The Chadar Trek or the Zanskar Gorge is a winter-trail in Zanskar region of Ladakh, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Its walls are near vertical cliffs up to 600 m high and the Zanskar River (a tributary of the Indus) is only 5 m wide in places.
About the trek:
Chadar trek a thrilling and adventurous trek in India. In the local language “chadar” means blanket - indicating the ice that covers the river like a blanket. The chadar trek is basically performed on a frozen river called the “Zanskar River”.
For many years Chadar trek has attracted tourist from all over the world, it is one of the most exciting and challenging treks which covers the distance of approximately 105 km on foot, an average trekker completes a distance of 15–17 km each day.
The best time to do the Chadar trek is January to February,when the temperature during the winters drops sometimes to -30 to -35 degrees which makes the Zanskar Lake look like a mesmerizing crystal lake.
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), the region’s administrative authority, has imposed a ‘blanket ban’ on the region’s commercially popular winter trek – the Chadar frozen river walk – after a landslide blocked part of the north flowing Zanskar river.
According to a notice posted on the LAHDC website on Saturday, “the District Administration has imposed a blanket ban on the trek with immediate effect due to sudden landslide in one of the tributaries of River Zanskar, thereby leading to a danger of flash floods.”
The notice also stated that “in case the landslide is cleared the administration will reconsider the ban after checking from the agencies (sic).”
About the trek:
Chadar trek a thrilling and adventurous trek in India. In the local language “chadar” means blanket - indicating the ice that covers the river like a blanket. The chadar trek is basically performed on a frozen river called the “Zanskar River”.
For many years Chadar trek has attracted tourist from all over the world, it is one of the most exciting and challenging treks which covers the distance of approximately 105 km on foot, an average trekker completes a distance of 15–17 km each day.
The best time to do the Chadar trek is January to February,when the temperature during the winters drops sometimes to -30 to -35 degrees which makes the Zanskar Lake look like a mesmerizing crystal lake.
The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), the region’s administrative authority, has imposed a ‘blanket ban’ on the region’s commercially popular winter trek – the Chadar frozen river walk – after a landslide blocked part of the north flowing Zanskar river.
According to a notice posted on the LAHDC website on Saturday, “the District Administration has imposed a blanket ban on the trek with immediate effect due to sudden landslide in one of the tributaries of River Zanskar, thereby leading to a danger of flash floods.”
The notice also stated that “in case the landslide is cleared the administration will reconsider the ban after checking from the agencies (sic).”
