The Zanskar River, cutting its narrow gorge north to join the Indus, is one of the finest rafting rivers in the Himalaya. The gorge section below Padum is impassable for most of the year, but in summer — from July to September — rafting trips run from various put-in points to the confluence with the Indus at Nimmu, near Leh. The upper stretches are gentler; the lower gorge sections involve serious white-water, rated up to Grade IV.
Several operators based in Leh organise multi-day rafting trips on the Zanskar, camping on sand beaches in the gorge. The scenery is spectacular: vertical walls of folded rock, occasional waterfalls, and a silence broken only by the river. The trip typically takes 2 to 5 days depending on the starting point and pace. Equipment and guides are provided by the tour operators; no previous rafting experience is necessary for the gentler sections, though the gorge requires some confidence in the water.