Zanskar
Travel Information
Zanskar.
Two rivers, flowing towards each other along the northern flank
of the Great Himalaya, meet in the broad plain of Padum. They
become the Zanskar river which flows off northwards through a
gorge in the Zanskar range, to meet the Indus at Nimo. This T-shaped
complex of valleys is Zanskar, opened to motor traffic only in
1980 when a road was built via the Suru Valley and Rangdum and
over the Penzi-la.
Virtually untouched by the winds of change and modernization till
then, Zanskar is now a favourite destination for trekkers. Padum
is the centre for hard but rewarding treks to Manali via the Shingo-la
(16,732 feet/ 5,100 m); Kishtwar via the Umasi-la (17,828 feet/5,434
m); and Lamayum and Leh via difficult routes through the Zanskar
range.
Zanskar is also known as a land of religion and has the greatest
concentration of gompas in Ladakh, outside the Indus Valley. The
important ones are Sani, Karsha and Stongde in the central plain,
Bardan and Phugtal just off the Padum-Manali trail, and the small
hermitage of Dzonkhul on the way to the Umasi-la.
Further information about these three areas, including full details
of trekking routes and facilities available for tourists are to
be found in our brochure Ladakh: Kargil and Zanskar; ask for a
free copy from any J&K Tourist Office.
