India Tourism » Ladakh Travel

HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN : LADAKH
One of the most adventurous road journeys in India, and probably in the world, is the drive from the plains of Punjab to Leh, the capital of Ladakh. This is a diverse land, a land forged by the relentless work of nature. It is the land of Lord Buddha’s followers, monks, monasteries, yaks, rare wildlife, snow-clad peaks, beautiful lakes that compete with the sky in their blueness, and amazing rock formations—the mighty Indian Himalayas at their very best.

The next important point en route is Darcha, where a road branches towards Padam and further towards the Nun Kun Massif, the highest peaks in the Kashmir Himalayas on the southwestern border of Ladakh (these twin peaks are best accessed from Kargil).

Poor road conditions and the steep gradient of the climb ensured that a night halt en route was inevitable. The best place to stay for the night is in a tented camp at Sarchu (263 km from Leh). The campsite is located in a lush meadow overlooking the Tsarap River.

The meandering river has beautiful cut the plateau and has also allowed the wind to create spectacular art for a on the riverbanks. The plateau is also home to countless marmots, which can be seen regularly popping their heads out to monitor the ‘intruders’ in their high kingdom. You can also pitch your own tent and create your own little home for the night, under the inky black sky at 4100m above sea level.

Sarchu marks the end of Himachal Pradesh and the beginning of Jammu and Kashmir. From here begins Ladakh. This area has become accessible to tourists from 1974 and also has names such as ‘Moon Land’ and ‘Little Tibet’, as it links the Western Himalayas with the Tibetan plateau and has great cultural similarity. The name Moon Land originated from the rock formations that resemble the landscape on the moon.

Nature’s bounty
The small, tented village of Pang is a good place to stop for a meal or a cup of tea before beginning the climb up the Taglang La (5328m) the highest pass on this route. After Pang, the road branches out to the two high-altitude lakes Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. The Tso Kar or White Lake is a small lake famous for migrating birds and wildlife. Tso Moriri or Mountain Lake is a saltwater lake 8 km wide and nearly 28 km long. It is known for its beautiful blue waters and exciting flora and fauna.

The road to Leh winds upwards and reaches the Morey plains, a fiat plateau rimmed by mountains that loom in the distance, which is the land of yaks, the Khampa nomads and Wild Asses. As we clipped across the Morey plains, life was blooming. The mountains, in stark contrast, were barren, leafless, seemingly lifeless but majestic. Two different diverse landscapes were co-existing in one ecosystem. you could not help wondering that somewhere amidst the craggy steep mountains, hidden from your view, a Bharat (Himalayan Blue Sheep) must have been watching warily for a snow leopard, trying to outwit him in the endless game of prey and predator.

The Khampa nomads were the earliest inhabitants of Ladakh besides yaks, goats and sheep. They have made these windswept Morey plains their home. Their children grazing the herds will be thrilled with gifts in the form of a few hard boiled sweets or chocolates, so remember to keep a few handy.

The route reaches its peak at the Taglang La and after that the road rapidly winds down towards the Indus valley.

A dusty little town called Karu, 35 km from Leh, is the turning point for a spectacular natural wonder called Pangong Tso or ‘hollow’ lake, at a height of 4250m. The lake is 150 km-long and 4 km-broad at its widest point. 135 km from Leh, the lake is three quarters in China. The drive to the lake is scenic and takes you via high altitude sand dunes and numerous water bodies that play host to migratory visitors. The area is also supposedly famous for garnets, so much so that one hill next to Pangong Tso is actually called Garnet Hill. The lake is flanked by peaks that are more than 6500m tall and hence gives the impression of a blue sea amidst the snow-capped mountains. The blue colours vary with each passing hour and every shadow of cloud floating above alters the hues of the lake. I never knew that so many blues existed!

The cultivated fields and the presence of habitation announced the proximity of my destination, Leh. Leh is India’s largest district, with a land area of 44,000 sq km. The Indus River meets the path to Leh at the town of Upshi, (49 km from Leh) and accompanies travellers all the way to the world’s highest commercial airport. Richer by thousand scenes of amazing natural beauty, I merged with the mass of humanity that makes up Leh.

Like all journeys, this too came to an end, but it’s the memories that remain trapped in my mind, to be weathered only by time. The peaks will change shape with the relentless work of nature; the snow-fed streams will change course, charting different paths and creating new natural wonders. Amidst all this unstoppable change, I pray for one constant. ‘Dar God, let the game of predator and be always played high amidst the mountains for eternity that you haws gloriously created”.

Fact file
Best time to visit July to mid-September

Getting there
By Air: Jet Airways has regular flight to Leh from New Delhi.
By Road: Jammu and Kashmir Tourism and Himachal Pradesh Tourism operate regular deluxe and ordinary-buses along the two main routes to Leh from Srinagar (434 km) and Manali (473. km). One car also hire taxis and jeeps to heft, on sharing basis, from both destination

Accommodation
Leh offers a range of low cost, midrange and top end accommodation options to suit all budget types.

Travel tips
Vehicles with four-wheel drive are comfortable and give better access to remove places. Motorbikes are also available on hire from Manali. but en route can be a serious hassles.

For the very adventurous are extremely fit, mountain biking is also an option. However high quality mountain bikes are not easily available in India. Regardless of how fit you consider yourself to be take time to acclimatise. The Indian Army has doctors at a posts and in case of illness o: not hesitate to ask for help

It is said that in Leh, parts you exposed to the sun will get burnt, and parts of you in the shade will suffer frow frostbite! Warm clothing, screen, sun glasses, a sleep air bag, wind cheaters and water proof jackets will surely make the stay comfortable.