nous aimerions faire un petit trek au ladakh du côté de Leh au mois de juillet prochain mais nous ne savons pas s'il faut réserver à l'avance ou si on peut s'organiser avec un organisme directement là-bas ....
Il n'y a aucune difficulté à s'organiser sur place, le nombre d'agence augmente chaque année.
Le problème est que tout le monde sait maintenant que le Ladakh s'est organisé pour satisfaire tous les touristes, et que les agences ne pourront pas mettre sur pied 100 treks par jour instantanément.
Prévenir, c'est mieux, sinon en 24 h tout peut être prêt pour un petit trek.
En restant dans la vallée de l'Indus, si vous avez tous l'habitude de marcher avec un sac à dos, le trek du Sham (Likir - Rizong ou Yangtang - HémisShukpachan - Temisgang) a des guesthouses à chaque étape, et peut se faire sans accompagnement.
Une carte est nécessaire (et suffisante) car il n'y a ni marques de peinture ni panneau indicateur.
super, merci pour ton aide. Pourrais tu m'en dire plus sur ce petit parcours que tu me proposais ? où peut-on acheter une bonne carte de ce coin du Ladakh ?
Eh bien rappelles le moi mais je pars au ladakh cette semaine et nous commencons par ce petit trek de quelques jours histoire de s'acclimater... je te raconterais si tu le veux. Pour les cartes, celles des editions olizane sont super bien faites : 1:150 000
merci à toi. Tu vas être dans lebain avant nous, mais depeu puique notre voyage n'est pas en 2008 mais en 2007 !! je serai super content si tu me faisais part de ton impresion lors de cepetit trek.
quand pars tu ?
nous y serons peut etre en meme tps.... et je ne vais donc pas pouvoir te laisser mes impressions car j'enchaine directement avec un autre trek apres... je serais a leh vers le 15 juillet a la fin de notre trek...
Nous arrivons à Delhi le 6 juillet, donc le temps de monter tranquillement à leh en passant par Mc Leod Ganj notamment, on arrivera vers le 15 juillet à leh du coup !!
• éditions Olizane, 3 cartes au 1:150 000 :
Ladakh-Zanskar Nord, 2005, qui couvre la région de Dahanu, la Nubra et Lamayuru.
Ladakh-Zanskar Centre, 2004, qui couvre le centre du Zanskar, Leh et le Pongong Tso. (parfois notée Ladakh-Zanskar feuilles 3 et 4).
Ladakh-Zanskar Sud, 2005, qui couvre le trek Darsha-Padum, Phuktal et le Tso Moriri.
En vente, 16 € la carte, sur http://www.olizane.ch/categorie.php?classe=20, http://fnac.com, ou 15, 20 € sur http://www.amazon.fr, http://www-alapage.com, et d'autres. Ce sont les plus récentes et les plus précises avec des courbes de niveau à 100 m. Elles restent les seules actuellement sur le marché. Bien entendu, Leh est à cheval sur les cartes Nord et Centre. Tu n'auras pas besoin de la carte Sud qui concerne la partie Darcha Lamayuru du trek de la traversée du Zanskar.
et pour le trek :
jour
trajet
durée
hébergement
restauration
divers
1
Leh – Likir en bus ou en taxi
2h
guesthouse
visite du gonpa
2
Likir (3500) – Pobe La(3500) – Sumdah(3470) – Charatse La(3650) - Yangthang(3600).
4-5h
camping
guesthouse
revoir le Bouddha géant au lever du soleil.
3
Yanthang – Rizong - Yangthang
1jour
(2h+
3h)
camping
guesthouse
visite du gonpa de Rizong, + gonpa de Chulichen ?
4
Yangthang – Hemis Shukpachan
3h
camping
guesthouse
visite du gonpa après-midi
5
Shukpachan – Mebtak La (3720) – Temisgang (3200)
4h
camping
guesthouse
gonpa et fort à Temisgang
6
Temisgang – Leh avec le bus de 8h
5h
ou
6
Temisgang – Nurla – Tar
(épicerie et restaurant à Nurla)
4-5h
camping, repas chez l'habitant
passerelle sur l'Indus, gorges étroites
7
Tar – Ipti La – Mangyu La – Mangyu
longue marche : montées et descentes sur tout le trajet
6h
guesthouse
Montée à l'ombre tôt le matin, beau gonpa à Mangyu
8
Mangyu – Gera – Alchi
4h
guesthouse
hôtel
marche monotone après Gera, splendides fresques à Alchi
9
Alchi – Leh
par le bus de 7h ou de 15h
3h
Le Sham est la partie du Ladakh à l'ouest de Leh, entre Phyang et Lamayuru. Ce trek est facile et intéressant, car chaque jour la piste de trek franchit un petit col pour changer de vallée et arriver à un nouveau village souvent surmonté d'un beau monastère, comme à Likir, Rizong, Tingsmogang.
