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As Andrew Harvey wrote, nothing I had read or imagined, prepared me for the splendour and majesty of Ladakh.
Leh turned out to be a pretty quiet place. I was told it is an exact opposite during summers when the streets are bustling with life (read tourists), so many, that even parking becomes a problem in this small town. I spent a few days here to acclimatise, before we would head to the frozen lakes of Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri (Tso means lake).
Itinerary in Summary
Traveled in the last week of Jan.
Day One: Acclimatise! Acclimatise! Acclimatise! An easy day with visit to local monasteries – Thiksey and Stakna.
Day Two: Drove to Pangong Lake – Brilliant winter landscapes, made pit stops, crossed world's third highest pass (Changla), had lunch at Tangste, stayed on the bank of Pangong Lake at a village called Spangmik. And yes managed to find a satellite phone to make a urgent call back home.
Day Three: Drove from Pangong toTso Moriri. Night halt at Chumathang hot springs.
Day Four: Visited Tso Moriri Lake and Korzok Village, driving through the ice-fields of Changthang, nomadic shepherd settlements near Puga. Night at Chumathang. Had a throbbing headache, the altitude got the better of me.
PS: We were traveling with Darter experts who helped us with all the permits and took care of all logistics.
I would consider this trip as more of a recce and i hope to return soon. As you would have guessed, it was indeed a photography focused trip. Leh had been on my mind for ages but the plan kept postponing for one reason or the other. And now I can't wait to return…
This land of monasteries in the Changthang valley, was once a thriving center on the trading route. Bordering with Tibet, China and Pakistan, it now is an ideal place for people who want to experience Tibetan Buddhism or just want to be themselves. The place is beautiful in a harsh way, the winters are especially harsh with maximum temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius. The beauty lies in the snow covered rocky brown landscape, which is even more intriguing with the inter play of light.
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| Leh Town as seen from Shanti Stupa |
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| Signature Ladakhi Windows |
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| Stakna Monastery |
Given its strategic location, the road network is pretty good. Indian army manages most of the roads.
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| On way to Pangong |
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| Changla Pass |
Pangong Tso, the long, narrow, enchanted lake, two thirds of which lies in China was all frozen, a textureless white sheet of ice. The spectacle was much different from the bluish waters of the summers, the ones you would have seen in the climax of
3 Idiots. Seemingly a couple of local boys had drowned a week back, while they were walking on a still not completely frozen lake.
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| Pangong Lake |
The night was well spent, shooting a 50 minute exposure. At -25 degrees, the batteries couldn't hold further
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| A 50 minute exposure - Star Trails |
I never thought an electric heater would be such a luxury, the homestay in Chumathang had one and we were ecstatic. Chumathang is a small village by the river Indus, famous for its hot geysers, a rare confluence of the icy cold glacial water and the sulphur powered steaming geysers.
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| Hot Geysers by the Indus at Chumathang |
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| Frozen Tso Moriri |
A visit to the Changthang plateau is probably incomplete without
Tso Moriri, one of the highest fresh water lakes in the world. Life in the region surely doesn't seem easy given the harsh living conditions, but you will surely give it a second thought once you get to spend time with the people in the region.
Puga Valley, a lesser known place in the Ladakh region lies in between Tso Moriri and Tso Kar. Known for hot springs, borax and sulphur deposits (mining is commercially unviable), this valley acts as a grass and wetland for Changpa nomads during these harsh winters.
Changpas are known for herding the famous
pashmina she eps.
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| Geysers near Puga |
A week or even a month is less to explore this part of Himalayas. I hope to keep going back again and again. Hopefully this trip is just the start of a journey.
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Meadows on way to Pangong
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Acclimatization Tips:
- High Altitude Sickness (HAS). Back side of the Hotel menu had a pretty good introduction. :)
- Short summary is drink lots and lots of water, stay away from alcohol. Don't over exert yourself, you are the best judge of your body
