ICE RIVER, ZANSKAR

The Chadar is the name of the ice river which threads its way through the frozen valleys of the Zanskar ranges in Ladakh, India.

Due to Zanskar's extreme geographic isolation, the ice river is the only means of access in and out of the region during winter.

For 6-8 months each year, Zanskar is cut off from the rest of the world by snow which blocks the roads and high passes. Villagers must wait until the depths of winter when the Indus river has frozen over before they can be linked again to the outside world.

For many of Lille Fro’s sponsor children, the gruelling walk along the Chadar is the only option to get to school when it resumes after the winter break in March.

Desperate for an education, the children brave sub-zero temperatures in little protective clothing. This journey is fraught with danger especially for the little ones.

In February, Lille Fro’s Founder Tamara Cannon and expedition leader Matt Galbally accompanied some of our children as they walked the ice river to school.

The aim: To raise awareness and funding to set up Lille Fro House – a boarding house in Zanskar for disadvantaged children living in remote communities.

This will enable the children to go to school closer to home, to access healthcare services and avoid taking this treacherous path each year to receive a basic quality education. 

Please help us with much needed funding to support this incredible project. 

Make a donation.