Chadar Trek

The Chadar Trek is one of the most extreme and celebrated winter treks in the world, following the frozen Zanskar river as it forms a solid ice sheet ('chadar', meaning blanket) through a narrow gorge connecting Leh to remote Zanskar villages during the depths of winter. Trekkers walk directly on the ice, sometimes camping in caves along the riverbank, in temperatures that can drop to -20°C or lower, making this one of the most physically demanding treks in the Indian Himalaya.

Traditionally used by Zanskari villagers as their only winter route to the outside world when mountain passes are snowbound, the trek has in recent years also become an internationally recognised adventure tourism experience, though changing climate patterns have made the ice conditions increasingly unpredictable and, in some years, more dangerous.

The Chadar route has been used for generations by Zanskari communities as their sole winter link to Leh, when the region's high mountain passes become entirely impassable, making the frozen river the only viable, if extremely hazardous, seasonal trade and travel corridor.

Begins near Chilling, about 3-4 hours by road from Leh, before the multi-day trek along the frozen river.