Kolkata- Delhi- Leh- Delhi – Kolkata.
Nubra ( Diskit Monastery – Hundar )- Shyam Valley ( Shanti stupa – Hall of Fame – Magnetic hill- Gurdwara Pathar saheb – confluence of Indus and Zanskar river-Alchi monestary – Likir Monastary – Lamayuru – Pangong – Thiksey Monastery- Hemis Monastery-Chumathang – Tso Moriri – Leh .
In 2011 when I was planning for Lakshadwip trip, I joined a travel forum named INDIAMIKE to collect information. There my eyes were caught by few beautiful posts of Ladakh. My mind felt a wild attraction for that place. I started planning for Ladakh. For that I found Devil On Wheels Travel blog very informative. I planned for this trip in April 2013.
Going by road, that is starting from Srinagar and end at Manali or vice versa, and at the same time spending 10 days within Ladakh to cover the main points, takes at list 18 to 20 days. Taking so long a vacation was possible for neither my son nor for me. Secondly fare of Delhi -Leh flights remain quite affordable from November to April . Renting car is also 15% cheaper during this period. Hotels do not open till the end of May but there are few home-stays that remain open all over the year. Within Ladakh roads are kept open all over the year. There are several military camps in different strategic places and being a border region army trucks ply all over the year from those places. One can see plenty of snow and a different kind of beauty this time. I planned for April because temperature would remain bearable for us two.
The home-stays that remained open all over year, Sia-La Guest House was one among them. In 2013 it was affordable for us. The home-stay owner and his wife were very congenial. Being off season, there were only two foreigners there in their home-stay. So they gave us a lot of attention. They arranged our SUV car. The driver was very good and helpful. My son had primary altitude sickness, he had to take Diamox 200 tablet thrice a day and kept on drinking a lot of fruit juice. We managed the trip comfortably with the help of our driver Samath and the local people also, wherever we went.
After reaching Leh in the early morning Air India flight we took a little rest in the home stay. We chose Air India because other flights were though cheaper, could be cancelled due to lack of passengers. After taking a little food at around 11 o’clock we went to the DC office, which was a kilometer away, to make permit. We had print out of our forms. We filled up form, attached ID proofs and photographs and got permit. There was not much rush. We made quite a few Xerox copies of the permit as per the instruction of our home stay owner.
In the evening I loitered around the market and my son kept on sleeping. Next day we had plan for Nubra, but as my son was not feeling well at all we decided to rest another day. Our home-stay owner suggested to take him to hospital for high altitude sickness, but at his wife’s advice I started medicine for mountain sickness which I took from home.
Next day, though my son still had fatigue, nausea, but he did not want to spoil my long wished trip. So we started for Nubra Valley. Our driver was very good, he brought food for us, he knew my son had uneasiness. On his advice I took fruit juice and biscuits etc so that his stomach would never get empty. The road was full with snow. We crossed Khardungla Pass. the highest motorable road.
We reached Diskit monastery in the noon. It seemed very strange to me that how did the Buddhist monks made these monasterys centuries ago in such remote places. When we reached the monastery, our driver informed that we have to stay there for some times because dust storm was coming, and it was difficult for anyone to stay outside at that time.
After spending some time at the monastery we reached Nubra Valley. Sayak river flows through Nubra Valley. The surrounding mountain ranges and the river valley was mostly grey colored. We had a plan for going Turtuk but I abandoned our plan for my son. Instead we stayed in Hundar in a very good home stay. Our home stay owner was very happy that day because one of his Bactrian camel got a baby.
Next morning after breakfast we went to see the valley. I did not feel to ride camel neither my son, but we took photograph. There were few other tourists too. Then we started for Leh again. It was a long journey, crossing again the pass. There were army convoys everywhere with huge trucks full of soldiers. Due to heavy snow, the traffic was slow. We reached Leh in the evening.
Next day we went Shyam Valley which includes War Memorial, Sangam of Zanskar and Indus river, Gurdwara Pathar Saheb, Alchi and Likir Monastery, Magnetic hill and Lamayuru Monastery. The war memorial not only creates awe but also made our eyes wet learning about the sacrifices of our brave soldiers.
Gurdwara Pathar Sahib was run by army. We had prasad there and learned the story of Pathar Sahib. Sangam was unique with blue and grey coloured water of the two river that meet. Alchi, Likir and Lamayuru monasteries were smaller monastery but Apricot trees with blooming flowers made the places beautiful.
Next day my son felt not to move at all, but our lady owner cheered him describing the beauty of Pangong Lake. We started a little late. On the way we faced road jam due to land slide. After an hour waiting the jam gradually cleared. I managed few packet of chocolates from an army truck after a little conversation with the jawans.
We reached Panggong Lake around 2 pm. As we were hungry, we had our lunch first with noodles. Then we went to visit Pangong. It was semi frozen. People were walking on it though the ice was too slippery. There were few migratory birds. The lake covers a huge area. It was spread within China too. Like all high altitude lake areas, it was very windy.
Our driver asked us to leave because we were getting late. We reached Leh just in the evening. On the way back we visited Rancho’s School at Shey village. Then we went to the bank of Indus river too.
Next day we took rest again as we did not stay at Spangmik. In fact in this trip my plans to stay at Spangmik and Korzok failed due to two reasons. First was my son’s health, second was, due to cold, in the interiors of Ladakh, no toilet was functional. There were bio-toilets out side the buildings which were in use. I found that very inconvenient for us.
Next day we went for Tso Moriri. On the way we visited Thiksey and Hemis monastery. Hemis monastery was like a big fort. Inside the monastery there was a big underground museum where so many precious things like ages old documents, books, heavy silver furniture like thrones, tables, huge elephant tusks and things made of ivory, were kept.
We reached Chumathang in the evening. No hotel or home-stay was available. Our driver requested in a motel beside the hot spring to accommodate us. They had four rooms for tourists which were closed since October. They opened one room and cleaned, and made it habitable for us. As sewage system was blocked there was no water in the toilet. The owner comforted us saying that they would supply water as much as we needed from the hot spring in buckets. They did so, but water was always too hot to use immediately. The room was cozy and the food, they served, was good. They informed that we were their first guest of that season.
In the early morning we started for Tso Moriri as our driver told us that there would be more slush and mud on the way back if we delayed. The road was empty and mostly covered with snow. No one was there. Neither tourists nor local people. We were spell bound to see the white snow all over and the clear blue sky.
Reaching Korzok we saw frozen Tso Moriri. I was feeling blessed. It seemed to me that all those beauty was only for me that nature had unfurled there. I felt mesmerized in such unexpected serenity and tranquility. There was no sound, it seemed that life has stopped in the midst of the frozen valley. My son, our driver and I were only there, no one else. Far away from the place there were few local nomadic people on their horse back could be seen.
Next day we spend another idle day. I bought few gifts and apricot. We had dinner in a authentic Tibetian hotel. Next morning we had our flight. My son was very happy after boarding. He was back in normalcy.
Benediction 