Chadar Trek Trek
also Chadar Frozen River Trek, Chadar, Zanskar Frozen River
Chadar Trek is a 9-day trek in Zanskar gorge, Ladakh, Ladakh, topping out at 3,400 m. On TrekBaba's normalized scale — the same formula applied to every trek in this catalogue — it scores 46.4/100, which puts it in the Moderate band: you want a few weekends of walking in your legs and no fear of long days. Operators usually market it as "Moderate/Difficult"; the gap between that label and the computed grade is exactly why the grade exists. With a high point of 3,400 m, acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a real possibility on the summit or pass day — ascend steadily and watch for headaches.
Operator says Moderate/Difficult — normalized grade: Moderate.
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Explore the route
Scrub the trail — satellite view, live altitude. 34.9 km
Approximate route. No surveyed track exists for this trek yet, so the line joins its real waypoint coordinates directly — treat it as a shape, not a trail. Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics | Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Chadar Trek route, point by point
4 recorded points from Chilling to Nerak waterfall over about 35 km. Operators' day splits vary — compare them below.
- Day 4ChillingRoadhead · 3,200 m
- Day 4Shingra KomaCamp · 3,230 m
- Day 5Tibb caveCamp · 3,270 m
- Day 6Nerak waterfallViewpoint · 3,400 m
Why Chadar Trek is graded Moderate
- Max altitude 3,400 m — altitude is weighted 35% and non-linearly, because AMS risk climbs steeply above ~3,500 m.
- Total ascent 400 m over 9 days — how much climbing your legs actually do.
- Longest day 16 km (about 8 h) — one brutal day makes a trek harder than the average does.
- Trail type: snow — exposure (snow, scree, ice, pass crossings) is weighted 35%, the same as altitude.
Score 46.4/100. Bands: Easy <40 · Moderate <64 · Difficult <85 · Very Difficult ≥85. How the formula works. Easier alternative: Tarsar Marsar. Next step up: Markha Valley.
Best time to do Chadar Trek
The best months for Chadar Trek are January–February. The route is effectively closed in March–December. Expect snow on the trail in November–March. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -14 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 23 °C in July.
Rain-shadow — none. The limiter is ice: the sheet forms only mid-Jan to mid-Feb and warming winters are shortening the window
What the thermometer actually does up there
Computed from 10 years of Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2016–2025), with every sample point lapse-rate-downscaled to its true altitude — this is Chilling at 3,200 m, not the valley town. Temperatures are downscaled to the point; wet and snow days come back at the reanalysis grid scale (~10 km), so read them as weather over the area. A climate estimate, not a forecast.
Chadar Trek trek cost — operators compared
Chadar Trek costs ₹18,500–₹32,000 per person with an organised operator (9 of 12 listed operators publish a price; the cheapest captured is Trekveda). That works out to roughly ₹2,833 per trek day. Fees typically cover meals, tents and guides from the base village; transport from the railhead, gear rental and permits vary — see the inclusion grid below. Prices are read from each operator's own page (latest capture 2026-09-22) and link straight to it.
- ₹18,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ✗Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹21,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹22,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ✓Transport
- ·Meals
- ✓Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹24,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹25,000as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ✓Transport
- ·Meals
- ✓Stay
- ·Permits
- ✓Gear
- ₹25,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
Show 6 more operators
- ₹26,480as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹26,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹32,000as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ✓Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 10
- They grade it
- Challenging
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Challenging
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
Operators self-declare difficulty. TrekBaba grades every trek by one formula — normalized: Moderate. We link out to each operator; we never copy their words or photos. Prices were read from each operator's own page on the date shown — confirm with the operator before booking. Where we have read a price more than once, the sparkline is our own dated capture log, not the operator's.
Not affiliated with any operator. Prices are dated facts read from each operator's own page; confirm before paying. See every operator on the operators index.
How to reach Chadar Trek & staying safe
To reach Chadar Trek, the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi — far; fly to Leh and the nearest airport is Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee). The road ends at Chilling / Tilad Do (Shingra Koma road end), near Leh, which is where the walking starts. Withdraw cash before Leh — it is the last dependable ATM. The last reliable shop is at Leh (nothing after Chilling).
Plan 3 acclimatization days into the itinerary. At its most remote point the route is about 1.3 hours from the nearest drivable road (near Shingra Koma) — a floor for any evacuation, not a promise. The nearest hospital is SNM Hospital, Leh, 65 km from the trailhead. Water: Zanskar river (boil); everything else is carried.
