This trek distills the very essence of Ladakh and in a short span of time, provides intensive experience of the land, its people and culture. Linking two of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh at its either end, the trail passes through dramatic desert mountainscape with vivid verdant villages tucked away into the hillsides. Highlights include the gompas at Lamayuru, Wanla, the Sumdochoon valley, inhabited by descendants of Nepalese craftsmen brought by the king of Ladakh in the 18th century renowned for their metalwrok in copper, tin and silver, and Alchi and ancient wood carvings at Sumdah Chenmo, all made in the 11th century by Rigzing Zangpo.