Pushing into Zanskar

The draw of Zanskar was strong. Cut off from the rest of the world by snows for 6 months of the year, only one (dead end) road services its unofficial capital, Padum. The temptation to enter the region by taking our bikes over the Shingo La trekking route to avoid backtracking on the road was too great, though we knew that hauling 40kg of bikes and kit each would make for a tough week.

Refusing the kind offers of assistance from horsemen, we removed pedals, threw kit into backpacks and set off on the long push to the pass. The three days that followed were as tough and slow as expected. Narrow sections of path with long drops to the river below, boulder fields, scree, and snow above 5,000m meant that at times our bikes felt like balls and chains.

On the far side we were able to glissade down a snow field and on subsequent days were treated to some stretches of single-track which were rideable. The trail passed through ancient villages where locals were busy stockpiling barley, grass and yak dung for winter; then took us to the spectacularly sited, millennia-old gompa at Phuktal.

Seven days after leaving the jeep track at Zanskar Sumdo we reached the bulldozers and construction workers at Dorzong, working slowly on inching the road from Padum up valley. The Indian Government has committed to completing the road on this old trading route in the next 5 years, which will make for a much easier cycle, but given the rate of progress so far and the shoddyness of the existing work, we’d be surprised if it’s completed before 2050. We and all the villagers we spoke to en route think this is no bad thing.

Click here for our full Shingo La photo set on Flickr

Above Zanskar Sumdo
Above Zanskar Sumdo – fantastic scenery on the first day of our bike-hike.
On the way to Ramjak
On the way to Ramjak.
Shingo La basecamp
Shingo La basecamp – reached after a tiring 2 days from Zanskar Sumdo.
In the snow near the Shingo La
Nearing the Shingo La. A bit of snow to push through.
Back riding!
On the Zanskar side of the pass. Some riding at last!
Nearing Purne
More beautiful riding, near Testa.
One for the cameras
High above the river near Purne.

2 thoughts on “Pushing into Zanskar

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *