Rumtse to Tso Moriri Trek via Tso Kar

The Rumtse to Tso Moriri trek is a 14-day private trek from Leh to Leh across the Changthang plateau. It passes the salt lake of Tso Kar and ends beside Tso Moriri at Kiangdom, after six passes and a high point of 5,450 m.

You land in Leh at 3,500 m and stay two nights, with a hike to Chamkang Ri (4,150 m) on day 2. Day 3 takes in Thiksey and Hemis monasteries before a drive to Rumtse (4,270 m). Walking starts on day 4, a short stretch to Kyamar. Day 5 crosses Kyamar La and Mandalchan La, day 6 crosses Shibuk La and drops to Tso Kar, and day 7 is a rest day on the lake.

Then come Nuruchan, Horlam Kongka La, Kyamayur La and Yalung Nyau La, over open grazing land where you may see kiang, marmots and Changpa camps. A day of walking and a short drive brings you to Kiangdom (4,550 m), with a full day on the lakeshore. Day 13 is the drive to Leh, and day 14 the flight.

The ground is wide, dry and open: broad valleys, rocky trail, riverbed walking, loose gravel and the odd patch of snow or ice on the passes, with few landmarks, so days feel longer than the distance. Tso Kar is a salt lake, and Tso Moriri is a deep lake set in high desert. Expect wind, cold mornings and temperatures from -5 to 20 degrees Celsius. Walking days run from 3 to 8 hours, and the long ones come on pass days.

It is remote, and the plan is built around acclimatisation: two nights in Leh, a hike high and sleep low, and a rest day at Tso Kar. A physically fit walker with some time at altitude will get the most from it.

• Duration: 14 days, 13 nights
• Highest point: 5,450 m
• Start and end: Leh airport and back
• Grade: Strenuous
• Season: June to October

The two Leh nights, the Tso Kar rest day and the lakeside day are part of the plan, not extras. The same route also runs with a Mentok Kangri summit: see Mentok Kangri with Rumtse Tsomoriri.

• A traverse, not a loop: you walk from Rumtse near the Indus valley to Tso Moriri across the Changthang plateau, and finish by a lake.
• Six passes in a row: Kyamar La and Mandalchan La on day 5, Shibuk La on day 6, Horlam Kongka La, Kyamayur La and Yalung Nyau La on the days after Tso Kar.
• Tso Kar, with a rest day: you camp at Pangunagu on the salt lake, at 4,400 m, and stay a second night before the harder second half.
• Two nights in Leh first: a hike to Chamkang Ri (4,150 m), then Thiksey and Hemis monasteries, before you sleep above 4,000 m.
• Kiangdom on Tso Moriri: a camp at 4,550 m beside the lake, away from the village, and a full day there to walk the shore.
• Changthang wildlife: open plains where kiang and marmots are often seen, and birds on the lakes.
• Changpa country: the route passes nomadic herders' settlements on the high grazing land.
• Remote and private: a long, quiet route walked by your own group with our team, and a clear 5,450 m high point.

The Rumtse to Tso Moriri trek is a long walk at height, and the plan is built so that you reach the hard passes already adapted. Here is how the 14 days are laid out.

Leh first: days 1 to 3

You land in Leh (3,500 m) and rest. Leh's administration asks visitors to spend at least 48 hours in and around Leh before going higher, and our plan has two full nights there. Day 2 is a hike to Chamkang Ri (4,150 m): you climb high and come back to sleep low. Day 3 visits Thiksey and Hemis monasteries, then drives to Rumtse (4,270 m), where you sleep in a homestay.

Rising gradually: days 4 to 6

Day 4 is short, 3 to 4 hours and about 10 km, to a camp at Kyamar (4,338 m). Day 5 is the first real day: Kyamar La and Mandalchan La, 6 to 8 hours and about 14 km, ending at Tisaling (4,900 m). It is the biggest step up in sleeping height on the trek, about 560 m, which is why the day before it is easy. Day 6 crosses Shibuk La and drops to Tso Kar at 4,400 m.

The rest day: day 7

Day 7 stays at Tso Kar. It is a rest day with an easy walk of 2 to 4 hours at most, on flat ground by the lake. After a high pass day on each of the two days before, this is where legs and lungs catch up, before the second half asks more of you.

The second half: days 8 to 11

Day 8 follows Tso Kar to Nuruchan (4,650 m). Day 9 crosses Horlam Kongka La to Rachungkaru (4,890 m), a shorter 4 to 5 hours. Day 10 crosses Kyamayur La to Gyama (5,100 m), the highest night of the trek. Day 11 crosses Yalung Nyau La, then descends to Kiangdom at 4,550 m, so you finish by sleeping lower than you started the day.

The last days

Day 12 is a full day at Kiangdom with a lakeside walk. Day 13 drives to Leh via Korzok and Chumathang, about 6 hours, and day 14 is the flight out.

The pattern is the point: a short day, two hard pass days, a rest, then the long second half with one easier day among its passes. Our leaders watch how each person is coping at every camp, and we adjust the pace rather than the plan. Tell us your dates and how you have fared at altitude before, and we will shape the days with you.

The Rumtse to Tso Moriri trek crosses six passes, and they do not come evenly. Two fall on day 5, one on day 6, and then three more over the second half. The top of the route is 5,450 m.

Day 5: Kyamar La and Mandalchan La

The first pass day starts from the Kyamar camp with a gradual climb through a wide valley. You cross Kyamar La, then Mandalchan La, and walk on to Tisaling. It is 6 to 8 hours and about 14 km, and after the short day 4 it is the first test of how you carry altitude.

Day 6: Shibuk La

Shibuk La takes you out of the Rumtse side and towards Tso Kar. The day is 7 to 8 hours and about 16 km, and the climb is steady rather than steep. On a clear day the lake comes into view in the distance before you reach it.

