Monday 18th, Skinyang (8 miles / 13 kilometres)

Today is officially the end of the trek with an optional walk which five of us decide to take.

We set off just before 9am with our guide Tensing. He explains that the trek will take around five hours and the terrain will be ‘challenging’ because there are often no paths, so we’ll have to scramble across loose rocks and scree. He wasn’t kidding! This was a last chance to opt out, but none of us did.

We walk and scramble our way through an amazing and rugged landscape to the summit of Juna La pass at 13,000ft (4,180 metres). This is the highest trek on the entire trip and the views into the Nirma valley are simply breathtaking. The feeling when we make it is euphoric.

After a short stop to drink and rest, we head back down the same route we’ve taken up. This is challenging in a different way, because it’s easy to lose your footing. And if you do, the drop to rocks below would have been pretty nasty, perhaps even fatal.

When we make it to the bottom everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Adrenaline had got us through and we arrive back in time for a late lunch. We are all exhausted and exhilarated in equal measure. It was the toughest thing we've done and the feeling of satisfaction was huge.

After a hearty lunch which we all devoured, we spent the rest of the day relaxing. Tonight will be our last under canvas before we head back to Leh. There is a sense of the impending dread of returning to ‘civilisation’.

#travel #ladakh #india #himalayas #trekking