Leh Ladakh

If there is something that unless you feel it you cannot reveal its real adventure this is one kind of experience which I and my family did. Yes, it’s none other than the Leh Ladakh trip which is also called the land of high passes

The whole area of Ladakh is located at a very high altitude. Its capital, Leh, is at 3,500 meters above sea level and has a large number of peaks reaching over 6,000 meters. May-August is the best season to visit Leh and Ladakh. If you are adventure friendly person, Leh would certainly be the top choice for you. You can explore the nature, the mighty Himalayas, and the desert at its best. But I recommend that please don’t plan this trip as a weekend gateway or three to four days short-pack. Visiting Leh Ladakh needs as short as 7-10 days trip plan.

I remember it was wee hours when we all reached Delhi airport to catch the flight to Leh as due to weather conditions in Leh only morning flights are allowed. The flight was of 1 and a half hours and believe me it was an incredible experience as literally we were flying above ice-packed glaciers of the Himalayas.

Aerial view of Glaciers

When we arrived in Leh we straightly moved to our pre-booked hotels which were very important as it is very difficult to find a good hotel in very little time. I will recommend everyone to do the same book it before as when you arrive here you will face a major cellular network issue after shifting into the hotel first and foremost thing that we needed the most was to acclimatize at that altitude. It means giving your body complete rest and let it get used to the reduced oxygen levels in Ladakh.

Sit back and Acclimatize

Due to cold weather, you won’t feel thirsty but don’t listen to it you keep on drinking which we did. The next information that should be kept handy is a list of places that you would like to see. As we know the entire Ladakh is a tourist destination in itself which is entirely correct. Every turn of the road here will present you with something new and you will not get tired of clicking your camera for hours. But there are some places that can be called as the prime attraction, correct? So the concept here is like first travel places locally and then get out to hunt places outside Leh the capital.

The next two days we booked a car for local hunting. Few suggestions for some places like Shanti Stupa are if you want to climb up to this Stupa, do it at sunrise or sunset. Also, avoid climbing up on your first day itself. There’s the Leh Palace on the other side of Shanti Stupa. The lanes of the Leh market with their museum-like stores are an interesting place to walk and meet fellow travellers from around the world. For Zanskar river rafting I would suggest one should go early morning as the day passes it will get more crowd. On the way back to Leh town there is a lane called a magnetic hill

List of other places that are pretty good

• Tsemo Castle

• Namgyal Tsemo Monastery

• Sankar Monastery

• General Zorawar Fort

• Hall of Fame

• Magnetic Hill

• Daatun Sahib

• Shey Palace

Foods to Try in Ladakh.. ??

The answer to the above question is ‘anything you wish’. If you want to stick to your regular meals than you will easily find several eateries serving all kinds of North Indian, South Indian and Western dishes.Infact we found 'litti-Chokha' the famous dish all the way from Bihar.But remember one of the primary attractions of going to a new place is to have a taste of local food and if you are travelling with a foodie guy like my brother is then you can not ignore the local cuisine.Here local cuisine is a fusion of Tibetan and Kashmiri dishes that you must get a taste of. This mountain kingdom has been at the crossroads of trade between Tibet, Nepal, and Kashmir, and the delicacies here clearly reflect the varied cultural influences.

After covering these local places we booked a car for another five days to visit places like Nubra Valley, Maitreya Buddha, Diskit Monastery, Pangong Tso Lake, and other places which I will describe later.

Khardung La

It is good to start early morning for a stretch journey after a thrilling 39 kilometres long winding stretch from the city of Leh there is a place called Khardung La which is known for the highest motorable road in the world. It actually bridges between Leh to Nubra Valley and its highest point passes over 5,600 meters. It is probably the most visited place in all of Ladakh being so close to the city. Even people who don’t want to visit Nubra valley will surely make a day or a few hours trip to at least reach Khardung La top.

This Khardung La is the gateway to Siachen and serves as the lifeline for our brave Indian Army posted in Siachen Glacier which is used to carry supplies. At the top of Khardung La you will find many small canteens that offer tea and other stuff. The experience of having that hot cup of chai at a hilltop tapri along with Maggi and an amazing view to enjoy is something each one of us loves. One thing is most important is to issue an Inner line permit which is required to visit Khardung La and Nubra valley so please ensure that you procure it before starting from Leh. Once you have the permit do remember to make several photocopies of it as you will have to submit a copy at each check post. After verification at Khardung La we were ready to go forward.

SPIRITUAL VIBES..??

