The cold desert
3 Idiots movie made Pangong lake and Ladakh famous. The landscapes of cold desert in Ladakh are quite unique, probably sharing with few countries like Pakistan, China, Mongolia and Russia
Best time to visit
Around summer from April to October. Snow related road closures can disrupt travel in winter
Getting in
Leh airport is well connected to metros like Delhi, Mumbai. You can take a car from Srinagar- Sonmarg- Kargil route to reach Leh if you have the time
Getting around
We booked a tour including car from Leh through an agency Shoesonloose which seems to be closed now. You can explore other agencies through portals like Travel triangle, Tratoli etc. Some of my adventurous friends have managed to land unplanned in Leh and get a taxi from the airport/ city to agree for a week’s travel around at quite cheap rates
Places to see
We acclimatized in Leh on Day 1. Our day wise plan from subsequent days included:
- Day 2- Leh: Shanti Stupa, Alchi monastery, Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Panther Sahib, Hall of fame, Confluence of Zanskar and Indus River
- Day 3 Nubra valley: Khardung La on the way, Diskit monestary, Hunder sands
- Day 4 Pangong Lake
- Day 5 Tsomoriri Lake
It was quite an adventure reaching Tso Moriri. Our brave driver had to wade through a river with no visibility of submerged road on the way. We did contemplate if we should return back, but our driver was determined to show us the lake. You can see herds of sheep grazing near the lake being herded back home in the evenings
- Day 6 – Shey, Thiksey and Hemis Monastery and Chumthang hot springs on the way back to Leh
Where we stayed
Not many hotels are listed on sites like Booking.com. You can pre-arrange hotels through your agent/ book on different sites/ book on the spot after arrival
- Dawa Guest House Leh: Nice homestay with vegetable garden. The girl here cooked pasta for lunch, poha for breakfast. Rooms have completely wooden decor
- Chubi Sponbo Guest house Leh: Run by relatives of Dawa. We stayed here on our way back
Things to know
- Ladakh population is mostly Buddhist. You can see pictures of Potala Palace Tibet in most homes
- Pangong lake is a salty lake with half of the waters falling beyond China LAC
- Acclamatization on Day 1 is important to avoid altitude sickess. Rest completely on the day of arrival, not even walking around the city
- Leh airport is one of the most beautiful ones in India and the world. You already feel the vibe while landing. Snow clad mountains and glaciers are visible on the flight to Leh from almost any city
- Leh is the only place where hotels are in permanent buildings. As you step beyond, your stay will be in temporary Swiss tents which get dismantled in winters
- The temperature gets chilly at night. Carry enough warm clothes and Warmee to stay heated
- You can see Bactrian double humped camel at Nubra Valley
Costs
We spent around INR 35k per person ($400-450)
- Flights: 12k
- Tour: 20k including hotels, breakfast, dinner
- Food: 2-3k