Leh: The much-awaited Chadar Trek in Ladakh, slated to begin on January 7, is likely to be postponed as ice has yet to form adequately. An advanced recce team surveyed the trek route on January 3 and recommended postponing the commencement of the trek in its report to the district administration.
As per the (All Ladakh Tour Operator Association) ALTOA data, 949 tourists visited Ladakh for the Chadar Trek in 2021; including 710 domestic males, 236 domestic females, 1 foreign male, and 2 foreign female tourists. The trek was suspended in 2022 owing to COVID-19 limitations, as there were no visitors that year.
In 2023, the trek resumed with a significant surge in participation, recording a total of 1653 visitors—1234 domestic males, 325 domestic females, 57 foreign males, and 37 foreign female tourists. However, there was a noticeable decline in 2024, with only 584 tourists, comprising 392 domestic males, 127 domestic females, 41 foreign males, and 24 foreign female visitors.
The Advanced Recce Team for Chadar 2025 submitted a report to the ADC, Leh, stating, “At many places, the river is not frozen yet, making it impassable for trekkers. Given the river conditions, we cannot guarantee the safety of trekkers, and it would be irresponsible to proceed with the trek.”
The report further says, “In light of our findings, we strongly recommend postponing the commencement of the Chadar Trek. We suggest organising another recce in a week to reassess the river conditions. This will provide a more accurate assessment of the feasibility of the trek.”
Skalzang Rigzin, President, Ladakh Mountain Guides Association said, “In collaboration with UTDRF, ALTOA, the Wildlife Department, and the Tourism Department, we conducted a recce on January 3. From Tar to Tsomo, we observed that the ice has not yet fully formed in some areas, making it unsafe for the trekkers. Initially, we planned to start the trek on January 7, but we had to postpone it. We will conduct another recce on January 10, and hopefully, we can begin the Chadar Trek by January 13.”
He further shared, “The current stretch of the Chadar Trek is about 12-13 km. Previously, the trek extended to Karsha and Padum in the Zanskar region, lasting around 12-13 days. However, due to the construction of the Nimmo-Padum-Darcha Road and ongoing blast activities, the trek has been shortened to just 2-3 days. Last year, the trek also began around January 12-13. Earlier, even after trekking for 13 days, our shoes would remain dry, but now the conditions have changed significantly.”
Inspector Tsering Angchuk, UTDRF, Leh, states, “At some places, the ice is not formed and we have postponed the second recce for another week.”
Tsewang Namgyal, General Secretary, ALTOA said, “The ice on the Chadar Trek lasts for almost a month, typically starting from the first or second week of January.”
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