Markha Valley is the trek most trekkers picture when they imagine Ladakh: a trail through a string of centuries-old farming villages set against the trans-Himalayan desert, with the Zanskar range on one side and Kang Yatse’s 6,400m pyramid dominating the skyline on the other. It’s also the region’s most complete introduction to Ladakhi trekking, combining village culture, river crossings, and a genuine high-altitude pass in a single itinerary.
The route follows the Markha river upstream through villages like Skiu, Markha, and Hankar — many still home to farming families growing barley and running homestays — before climbing out of the valley to the high pasture at Nimaling, where Kang Yatse fills the western view. From there, the trail crosses Kongmaru La at 5,214m, the trek’s technical and scenic high point, before descending to the roadhead at Shang Sumdo.
Because much of Ladakh’s trekking territory starts above 3,500m, Markha Valley — like every trek in this region — demands proper acclimatisation in Leh beforehand; skipping it is the single most common reason trekkers struggle on this otherwise moderate route.
