Chadar Trek - January 2012 A memory from when cold was a concept I still didn’t understand.
Chadar Trek - January 2012
A memory from when cold was a concept I still didn’t understand.
Well, I had seen snow in the movies before, you know, the one that falls gently from another world. But the one I saw on the Chadar Trek was nothing like that of the movies. It was real, it was alive, it was majestic.
Think of Pandora, from Avatar, in its winter garb. It was that kind of majestic. Witnessing landscapes that made me want to fly, shades of whites against shades of blue in Cerulean, Aqua, Prussian, and Teal, shifting in the sun.
But I wasn’t prepared.
The Chadar Trek was my first stint with extreme cold. Temperatures ranged from -5°C to 5°C during the day and dipped to a low of -40°C at night. Back in December 2011, we had a debriefing session in Bombay. The temperature must have been 30°C at the maximum, so it was getting a little hard for me to imagine what sub-zero temperature would feel like.
Our Trek Lead, Jayesh Morvankar, Founder of Odati Adventures, ran us through some questions regarding cold, logistics, and much more. But all I could think of was “How will I survive in this cold?”
“You'll have to deal with the cold with your mind.”, he said.
But I didn’t get it. Not yet.
Landing in Leh
Thick faux-lined coats with fur were our go-to partners. The sun, the jackets, and the excitement warmed us up instantly.
We stayed in a homestay near the market in Leh for the first two days. The nights were brutal to say the least. In spite of being bundled up in 2 blankets and a heater, I was cold to my bone. The days were better, no doubt. But, as soon as the sun hid, my courage dipped. My sisters and others could handle it much better.
On Day 3, not knowing what was out there, we left for the trek.
Well, we did offer our prayers to the nature gods and the mountains before starting our descent from the road onto the frozen Zanskar River.
What is Chadar?
Chadar is a Hindi word meaning sheet. In winters, the Zanskar River freezes on its surface, forming a coat of ice, which is 1 to 3 feet deep. Locals, back in the day, used this to travel between villages. It is the same path that evolved into the famous Chadar Trek.
I thought that I just had to deal with the cold. But, I was soon proven wrong!
And that was walking. While I thought of flying like the Na’vi tribe. I was soon facing the challenge of walking on a slippery ice rink in some places, semi-frozen like shards of glass in others, and not formed in others (where we had to cross the river till we reached land).
Well, the soft, fresh snow parts were the easiest to walk on.
I slipped. I fell. I cursed myself.
But each fall taught me to balance, to walk.
By Day 3, I ran.
And with that newfound strength, even the fear of cold began to melt away.
Layering Up
What I called my "go-to outfit" consisted of:
Top layer: woollen thermals, warm top, fleece, and a 2-layer insulated jacket
Bottom layer: woollen thermals, fleece leggings, and snow pants
Accessories: Gloves, woolen socks, balaclava, and gumboots
If the sun came out, I would be peeling off my fleece within about 15 minutes and slipping it into my backpack.
Night one in the Tent
Remembering the very first night in the tent makes me laugh now: back then, it felt like the very end.
I had neglected to listen to our guide and crawled into my -40°C-rated sleeping bag fully dressed in all my layers—thermals, fleece, jacket—and I still shivered.
Panicking, I called for help. Anushree, a fellow trekker, came to my aid. She made me strip down to just my thermals before getting back in.
She said that a sleeping bag can only insulate if it traps heat from your body rather than air trapped in your clothing layers.
Afraid but convinced by the science, I followed.
And it worked.
A shift in the mindset
By night three, I was no longer afraid. I was smart about layering and had learned to work with cold, not against it.
The body got used to it. The mind adapted.
Every morning when the Sherpa brought hot tea outside my tent, I would kick the remaining warmth of my sleeping bag off, setting my day in motion. Every walk, every awakening with the sun, helped me warm up physically and mentally.
I was fearing the snow no longer. I enjoyed it, I danced in it.
I was imagining myself as a part of Pandora-in-winter dreamscape.
Lessons from the Chadar
From frozen waterfalls and sun-drenched rainbows to sounds of gurgling streams and colours of prayer flags—the Chadar Trek taught me much beyond just how to survive the winter.
It told me how to listen to it. To respect it. To dress for it.
The experience laid the foundation for how I build my winter gear even today.
Other Adventures through the cold
- Skiing in Italy - December 2023
- Sikkim, Living at 4000 metres - April 2018
- Chasing the Aurora from Norway to Finland - February 2022
- New Year in Prague, Czech Republic
- Auli, Gulmarg, Kyrgyzstan
Quick Takeaways
These were the lessons that stood with me—and can help anyone who is preparing for extreme winter travel:
- Sunscreen – UV rays enter even through snow.
- Change of socks – Always have a pair with you. Wet feet equal instant cold.
- The first 15 minutes are the most critical – This is when the warming process begins. Wear clothes in layers; peel them off accordingly.
If you want trusted recommendations for your gear:
Base Layers for Norway – Ideal for below-zero conditions
Gloves for Men – Insulated yet flexible; necessary
Winter Jackets for Women – Stylish, yet meant for the cold weather
Trench Coat for Women – Perfect for urban cold-weather travel
