Chadar Frozen River trek – Getting fit for the Chadar trek

November 4, 2022

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Even though the Chadar trek has a simple and a plain trail with barely any steep ascends or descends, it is one of the most challenging treks in the country. The trek involves walking on a frozen sheet of a river (the Zanskar River). With its sub-zero temperatures and highly unpredictable weather, this trek requires significant physical and mental fitness.

Given that it is a high-altitude trek, the air here gets extremely thin, which means oxygen is scarce and difficulty in breathing is experienced. The good news is that the human body quickly adapts if given enough opportunity. For this reason, we at TrekNomads give acclamatization days so that the body can get used to the altitude and the weather.

However, the days given for acclimatization also won’t matter if you haven’t trained yourself well for the trek. Thus, let us now look at what should be the ideal training regime if you are looking at taking the Chadar Trek anytime soon.

How to train for the Chadar Trek

In case you are an avid trekker, it would help. However, if this is your first time, you don’t have to worry either. The biggest thing you need to train for is the ability to process more work with lower oxygen levels. This is why cardiovascular exercises or cardio forms a significant part of the Chadar trek training.

The best allies that will help you survive during this trek are stamina and endurance. You will be walking for 5 to 6 hours on an average on the Chadar trek. Therefore, it is best to establish the habit so that you don’t fall behind.
Try to run at least for an hour in a single go. This has to be built over a period of 2-3 months – gradually. Running improves oxygen retention in the body, which is especially important at high altitudes. We recommend practising running in sprints, long runs and interval runs alternatively.

You can gradually try to walk/jog/run on the incline mode on the treadmill. This will help build your stamina further. Train yourself to run/jog/walk for upto 30 minutes to an hour. Elliptical workout and stepper workout will also help you improve breathing and your lung capacity. Make sure that you keep on increasing intensity of your exercises.

running on treadmill — Treadmill running in incline mode

Also, as your trainer would anyway tell you, make sure you stretch enough to avoid any injuries. Focus specifically on your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, lower back muscles, and the shoulder region.
In case you are someone who prefers cycling over running, then try to cover long distances at a stretch with moderate intensity. You can use any sports tracker app to monitor your routine and progress.

Make sure that you do weight training. Focus on full body compound exercises like squats, benchpress, bent rows, overhead press, pushups and pull-ups. Consult your physician before undertaking any training regimen. Take expert advise from your fitness trainer for optimum results.
If you are someone who doesn’t like gym or running, you can also opt for sports, zumba, yoga, swimming or something which can help you build strength and stamina.

To make things easier for you, we are sharing a training schedule for at least two to three months of fitness training. This is specifically for gym goers. You can speak to your trainer and design a plan which is more suitable for you.

Start your first week with a brisk walk of roughly 10 to 15 minutes, followed by a jog and then an easy walk – all for similar durations. Add 1 to 2 days of body weight exercises.
In the second week, increase the time for all three activities by 5 to 10 minutes, and add some core strength training exercises.
Make sure you do cardio for three days and lift weights at least 2 times a week. On average, you will find yourself spending around 1 hour at the gym. Also include one rest day in the week.

In the fourth week of your training, ensure that your easy walks are replaced by brisk walking and running. Training outdoors in different terrains will prove incredibly helpful when you go on the actual trek.

Start focussing on your leg training second week onwards. Running, walking, and hiking are excellent leg strengthening exercises. In addition to that, we suggest indulging in leg curl and leg extension workouts. Leg curls help strengthen the hamstrings and calf muscles. Whereas leg extension exercises help in strengthening the knees.
Go on smaller treks. We recommend you to check out our one day and two day treks.

While this should help you sail through the trek, we recommend you train for the Chadar trek at least two to three months in advance. The thing is that we all are humans, and hence it becomes extremely difficult for us to stick to such a discipline. Thus, keeping a buffer always helps.