Warwan Valley Trek Itinerary — Day by Day Route & Camps

Drive to Panikhar

A massive driving day. You leave the green Kashmir valley, crossing the infamous Zoji La pass, and enter the stark, arid landscapes of Ladakh. You pass through Kargil and drive deep into the Suru Valley to the remote village of Panikhar, surrounded by the towering Nun and Kun massifs.

Because you have driven from 5,200 ft to almost 11,000 ft in a single day, this rest day is strictly mandatory. Spend the day doing short acclimatization walks around the village and organizing your expedition gear with the mules.

Reach Denora

The trek begins. You walk along the Suru River on a wide, arid, and dusty trail characteristic of the Zanskar region. The gradient is gradual but unrelenting. You will set up your first wilderness camp at the desolate pasture of Denora.

Reach Kalapari

The landscape becomes harsher. The trail moves from dirt to rocky moraine as you approach the snout of the Kalapari glacier. You will have to ford several freezing glacial streams. The camp at Kalapari is extremely cold, situated on rocks near the base of the pass.

The crux of the expedition. You start before dawn, ascending a steep, icy moraine wall onto the massive Lomvilad Glacier. The glacier walk to the pass takes several hours. You must walk carefully behind the guide to avoid crevasses. At the pass (14,500 ft), the arid landscape abruptly ends, and you look down into the lush green Warwan Valley. The descent is incredibly steep and taxing on the knees, ending at the beautiful meadows of Kaintal.

Reach Humpet

A stark visual contrast to the previous days. You are now deep in Kashmir. The trail is mostly flat, winding through endless meadows blooming with wildflowers, alongside crystal-clear braided rivers. The walking is long but visually spectacular and physically forgiving after the pass.

Reach Sukhnai

You continue your descent through the valley, passing through thick forests of silver birch and pine. By afternoon, you arrive at Sukhnai, one of the most isolated villages in the Himalayas, entirely constructed of traditional interlocking wooden logs without a single iron nail.

Reach Margi

The final trekking day. You walk through a series of small, picturesque Kashmiri villages along the Warwan river to reach Inshan, the main administrative hub of the valley. Here you will find the roadhead and military checkpoints.

Drive to Srinagar

Board your vehicles for the long, bumpy drive out of the Warwan Valley. You will cross the Margan Top pass (11,000 ft) before descending into the main Kashmir valley (Anantnag) and finally arriving in Srinagar by late afternoon, concluding the expedition.