Markha Valley Trek
also Markha Valley Trek, Markha–Kongmaru La
Markha Valley is a 8-day trek in Hemis NP, Ladakh, Ladakh, topping out at 5,260 m. On TrekBaba's normalized scale — the same formula applied to every trek in this catalogue — it scores 56.9/100, 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 5,260 m, AMS risk is severe — this altitude band demands proper acclimatization and the willingness to turn back.
Operator says Moderate/Difficult — normalized grade: Moderate.
Photo: Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Explore the route
Scrub the trail — satellite view, live altitude. 59.1 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).
Markha Valley route, point by point
7 recorded points from Chilling to Shang Sumdo over about 59 km. Operators' day splits vary — compare them below.
- Day 3ChillingRoadhead · 3,200 m
- Day 3SkiuCamp · 3,370 m
- Day 4MarkhaCamp · 3,750 m
- Day 5HankarCamp · 4,000 m
- Day 6NimalingCamp · 4,800 m4 peaks in view
- Day 7Kongmaru LaPass · 5,260 m8 peaks in view
- Day 7Shang SumdoRoadhead · 3,700 m
Why Markha Valley is graded Moderate
- Max altitude 5,260 m — altitude is weighted 35% and non-linearly, because AMS risk climbs steeply above ~3,500 m.
- Total ascent 2,600 m over 8 days — how much climbing your legs actually do.
- Longest day 22 km (about 9 h) — one brutal day makes a trek harder than the average does.
- Trail type: rocky — exposure (snow, scree, ice, pass crossings) is weighted 35%, the same as altitude.
Score 56.9/100. Bands: Easy <40 · Moderate <64 · Difficult <85 · Very Difficult ≥85. How the formula works. Easier alternative: Chadar Trek. Next step up: Stok Kangri.
What you'll see from Nimaling
From Nimaling and Kongmaru La, a line-of-sight computation over the terrain model proves Kang Yatse I (6,400 m), Kang Yatse II (6,185 m), Nyimaling Kangri (5,889 m), Dzo Jongo East (6,220 m), Dzo Jongo West (6,280 m) and Reponi Mallari Ri I (6,080 m) are actually visible — not merely nearby. The model looks 40 km out, so a famous giant further away (Kangchenjunga from the Singalila ridge, say) is not listed even where it is visible.
Only peaks proven visible by line-of-sight over the terrain — not nearby-but-blocked ones — placed by true bearing and sized by how much they fill the view.
Dawn & dusk from Nimaling
In June, first light hits Kang Yatse II at 05:08 — from Nimaling.
Nothing lines up this month.
- Kang Yatse II12°
- Kang Yatse I22°
Nothing lines up this month.
Nothing lines up this month.
Sun times and azimuths come from the NOAA solar-position equations for this viewpoint's GPS; the peak bearings are our own viewshed moat. Times assume a flat horizon — a ridge to your east delays real first light on the ground, often by 20–60 minutes, while a high summit opposite catches it a few minutes early. The 12° and 35° bands are editorial choices, not physics: a peak 90° from the sun is side-lit, which is often the better photograph.
What you'll see from Kongmaru La
Only peaks proven visible by line-of-sight over the terrain — not nearby-but-blocked ones — placed by true bearing and sized by how much they fill the view.
Dawn & dusk from Kongmaru La
In December, sunset sinks beside Kang Yatse II at 17:12 — from Kongmaru La.
Nothing lines up this month.
- Nyimaling Kangri34°
- Kang Yatse II5°
- Kang Yatse I12°
Nothing lines up this month.
Sun times and azimuths come from the NOAA solar-position equations for this viewpoint's GPS; the peak bearings are our own viewshed moat. Times assume a flat horizon — a ridge to your east delays real first light on the ground, often by 20–60 minutes, while a high summit opposite catches it a few minutes early. The 12° and 35° bands are editorial choices, not physics: a peak 90° from the sun is side-lit, which is often the better photograph.
Best time to do Markha Valley
The best months for Markha Valley are June–September. May and October are shoulder season — doable, with more weather risk. The route is effectively closed in November–April. Expect snow on the trail in November–April. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -27 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 8 °C in August.
Rain-shadow — minimal; Jul–Aug the Markha river crossings run high by afternoon
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 Kongmaru La at 5,260 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.
Markha Valley trek cost — operators compared
Markha Valley costs ₹19,499–₹55,000 per person with an organised operator (10 of 14 listed operators publish a price; the cheapest captured is Trekkers of India). That works out to roughly ₹3,550 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.