How far you are from a road
Computed against our own route line and the OpenStreetMap drivable road network over Copernicus GLO-30 elevations: hours = (crowfly_km x 1.4) / 4.0 + max(0, elev_point - elev_road) / 600 [terrain factor 1.4, 4 km/h walking, 600 m/h descent]. It is a floor, not a promise — a real evacuation with a casualty is slower, and a crow-fly line ignores what stands between you and the road. Read it as relative remoteness: which part of this trek commits you. Nearest drivable ways: unnamed primary, unnamed primary, unnamed unclassified.
Estimated, not measured. Remoteness is computed from our own route geometry against the OpenStreetMap drivable road network (motorway-track) and Copernicus GLO-30 elevations; mobile coverage is a terrain line-of-sight estimate, not a carrier guarantee. Treat both as planning aids.
Chadar Trek permits & restrictions
Permit required: Yes · Ladakh administration / ALTOA — trekker registration with a compulsory medical fitness check and insurance in Leh
⚠ Three acclimatization days in Leh and the medical check are mandatory before the permit; Hemis NP wildlife and environment fees apply; the route changes daily with the ice
Crowding, and where to go instead
When the interest arrives, relative to this trek's own busiest month (January).
A percentile of trailing-12-month English Wikipedia pageviews for Chadar_trek (44 months observed)— measured within TrekBaba's own catalogue, bots excluded. It is a proxy for attention, not headcount.
Chadar Trek trek FAQ
How difficult is the Chadar Trek trek?
Chadar Trek is graded Moderate (46.4/100) on TrekBaba's normalized scale, which weighs max altitude (3,400 m), total ascent (400 m), the longest day (16 km) and terrain exposure identically for every trek. Operators label it "Moderate/Difficult".
What is the best time to do Chadar Trek?
January–February. The route is effectively closed in March–December. Expect snow on the trail in November–March. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -14 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 23 °C in July.
How much does the Chadar Trek trek cost?
Between ₹18,500 and ₹32,000 per person with an operator, based on 9 published prices captured from operator pages (latest 2026-09-22). The cheapest listed is Trekveda.
How many days does Chadar Trek take?
9 days is the standard itinerary; operators run it as 8/9/10 days including travel from the base town. The longest walking day is 16 km (~8 h).
What is the maximum altitude of Chadar Trek?
3,400 m (11,155 ft), which TrekBaba rates as moderate AMS risk. Plan 3 acclimatization days.
Is a permit required for Chadar Trek?
Yes — issued by Ladakh administration / ALTOA — trekker registration with a compulsory medical fitness check and insurance in Leh.
Which operators run Chadar Trek?
Trekveda, Trekkers of India, Thrillophilia, Moxtain, Himalayan Hikers, Bikat Adventures, Trekup India, Trek The Himalayas, Himalaya Shelter, Trekmunk, Himalayan High, Universal Adventures list Chadar Trek. Each is linked to its own trek page above with the captured price, days and inclusions.
How do I reach the Chadar Trek trailhead?
To reach Chadar Trek, the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi — far; fly to Leh and the nearest airport is Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee). The road ends at Chilling / Tilad Do (Shingra Koma road end), near Leh, which is where the walking starts. Withdraw cash before Leh — it is the last dependable ATM. The last reliable shop is at Leh (nothing after Chilling).
Is Chadar Trek suitable for beginners?
For a fit beginner, yes — but it is a Moderate trek, with a 16 km longest day and a 3,400 m high point. One easier trek first makes it far more enjoyable.
Treks like Chadar Trek
ModerateLadakh (UT)Markha Valley
Hemis NP, Ladakh
8 days↑ 5,260 mfrom ₹19,499Jun–Sep
ModerateJammu & KashmirTarsar Marsar
Lidder valley, Pahalgam (Anantnag)
7 days↑ 4,020 mfrom ₹12,000Jul–Sep
ModerateUttarakhandGaumukh–Tapovan
Gangotri, Uttarkashi
7 days↑ 4,463 mfrom ₹13,599May–Jun and Sep–Oct
ModerateJammu & KashmirKashmir Great Lakes
Kashmir
6 days↑ 4,203 mfrom ₹12,500Jul–Sep
Difficulty grade, peak horizon, per-camp climate, remoteness, sun alignment and the crowding index are all computed — the moats — and every one of them is an estimate, labelled as such where it appears. Found-fact and operator values are public approximations pending field + source verification, not citations.