REMINISCING THE VASTNESS OF THE SHANGRI-LA NAMED LADAKH AND MORE
- rwangchuk
- Aug 4, 2020
- 6 min read
leh palace
Introducing the latest Union Territory of India, Ladakh, lying in the northern most part of the country as a crown jewel, which I call my second home, should be on every tourist’s bucket list !
If you are looking for peace and quiet, solitude to the most thrilling adventures and treks, from buzzing night life, meeting like-minded creative people turning into lifelong friends to taking the road less travelled and finding solace, Ladakh has it all, simply waiting to be re-discovered by you!
To reach Ladakh, also termed as the land of the high passes, land of mystic lamas, the broken moon-land, the last Shangri-La or the little Tibet, one has to go through some of the highest passes in the world, crossing over 7,000 meters above sea-level, in the northern Himalaya ranges.Although there are a few ways to get there namely by air and by road, the journey to Ladakh, primarily Leh, the capital town in the Union Territory which stands at 3500 meters elevation, largest and most second most populous UT of India. It was previously also known as Maryul. The journey to Ladakh by can be taken by air with several directs flights from the capital town of New Delhi. The journey by road, also has a couple of routes, either by Kashmir or via Manali. We highly recommend the more popular one, i.e. by road, through either of the routes mentioned above. If one drives through Kashmir, a scenic route of course through some of the longest tunnels in India cutting the mountains and going over the passes namely Namikala pass ( 12,139 ft) above sea-level, also known to be the gate to Kargil and is situated on the Srinagar-Leh highway, Fortula Pass (13,478 ft) again situated on the Srinagar-Leh highway. Both the passes mentioned fall in between Kargil and Leh and one descends towards Lamayuru village post Fotula pass. The Zojila pass ( 11,649 ft ), due to its strategic location, stretches to roughly 348 kms, is considered the lifeline of Ladakh. The pass was briefly captured by the Pakistani army back in 1948 during the 1947 Indo-Pakistan war in order to capture Ladakh, but later the Indian army seized it back in the famous Operation Bison. Although the route to Ladakh has its own charm with panoramic views of the Zanskar ranges and the Himalayan ranges, the route via Manali to Leh, also my favourite is something only to be experienced once in a lifetime! This route takes you through some of the highest passes namely Baralacha ( 16,040 ft ), a confluence of three ranges Pir, Panjal and Zanskar post Keylong in Lahaul. It is ill adviced to continue the journey in harsh conditions over the pass and is advisable to return to the nearest village of Jispa for the evening. The other passes enroute are namely Taglang La Pass( 17,582ft) accessible through the popular 21 gata loops or hair pin loops, considered also the second highest Zanskar range in Ladakh with Upshi on Leh side and Sarchu on Manali side, being the nearest places to rest. Another pass which comes enroute is the Lachungla Pass ( 16,600 ft ) close proximity to Pangong Lake and Sarchu. Due to its easy accessibility to tourists, its popular for tourists stopping and taking in the panoramic view of the valley around. The countless meandering at times, open straight as an arrow highways all the way to the horizon literally, the countless ascends and descends off the mountains, the brief and rarely almost impossible obstacles on the road, as if surely imagined by the gods themselves, as if to safeguard the lost Shangri-La from outsiders. These would be the takeaways from the road to Leh by anyone traveling on them, waiting eagerly to get back up there the next time!
Ladakh, UT, is spread over 59,146 kilometre square area Srinagar and Anantnag in the Kashmir valley to the west, Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh to the south and Kyrgyzstan visible to the north. In another description, it has the Tibet autonomous region to the east, Himachal Pradesh to the south, UT of J&K and Pakistan administered Gilgit Baltistan to the west and south-west corner of Xinjiang across the Karakoram pass in the north, all as per Wikipedia.
Now, having a good idea of its geographical location for one’s curiosity, this blog would try answer some of the most obvious questions people have been searching for currently when one searches for Ladakh, apart from the military situation built up in Leh! Being the locals from the region, we would certainly like to leave the military situation to the experts and not speculate here, and focus on what we know best, that is the region. We would try answer some of the basic questions regarding Ladakh.
As we explore into the what, where, how, is and why, we answer some of these as per on the ground per se.
What type of land is Ladakh? Ladakh is a cold desert with much of the year, the winter months of October through March also extending into April, being cut off on the main highways due to heavy snowfall, but still accessible by flight. It has Leh and Kargil as its two largest districts with Indus, Shyok and Nubra on the Leh side and Suru, Dras and Zanskar on the Kargil side respectively.
What is Ladakh famous for? Ladakh is famous for its textiles like the pashminas from the Changthang region of Ladakh exported the world over, the long deep valleys, mountain ranges trekking and camping sites like Tsomoriri lake, Stok kangri, Chadar trek on the frozen Zanskar river and Markha valley trek to name a few, the confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers which makes up for a great spot to see people rafting, highest motorable roads in the world including the Khardungla La pass which leads into Nubra Valley, the white water rafting on the Zanskar river, Hemis National Park with many endangered species of animals like the snow leopard huge tourist attractions in the winter, Tibetan-wolf, Eurasian brown bear, red fox, Asiatic Ibex to name a few. Also considered one of the biggest national parks in the country. For the thrill seekers apart from the various adventures Ladakh has to offer, treks in the region, motorcycling to Ladakh from various towns like Delhi or Manali are rather popular. Every season there are dozens of Ladakh motorcycle tour packages being provided, one of the most thrilling experiences indeed!
Is Ladakh safe? Of course, Ladakh is safe for all tourists that incudes any solo travellers too. Even though when there is some disturbances on the border but it is far away from the tourist towns and everyone is allowed to move around freely without any problems.
How do I plan a trip to Ladakh? That is simple, get in touch with us on our website Headnorth.in and we can help you curate all your travel needs or even provide you with great affordable Ladakh tour packages or you can get in touch with any of the several travel operators in the region.
When are the best months to visit Ladakh? The most ideal months are May through September, post which the temperature starts really dipping towards the negatives.
How much does Ladakh trip cost? Cost of your trip will completely depend on your personal needs and preferences, get in touch with us and we can follow up with a questionnaire in order to learn all about your needs and preferences.
How do I reach Ladakh? There are a few ways to reach Leh, Ladakh, by air, daily flights from Delhi, Jammu, Kashmir. You can even opt for the road via Kashmir or Manali routes. Both approximately take a couple of days or little over couple of days to reach Ladakh with a night halt at either of the place, but we strongly recommend if you would be looking at a road trip, take your time in reaching Ladakh and not miss the magic in between!
Conclusively, as we delve into the various facets of this beautiful most underrated lost Shangri-La of India, be sure to learn and hear more about the newest player in the tourism industry in the most promising destination to come up in the coming years!
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