Monday, September 21, 2009

Ladakh - Zanskar trek: Day 2

Day 2: Tarchit/Wan La to Hanupeta

The second day’s hike was fairly ordinary -- or as ordinary as a hike in Ladakh can be. The scenery was always amazing. We walked through a canyon and the walk was almost always easy. The entire walk was along a road -- either paved or unpaved -- and on arriving in Hanupeta we realized we could have saved two days of hiking by getting dropped directly in Hanupeta. Or, at least a day and a half’s hike by getting dropped in Fanjila -- a small village 4 km from Tarchit.

From Zanskar Trek


Hanupeta itself is a pretty little village. The camp sites are beyond the village, by a small stream. Hanupeta boasts of a phone line and even carries a sign that claims so. We would have had to inquire in the village to find out, and our camp was a good 20 minute hike away. Neither that evening or the next morning did we feel that a 20 minute hike was worth the trouble. We were also skeptical of finding the phone despite the posted sign.

This was our first real day of camping in the wilderness. One of the first things we found out was that our gear did not include a toilet tent. This meant, we were to go “exploring” in the wilderness to find the toilet we liked most.

*Recommendation: If you can get dropped into Hanupeta, you will save 2 days of hiking on the road. There is a large camping area with facilities just beyond Hanupeta. If you can, camp there. There is another campsitea little beyond this one which is quieter and closer to the stream (this is where we stayed), but you’ll either need your own toilet tent or go in the open.

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