Situated 3657 m above the sea level, Rangdum Valley is situated at the remotest and most isolated region the Suru valley. At one of its sides are the colorful hills while on the other side are rocky mountains and glaciers. Midway between Kargil and Padum (Zanskar), it is a popular night stay for the trekkers to Padum. Panoramic surroundings make it a convenient and foremost choice for camping in the forests of Himalayas and yet being near a road as a precautionary measure. As the sun sets, the ethereal beauty of the valley turns itself to the extreme with flame-colored hills wearing shimmering red snow tops as their crowns. An important trekking base, Rangdum offers 5-day trek Henaskut across the Kanji valley gorge, which is very popular along with shorter treks such as hike up the Penzila Ridge opposite the magnificent Drang-Drung glacier.The 18th century Buddhist monastery of the Gelukpa order in the valley is a highlight of the region. It has about 40 monks living there. The monastery is situated atop a central hillock and is surrounded by a wild mountain stream. It stands as a guard to the valley and looks more like an ancient fort. The central prayer hall of this monastery houses a rich collection of statues and art objects. On the either side of the monastery are two small hamlets known as Yuldo and Tashi-Tongze surrounded by rows of chortens. Most of the people who live here work till the hired agricultural fields of the monastery, which is the perpetual and unalienable owner of the entire valley including the pastures, hills and even the streams.
