Trekking in Ladakh, India, as a Solo Female Traveler
When I told people that I planned to travel solo in the mountains of northern India, many reacted the same way— “wow, you’re so brave!” But trekking in these otherworldly landscapes and meeting the generous people who live here doesn’t take much bravery at all. Ladakh is a wonderful place to explore, with friends and on your own.
Where is Ladakh?
Ladakh is a high altitude region administered by India as a Union Territory and borders Tibet to the east, the Indian state Himachal Pradesh to the south, Jammu and Kashmir to the west and China to the far north. Ladakh is the highest plateau in India and much of it is over 3000 meters.
Getting to Ladakh
There are two main ways of getting to Ladakh. You can fly into Leh, the largest town, or you can take a bus.
Flying to Leh
Leh has many great shops and restaurants to explore. Don’t miss the Shanti Stupa!
This option makes the most sense if you are short on time. There are flights into Leh from Delhi most mornings (the airport is only open for commercial flights in the morning and is used by the military in the afternoon). Be careful about altitude sickness- Leh is just over 3,500 meters and many visitors that fly in end up getting sick. Budget a few days to rest and explore the city before heading out on any treks.
Busing to Leh
The bus rides are an adventure in themselves! You reach over 5000 meters and stop at tent camps along the way for lentils and tea.
I took the bus and I’d highly recommend this option. Taking ground transportation means you can acclimatize to the altitude more slowly and you get to see more of the gorgeous Indian countryside. However the busses aren’t for the faint of heart— bathroom stops are few and far between, and many buses are stuffed past capacity for sections of the journey. I’d recommend taking a bus from Delhi to Manali, and then taking a bus over the five high altitude passes between Manali and Leh. Take a few days to explore the lush green valleys and gorgeous lakes in Manali and then watch the landscape slowly turn into a moon-like desert when you pass into Ladakh.
When to Visit
The primary trekking season is early-to-mid June and runs until September. Many shops and hostels close down by mid-September and the weather gets quite cold. The high season is July and August with August being the busiest month. Treks to see the illusive snow leopard are also popular in January.
Is Ladakh safe to visit solo?
Yes, I felt safe in Ladakh as a solo female traveler. However, there are some factors to be aware of when planning your trip.
Military Presence
Ladakh is a strategic area for the Indian military because of the close proximity with territory that’s disputed with Pakistan and China. You should always have multiple scanned copies of your passport with you and be ready to show them at the numerous security checkpoints. Leh is full of military personal armed with large weapons but I never had any trouble or felt threatened by their presence.
Phone Service
It’s quite tricky to get an Indian SIM card as a foreigner, and a typical Indian SIM card won’t work in Ladakh. The government also occasionally shuts down phone service and wifi access as well. I managed to get a SIM card that covered me in Leh through my guiding company but I didn’t have service at all while trekking. This means you need to plan ahead and make sure someone in Leh knows where you’re going and when you’ll likely be back. There is cell service from the top of a few passes, and we were able to call a taxi to pick us up a day early because of this.
Hostels and Hotels
Leh is fully set up for the tourism industry and there is a plethora of hotels and hostels to choose from. I felt safest in female dorms in hostels or in hotels with female staff members. Leh also has a large number of home-stays where you can stay in a traditional home with a local family— these are a great way to meet locals and support a more sustainable tourism industry.
Stray Dogs
Leh is absolutely full of stray dogs, cows, chickens, and other animals. I got bit by a dog in India and ended up needing to get the full rabies series. I’d recommend getting the rabies vaccine before visiting India. If you do get bit though, don’t worry! It’s easy to get the rabies vaccine for a cheap price in Leh. Prescription medications are also extremely cheap— don’t waste money buying altitude medications like Diamox at home unless you plan to take it before you arrive.
How to Plan a Trek
Decide what kind of trek you’re looking for
There are numerous treks in Ladakh. You can do homestay treks between villages where you stay with locals in their homes. You can climb up 6000 meter peaks like the famous Stok Kangri. You can camp in a tent with nomadic people in the far north. Treks range from technical and strenuous to accessible for most novice trekkers.
