Ladakh Was the Best Way to Step out of My Comfort Zone!

For the first time, I planned a trip out of the boundaries of my comfort zone. We faced many challenges such as an avalanche, sub-zero temperatures and a sand storm! However, it was all worth it. This trip was with a travel group known as "Keep Trippin". I did all the things mentioned in my Ladakh bucket list, visited Dal Lake, Pangong Tso and even experienced snow for the first time! The group arranged the stay and transport. We started with Srinagar!

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The city was beautiful but we could not go to Gulmarg due to a strike going on. We spent the pleasant day at Mughal Gardens and Dal Lake while the night stay was in Sheila Anne Houseboat. It was excessively cold at night.

Our next stops were Sonmarg and Kargil. On our way to Kargil, I experienced my first snow, in Sonmarg! The snow activities were located after a 4 km hike so we rode horses until there. After some time, we left for Kargil but experienced many roadblocks on the way, due to a snow slide and again because the truck ahead of us had broken down!

Due to those roadblocks, we had to skip Dras War Memorial and the zero point and we reached our hotel very late in the night. Zojila Residency was a great hotel with all the facilities we could have asked for!

In the morning, on our way to Leh, we stopped at Namika La and Fotu La. Other stoppages were Lamayuru Monastery, Sangam Point and Magnetic Hill that offers an interesting optical illusion! Another stop on our way to Leh was Gurdwara Pathar Sahib which lies there because the Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak Dev ji conquered a demon there!

Leh is the largest town in Ladakh and falls under district Leh. Our stay in Leh was at Hotel Naro, a homely place close to the market. We visited Tso Moriri; during the trip, we witnessed ice stupas! These are artificial ice glaciers that melt in the summer and help in irrigation.

The beautiful Lake Moriri is the largest of the high altitude lakes in our entire country and it is bitter cold over there (-10°C at night). While going to the lake, we stopped at Taglang La where we saw fresh icicles! We also visited a temple there but dropped the idea of going to the frozen Tso Kar.

At Tso Moriri, our stay was at Norling Camp. That night I could not fall asleep due to the freezing cold!

The next morning, we left for Hanle that is near China and our phones caught the Chinese time zone! We visited Indian Astronomical Observatory, which is one of the highest observatories in the world. In the village of Hanle, we stayed at a homestay where we also had a room heater (the only time throughout the trip).

Next, we visited the saltwater Pangong Tso which is approximately 134 km long, it was featured in the Bollywood super hit, 3 Idiots! Thanks to the fame, now we have so many more tourists who want to visit this lake and you can even check out a few popular props from the movie at the riverbanks.

One can easily fall in love with this lake, as Pangong Tso is the epitome of tranquillity! I stayed in a camp with tents and cottages; I preferred the cottage to protect myself from the sub-zero temperatures.

Nubra Valley or the valley of flowers lies in the north-eastern part of Ladakh. Its capital, Diskit, houses the oldest and the largest monastery in the region along with Maitreya Buddha, an impressive statue of Jampa Buddha. From Diskit, we headed towards Hunder, one of the few places in India where you can check out double humped camels and there we were stuck in a sand storm!

Every now and then, we could see sand storms from a distance but it was not a great thing to be stuck in one! We spent two nights at Dowa Deluxe Camp Nubra before heading to one of the northernmost villages of India- Turtuk. 

Turtuk was under Pakistan until 1971, you could still see a school built by their administration and from India’s northernmost village Thang you can easily see Pakistani shelters. The next day we returned to Hotel Naro in Leh via Khardung La- one of the highest driveable passes in the world!  

When we were on Khardung Pass, it was -8°C and I experienced a snowfall for the first time in my life! By noon, we returned to Leh and headed to the white domed Buddhist Shanti Stupa from where we could see the whole of Leh town. Later, we shopped a bit at Leh Market before retiring to the hotel rooms.

It was our last day in Ladakh so we just wanted to chill. Therefore, we roamed around Leh Market, enjoyed a hearty meal and caught up on some quality sleep. The next day we left for home with many stories to share!

Before this trip, luxuries were included in my necessities but not anymore as we had spent a lovely week without an internet connection, low oxygen levels and discovered the stunning diversity of our country! We could easily notice how the terrain, facial features, flora and fauna changed with the geography. We also noticed the warmth in the people living in these bitter conditions.

Tips:

Staying Fit throughout the Trip

I suffer from asthma so took medicines for altitude sickness as soon as we landed in Srinagar. I relied on Diamox which works best when taken 24 hours prior to the journey and most of my group had to depend on it at some point or the other.

I would suggest you to avoid vigorous physical activities for the first few days and to smell camphor as it makes breathing easier. Nose bleeding is a normal thing if you are visiting Ladakh and there is no need to worry if it is not too much.  

Breathing problems like panting are also normal if you are travelling to this part of the world. If you suffer from a health condition like asthma, I would suggest you to consult a physician before the trip.

Stock up on any medicine you could need, as we could not find medical stores anywhere apart from Srinagar and Leh.

Connectivity

Prepaid connections do not work in this region, my post-paid Airtel connection did not work after Leh. I had also heard that Jio works in many parts of the region but none of us had a Jio connection.

Finding Clean Toilets

If you are a woman, finding a clean or a normal toilet will be challenging. In addition, we drink up more water as we go higher, to avoid dehydration. However, the conditions were better at Nubra and Pangong Tso where we even found a few ‘pay and use’ toilets.

What We Ate?

Breakfast and dinner were included in our stays. Nevertheless, for lunch, all we could get for many days were Maggi and momos.

PS Hot water was not available round the clock in most of the accommodations.

What to Carry?

Sleeping bags- Even after a few layers of blankets, I found my rented sleeping bags very helpful. Choose one that is for the weather you are going to experience.

Neck warmer, woollen socks, headband and shawl/muffler- These will keep your feet, ears and neck covered better than any other thing. Also, carry a waterproof jacket and lower.

Hiking boots- Go for good waterproof shoes that will keep you warm in snow and protected from the rain. While shopping, try with the layers of socks you are going to wear on the trip.

Gloves- Go for waterproof and touchscreen supported gloves so that you stay warm and do not have to remove the gloves whenever you have to use your phone.

Air activated body warmers- These pouches emit heat when exposed to the air and were useful at places without electricity.

Moisturiser- Skin tends to get very dry in this region so you should carry a good amount of lotion with you.

Sunscreen- Do not ignore this tip as I did and got a sunburn and tan. Save yourself from the harmful UV rays.

Power bank- Carry power banks of a good capacity as getting a charging point is going to be a task there.

Toiletries- It is wise to carry hand sanitiser, wet towels and all your basic toiletries.