Ladakh, India

 Trip duration: 9 days, Aug 2022

On our India trip after a 3.5 year hiatus (Uggh Pandemic!), we decided to throw in some traveling. In July-August, sightseeing options are a bit limited due to the Monsoon season... so we picked the one place that is guaranteed to be dry.. Ladakh.

Ladakh is a Union Territory located in the northernmost part of the country, bordered by the Himalayas and the Karakoram ranges and has been the subject of dispute between India, China and Pakistan since 1947. The name "Ladakh" means "Land of High Passes" and is one of the most pristine parts of the country with stunning landscapes and gorgeous Gompas (Buddhist monasteries).

Tips

Before I go into details of our day to day itinerary, here are some pro-tips:

1. Ladakh is located at a very high altitude. Leh is at 13000 ft above MSL, so make sure you plan for a day or two to acclimatize. Go easy, do not do anything strenuous and listen to your body. Most hotels have oxygenators. Do use them if you feel uneasy. 
2. If you plan to head to Pangong Tso, Nubra Valley etc you'll need to go through some mountain passes at very high elevation. Make sure to carry an oxygen cylinder in your car, especially if you are traveling with elderly folks or children.
3. The roads are terrible in certain areas... and that's probably sugar coating it. The BRO (Border Roads Organization) is doing a phenomenal job building new roads, but until then rent a car with  a local driver to take you around.
4. The sinewy roads can make you feel queasy. Carry medicines for motion sickness (Avomin is the Indian brand)
5. Do not plan to spend more than 30 minutes at the mountain passes like Khardung La and Chang La. They are both at approximately +18000 feet above MSL, and your lungs will start complaining.
6. Most interior parts of Ladakh require a special permit and this is applicable to both Indian citizens as well as international tourists. (More information here). Only children under 6 are exempt and these permits are actually checked at military outposts as you exit the city if Leh. The documents take a couple of days to obtain but you can apply for them online. International tourists also need to register themselves at the airport on arrival.
7. International tourists: Please carry cash. Your credit cards may not work at a lot of places and you will not be able to sign up on PayTM etc. 
8. Be prepared to climb a LOT of steps when you explore the monasteries around Leh.

Now on to the fun stuff!

Day 1 : Arrive at Leh

We flew to Leh (via Delhi) and arrived at around 1 pm. We went straight to our beautiful hotel, Grand Himalaya. In the interest of acclimatizing to the high altitude our plan was to stay low and just relax... which is exactly what we did. In the evening we stepped out to get some snacks from the local market and boy just that short walk definitely served as a reminder that our lungs were not used to the thin air. We had our meals at the hotel itself and got ready for a packed schedule the next day

Day 2 : Leh and Zanskar valley

Our plan for the day was to go east from Leh and explore several points of interest along the Srinagar-Leh highway, all the way to Zanskar valley and back. These are the places we visited, in order.

Magnetic Hill

This is a gravity hill near Leh, famous for creating the optical illusion of cars rolling uphill in the midst of the barren landscape. There is a square box marked on the road, where you can park your car, put it in "neutral" and observe the phenomenon.

Sangam

As the name suggests, this is the confluence of the Indus (Sindhu) river and Zanskar river. In March and October the difference in color of the two rivers is more prominent (blue and green), but in August, with both rivers swollen with snowmelt they appeared different shades of brown. Regardless, this was a beautiful sight to behold. This area is famous for white water rafting (Level 4), with the rafting tours terminating at the Sangam. The main view point is at the top of the hill, but I would recommend also driving down to the actual confluence point and accessing the water. We had a blast fooling around in the water.

Next, we headed to Apricot Kitchen in nearby Nimmoo for some delicious pizza for lunch.

Gurudwara Pathar Sahib

The beautiful gurudwara was built in 1517 to commemorate the visit of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Legend has it that once Guru Nakak was meditating at this place and a demon had thrown a big rock to obstruct his prayers but the boulder turned into soft wax that failed to harm him, seeing this the demon asked for penance for his deed and Guru Nanak ji forgave him. The boulder with the imprint of the body of Guru Nanak Dev and the footprint of the demon is on display in Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. The Indian Army maintains the gurudwara.

A strict dress code is observed here. Men and women need to cover their legs and they have long skirts and pants that can be borrowed. Headscarves are provided at the entrance.

Hall of Fame

It is a museum built and maintained by the Indian army and is dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives during the Indo-Pak wars. The museum houses pictures and memorabilia like seized arms from various battles and also pictures of plus actual equipment used at the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battleground. A part of the museum also showcases the culture and history of Ladakh.

