Crossing the white Himalayan massif, my mother and myself reached Leh the capital of Ladakh (11,480 ft. above sea level). On the first day we had to acclimatize, it is a requirement and not an option with the thin level of oxygen. The second day we got into our jeep for a full day visit to Shey, Thiksey & Hemis the most famous monasteries (gompas), located on picturesque mountaintops. The gompas are repositories of Buddhist religion and culture.
After the whole daylong trip we came back to Leh and had the famous Momos and Thukpa. You need to be a voracious eater in Leh with all kinds of cuisines - Chinese, Tibetan, Kashmiri, Indian, and Israeli etc. We slept well at the night, looking at the unique clarity of the night sky and thinking about our next day’s journey. Early morning we packed our bags for a 2-day visit to Nubra valley. To reach Nubra you have to cross Khardung-La pass, the highest motorable road in the world 18,380 ft. above sea level. Khardung-La pass is an experience of it’s own, governed by Indian military who stay in tents appearing as igloo, some even half submerged in snow. This pass gives way to the Nubra valley comprising of the river Nubra and that of the Shayok.
After driving through the unbelievable crevices formed on the ranges in Nubra, and seeing few high altitude thick-coated animals like Yaks & Marmots we halted in Deskit. Deskit is a warmer place as compared to Leh. After a pleasant sleep, the next morning we left for Hunder, the way from Deskit to Hunder is deserted, with huge Sand Dunes. It was an amazing vista seeing the snow-swathed mountains, hills in front, Shayok River below them and we were standing on the top of a sand dune. Camel Safari is the attraction there. In Hunder you’ll find Bactrian camels (double-humped), they are as tall as a horse and very ugly, it was amazing seeing them walk their way through the sand dunes.
Hunder is the farthest point in the north of Ladakh for visitors, after Hunder LOC region begins and hence no visitors were permitted beyond that point. Then we returned back to Leh, remembering the most amazing mountain ranges and looking back to capture every moment in our eyes & memories.
Day 4, we planned to visit Pangong Tso – A placid Lake lying in the northeast of Ladakh. This famous blue brackish lake of Pangong is 5–6 km wide and over 144 km long with half of it running to the other side of the Indo–China border.
The journey from Leh to Pangong is 160 kms. To reach Pangong we had to cross Chang-La Pass (17,350 ft.), which could test ones lungs, for the lack of oxygen. The route to Pangong was amazing what looked to be a ten-minute crossing easily required an hour or more. We were surprised to see all shades of chocolate color in the mountain ranges. We had got our lunch packed, as you’ll find no food on the way. Boating on Pangong Lake was not permitted. The reason being, someone took the boat and crossed the border to reach Tibet, as 100kms of the lake is in Tibet. After a few hectic days of traveling we relaxed in Leh for the next two days. Visited the local markets. There is a famous Moti bazaar, where you get different kinds of pearls that are precious yet inexpensive there. We even met the Bollywood celebrities Amitabh Bachchan, Hritik Roshan who were in Ladakh for a movie shoot.
The penultimate day we decided to become little adventurous and geared up for rafting in Indus. Cutting across the landscapes of Ladakh, the Indus River begins its 2,000-mile long journey; biting through a land few men have seen. As she passes her waters, ice-cold, clear and offering variations to occupy all grades of enthusiasts. We took a half-day scenic run on low waters from Phe along fast currents and spectacular mountain views to Nimu.
Ladakh is open for tourism from mid June to September. This land of jagged peaks and barren landscapes was at once alluring and inspiring, the coldest desert in the world. This highland is a bridge between the earth and the sky, where you can enjoy all attractions of nature. Landscapes… glaciers… deserts… sand dunes… blue water rivers… lakes… burning sun… freezing winds… snow mountains…
My Itinerary
Day 1: Acclimatize in Leh
Day 2: Shey, Thiksey, Hemis Monasteries
Day 3-4: Khardung-La Pass a Nubra Valley
Day 5: Pangong Tso (Lake)
Day 6-7: In Leh
Day 8: Rafting
Day 9: Fly Back to Delhi
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