{"id":203,"date":"2025-10-30T09:28:32","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T09:28:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vikaskapoor.in\/?p=203"},"modified":"2025-10-30T11:25:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:25:05","slug":"ladakh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vikaskapoor.in\/index.php\/2025\/10\/30\/ladakh\/","title":{"rendered":"Ladakh"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Ladakh<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Vikas Kapoor<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ladakh \u2013 A Different World in Itself: A Painting on Canvas by God<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cTraveling \u2013 it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.\u201d \u2013 Ibn Battuta<\/strong><\/p>\n

Probably all adventure travellers are like Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta (1304\u20131369), the Moroccan Muslim scholar and traveller known for his Rihla<\/em> \u2013 a series of excursions that lasted almost thirty years.<\/p>\n

Travelling in the present context is much easier, accessible, and affordable because of better road infrastructure, sturdy automobiles, reachable accommodations, and the rising economic power of the Indian middle class.<\/p>\n

Visiting any range of the Himalayas is always safest during the month of June, as it\u2019s the pre-monsoon period. Somehow, in our case, we got delayed toward the end of June 2017. Pre-extensive research of the area you\u2019re visiting, I believe, is the most mandatory part of your itinerary \u2014 apart from booking hotels and travel requirements \u2014 before embarking on the actual journey.<\/p>\n

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The Journey Begins<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We commenced our travel to the Ladakh region \u2014 a place hitherto not ventured by me and the kids. Fortunately, my wife had been there long ago when road conditions were deplorable. However, it is a must<\/em> for all JKites (if not all Indians) to visit Ladakh at least once in a lifetime. Probably, the new saying could be:<\/p>\n

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\u201cJiney Ladakh nee vekhya unney J&K nee dekhya.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

For an adventurer, travelling to Leh-Ladakh isn\u2019t complete unless you cross Zojila Pass<\/strong> \u2014 the \u201cpath of blizzards\u201d \u2014 at an altitude of 13,500 feet. Its craggy terrain, slushy mud, flowing water, and single narrow road pump up your adrenaline while you\u2019re behind the wheel. Avoid looking down the mountain if you suffer from vertigo!<\/p>\n

Once you cross over, you pat yourself on three things in ascending order \u2014
1\ufe0f\u20e3 your driving abilities,
2\ufe0f\u20e3 your car, and
3\ufe0f\u20e3 the Almighty!<\/p>\n

A sigh of relief awaits at Gumri<\/strong>, where kids can enjoy ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) on the glacier, while elders can relish a hot cup of tea with snacks.<\/p>\n

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Drass \u2013 The Gateway to Ladakh<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As you travel further, greenery slowly gives way to semi-naked, multi-coloured mountains \u2014 and then comes Drass<\/strong>, the second coldest inhabited place in the world, known as \u201cThe Gateway to Ladakh.\u201d<\/em> Situated at a height of 3,230 meters (10,990 feet), Drass can experience temperatures as low as -45\u00b0C in winters. Despite the biting cold, it hosts riveting Horse Polo contests.<\/p>\n

Ahead of Drass stands the Kargil War Memorial<\/strong> \u2014 Vijaypath<\/em> \u2014 dedicated to the brave soldiers of the Indian Army and Air Force who fought the 1999 Kargil War. Surrounded by the very hills where the heroic battles were fought, it stands proudly on National Highway 1D. Visitors can see from there some of the peaks that our Army recaptured from Pakistan.<\/p>\n

A giant national flag weighing 15 kg was hoisted here to commemorate India\u2019s victory. The war was fought across 150 km at altitudes between 16,000 \u2013 21,000 ft. Every Indian leaving this place feels a tear of pride and patriotism \u2014 the air here truly carries the fragrance of selfless nationalism.<\/p>\n

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Kargil \u2013 The Heart of Purig<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Next halt \u2013 Kargil<\/strong>, which once was a large lake extending up to Lamayuru and Khalsi. Fossils of lobsters, horseshoe crabs, and fishes confirm this theory. Initial settlers here were the Dards<\/strong>, Indo-Aryan people from Central Asia who came through Gilgit and Astor. Tibetans arrived later, and Mons were the third group of settlers.<\/p>\n

Much of present-day Kargil was earlier known as Purig<\/strong>, derived from the Tibetan phrase Pod-rigs<\/em> (\u201cof Tibetan-like people\u201d), which included Kargil town, the Suru Valley, Shanhar, Chiktan, Pashkum, Bodh Kharbu, and Mulbek.
If you have two extra days, do visit Suru Valley<\/strong> and Zanskar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Routes from Kargil to Leh<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are two routes from Kargil to Leh:
1\ufe0f\u20e3 The normal, metalled road<\/strong> \u2013 via Lamayuru, Namika La, and Fotu La (used by 99% travellers).
2\ufe0f\u20e3 The arduous, deserted, but adventurous route<\/strong> \u2013 via Batalik<\/strong>, home to Indo-Aryans living along the Sindh River.<\/p>\n

We decided to explore both. The highest point en route Batalik is Hamboting La (4,100 m)<\/strong>. The small, high-security town of Batalik (on the LOC) offers a thrilling bird\u2019s-eye view of enemy territory.<\/p>\n

Meeting Indo-Aryans in the villages of Darchik<\/strong>, Dha<\/strong>, Garkone<\/strong>, Takmachik<\/strong>, Domkhar<\/strong>, Achinathang<\/strong>, Hanu<\/strong>, and Skurbuchan<\/strong> was an unforgettable experience. Maximum petroglyphs (rock carvings) are found here, running parallel to the Indus River.<\/p>\n

Carry plenty of water and snacks \u2014 reaching this point from Kargil takes at least five hours on a single treacherous road. One good hygiene stop is at Saint Hanu<\/strong>, run by the Indian Army, serving fresh bread pakoras, hot tea, coffee, and bottled water.<\/p>\n

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Towards Leh<\/strong><\/h3>\n

From Khalsi to Leh<\/strong> (100 km), the drive is smooth and scenic. En route, you\u2019ll see the Magnetic Hill<\/strong>, said to defy gravity (though we couldn\u2019t experience it \u2014 perhaps we were too scientific!). Soon after comes the confluence of the Zanskar and Indus rivers<\/strong> at Nimmoo<\/strong>, followed by Gurudwara Shri Pathar Sahib<\/strong>, managed by the Defence Forces \u2014 a must-visit for its Langar<\/em> and spiritual calm.<\/p>\n

Reaching Leh by road helps you get naturally acclimatised to the high altitude and low pressure. Begin sightseeing the next afternoon but make a checklist \u2014 there\u2019s too much to explore!<\/p>\n

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Leh City Attractions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Leh offers breathtaking sites:<\/p>\n