My travel diary pages follow a specific pattern where I pen down the details as per the itinerary and also include any interesting experiences. This post is deviated from the routine considering the spectacle and the prominence the location carries. Post Kargil, our itinerary has to take us to Uleytokpo but we ditched the place predominantly to have an extra day at Leh which gives us a chance to enjoy the much excited and much boasted bike rides.
The High Altitudes
Leh
Lot of noise is being made on the internet about the high altitudes and suffocation one experiences when they are at Leh. Hyderabad is at an altitude of 1778 feet above sea level whereas Leh is at 11,438 feet. At least half day is required to get acclimatized at Leh is what anyone who has been to Leh suggests. We realized that it is 100% true the minute we reached the hotel. Though we acknowledged whatever was told about the acclimatization, we were surprised when we felt suffocated for minor activities like walking 10 steps or climbing three steps or even talking continuously for a minute. Every one of us activated the slow motion button after that realization 🙂
Khardungla Pass
The warnings one receives about Leh’s altitude before journey seems minuscule compared to what one gets to hear about Khardungla pass after reaching Leh. Khardungla pass is at 17,582 feet above sea level. As a precautionary measure, any car through a travel agency carries at least one oxygen cylinder. At Khardhungla, all of us were absolutely fine, except for a slight headache. Yes, you might not be able to stay at that point for long but 20-30 minutes seemed to be a comfortable time. The place is beautiful with snow covered mountains just a couple of feet away. Many tried to climb the mountains and go to any extent to capture the best possible pictures
Changla Pass
One has to cross Changla pass on the way from Pangong to Leh. Changla matches Khardungla in terms of altitude but not the hype. The suffocation and headache we experienced at Changla made us feel the difference in altitude as way more than 3 feet. Altitude in combination with heavy winds made it difficult to stay at that point even for 10 minutes.
Bike Rides
Many tourists prefer the adventurous bike ride over going by car. Most preferred route is Manali to Leh and then going around Pangong Lake and Nubra Valley from Leh. We choose the option of going by car for various reasons. So the day after we reached Leh, we hired bikes and proceeded to explore places around Leh. As our request reached the bike agency very late, he could arrange Royal Enfield 500 CC Bullets. They charged Rs. 2100 per day for the bike and Rs. 400 for the gloves and jacket.
We opted to go on the Leh – Manali highway and visit Rancho School (Druk Padma Karpo School), Thiksey Monastery, Hemis Monastery and Shey Palace. Rancho school has only the wall we see in the 3 Idiots movie. Keeping that spot aside, a school surrounded by mountains with huge open spaces is surely oblivious to many students around the country. We learned that the school follows many techniques as shown in the 3 Idiots movie and was awarded as the best school in the world by BBC London in 2016.
While going from Thiksey Monastery to Hemis Monastery, we missed a turn and proceeded straight on the road. We wondered whether we were on the right way after riding for 7-8 kilometers as we encountered a road covered with stones and was ascending. So we stopped for a while, asked someone coming from the opposite direction and learned that we were on the route to Pangong Lake. Throughout Leh, we found 90% of the bikers riding Royal Enfield Himalayan, we found the reason while descending the mountain. Heaviness of the Bullet made it difficult to control.
Next day, we informed the agency ahead of time and requested for Himalayan bikes. The charge for Himalayan bikes was Rs. 2800 per day. Riding on Himalayan is very comfortable compared to Bullet. Though both the bike weigh pretty much the same, the lightness of the Himalayan handle made a huge difference. We went to Hemis Monastery, Hall of Fame and Magnetic Hill on that day. While riding, I was smiling as the question “am I really living the scene which I have watched in many movies, where the hero rides the bike on a road adjacent to mountains and a soothing background music/song plays along” was flashing in my mind.
Nature
Increased number of snow covered mountains made us realize our movement towards Himalayas as we traveled to Leh from Kargil. Reluctance of the sun to bow down blessed us to enjoy the views till 8 PM. Proximity to the Himalayas made Nubra valley offer a great panoramic view. Siachen base is 40 kilometers and Turtuk, the last village in India, is just 70 kilometers from Nubra Valley.
While going to Pangong, we wondered if there was really a lake at that location. All that our eyes could capture was only huge mountains standing beside one another like one resting its shoulders on the next one. But the first glimpse of the lake from a mountain itself was spectacular. Water appearing in many colours made them look pure and delight to watch. Standing in those freezing water for 30 seconds was a big challenge for many of us. The total length of Pangong Lake is 70 kilometers, of which 40 kilometers is in China, 30 kilometers is in India and the remaining 10 kilometers is under dispute. The lake has become famous due to frequent encroachment of Chinese soldiers since the last 2-3 years.
On the whole, the views, the place and the people made it a memorable experience. A big shout out to the group of doctors whose down to earth attitude enriched our time at Nubra and Pangong. From the time I am back from Ladakh, I am waiting for the calendar to turn 2023 so that I can plan for the trip again.