Ladakh is an abode of huge magnificent mountains, splendid trees, calming breeze, mysterious lakes and lovely beings.Buddhism is the most significant part of Ladakh.What most people don’t know is that Ladakh has many caves in them. Number of caves. Just like Manali, these caves are also famous for meditative qualities and is mysteries in nature .’Lamas’ and ‘Monks’ are forever indebted to Ladakh and its beauty that helps them in the endeavor of attaining Nirvana.Let’s not forget the peace surrounding this place. You can’t find such intense quietness at any other place. There are various spots that have no dwellings, no inhabitants but have just stretch of land and huge mountains surrounding them.So these places are best for meditating.

Nubra Valley

As we moved closer to the Nubra Valley the landscape was started changing. Nubra Valley is located to the northeast of Ladakh which once was a part of the ancient Silk Route that much trade passed through the area with China’s Xinjiang province and Central Asia.

Now we were driving on a road, which has a high mountain on one side and a river flowing on the other side. Finally, we saw some greenery after a long snowy ride. The Yaks and goats were grazing in these meadows. Surrounded by high mountains Nubra Valley is one of the most fertile regions of Ladakh.

It is indeed an offbeat place to explore in Ladakh. With an average altitude of 3048 meters, these villages have a very low population density. Most people halt at Diskit, the commercial capital of Nubra for a night after crossing the pass. With no signal connection, you’ll feel like you’ve entered a new age. I guess the main attraction of this secluded area is this patch of the road, which runs absolutely straight for a couple of Km.

As we came closer to the Hunder village in Nubra valley, the landscape changed dramatically. There were sand dunes on both sides of the roads. We can relate it with extreme Cold Jaisalmer.

Here Camel Safari is always perceived to be an excursion into the vast stretches of sand in search of an oasis but here in Nubra lies a whole different experience with magnificent mountains all around the desert and double-humped camels.

Diskit monastery

Diskit, the commercial capital of Nubra, is about 120 km from Ladakh. Home to a 32-meter tall statue of Maitreya Buddha, the Diskit monastery was sanctified by H. Dalai Lama himself. It is believed to protect the village and also promote world peace. There’s also a Lachung temple close to the monastery. The serene surrounding and the peace this place offers in unparalleled, hence it’s a must-visit. A comprehensive list of attractions in Diskit made our stay that helped us to recover for our next destination 'Pangong Tso'

After taking the essence of Spiritual vibes we were ready to go for our main Destination yes its Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso

Since the famous Bollywood movie was released this place literally came into existence. In fact, this is what Ladakh is now famous for. Cradled between mountains, the glimmering water body, that extends from India to China that changes colour every hour. Just sit down by the lakeside and try to count the shades of blue. The tranquil Pangong Lake is accessible from Nubra valley throughout the year except in July and August when the road remains closed due to heavy snowfalls. The direct route from Nubra to Pangong has Shyok village on the way where you can relax and enjoy the amazing scenery and the Shyok river.

Once we reached there we were all ready to relax and unwind at our pre-booked tent Camp. Lush greenery and lake facing camps make for the most scenic vista for camping in Leh Ladakh. Camping by the Pangong Lake is certainly the most enchanting activity that you could even think of. Indeed we can say that this place looks like an absolute delight for every camper. The camp people provided us with a complimentary dinner along hot water bags to keep us warm during the night. I must say the temperature here drops to a negative value.

The next day we all had a photo session on the lakeside and yes the famous scooter all the way from the movie 3 idiots do exists there. After all these activities we were ready to leave for Leh although we were not willing to leave such a soothing beauty we left until next time. On the way back we had to cross Chang La Pass, the third highest altitude mountain pass in the world probably is believed to have been named after a famous sadhu ‘Sadhu Changla Baba’.on the way we saw another long stretch of a frozen lake.

When we were about to reach Leh we found Druk Padma Karpo School now famous as ‘Rancho's School’.I must say that from inside it was far beautiful that was seen in the movie. The Next morning we spent the whole day with our rented bikes and exploring the local market and preparing ourselves to get back to our normal schedule as we had a flight to Delhi.

Tips For Leh Ladakh Trip

• Tourists must consult or hire a guide and book their package well in advance which can be of great help.

• If you have acute mountain sickness owing to lower atmospheric pressure or lack of oxygen, the breathing rates will then increase and balance for you.

• It is recommended that on arriving in Leh you must rest and relax for the day which will help your body in adjusting to the changed atmosphere.

• One should always carry enough medicines. Carry medicines for basic medical conditions like fever, stomach ache, headache, and others. Further, altitude mountain sickness is quite common here so Carry medicines like Diamox, Dexamethasone, Aspirin, or Disprin to combat these problems.

• You must drink a lot of water and stay hydrated. Don’t think of smoking and consuming alcohol as it may lead to worsening your strength.

• In Ladakh, it is always advisable to keep your cash in hand, as you never know when you might need it and forget of any digital transaction as the network here is very poor

• Always carry the essential thing in your bag which will be helpful for you in the long run.

• Choose the right time of the year for trekking as it will greatly affect your stay in Leh.