Day 9: Horlam Kongka La

After the rest day at Tso Kar and a long day along the lake to Nuruchan, Horlam Kongka La is the gentlest of the later passes: 4 to 5 hours and about 10 km. Good news for tired legs, and a useful reset before the two big days that follow.

Day 10: Kyamayur La

The day starts with a long, steady climb across grazing land and gets steeper near the top. It is 6 to 8 hours and about 15 km, ending at Gyama, our highest camp.

Day 11: Yalung Nyau La

The last pass is also the highest, at about 5,450 m, and the final one before Tso Moriri. The day is 6 to 8 hours and about 17 km, then a short drive to Kiangdom at 4,550 m.

How we handle them

These are walking passes, not technical ones. On snow or ice in early season we carry microspikes and use them when conditions call for it. Start early, because the wind rises through the afternoon, and carry layers: the ridges are cold even on a bright day. We keep a steady pace and short breaks, and we decide on the day whether to push on or hold. If you want a Ladakh route with this many passes and a lake at the end, this is it.

The two lakes on this trek are different, and the route is shaped by both of them.

Tso Kar: the salt lake

Tso Kar is a salt lake, and the camp at Pangunagu sits beside it at 4,400 m. You reach it on day 6 over Shibuk La, and you stay two nights. Day 7 is a rest day: a short walk of 2 to 4 hours at most, and time to watch the light move over the lake. Day 8 then follows the lakeshore to Nuruchan, a long day of about 17 km across open plains. Migratory birds, kiang and marmots are the animals people usually see, and you may pass Changpa camps. The view is wide and plain, with few landmarks, so the days feel longer than the distance.

Between the lakes

Between Tso Kar and Tso Moriri are three passes over high grazing land: Horlam Kongka La, Kyamayur La and Yalung Nyau La. That is where the trek is hardest. The lakes are the reward at each end of it.

Tso Moriri and Kiangdom

On day 11 you cross Yalung Nyau La and finish at Kiangdom (4,550 m), a camp on the shore of Tso Moriri. Many routes finish at the village of Korzok. We go on to Kiangdom, so you sleep by the water.

Day 12 is a full day there. You can walk the lakeshore towards Chumik Shilde and Norbu Sumdo (about 4 to 5 hours, 8 km round), or sit by the water and let the day go slowly. It is also a gentle way to come down after the passes.

The drive back

On day 13 you drive past Korzok and Chumathang to Leh in about 6 hours, and the drive is a scenic way to close the trip.

One lake gives you the scale of Changthang, the other a slower, quieter finish. Tell us when you would like to travel, and we will send you the plan.

This is a remote route with few exits, so planning matters more than on a valley trek.

When to go

The season runs from June to October. The months from June to the end of September are the best time. Outside those months the passes may be difficult, though not impossible. Early in the season some passes can carry snow; later, the ground is open and the skies tend to be clearer. Both work. Temperatures on the route run from about -5 to 20 degrees Celsius, so expect warm sun and cold nights, and a sharp wind on the ridges.

Starting from Leh

Leh sits at about 3,500 m, and flights come in from Delhi through the year, in the morning because of afternoon winds. We pick you up at Leh airport and take you back to it at the end. Because snow or cloud can delay flights, we suggest you do not book a tight connection out of Delhi after day 14.

Permits

Leh itself needs no permit. For Tso Moriri, Indian citizens pay environment and related fees online, and foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit. We arrange it for you, so send your details early.

Remote ground

The route crosses open plateau and high passes, and it is remote. Evacuation may not be possible from every camp, and a good deal of the safety on the trek is in the plan: acclimatisation built in, a team with local knowledge, and the willingness to turn back or hold a day when it is the right call. The route also has some river crossings and long stretches of loose gravel, and the days run from 5 to 8 hours, sometimes more.

Roads

The drive back from Kiangdom to Leh is about 6 hours. Landslides in July and August and snow on the passes can slow any road in Ladakh, so we keep a flexible mind at either end. If you are weighing up a route, tell us your dates, and we will say what to expect in that month.

This is a strenuous trek, and it is more about stamina and patience than about technical skill.

What the days look like

Walking days run from 3 to 8 hours. The long ones are day 5 (6 to 8 hours, about 14 km), day 6 (7 to 8 hours, about 16 km), day 8 (6 to 7 hours, about 17 km), day 10 (6 to 8 hours, about 15 km) and day 11 (6 to 8 hours, about 17 km). In between are easier days: day 4, day 7 at Tso Kar, day 9 and day 12 by the lake. Sleeping height stays between 4,270 m and 5,100 m from Rumtse to Gyama, so you spend most of a week above 4,000 m.

Who it suits

A fit walker who is happy with long days, cold mornings and camping. The trail is rocky and open, and the passes are long walks rather than climbs. A physically fit beginner with the right motivation can do this trek with an experienced team, but some earlier time at altitude helps a great deal. We are glad to talk through your history before you decide.

What we do to help

Your group is private, usually 2 to 10 people, and the team sets the pace for you, not for a schedule. The two nights in Leh, the Chamkang Ri hike, the lower camp at Tso Kar and the rest day there are all part of the plan. Our leaders check on how everyone is each morning and evening.

What helps you

• Train for time on your feet: several hours of walking with a daypack, on consecutive days, and steady cardio work.
• Pack for wind and cold: a windproof layer, warm gloves and a hat matter more here than extra clothes.
• Hold something back: on a pass day, keep energy for the last third and for the next day's pass.

If you want something shorter and lower, we can suggest another Ladakh trek. If this one appeals, send us your dates and your experience, and we will shape the days to suit you. You can also look at the version combined with a summit, Mentok Kangri with Rumtse Tsomoriri.