Ce circuit a plusieurs avantages : il peut se faire très tôt en juin, on peut le commencer n'importe où, et s'arrêter n'importe quand. Chaque village est accessible par une route qui part de la route principale le long de l'Indus et remonte les multiples vallées adjacentes. Il y a des guesthouses et des restaurants à chaque étape. Seul inconvénient, il y fait très chaud en août.
non ça va, il n'y apas de problème, ça reste clair, merci pour ton aide!
ce petit trek à l'air bien sympa. je vais donc acheter une carte, et puis je pense qu'on verra là-bas ensuite. connais tu le trek Lamayuru-Alchi ?, car c'était au départ notre idée...
Oui, il est beaucoup plus sauvage, et moins fréquenté. Il y a un col difficile (=très haut) à passer entre Sumdha Chung et Alchi.
Mais là, pas de tente-resto en cours de route.
Il faut s'organiser à Lamayuru. Beaucoup de horsemen attendent avec leurs chevaux pour revenir à Padum, il faut en trouver qui sont d'accord pour aller à Alchi. Il faut demander partout et on trouve.
Regarde http://www.partirou.com/inde/ladakh/
C'est le récit rempli de renseignements pratiques de Lamayuru-Chiling. Les 4 premiers jours sont identiques. Sur ce récit, il y a en plus un aller-retour à Photaksar en cours de route.
Autre variante sur la proposition de Djullé84 : après Tinsmogang, tu montes à Tia (1h), de là tu enchaînes sur le Bongbong La (3630m, facile) et tu redescends sur la route Khalsi-Leh (2h) où tu fais du stop pour rentrer.
Sinon, j'ai fait Lamayuru-Alchi par les Prinkiti, Konzke et Stakspi La : si tu as des questions précises, je me ferai un plaisir d'y répondre.
Disons que cela dépend du temps dont vous disposez.
Si vous êtes un groupe constitué disons de 4 personnes et que vous avez quelque semaines à Leh, vous pourrez tout organiser sur place au meilleur coût.
Si par contre votre temps est compté, alors organisez à l'avance. Par exemple Wild East Adventure (ils ont un site Internet), pas les moins chers mais les plus fiables ce qui peut faire une différence.
En clair : si vous avez du temps mais pas d'argent, organisez sur place, si vous avez plus d'argent que de temps contactez les avant.
Je pense que nous sommes dans la 1ère catégorie, ceux qui ont peu d'argent mais par contre on a du temps, 6 semaines en Inde, dont 3 au Ladakh . Je pense opter pour le trek lamayuru-Chiling, alors pouvez vous m'en parler de ce trek, j'ai lu le compte-rendu que m' envoyé Djullé84, mais je voulais aussi avoir d'autres points de vue.
... c'est un très joli petit trek qui en quelques jours présente un concentré assez représentatif de ce que l'on trouve au Ladakh/Zanskar : un peu de verdure et de fraîcheur au début (ne pas laisser passer les possibilités de baignade en rivière) puis les paysages désertiques et minéraux dans un décor somptueux, avec deux cols aux environs de 4900 m (Konze La et Dung Dung La)
... ne pas oublier la cure d'abricots lorsque vous êtes à Chilling, qu'il faut prendre le temps de dénicher et de découvrir ...
ah oui, on peut se baigner ?
je pense que nous ferons appel à un guide, mais peut-on ne prendre qu'un guide ? car je pense que l'on est capable deporter nous mêmes notre réserve en nourriture et notre paquetage...ah moins que je ne sous estime cequ'il faut emporter...😮
mais au fait ... que faut-il emporter (le plus important)??
... possibilité de baignade après Wanlah et Phanjila (de mémoire) : très jolie rivière en sous-bois
... pas besoin de guide, un muletier et quelques mules suffisent ...
... après tu fais ce que tu veux : mais la nourriture pour 6 jours plus la tente et le matériel de cuisine, ça pèse un minimum de poids et les montées de cols sont assez difficiles comme ça avec une acclimatation récente pour ne pas s'encombrer du portage, tu n'en profiteras que mieux de ton trek ! (point de vue personnel)
... ce qu'il faut emporter : c'est bien ça le problème ! ... en montagne, on est obligés de prévoir toutes les situations en matière de météo, y compris le froid et la pluie ...