Indus View Point

This is a quick stop right along the highway providing a fabulous view of the Indus river winding through the valley.

Leh Palace

Once back in the city of Leh, our final stop for the day was at the Leh Palace. Located on the Tsemo Hill, the palace was built in the 17th century by the Namgyal dynasty. With nine stories, this was the tallest structure in Leh during its heyday. We explored all the rooms and yes... climbed all the way to the top. The view from the courtyard and from the top were phenomenal, as we looked at Stok Kangri, the tallest mountain of the Stok range as well as the city itself.

The palace has fallen to ruin but is currently maintained by the Archaeological Society of India. While there is no furniture from its heyday, centuries old paintings adorn the walls of the exhibition halls of the palace.The palace is also a house to a rich collection of crowns, ceremonial dresses and jewelry among others.

Namgyal Tsemo Fort and Monastery is located at the very top of the hill and is reachable via what looked like a steep hike from the palace.. and we decided to skip the hike for that day primarily because we were tired and our lungs had certainly not acclimated.

After some delicious cold coffee at a local cafe, we headed back to the hotel and we stayed in for dinner as well.

Day 3 : Leh - Khardung La - Hunder

With our semi-acclimated lungs we headed out to explore other parts of the region. 

We headed out post breakfast and after a quick stop at a view point, continued our journey along the sinewy road as we climbed higher and higher towards one of the most famous mountain passes in the country. The road is narrow and winding, hence if you typically get car sick, definitely indulge in your favorite brand.

Khardung La

Located in the Ladakh range north of Leh, this is one of the world's highest motorable passes and is of historical importance. The elevation of the pass is 5,359 m (17582 ft) and despite all the misleading signs at the pass, it is NOT the world's highest motorable pass (that distinction belongs to a different mountain pass named Umling La, also located in Ladakh). That being said it is pretty high, hence tourists are strongly recommended not to spend more than 30 minutes there.

When we stepped out within a few minutes we could feel the effect of the thin air as I developed a mild headache. My usually happy kid was definitely not a happy camper. Taking a few steps on the flat section definitely elevated the heart rate. The driver of our car told us to skip going to the little temple located at a small hill there. We were surrounded by some snow and it was really cold.

We queued up to take a picture with the sign (even though we did know the information was untrue) and then after getting some coffee at a local cafe, we went on our merry way, descending from the pass.

Once we were down to around 14000 ft elevation we stopped for lunch at a roadside restaurant where we had Maggi. In case you are wondering, Maggi is almost a staple in Ladakh, wildly popular and easily available at most small restaurants. 

The views of the high desert were amazing, especially as we got close to Nubra valley and drove along the Shyok river.

Diskit Monastery

Our next stop was the beautiful Diskit Monastery (Diskit Gompa). This is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in Nubra valley. It was built in the 14th century and its most prominent attraction is the 108 feet tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha, which was visible from quite a distance away with its vibrant colors a sharp contrast to the greenish-brownish landscape.

We drove straight to the base, parked and climbed up all the way to the statue, passing by several prayer bells.

The gorgeous and massive statue is indeed a sight to behold... and the view of Nubra valley and Shyok valley are awe inspiring. The pedestal of the seated Buddha is actually a little temple of sorts that visitors can enter and explore. 

Maitreya Buddha

After spending some time here we headed to our hotel in the town of Hunder, Mystique Meadows Earth Homes, which definitely kicked glamping up to a whole other level. We relaxed over coffee, had dinner at the hotel (included in the package) and retired for the night

Day 4 : Turtuk Day Trip

This day post breakfast we headed up the Shyok valley to the village of Turtuk. The drive was really nice... a mostly flat road running along the fast flowing Shyok river. We made a quick stop at a bridge over some rapids and had to periodically pull over to allow any military trucks to pass since the road is narrow.  

Turtuk is a little known hamlet located along the Shyok river and is the last village in India before Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir. Originally part of the Baltistan region of PoK, this village became part of India after the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

It was interesting to see the change in people's clothing and appearance of houses as we drove through Bogdang, the first village that had been part of PoK prior to the 1971 war. While the rest of Ladakh is Buddhist, inhabited by Ladakhi Tibetans, Turtuk and other villages until Bogdang are Balti villages (Baltis are an ethnic group of Tibetan descent who mostly live in Pakistan's Skardu region). Villagers are Noorbakshia Muslims, a Sufi sect of Islam, who speak Balti (a Tibetan language), wear salwar kameez and have far more in common with their kinfolk in Baltistan who are inside the Pakistan border just 12 km down the road from Turtuk 

Given its tumultuous past and strategic location, the village of Turtuk had heavy military presence and was not accessible to tourists until 2010. Back in its heyday the village was important for traders given its location along the Silk Route.

