Zanskar River

India's Zanskar River, a remote Himalayan tributary of the Indus, harbors one of the most spectacular navigable gorges in the world. Hailed as the "Grand Canyon of the Himalaya," a journey down the Zanskar features an excursion through a geologic paradise, submersion into a culture (Zanskari) virtually unknown throughout the contemporary world, and a thrilling whitewater adventure. The trip, however, is not for the faint of heart - or for those short on time. Paddling the Zanskar consists of four days' air time, a bone-jarring multi-day jeep ride through spectacular Himalayan wilderness, and at least five days of intense rafting, not counting layovers. As of yet, relatively few westerners have visited the land of Zanskar, but Global Descents offers one deluxe catered expedition to and through the gorge every Himalayan summer. This journey exceeds the expectations of the world's most experienced adventure travelers - if you are prepared to experience the cultural and the physical adventure of a lifetime, contact Global Descents today to find out more about our upcoming Zanskar River Gorge expedition!

Best Time to Go
The best months for the Zanskar is August-September. The high mountain passes to get to the put-in are typically not open until July. To get to the Put-In you have to go over several 10,000+ foot mountain passes. Also in the peak of spring/early summer the water is too high to safely raft on the Zanskar. Every winter the Zanskar freezes over and local villagers use it as a walking path.