Zanskar River Rafting - Highest and the second toughest in India

The Zanskar river rafting is the most difficult high altitude, highest in the world, and the second most difficult in India. If you're in Leh, this is a must-do adventurous excursion. The Zanskar River is famed for the famous 'Chadar Trek' (frozen river) that takes place during the winter when temperatures drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius. During the summer, the same river is popular for river rafting.

In the 24-kilometer section of the Zanskar River, there are around twelve rapids and a few whirlpools. There is a shorter, gentler one that is 8-12 kilometers long and has only 3 or 4 rapids. The lengthier one is full of excitement and adventure. Zanskar river rafting is high-altitude rafting at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet, making it the highest in the world. Ascertain that you are acclimatized to this altitude. You may do this by remaining in Leh for two days and doing nothing. After the Brahmaputra, the Zanskar river rafting is the second most difficult in India, with a grade 4 level.

Where can I go rafting in Leh?

The site is on the Leh - Kargil route, near Ladakh Union Territory. Leh is the nearest airport. The organizers' actual site is the Sangam, where the Zanskar and Indus rivers merge to form the Indus River. Zanskar is a tributary of the Indus River that flows north.

zanskar river rafting starting point

Prepare at the campground, which is near National Highway One, with the swimsuit/cold water jacket that they give, as well as the life jackets and helmets. The organizers will transport you to the starting spot, which is roughly 24 kilometers away. The journey to this location is full of adventure, with severe hairpin corners, landslides, no asphalt road in a few spots, and no road railing - one bad move by the driver, and you'll be all the way down in the Zanskar river. The coolest part is that you can stand on the backside of the vehicle. You can see this in the video below.

The Zanskar river rafting

The river rafting adventure begins with a set of instructions and a brief warm-up on how to paddle and so on. The Rapids begins almost instantly. Some of the most hazardous areas at the start and in the middle. After roughly 30 minutes from the start, there is a little pause. After the break, there are a few additional rapids, followed by a whirlpool near the bridge. After we cross the bridge, the remaining few kilometers are completely flat. The entire travel took about an hour. The water is ice cold, and you can even dive near the tent at the further end.

Is Zanskar river rafting safe?

Rafting may also be done on the Zanskar river's rapids. Because the rivers include rapids ranging from level 1 to level 4, you may select the rapid based on the amount of difficulty you are ready to tackle. Rafting in Leh is a safe activity that can be enjoyed with an open mind and an enthusiastic heart.

What is the price of river rafting?

The Zanskar river rafting price package costs between 1,000 and 1,500 rupees and includes 24-kilometer travel to the starting location in a jeep or minibus, a swimsuit to protect you from the chilly water, a safety jacket, a guide and instruction expenses, permission, boat, and lunch. The costs of the action camera are an additional 1000 rupees. I recommend bringing your own action camera with a head mount with you.

Zanskar river rafting Safety

Instructions will be given at the start, as well as a guide in the boat while rafting, another guide who will kayak alongside us for the duration of the adventure, a safety jacket, cold water suit, helmet, and a jeep that will follow us on the road that runs along to the Zanskar river. The guides are certified and trained in Rishikesh, another popular river rafting destination in India.

Also, read my other adventure stories and other activities that you can do when in Ladakh.

https://youtu.be/iJKZBC-Eeao

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Skurbuchan to Shakar - (A wonderful cycling experience on day 3)

Day three of our cycling, from Skurbuchan to Shakar was another exciting one. Cycling next to the Indus river on Indus valley road, the amazing landscape, cycling through the apricot farmland, river crossing, cycling next to the stream, cycling downhill and extremely tiring uphill followed by camping next to the stream.

Check out the first two days of our cycling here

Day1 – Leh to Lamayuru

Day2 - Moonland to Skurbuchan

Where to stay in Skurbuchan?

If you are traveling solo to this beautiful remote village in Skurbuchan then you might want to consider staying at homestays at Aryan valley. There are places where you can camp and on the way you will find small shops where some of the rations are available which is good enough if you are planning to camp. Also, there is a government guesthouse. Watch this video below to know more.

About Skurbuchan

Skurbuchan village is located above the Indus in western Ladakh, approximately 125 kilometers from Leh. The name of the settlement comes from a native fruit called 'Skyur,' which is exclusively cultivated in and near the village. The village, with a population of over 2000 people, is one of the largest in the region. Beautiful river streams, lush green meadows, and delightful walks make this settlement a perfect addition to any Ladakh itinerary. The settlement boasts a big Buddha statue on a mountaintop overlooking the entire village, from where you can admire the grandeur of Skurbuchan. Skurbuchan is also significant as the entryway to the well-known Aryan communities.

Skur Buchan to Shakar

At Skurbuchan campsite, enjoy the morning walk around the apricot farm and the local village. Have breakfast, pack your bags, and check for tire pressure before cycling. Take the mud route till you reach the main road. The route is mainly flat or downhill next to the river Indus, crossing a few villages. It is a long ride with hardly any water source.

The river water is all silt and cannot be used for drinking. It is dangerous to get all the way down to the river and also, the rapid flow of water, doesn't make this a safe place to get to the water. It is hard to find any shop on the way and we stopped at Indus cafe for a small tea break which is just before the Sanjak bridge.

Places to visit in Skurbuchan

When you go on a cycling expedition, it may not be possible to cover all the places as you need to stick on to the time and the scheduled plan. With YHAI it is strict and you cannot deviate from the plan unless you have approval from your guide, else you may be out of the expedition. But, if you are going solo which I recommend, or if you are on a casual vacation visiting on your own then you might want to consider visiting Buddha Statue, Skurbuchan Monastery, Indus River, Dah, and Hanu (Aryan Villages).

Sanjak Bridge - Crossing the river Indus

Continue to pedal further till you reach a bridge that takes you to a village. The route from this place to our campsite is all uphill and is extremely tiring. We managed to pedal switching between first and second gear, with multiple breaks till we reached the next village. We had packed lunch and explored the place and had some fresh juicy apricot.

Post lunch we continued further uphill, but not too steep, next to steam. The landscape here isn't too dry and is full of trees and farmland. After cycling for almost 2 hours we crossed the stream and stayed at an under-construction government guest house. It was almost dark and we spent some time next to the stream. The place is now called the Tourist facilitation center, where you will have an option to stay. Also, just outside this place, you can even camp adjacent to the facilitation center on the river bank.

https://youtu.be/IseSHssSDMo

On day 4 we went further from Shakar to Haniskot with some stunning and scenic landscapes. To get a sense of the location, watch the video above. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter and SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.