Awesome view from atop Deskit monastery

Ladakh - A Magical place Ladakh (north of J&K), is the new, must do destination for travellers. It is exciting, non commercial and challenging. Like all challenges, travelling to Leh the headquarters of Ladakh, needs a lot of careful planning before one takes the plunge. If you are not happy about mapping out your own schedule, get a good travel agent to take care of everything from travel arrangements & hotel bookings to extra blankets & hot packed lunches. We did and had a wonderful, hassle free trip. The obvious and easy (read as cowardly) way to get there is by air via Delhi. The land route which is either via Manali or Srinagar, though panoramic is tough, needs time and a lot of mental preparation, particularly for people with motion sickness. All Leh bound flights are early morning ones and are entirely dependent on the weather, so be prepared for unexpected cancellations! Once on the flight, barely twenty five minutes out of Delhi, there appear rows of mountains, seemingly out of nowhere - snow capped giants that go on forever. It is a surreal experience! The airport at Leh is tiny, charming and well guarded. Keep your coats handy as you get off the flight-- it is freezing cold. Leh is an amazingly beautiful place but you need to respect its altitude. Acclimatization (letting your body get used to the thin air) is absolutely essential to avoid altitude sickness. The Leh civil & military hospitals are kept busy catering to the air-starved needs of over enthusiastic tourists. Set aside at least a day of no activity for acclimatization. The Namgyal Palace, Shanti Stupa, Likir Monastery, Magnetic Hill, Pathar Sahib Gurudwara & Hall of Fame museum are all in and around Leh town and offer beautiful views and photographic opportunities. Keep shopping to a minimum as the market place, though quaint, is pretty over priced and you will need to be a vociferous bargainer to get the better of canny shopkeepers. This will obviously get you breathless again, so let it go. It is during the longer sightseeing trips, like the Nubra valley & Pangong Lake drive that the beauty of the landscape tends to leave you speechless. A word of caution to those who tend to doze off during long drivesdont. The views are to die for- changing every few minutes from barren plains to pristine

sparkling ice & snow. Another word of caution, the travel sickness mentioned earlier tends to hit hard on this winding route so keep that Avomine handy. Snacks and plenty of drinking water are a must on these trips to fight the chances of altitude sickness. Also be prepared for delays of over three to four hours on the way to Khardungla (the worlds highest motorable road at 18,380ft)Army convoys are always given the right of passage.

Changing landscapes on the way to Khardungla

On the top of the world -18,380 ft

Nubra Valley is truly magical and the must dos on this trip are a visit to the Diskit monastery, the double humped camel rides, a dip in the hot Sulphur springs and an overnight stay in tents,(Surprisingly very cozy and comfortable). Keep an eye on those clouds over the mountains, they look picturesque but herald blizzards that could be instrumental in delaying your return to Leh as Khardungla remains closed till the snow drifts are cleared.

Tent Resort at Nubra Valley.

Sulphur Hot Springs at Panamik north of Nubra

Double humped Camels at the sand dunes

Gorgeous street dogs of Lakakh

Pangong Lake is may be one of the most beautiful water bodies that Leh can boast. It is a four/five hour drive from Leh town, that winds its way through breath taking views and another towering Pass Chang-la at 17,660 ft. The not so strong minded will not care too much for the route which is rocky for the most part with the drivers seeming to steer their vehicles on the very edge of sheer drops. Most drivers also tend to regale you with hair raising stories of avalanches, flash floods and smashed vehicles, oblivious of the pale faces of their passengers.

A single winding road

The ultimate experience- Pangong Lake -150 kms long, 6 km wide

The route offers you glimpses of wild horses galloping along the grassy slopes, beautiful little Pashmina goats nibbling on shrubs and the majestic yaks grazing placidly singly or in groups. Then, suddenly, there is a flash of blue between the hills and a few minutes later, Pangong Lake is revealed in all its beauty. Unlike most other excursions, the accommodation provided here is extremely basic-about eight to ten fairly comfortable tents and a few musty smelling rooms. Advance booking is a must because once all the accommodation is taken, late comers will have the very chilly option of bunking down in their vehicles. Nights and early mornings are freezing cold, the main culprit being the wind chill. As the day breaks (usually by about 4.30 am), head out to the shores of the lake and watch the constantly changing colours of the water. Do remember to carry some bread or biscuits for the very friendly gulls that are constantly teeming around, they provide material for some great photographs. The drive back to Leh would be incomplete without a visit to the Druk Padma Karpo School, made famous for the fact that a portion of 3 Idiots was shot here. The school is a beautiful creation of architecture and very eco friendly facilities/utilities. The students & coordinators go out of their way to welcome visitors and show them around. Six days & nights in Ladakh is an awesome, once in a lifetime experience. If this journey is made in the company of good friends, then the fun only multiplies. Do not take health tips lightly; sometimes carelessness here has ended in fatalities. The die-hard foodies could well be disappointed as the cuisine, though well cooked and always served piping hot, is for the most part vegetarian. The people here are awesome-friendly, cheerful and very hard working. At the end of it all, as the flight to Delhi takes off, there is a distinct sense of regret that a magical trip has come to an end. --Venkat Rolla
The warm & hospitable Hotel Antelope in Leh. Note the wood work on the top of every window is typical of most houses here.

Leh Jayenge, Leh Jayenge- Dilwale . Attachments:-

a) A list of Dos & Donts are attached at the end of this article. b) Also attached is the Map of Ladakh Region. The top right corner of the map marked in Pink is the region travelled by us (my wife, I & a group of friends). The map shows the two road routes to Leh one from Manali (extreme south of the Map) & the other from Srinagar/Kargil (extreme NW corner of the Map).