Trekking in the trans-Himalayas

Trekking in the trans-Himalayas is like being on another planet – almost. The barren landscape, often referred to as ‘moonscape’, characteristic of the trans-Himalayas is extraordinary. Largely void of any trees, with a few grass pastures here and there, it’s just you and the mountains! Besides the absolutely fabulous landscape, there’s another great advantage to doing a trek in the trans-Himalayas. Being just north of the main Himalayan mountain range, the trans-Himalayas are in the rain shadow during the otherwise wet monsoon months! Don’t expect it to be a 100% dry weather all the time, you can get a few showers and even the freak snow blizzard, but that’s more the exception than the rule. If you’re interested in going, below is a quick overview of the different trans-Himalayan regions and a short note about trekking / travel possibilities. Check below, and click for more details. Picture right: A typical trans- Himalayan landscape with dry hills and a chorten. This picture is from Mustang, Nepal, and the mountain in the back is the 7900 meter Annapurna I.

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Ladakh (India) Kinnaur-Lahaul-Spiti (India) Dolpo / Dolpa (Nepal) Mustang (Nepal) Humla (Nepal) Mugu (Nepal) Manang (Nepal) Tibetan Plateau (China)

- great for individual camping treks, 1-4 weeks - drive in jeep / bike / bus, “inner line permit” needed - stunning and remote, but at least $700 for the permit alone - stunning, but at least $700 for the permit alone - remote and very little visited, camping/porters needed - remote and very little visited, camping/porters needed - cheapest, easiest logistics (part of Annapurna Circuit) - jeep / bike ride, but only tours organized by tour agency

Notice the Manang option I’ve highlighted. It’s really a great option, no expensive permits required and you can do most/all of it trekking from lodge to lodge. It’ll take you 2-3 weeks of walking, perhaps more. It’s amazing that not more people go there, since it’s so close to one of the “trekking highways” of the Himalayas, the Annapurna Circuit. If you just want to trek in the trans-Himalayas, Manang is a good option!