Ladakh - A Journey Begins.....

Ladakh is not just a place for me, it is an emotion. When I close my eyes the beautiful route to Kargil, the mighty Khardungla pass, Nubra Valley, following Indus River to reach the last settlement in India, numerous Buddhist monasteries and their serene surroundings, strong winds at the astronomical observatory in Hanle, changing hues of Pangong lake – all these flash like a HD movie.

I had never heard of the place Ladakh until a few years ago. I stumbled upon this name when I was planning my North Sikkim trip. Members of Indiamike and Devilonwheels forums who immensely helped plan both these trips were going “gaga” about Ladakh and its beauty. I promised myself I would check out Ladakh after my Sikkim trip. And the next two years went in saving money and planning the ultimate Ladakh trip for 15 days. The longest and the best trip ever in my life, yet.

In Ladakh the season begins once the passes are cleared off snow. Border Roads Organization (BRO) does an amazing job of repairing the roads and public traffic begins from mid-may or later. With the erratic climate in recent days, predicting when the snow would melt is difficult. I chose June month because the mountains would still have snow left in them (I have a weak point for snow-clad peaks). Ladakh is open until August and late September. After this, weather becomes unpredictable once again.

When you plan a trip to Ladakh, you need to make sure you have ample time. This is mainly due to three reasons  -

1. The landscape and places are so vast, you can spend your life time travelling here
2. You need to consider natural elements that could affect your plan (landslides, avalanche, etc...) 
3. Acclimate yourself. Most of these places are at high altitudes where air is thin and breathing is difficult. You need to take it slowly and with a little caution. 

Also I would like to thank Dheeraj bhai of DoW community who helped plan my Ladakh trip. Without him I wouldn't have planned for Hanle and got a wonderful accommodation. He and his travel forum helps so many people like me travelling to Himalayan region as well as helping the local communities in a totally non-profit way. Please check out their website linked here.

Few teasers from Ladakh (the ones which flash often in HD :P) …. Main posts coming soon… This time I have promised myself to keep the blog active and post often.

Somewhere after Sonamarg

View from Khardung-La Top

Nubra Valley

Evening Hues - A view from Hanle Observatory

A happy family at Turtuk - Last settlement on Indian border

Pangong Lake

Suggested posts - 

• A Tribute to BRO
• My Travelogue on North Sikkim