... début août en 2004, j'ai failli passer une nuit entière dehors au camp au pied du Dung Dung La (environ 4300/4400 m ? ) parce que mon muletier non-anglophone parti devant avait compris que notre stop du jour était Chilling de l'autre côté du col (où je ne suis arrivé que le lendemain) : la température a dû avoisiner le 0°
... les muletiers connaissent les chemins ou alors s'ils ne connaissent pas, ils parlent beaucoup avec les autres muletiers ou les gens que vous croiserez en route : tout se dit et se sait dans ces montagnes-là ... et de toute façon, le chemin que vous prendrez est connu des gens du coin; il suffit de dire le nom du village recherché et tout le monde vous en indiquera la route, au demeurant facile à trouver car il n'y en a pas cinquante en général pour aller d'une vallée à l'autre !
... le seul endroit où il faille vraiment attention se situe sur la journée (l'avant-dernière du trek) à l'issue de laquelle on arrive au pied du Dung Dung La : on longe un cours d'eau dans un endroit très agréable et si on ne fait pas attention, on loupe le chemin sur la droite qui grimpe ensuite en direction du col ... et si on prend le suivant, on se retrouve dans une autre vallée !
... la meilleure carte du coin est celle des éditions Olizane au 1/150.000° : elle fait partie d'une série de trois cartes qui couvrent la majeure partie du Ladakh (en tout cas celle la plus fréquentée) ... mais elle ne sera jamais assez précise pour être d'une quelconque utilité une fois sur place ... peu de risque cependant de se perdre : il faut suivre les crottes de mules, qui te conduiront toujours vers le bon endroit !
... pour trouver un muletier, Lamayuru devrait suffire car c'est un point de départ et d'arrivée de treks ... mais si tu passes à Leh avant ton trek, rien ne t'empêche par précaution de valider ce point sur place, ne serait-ce que pour éviter l'inflation des tarifs une fois à Lamayuru si ton muletier sent que tu es pressé de partir ...
Following your recommendations, I’m starting this thread because I’m planning to do the Central Circuit in 5 days in the Rwenzori Mountains, aiming to reach Margherita Peak.
I’ve been in touch with Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, who’ve offered me a deal for $1300 with 2 guides, 1 cook, and 3 porters.
A bank transfer is required upfront.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s done this trek or others in these mountains.
Hi everyone, we’re traveling by bike, but the same question comes up for hiking: what simple products can we find in towns or villages to eat/cook and get enough nutrition for physical effort, all while keeping costs affordable? Otherwise, where can we find inexpensive dietary supplements? Since I’m on cortisone, I have to be careful about what I eat. Thanks in advance, Aichatou
I know there are plenty of discussions on VF about the Poon Hill trek, but most seem outdated and/or don’t provide info specific to February. That’s why I’m bringing this topic back up.
Here’s my plan:
- Spending about two weeks in Nepal in the first half of February.
- Maybe extending by a few days to a week if needed.
- Heading to Pokhara—first time for my partner, second for me (I was there in September/October 1982!).
- Doing a relatively easy 4- to 5-day trek. We’re not exactly spring chickens anymore (though we’re in pretty good shape for our age).
- We don’t want to go above 3,000–3,500 meters, deal with difficult sections if there’s too much snow, or face daytime temperatures below 10°C. No problem if it drops to 0–5°C at night since we’ll be sheltered somewhere.
So, I’m wondering if the Mardi Himal trek might be too demanding for us, and if we’d be better off sticking with Poon Hill.
What do the experts think?
We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m looking for a family-run guesthouse in Cachaco. I read that the Monte Gordo guide service provides addresses. Does anyone have any guesthouse addresses or contact info for the natural park’s visitor center?
Thanks
Hi there,
We’re planning an 8-day backpacking trip on the island of São Nicolau. We’re torn between taking the boat from São Vicente or an inter-island flight. I’ve heard the boats don’t always run?
We’d like to make three homestay stops to travel in a star pattern from each of the three points.
First stop around Juncalinho, second stop near Cachaco, and finally a third leg near Tarrafal. We’re looking for simple but authentic guesthouses (no hotels). Any suggestions?
Thanks
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
hi how can I get internet when I arrive at Haneda? I mean in areas without free wifi. Is it more interesting to buy a SIM card? If so, at the airport? thanks for your help
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
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