Visiting the village transported us to a different decade, with its stone walled houses and narrow alleyways. The village is famous for its apricots, so do check out the little shops that sell all things apricot. Also contrary to popular belief, K2 is NOT visible from anywhere near the village... so definitely don't go chasing that view. Here's a fun article if you still aren't convinced.

After some snacks and coffee at a local shop, we decided to quickly explore the village.

Rzaba Turtuk Bridge

This picturesque bridge with a river gushing under it is hard to miss and makes a great photo stop.

Balti Heritage House and Museum

This is a little family operated museum giving visitors a taste of Balti culture. A local family has converted a part of their house into a museum. The collection includes antiques, ancient pots and pans used for cooking, clothing and various tools. It was fun getting the tour from the locals and hearing many stories about like in Turtuk.

Yabgo Palace

This is the former palace of the Yabgo dynasty which has now been converted into a museum. Originally built in the 15th century, what remains now is a modest two-storied house with a courtyard with ancient wooden columns.

We signed up for the tour. Our guide told us more about the history of the palace, showed us beautiful silver kitchenware, items of clothing etc. The courtyard and other parts of the palace boasted of lovely colorful woodwork. We climbed up a rickety flight of stairs to reach the second floor where we looked around a couple of rooms etc before our son started his "I'm bored" song and forced us to head back.

We looked around for restaurant that served authentic Balti cuisine but unfortunately couldn't find one :(

and ended up settling for Tibetan/Indian food at Apricot Cafe.

We then headed back to our hotel, relaxed over coffee and then spent the rest of the evening there.

Day 5 : Hunder and Nubra Valley

Our original plan was to make a day trip to Siachen Glacier but we were still a bit exhausted with all the driving the previous day and figured driving up Nubra valley would be more of the same, especially since we were not actually planning to hike the glacier.. so we changed our plans last minute and decided to stay relatively more "local" and explore Hunder and Nubra valley.

Siachen Glacier

We didn't go there but here's some info of our original plan in case you want to consider it.

Located in the eastern Karakoram range, this glacier lies close to the Line of Control and is notorious for being the world's highest battleground, being the location of multiple Indo-Pak conflicts.

Our plan was to drive to the Siachen Base Camp, the army base from where Indian Indian Army mans the Glacier operations. Until recently civilians were not allowed at the base camp. Local guides offer multi-day hikes/treks onto the glacier all the way to Kumar Post at 15000 ft, beyond which civilians do not have access.

Now onto our actual itinerary for the day...

Desert Himalaya Adventure Park

Our first stop for the day was to start the day with some adventure. So Amit and I decided to try zip-lining at the world's longest high altitude zipline. While this was a different experience compared to our last time in Costa Rica, it was fun regardless... zipping across the valley, over the sand dunes. The view was of course amazing! Too bad it was just a single line. 

Next up.. ATV rides! We rented 2 ATVs, one for my dad and me and one for Amit and our kid. We spent the next several minutes riding around and over the sand dunes. It was so much fun!

We then hopped into our rental van, crossed the Shyok river and drove up Nubra valley.

Samstanling Monastery

Located in the Sumur village, this beautiful monastery dates back to 1841 and is home to about 50 monks. The monastery has two assembly halls, both of which have spectacular murals and paintings of Buddha, Dharma chakra, the four heavenly kings, guardians, and lots of other aspects of Buddhism. 

We reached the monastery just before it closed for the afternoon and got a super quick tour of the place.

Panamik Hot Springs

Panamik is famous for its sulphur rich hot springs. A small fee gives you access to the bath complex with separate areas for men and women. We unfortunately were not carrying swimwear and the water was freakishly hot so we couldn't even dip our feet for long.

When we got to the hot springs it was completely deserted. After checking out the main facilities we walked around the hill side, trying to trace the source of the hot water. We eventually found the area where the water was bubbling out of the ground.

The village of Panamik is also where the trail to Enso Monastery begins, which requires 3-4 hours of hiking one way.

Yarab Tso (aka Luvan Tso)

Our next stop was for a short hike to the sacred Yarab Tso (also known as Luvan Tso.. which is what you'll find in many maps). It took us about 20 minutes to hike there which involved crossing a small hill, and the small lake, surrounded by colorful prayer flags definitely was peaceful and beautiful... and deserted.

Post hike we had lunch at a nearby "Maggi shop".

