Chadar Trek – A Walk on Ladakh’s Frozen Zanskar River

Chadar Trek in Ladakh is one of the most amazing treks on the frozen Zanskar River

The temperature varied from -20 to -35 degrees under the burning sun, as we walked like a waddle of penguins in our gum boots, trying hard to grip onto the Chadar. Invariably, we’d see a pair of butter feet shoot up in the sky, slamming the unfortunate trekker into the slippery Chadar, drawing nervous giggles.

Whilst trekking on the Chadar might be an adventure for some, it has predominantly been a necessity for the locals of the Zanskar Valley in Ladakh. In the biting cold months of January & February, the Zanskar River freezes, allowing layers of ice to form like a ‘Chadar’ (bedsheet) on top of the river.

Due to lack of a roadway network, the locals are forced to travel with sledges on the frozen Chadar to Leh and back – for business or to take their children to school. This uncanny route was discovered by a group of enthusiastic adventurers and it soon came to host a number of trekkers.

The trek began at the confluence of the Indus and the Zanskar River. Over the week that followed, we found ourselves in the company of Zanskari porters, cooks and guides who would help us on the trek. At the end of the day’s trek, the Zanskari staff would tell us about their culture, around blazing bonfires, where we also dried our sweat drenched socks.

The Zanskari people are a fantastic bunch. Very simple, jovial and full of life. Their culture is very similar to that of Tibetans, and the Losar is a big deal.

The men prefer to elope and get married at a very young age, and as per custom, have to pay for the entire marriage ceremony inclusive of all ancillary events & even the bride’s clothes – the guides would tell us as they hogged down many bowls of thukpa.

Our porters seemed to be oblivious to the hostile weather conditions. We, on the other hand, experienced the burning sensation of cold water on the tips of our fingers as we brushed our teeth, the powerful wind that cut through multiple layers of clothes we wore to keep us warm, our running sunburnt noses and occasional mind & body numbing falls into the freezing water. We also crossed multiple frozen waterfalls and would tread upon badly formed and cracking chadar, all of which, in retrospect, contributed to a breath-taking experience of a lifetime.

With the passage of time, more and more trekkers overloading the Chadar and a change in global weather, are preventing it from fully forming. A road is also being constructed to Zanksar, expected to be ready in a couple of years, which would mark the end of this unique trek.

(The author is an Advocate at the Delhi High Court)