Ladakh: an easy yoga trek
around Sham Valley: 8 days
Trek more easily with Himalayan yoga
What is "yogatrekking"? Click on the question to get the answer
The Sham Valley is a fascinating tour that takes you along trails and small mountain passes to the ancient villages surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and dotted with cliff side perched Buddhist monasteries.
An adventure in style, this trek provides you an opportunity to interact with local people and absorb their cultural and religious traditions. We welcome you to join us on this exploration as we take you across the apricot valleys and into colorful villages where you will be amazed at the simplicity of the people and their Tibetan lifestyle.
Come and find out yourself as to why some well-traveled people visit this stunning place to experience and enjoy nature at its best.
As for any of our treks with Eric Lon, this "physiotherapist globe trekker" will provide you daily classes of easy yoga and massage in order to make your trek easier.
This short trek is ideal for the people who want to have an introduction to trek in Ladakh. It is also a baby trek to prepare a longer and higher trek.
The massage parlors of Leh Ladakh have been closed two years ago, by administrative decision. You can trek more easily with a French certified physiotherapist who is living in the Himalayas nine months a year.
Trip facts
Total trip duration: 8 days including 4 days trek.
Highlights: monasteries, people, villages, landscapes, valleys and culture. Focus: Hemis monastery, Rizong valley, high passes and apricot studded fields. Highest Pass: Lago La (4000 m).
Trek Grade: Easy to Moderate.
Dates: choose your dates and we will organize your trip
Price per person on double occupancy and one tent for 2 pax:
4 to 5 pax: 675 $ or 505 Euros
6 to 8 pax: 625 $ or 475 Euros
9 pax and more: 580 $ or 450 Euros
We are offering a discount of 10 per cent to the members of the comitee entretrises and to the couples.
Detailed itinerary
Day 01: Arrival at Leh: Namaste, Julay, WelcomeYou will be met at the airport upon your arrival in Leh. Our representative will escort you to your hotel situated in the central part of the city. The day will be spent in a complete rest to acclimatize you in this high altitude region. In the evening you will take a light stroll to the market.
At the hotel, our physiotherapist will start to teach you easy yoga breathing technique connected with the height of Leh, and the basis of foot massage.
Day 02: Monasteries around Leh
We visit the ancient monasteries of Shey, with its enormous statue of the Buddha and Thikse Monastery, known as one of the most important Gompas in Central Ladakh. The monastery has some beautiful paintings and gilded statues of the Buddha. In the afternoon we drive down to the most wealth and famous monastery known locally as Hemis. Built in the 17th century, the monastery is tucked away in a secluded grove of poplars and is known for its interesting architecture and wall studded murals, and its big Museum. We return back to the hotel in the evening.
Easy yoga and foot massage class at the hotel
Day 03: Drive to Likir & trek to Yangthang
We will drive today for our fascinating trek towards the Sham Valley. We will arrive in Likir that serves our base for the trek. After meeting the staff, we will drive to visit the spectacular monastery of Likir. The monastery is tucked deep in the mountains and is one of the biggest in the valley. We later head towards Yangthang. After crossing a few small mountain passes we will arrive at our campsite opposite the village. The rest of the day will be spent in exploring the village.
Outdoor yoga and foot massage session to feel good after trekking.
Day 04: Day excursion to Rizong
We will take a day trip and walk down the valley crossing small streams and secluded valleys to arrive at the majestic monastery of Rizong. The monastery looks like it has been built in a wall and has around 5 storeys on top of the other. The monastery also has a nunnery attached with it, which is quite unique as many monasteries in Ladakh do not feature this kind of religious harmony. After exploring the monastery and its temple we will visit the kitchen and share a cup of tea and barley bread with the resident monks. Later we head back to Yangthang.
Yoga and foot massage at our campsite.
Day 05: Rizong to Hemis Shukpachan
We will begin the day by striking camp and start walking towards the village of Hemis Shukpachan. Crossing the pass of Tsermanchenla (3850 m), we will descend into the village and arrive at our campsite at about noon. After lunch and rest we will visit a family in the village and experience their lifestyle. Later we will visit the village and its charming monastery. The village is surrounded by rice fields, white sparkling water brooks and mature cedar trees, giving the village its name of Shukpachan (Shukpa means cedar). Camp at the village.
Yoga and foot massage at our camp site.
Day 06: Hemis Shukpachan to Temisgam & later to Leh
Today we will trek on our last leg to the village of Temisgam locally known as Tingmosgang. The trail goes through an amazing whirlwind path carved out from the ochre rocks. We cross the highest pass on this trek known as Lago -La (4000 m) and another unknown small pass at a height of 3750 m. After we descend from the pass, we will reach the fertile village of Ang from where the trail goes over the bridge and turns into a regular path till it reaches the spread out village of Temisgam. After we explore the village and its monastery. Camping at the village.
Yoga and foot massage.
Day 07: Relax at Leh
Transfer by Jeep to Leh: arrival at the hotel for lunch. The rest of the day is at leisure for individual activities. You can visit the Tibetan refugee village in Choglamsar or just explore the bazaar for interesting trinkets and souvenirs. Overnight in hotel.
Last yoga and massage class. You will be able to benefit your life long from all you have learnt during this week about
yoga and foot massage.
Day 08: Depart from Leh: Julay.
You will be transferred to the airport for your flight.
Contact: ericlon@hotmail.fr
When Eric Lon is trekking far from Internet facilities, he cannot reply immediatly to your questions: please, be patient. The patience is a quality useful to trek in the Himalayas. Yoga increases this capacity.