Notes on paddling in Ladakh, North India

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Last Updated on Saturday, 01 January 2000 00:00

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Notes on Paddling in Ladakh, North India

by Polly Miller

n.b. These form a more thorough and up to date version of Mark Rainsley's notes from 1998.

Rivers we paddled in Ladakh

Indus River

The rafting companies in Leh run sections of the Indus regularly there is the 2 hour run down to Nimu (class 2), the section from Chilling to Nimu (class 4), and the section from Nimu to Alchi (class 4). We found they were very willing to take us on as extra safety kayakers and transport us to the river and feed us at no cost.

Upper Indus

Put in: 20km below Mahe bridge

Take out: Upshi (where the Leh-Manali Rd crosses and leaves the Indus)

Access: You need a permit, easily available in Leh. We arranged our permit and shuttle through Splash the local rafting company.

Shuttle: Best to hire a taxi to the put in, and either get the same vehicle to pick you up, or hitch from Upshi.

Character: Bouncy big volume class 3 and 4. We had a full medium water level and think that at high water some of the rapids could be harder. We boat scouted everything.

Notes: We did it in two short days, but it could easily be done in one long one. Lots of camping options make it a pleasant overnight trip. We ran it mid August in low water the flat stretches might be long and boring. A great warm up for the Drass although we actually paddled it afterward.

Drass River

Put in: 16km upstream of Drass village, drive down to the river before it becomes braided.

Take out: On the right at the last bridge before Kargil (easy to recognize as you drive up the river).

Shuttle: Arrange a taxi to drive you to the put in probably best done from Leh. You can arrange for the driver to meet you, or its easy to get a taxi or bus from Kargil back to Leh when you take out.

Access: The military are an issue, and you may want to consider running the whole bottom section from where the river rejoins the road below Drass to the takeout in one long day. It might help to do as much boat scouting as possible to get past the army without incident. Alternatively consider asking the military for permission before you get on. Itll take a day to sort out, but you may then be able to paddle with their blessing.

Length: An excellent 2-3 day self support trip

Character: The river starts small and quickly grows in volume in an open valley. You can see most of it from the road as you drive up. There are three rapids we scouted above Drass one box canyon is a compulsory portage. Below Drass the river builds up to continuous class four rapids, many of which we boat scouted.

Notes We paddled it in early August, as our first multiday trip. Its a bit lower than Leh in elevation, so we felt more confident about being able to link moves on the river. We had lots of water at lower water it would still be lots of fun, and would get progressively less pushy. We were taken off the river by the military on the morning of our third day and transported (politely) to the police station in Kargil, so were not able to run the final 10km.

Tsarap Chu / Zanskar Rivers

Put in: The Leh Manali road descends to the Tsarap Chu as you drive from Leh and goes up the river. Put on at a good spot.

Take out: At Nimu (500m downstream of confluence between the Zanskar and the Indus) or continue down the Indus to Alchi.

Shuttle: Take a bus to Manali and get out at the put in. At the take out walk up to the road and hitch back to Leh.

Length The Tsarap Chu and Zanskar are both about 150km each, making a total of 300km of paddling.

Character: Most of the Tsarap Chu and Zanskar rivers flow through big gorges. We were amazed that in 300km of gorge paddling, we only portaged twice.

Tsarap Chu
The first day flows through a series of small gorges. While these are intimidating, we thought that most of the moves were class three. There is an obvious 200m portage, which we walked around at river level on the left. After the confluence with the Zara Chu the river flattens out, and sweeps around corners, with time to admire the view. Phuktal Monastery (where you can eat and stay) on the right signals a few harder rapids, but the river is generally easy down to Reru Falls another obvious portage at river level on the left. After Reru there is more class three water, culminating in 10-15km of continuous class four boating down to Padum (excellent tea and samosas). The river is in an open valley so all of the class four rapids could be easily inspected and portaged. The river then flattens out and joins the

Zanskar
The first day on the Zanskar is pretty flat as you weave your way towards the gorge. Once in, it is awesome huge walls of coloured and twisted rock. The whitewater is big but straightforward class four, and there are (moving!) flat stretches after rapids. Huge boils and whirlies at the bottom are often more challenging than the rapids. In high water you should plan your campsites due to the lack of beaches, but we had lots of options. Rafters may find the constriction (where the river narrows to 3m wide) a challenge in medium or high water, but we surfed the boils with no trouble.

Notes: We had a full medium level on the Tsarap Chu and Zanskar and paddled both as a two person team in 4.5 days. We came back and paddled the last day on the Tsarap Chu and the Zanskar when they had dropped a couple of metres two weeks later, and found that the last day on the Tsarap Chu was considerably easier. The Zanskar becomes more interesting for kayaks when its lower more surfing. There are great side valleys to explore and its worth taking longer if you can. A day at Phuktal Monastery on the Tsarap Chu and another one at Nyerak village on the Zanskar is well worthwhile. Its possible to resupply in Padum so you can paddle with relatively light boats.

The Doda River is the other major tributary of the Zanskar, and presents an alternative to the Tsarap Chu for rafting teams and if the river is high. The Doda is accessed via a three day drive via Kargil, and as the road runs alongside the river you can put on where you like. The rafting teams tend to put in at Remala, and paddle one day of class two water down to Hemis Monastery close to the confluence with the Tsarap Chu. Aquaterra Adventures (located just out of Delhi) run August trips on the Doda/Zanskar and are highly recommended.

Polly Miller, 2005