- ₹19,499as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹19,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹21,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹22,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹25,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ·Transport
- ✓Meals
- ·Stay
- ✓Permits
- ✓Gear
- ₹25,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
Show 8 more operators
- ₹29,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 8
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ✓Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹35,000as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹35,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 10
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹55,000as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ✓Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 11
- They grade it
- Easy
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate to Difficult
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Difficult
- ·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 Markha Valley & staying safe
To reach Markha Valley, the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi — far; fly to Leh and the nearest airport is Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee). The road ends at Chilling (start) · Shang Sumdo (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 (homestays sell basics en route).
Plan 2 acclimatization days into the itinerary. At its most remote point the route is about 4.3 hours from the nearest drivable road (near Kongmaru La) — a floor for any evacuation, not a promise. The nearest hospital is SNM Hospital, Leh, 65 km from the trailhead. Water: Markha river (treat) to Hankar; Nimaling stream; none on the pass climb.
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 unclassified, 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.
Markha Valley permits & restrictions
Permit required: Yes · Hemis National Park — wildlife / environment fee (Ladakh Wildlife Dept), paid at the Chilling–Skiu check post
⚠ Inside Hemis National Park (snow-leopard habitat) — village homestays or designated camps only
Markha Valley trek FAQ
How difficult is the Markha Valley trek?
Markha Valley is graded Moderate (56.9/100) on TrekBaba's normalized scale, which weighs max altitude (5,260 m), total ascent (2,600 m), the longest day (22 km) and terrain exposure identically for every trek. Operators label it "Moderate/Difficult".
What is the best time to do Markha Valley?
June–September. May and October are shoulder season — doable, with more weather risk. The route is effectively closed in November–April. Expect snow on the trail in November–April. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -27 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 8 °C in August.
How much does the Markha Valley trek cost?
Between ₹19,499 and ₹55,000 per person with an operator, based on 10 published prices captured from operator pages (latest 2026-09-22). The cheapest listed is Trekkers of India.
How many days does Markha Valley take?
8 days is the standard itinerary; operators run it as 7/8/9/10/11 days including travel from the base town. The longest walking day is 22 km (~9 h).
What is the maximum altitude of Markha Valley?
5,260 m (17,257 ft), which TrekBaba rates as severe AMS risk. Plan 2 acclimatization days.
Is a permit required for Markha Valley?
Yes — issued by Hemis National Park — wildlife / environment fee (Ladakh Wildlife Dept), paid at the Chilling–Skiu check post.
Which operators run Markha Valley?
Trekkers of India, Trekveda, Moxtain, Trek The Himalayas, Thrillophilia, Super Trekkers, Trek Nomads, Himalayan Hikers, Bikat Adventures, Himalaya Shelter, Trekmunk, Himalayan High, Tour My India, Universal Adventures list Markha Valley. Each is linked to its own trek page above with the captured price, days and inclusions.
How do I reach the Markha Valley trailhead?
To reach Markha Valley, the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi — far; fly to Leh and the nearest airport is Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee). The road ends at Chilling (start) · Shang Sumdo (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 (homestays sell basics en route).
Is Markha Valley suitable for beginners?
For a fit beginner, yes — but it is a Moderate trek, with a 22 km longest day and a 5,260 m high point. One easier trek first makes it far more enjoyable.
Which peaks can you see from Markha Valley?
From Nimaling and Kongmaru La, a line-of-sight computation over the terrain model proves Kang Yatse I (6,400 m), Kang Yatse II (6,185 m), Nyimaling Kangri (5,889 m), Dzo Jongo East (6,220 m), Dzo Jongo West (6,280 m) and Reponi Mallari Ri I (6,080 m) are actually visible — not merely nearby. The model looks 40 km out, so a famous giant further away (Kangchenjunga from the Singalila ridge, say) is not listed even where it is visible.
Treks like Markha Valley
ModerateLadakh (UT)Chadar Trek
Zanskar gorge, Ladakh
9 days↑ 3,400 mfrom ₹18,500Jan–Feb
ModerateUttarakhandGaumukh–Tapovan
Gangotri, Uttarkashi
7 days↑ 4,463 mfrom ₹13,599May–Jun and Sep–Oct
ModerateUttarakhandKedartal
Gangotri NP, Uttarkashi
6 days↑ 4,750 mfrom ₹13,500May–Jun and Sep–Oct- ModerateUttarakhand
Milam Glacier
Kumaon
5 days↑ 4,212 mfrom ₹20,000May–Jun and Sep–Oct
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. Peaks named on this page: Kang Yatse I, Kang Yatse II, Nyimaling Kangri, Dzo Jongo East, Dzo Jongo West.