Among the most exciting runs on the Zanskar is the 120km run from Padum
to Nemu, a trip which takes several days and involves having to camp
out in utter wilderness. It’s replete with exhilarating rapids, Grade
III - IV which are frequent and can be dangerous. It is suggested only
for those with good training and experience in white water rafting and
with the right equipments.
Another
good run is the Phey – Nemu route, easier than the Padum-Nemu run,
mostly Grade II or III. The main attraction of the run is that it passes
through astoundingly beautiful mountains, many of them with tiny villages
and imposing old monasteries nestling among the valleys. The run starts
at Phey and ends about 36 km from Leh, at Nemu.
In both Ladakh as well as Zanskar, public transport and
other facilities- including tourist accommodation are very limited. Zanskar’s
administrative centre, Padum, is accessible from Kargil. The single motor-able
road which connects the two places during the summer months, passes over
the 14,500 ft Pensi- la pass in the Suru Valley. Buses run between the
two towns on alternate days between July and October, the rest of the
months the road is snowbound and inaccessible. Alternatively vehicles
can be hired in Kargil for the trip to Padum.
In addition to this, parts of the area, especially those
lying close to India’s international borders, require special permits
to be obtained. To overcome all these difficulties, it’s better to go
through a well organised professional agency which organises river runs.
They’ll make all the necessary arrangements, including permits, transport,
equipment and accommodation. Many such agencies have their offices in
Leh, and some also have offices in other cities in India, such as New
Delhi.
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