Geology Field Trip to Kashmir & Ladakh
Led by Dr Danny Clark-Lowes
03 to 18 August 2019
Dr Danny Clark-Lowes
Dr Danny Clark-Lowes is a geologist, educated at Cambridge and London universities, who has given industry training courses on geology at locations throughout the world, as well as publishing scientific papers and books. He is also a mountaineer who has climbed in the Swiss Alps and in the Himalaya. He will lead this tour to Nepal which will look at aspects of the geology and geography of the spectacular Himalaya, and will help participants achieve an understanding of how mountain belts and their associated rock types are created through plate movements.
London • Delhi • Srinagar • Khunamah • Sonamarg • Kargil • Nurla• Leh • London
Depart London Heathrow by direct British Airways for Delhi.
Arrives Delhi 0820hrs
Transfer to Hotel for an overnight stay. Rest of the day at leisure.
Fly Delhi to Srinagar (altitude 1730 m).
Enjoy the ambience of life on a houseboat and take a late afternoon shikara ride on Nagin Lake. Check in Deluxe Houseboat for 3 nights.
Srinagar. Visit the Mughul gardens and historic old town and enjoy free time to explore.
Day trip to Khunamah (Guryul Ravine) to look at sedimentary rocks of the Permian /Triassic boundary and the basic volcanic rocks of the Panjal Traps. Return to Srinagar, overnight stay in Houseboat
Drive to Sonamarg. Afternoon walk to Thajiwas glacier, observing typical glacial features.
Overnight stay at Sonamarg at The Villa Himalaya
Drive to Kargil (altitude 2676 m) via the spectacular Zoji La pass (3528 m), looking at the geology on the way. The geology includes highly deformed Triassic limestone, metamorphic rocks of Zanskar Crystalline, basic volcanic rocks of Panjal and Drass, granitic rocks of Kargil igneous complex and Indus Molasse.
Night at Kargil at The Highland Mountain Resort & Spa
Morning visit to the Museum of Central Asia (Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum) in Kargil, then drive to Nurla via Shergol valley and the Namika La (3718 m) and Fatu La (4108m) passes, taking in the rocks of the Indus Suture Zone (ISZ).
Visit Lamayuru monastery with panoramic views of the sediments of the now-empty Lamayuru lake (Moonland), considering why it is now empty. Descend to Nurla (altitude 3040 m) for overnight stay in Nurla The Apricot Tree
Morning relaxing at Nurla (optional walk along the Indus) then drive to Leh (altitude 3524m) after lunch, looking at geology en route. Evening visit to Leh market and Shankar Gompa and Leh market. Check in to The Grand Himalaya Leg for 3 nights.
Visit Thiksey monastery and Shey palace, getting both a close up and bird’s eye view of the rocks of the Ladakh Batholith on which they sit. Lunch at Shey.
Visit Hemis monastery, which sits on the Indus Molasse, in the morning. Lunch and afternoon in Hemis National Park to look at the rock formations of the surrounding peaks. Visit Karu to see the contact between the Indus Molasse and Ladakh Batholith. Possible evening talk on Snow Leopard conservation.
Leave after breakfast for Tso Morari high altitude lake. Observe the changing geology and glacial features displayed on route to the lake, as we leave behind the rocks of the Ladakh Batholith and see the dramatic turbidites of the Indus Tsangpo basin. 2 nights stay in well-appointed tented camps at Tso Morari.
Study the mineralised Ordovician rocks around Tso Morari and consider their Tethyan origins. Walk around part of the Lake and note the varied birdlife.
Return to Leh via mineralised hot springs. Afternoon free in Leh.
Overnight in Leh The Grand Himalaya.
Early morning transfer to Leh airport for flight to Delhi and stay Overnight at The Shangri La's Eros
Transfer to Delhi International Airport for your direct flight to London on British Airways (arrival in London the same day).