Colours in ChaosRoof of the World
Apple orchards, barley fields, high-desert monasteries, then Kashmir's water and willow.
- Dates
- 28 Jun to 7 Aug 2027
- Length
- 41 days
- Distance
- about 3,900 km
- Through
- Kinnaur, Spiti, Ladakh, Zanskar and Kashmir
I follow the Sutlej into Kinnaur, cross Spiti's rain-shadow villages and climb over Baralacha La to Leh for the masked dances of Hemis. Then Nubra, Pangong, the dark skies of Hanle, Zanskar by local jeep, and down through Zoji La to Srinagar.
The route.
- 28 Jun to 3 JulSarahan, Chitkul, Kalpa, Nako, TaboKinnauri villages, Tabo's thousand-year-old murals
- 4 to 6 JulKazaKey, Kibber, Langza, Komic, Dhankar, Pin valley
- 7 to 9 JulChandratal, Jispa, LehThe lake at blue hour, then the long day over Baralacha La
- 10 to 14 JulLeh and HemisAcclimatisation days, Thiksey dawn puja, Cham dances at Hemis
- 15 to 21 JulNubra, Pangong, Hanle, Tso MoririTurtuk's Balti villages, the dark-sky reserve, Changpa herders
- 22 to 28 JulLeh, Lamayuru, Kargil, ZanskarAlchi murals, Pensi La and Padum by local 4x4
- 29 Jul to 4 AugSrinagarDal Lake floating market at 5 am, old city crafts, wazwan
- 5 to 7 AugJammuThen home
Festivals on the way
- Hemis TsechuHemis Monastery, Ladakh13 to 14 Jul 2027 (to be confirmed)
At the table
Kinnauri siddu, Spiti thukpa, Ladakhi skyu and apricot jam, Balti food in Turtuk, wazwan and noon chai.
Field journals
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar or are announced late. I confirm them with temples and organisers about three months before each journey.
Come travel
differently.
A note from me when there is something good to share: a fresh story, a useful route, or a voice worth hearing.
Sign-ups open in January 2027, before I leave. A quiet note from me, now and then. No noise.