• Difficulty: Mild to moderate

• Max Elevation: 5,260 metres

• Duration: Seven days

• Start/end point: Chilling/ Sham Sumdo

• Accommodation: Homestays or camping

A great – and very popular – introduction to the Ladakh trekking scene, the Markha Valley packs plenty into a one-week window. It makes the cut with a little bit of everything; iridescent rivers that meander through gentle green valleys, climbs over stark mountainous terrain, and views of the imposing Kang Yatse among other peaks in the Ladakh Himalaya.

The trek switches between being relatively easy to moderately tough and takes you through the Hemis National Park, and again sees near perfect weather in the July-September season. This trek is also dotted with village homestays and is ideal for those who don’t wish to set up camp at the end of a long day, and appreciate local food and cultural interaction.

Need to know

The Markha Valley trek route is fairly easy-going but plenty of visitors still get caught out by the altitude and end up abandoning the trek with Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Spend that extra day in Leh to avoid the regret! The trek to Markha valley has different routes but my preferred route starts at Chilling, barely over an hour’s drive from Leh.