar Trek, also known as the Frozen River Trek, is India's most popular winter trek. A nine-day trek along the frozen Zanskar River in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius. The Chadar trek, which takes place in the beautiful land of Ladakh, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the temperature drops in the winter, a layer of ice forms on the Zanskar River. This layer of ice serves as a highway connecting Leh and the Zaskar Valley, and Zanskari people have travelled on it for hundreds of years. The flat ice saved them time by shortening their journey up and down the passes. With the construction of a road network,
Winter in Ladakh is truly a breathtaking sight. Ladakh transforms into a new place with light snow covering the arid landscape, where the day begins when the sun reaches its zenith. Leh Market becomes a popular hangout, with people relaxing on benches and soaking up the sun. The few restaurants that are open serve as dispensers of garlic soup and Timok.
Simply put, it's extremely cold. The temperature on the Chadar can drop to -30 degrees Celsius. The temperature is the lowest at the bottom of the valley, where the river flows. A gentle breeze moving downstream adds to the wind chill. Even though you only cover about 50 kilometres, the cold makes the Chadar Trek one of our more difficult treks.
You'll need to wear at least 5 layers of clothing on the trek, and hot water bottles will be your only source of warmth at night. Walking during the day causes your body to heat up (albeit only slightly), making even a sip of water seem like a chore. You'll be shivering most of the time, and anything not touching your body will freeze, including cold creams. In the cold, devices last only 5 minutes, and taking pictures will remind you of the days of Kodak.
After all of this, you may be wondering why we enjoy the chadar trek best time so much. Because we're insane, but aren't we all?
As previously stated, layering is the best way to stay warm in the winter. In a nutshell, layering is the wearing of several clothing items in succession for protection. Your superhero costume will consist of a base layer or thermal, a regular t-shirt, one or two fleece jackets, a down jacket, and a windcheater while on the trek. All of this ensures that the valuable heat produced by your body is not lost to the air. The clothing acts as a barrier against the cold. To keep your extremities warm, you can use chemical heat/warm packs. If the sun is shining, the temperatures will be slightly warmer (maybe a couple of degrees warmer).
We encourage customers to also carry hot water bags. These rubber bags will be filled with hot water at night and can be strategically placed to keep you warm.
The trek lasts 9 days and 8 nights in Ladakh. As required by the Leh authorities, you will be expected to spend three nights in Leh before embarking on the Chadar Trek. This gives your body enough time to adjust to the altitude. The first day is spent in the hotel, with the possibility of a hike to the Leh Market in the evening. On the second day, we'll hike up to Shanti Stupa and Leh Palace.
Adventure-Pulse representatives will accompany you to the mandatory medical check-up and insurance purchase on the third day. Your oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and pulse will be checked here by a local doctor. Only with their permission will you be able to proceed to the Chadar. Most people meet the requirement because your body can adjust to the altitude after three days.
A certain level of fitness is required, as with most treks. Our fitness plan can be found here as an example. If you are physically fit, dedicated training for 15-20 days should suffice. You can reach us at, and we'll be happy to assist you in developing a fitness plan tailored to your specific needs. A large part of trekking is mental toughness and the ability to push yourself regardless of physical fitness.
https://corosocial.com/read-blog/170301
https://moustache01.livejournal.com/308.html
https://www.tumblr.com/moustachescapes01/704776321736327168/trek-to-everest-base-camp
https://gotartwork.com/Blog/triund-trek-popular-destination-for-experienced/101075/