Pony Treks
Ponies carry gear up to the different base camps on Stok Kangri.
We had excellent food for our Stok Kangri trek because ponies carried up all our gear. There’s no way we could have had fresh buckwheat pancakes each morning without the help of the ponies!
Many guided treks, including all mountaineering trips to climb peaks like Stok Kangri and Kang Yatse, are pony treks. You’ll be outfitted with a trekking guide who will walk with you and help you get to the summit of the peak, a cook who will make you lentils and rice, and a pony-man who will carry all the gear up on a pack of five or six ponies. These treks are usually quite deluxe with a variety of foods and comfortable tents. However, the ponies and large tents have a large impact on the fragile alpine ecosystems. Most guiding companies burn their trash along the way and a few popular treks may close soon to visitors because of the impact on fresh water sources. Expect to pay a permit fee for any popular mountaineering trips that is usually not included in the guiding package.
Homestay Treks
One of my hosts on the Lamayuru to Chilling trek.
Homestay hosts would often cook over yak-dung fires to make tea and lentils.
This was my favorite type of trek and includes famous routes like the Markha Valley Trek (moderate), Baby Trek (easy), and Lamayuru to Chilling trek (challenging). I picked the Lamayuru to Chilling trek and enjoyed staying in local villages each night instead of camping. Homestay treks are better for the environment because you don’t trample delicate desert ecosystems with tents or ponies. You also get to know local families and get a glimpse at how they live in very remote desert environments. Many villages are only accessible by hiking over 5000 meter passes and locals rely on traditional farming practices and tourism dollars to survive. You pay around $10 USD for dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch, and to spend the night on mattresses in a spare room. Dinner is usually lentils and rice, breakfast might be a rice porridge, and lunch is inevitably a boiled egg and a potato with juice and a chocolate or cookie.
Camping Treks
You can also bring your own tent and camp out without a guide, cook, and ponies. On some treks like Markha Valley, it’s easy to eat at homestays and then sleep outside. These treks are the cheapest because you don’t need to pay a staff of people to help carry gear and you can cook some of your own food. Bring a warm sleeping bag because the desert temperatures get cold at high altitudes!
Hire a Guide or go Alone?
My guide on the Lamayuru to Chilling trek, Sonam, was a huge help during the trek.
Guides are extremely helpful for remote treks in Ladakh. Most Ladakhis that you’ll meet in villages don’t speak any English and it’s difficult to communicate without a translator. Guides also help make sure you don’t get lost in the high-altitude desert. Hiring a guide does increase the cost of trekking but guiding services in Ladakh are very low- usually between $15-30 a day. That said, most common treks are very doable without a guide. Download Maps.me maps of the local trails, buy a guidebook, and book a taxi to the starting point of a trek and you’re off!
How do you Find a Guide?
You can book your trek ahead of time or book on arrival.
If you have a limited time-frame or are certain which trek you want to do, you can book ahead of time with some trekking companies like the Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company. Their guides are well-trained, care about their clients, and prioritize education and environmental stewardship. Many other guides that I met in Ladakh did not share these priorities which leads to a far worse trekking experience. However, you certainly do not have to book ahead of time. Ladakh has hundreds of trekking companies and it’s easy to find a group of trekkers to go with once you arrive in Leh. Booking on location gives you the flexibility to adapt your dates for good weather windows, reduce prices by going with more people, and meet your guide in person before you commit. There is a risk though— there are no certification standards for guiding companies and many of the companies don’t do much research on the guides they send trekkers out with. I had one really great guide and one very terrible guide from booking a trip on location. Always ask to meet the guide ahead of time and ask for their guiding experience.
Ladakh is definitely worth a visit. The large, desolate peaks and huge expanses of high altitude desert landscape are otherworldly and a great place to explore. And don’t be afraid of visiting solo—you’re sure to make friends out on the trail!