“OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!” — Dr Seuss
Ladakh- Land of Serenity! The Land of Nomads! The Land of Compassionate People! The place you visit to know about it more, and, end up coming back home, knowing more about Yourself…!! The Terrain that makes you feel Tiny and Humble for your Existence…!!
No wonder, it conquers an exceptional place in my heart as well as my Life. I can never conclude my Love for Ladakh in just a few words.
Triyana Travel Club is endowed by the team of the passionate Travellers from India, USA and Singapore, striving to pass on more of the intimate and holistic travel experience to every traveller choosing TRIYANA as their Travelmate. Our primary purpose is to introduce Ladakh in its raw version, where one gets to live and endure Ladakh like a local. Keeping your Comfort and Safety as a priority, at least one of the founding member of Triyana along with the help of an experienced Local Team Member accompanies in every trip to ensure your every penny is spent rightly. To render what we Promise, we certainly experience every trip we curate, on our own before we offer to you.
Along with the eyesight of promoting Responsible Tourism, we pursue with the ultimate goal of catering a remarkable, life-changing experience to our travellers, and there’s a no bigger joy for us than fulfilling that responsibility.
“WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU DID SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME.” — JOHN C. MAXWELL
An Idea of undertaking the Life-Altering Trek…!
It all began with the mere idea of undertaking the life-altering trek at Chadar. Initially, the purpose was to simply have a first-hand experience of the trek before we introduce it to our travel mates. The everyday hustle and the never-ending realm of daily chores make us lethal, making us forget to live for the moment and make most of the Life. Trekking is one of those adventures filled activities which makes us feel alive. If you are looking for one such escape, which tests your stamina and survival instincts while treating you to stunning views of the snow-capped mountain, then the Chadar Trek is meant for you.
The Chadar trek is all about grit & survival – of learning to withstand in the rusty terrains at sub-zero temperatures, interacting with the locals & experiencing their way of living, while you traversed across a dramatic canyon with frozen waterfalls on the Frozen River Trail. One of a kind Trek where you get to partake in the thrill of walking on the Ice sheet, sleeping in caves, musing over blazing bonfires in freezing temperatures under the naked starry Sky, yet surviving it all making it a Life-Altering Journey!
Planning, Planning and Well Planning…!!
Like any other curious traveller, I googled to gather all the information about Chadar Trek available online. I collected the tiniest detail from the local connections I had back in Ladakh. I approach a few of the like-minded fellows to accompany me in this surreal and breath-taking experience. A group of 5 pals were all set to experience the world’s deadliest icy adventure.
We shortlisted some of the local trek organizers and scrutinised their detailed itinerary. What was bewildering for us was that the almost likewise itinerary was offered for different pricing packages. We ended up finalizing the team of local trek operators considering their trekking expertise, past records and the incomparable services they were offering for the amount they were charging us in return. After all, A Piece of Advice straight from the local experts can never go wrong, only to add a cherry on the cake.
A little bit of frosting before the breath-taking Adventure!
A whole lot of groundwork led us to the conclusion that “Chadar Trek” is definitely not a cakewalk and a lot of Preparation is going to require prior commencing this expedition. As we still had 3-4 months, we wasted no time and began our fitness regime to get into our utmost harmony. Our fitness regime included 10-12 km of daily walking without missing a single day. Gradually, we incorporated other physical activities like swimming, strength training, running & meditation to build our muscle endurance and Mental strength. Also, we followed a well-nutrient diet schedule to avoid any health-related obstacles at the last moment.
NOTE: The only apt time to traverse the Chadar Trek is in January and early February when winter is at its peak!
Meanwhile, we got a list of the things to carry with for the Mighty Chadar Trek.
- At least 2 pair of Inner Thermal sets (water-resistant)
- 2 sets of Full Trek pants (Quick Dry)
- 4 set of Woollen Hand gloves, 6 woollen socks, Beanie (woollen Monkey Cap), muffler, Scarf (Buy from local Leh Market)
- 1 Long sleeves T-shirt, 1 fleece Jacket, 1 Down Jacket, 1 pair of Windcheater, Quick dry Towel
- Right trekking equipment (Columbia and North East are the two brands; I would recommend to everybody planning for Chadar trek)
- Gumboots (Buy from Local Leh Market)
- 14 pairs of Cotton Socks
- Sunglasses, SPF 40 sunscreen, moisturiser, Anti-fungal powder, Lip balm, Anti-rash gel
- Head Torch, Tent Torch, Hot water bag, Flask, wet wipes, toilet papers, hand sanitiser
- Personal medical kit
We packed our bags and set out for this dreamland full of Adventures! The wildest icy trek was roaring high, waiting for us!
[ In my next blog I have shared overwhelming and breath-taking experiences I had during my Chadar Trek. Kindly stay tuned for the latest updates]
PICKING THE RIGHT TOUR OPERATOR MEANS WINNING HALF THE BATTLE!
Undoubtedly, as they say, the Chadar Trek is an utterly thrilling trek, both physically as well as mentally. Believe it or not, this surely is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Book your trek with Triyana today and get ready to embark the most enticing trek of your life! Because just like preparing yourself prior the trek and having the right trekking equipment is something you cannot overlook, choosing a well-versed trekking operator is equally inevitable!