Pinchimik Gompa

This is a new monastery that is still under construction that we stumbled upon. The main gigantic statue of Buddha is complete and given the bright colors, pretty hard to miss from the road. So we stopped the car, climbed through the partially open gate and went and saw it up close. I "think" it was Pinchimik but if you are driving back from Panamik towards Sumur, it will be on your right.

Hunder Sand Dunes

Our final stop for the day were the Hunder Sand Dunes. The sand dunes with their white rolling sands, a river flowing not to far away, trees and gorgeous mountains surrounding us definitely made for a very picturesque sight... and yes Hunder is famous for its double humped Bactrian camels. Groups of these camels are tied together and give a ride to the visitors. Of course my kid and I were ready for the adventure! It was a lot of fun exploring the dunes as the gentle camels walked on the dunes.

Day 6 : Hunder - Pangong Tso

After a light breakfast we geared up for a long and treacherous drive. If I thought the road to Nubra was bad, this was at a whole other level! The BRO (Border Roads Organization) has been doing a phenomenal job rebuilding some of these roads, but until then we were dealing with almost non existent roads in sections. Besides the terrain itself being unforgiving and the sinewy roads, we also encountered several areas where the road got washed out by glacial melt so unless you have a local driving you around.. you probably wouldn't even know which way to drive... let alone HOW to drive. It took us about 5 hours to get to our destination and en route we stopped at a roadside cafe named Shayok Restaurant. We ordered some bread, omelette and momos that were unfortunately not that great.

We finally caught a glimpse of the blue blue lake and then arrived at the shoreline.

Located at an elevation of almost 14000 feet above MSL, Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake and is in fact the world's highest salt water lake. It achieved immense popularity after being featured in the climax of the Bollywood movie called “3 Idiots”. The lake is almost 5 kilometers wide and 134 kilometers long, spanning the Indo-Sino border. A part of the lake is in disputed territory, with the Line of Actual Control passing through the lake and both India and China claiming a portion of the lake. 

The lake is beyond gorgeous... appearing blue at times and green at others depending on the direction of sunlight. Across the lake once can see barren brown mountains and erstwhile glacial U-shaped valleys.

We then drove over to our hotel for the night.. more glamping at the Pangong Sarai. This is where we were truly disconnected with the rest of the world.. with no cell phone coverage or Wi-fi. Even electricity is generated using solar panels, hence available only at night time.

After checking in, we walked back to the lake shore for more pictures and eventually had dinner at the hotel (also included in the package) and retired for the night.

Day 7 : Pangong Tso - Chang La - Leh

After breakfast we began our drive back to Leh, but our return route went via Chang La pass instead of Khardung La. It was a bit cloudy as a result of which the lake no longer had the brilliant blue color. Boy I felt lucky to have seen the colors the previous afternoon!

The drive was more or less uneventful except the road back was even worse than Khardung La. After a couple of hours we arrived at Chang La.

Chang La

Similar to Khardung La, Chang La is a high mountain pass located at an altitude of 17688 feet above MSL and offers fabulous views of snow covered rugged mountains and barren hillsides. By the time we arrived here we had acclimated to the altitude hence it didn't take that big a toll on our lungs. We stopped at the local tea shop for some you-guessed-it... tea and snacks before heading down into the valley.

Chemrey Monastery

We merely drove by this monastery, whose picture featured on a lot of Ladakh fridge magnets (including the one we purchased) given the way it stands out against the barren landscape. This may be a great place to stop after coming down the mountain pass, in order to explore the monastery and museum. Given our plan for the next day, we decided to skip this.

We then headed to a restaurant in Leh's outskirts for lunch, sadly it was out of half the things on the menu so we managed with whatever was available.

Post lunch we continued our drive and reached our hotel, The Sipa Ladakh. We absolutely loved the hotel.. and the dinner buffet was fantastic

Day 8 : Monasteries and more

Post breakfast we drove out to explore the gorgeous monasteries around Leh. We started with Shanti Stupa, which was really close to the hotel.

Shanti Stupa

Perched on a hilltop in Leh, this is a beautiful white domed Buddhist stupa. It was built in 1991 by Japanese Buddhist Bhikshu, Gyomyo Nakamura as a part of the Peace Pagoda mission. The structure has two levels; on the first level, there is the relief of Dharmachakra with deer on each side and a central golden Buddha image sits on a platform. On the second level, there are reliefs depicting the birth and the death of Buddha and him defeating the devils while meditating. The colorful relief work is a sharp contrast to the otherwise white structure.

Once we arrived there, it was a bit of a walk uphill from the parking lot to get to the actual stupa. You also have the option of walking up the steps all the way from the bottom of the hill. En route we also stopped by a small Buddhist temple where several tourists were meditating. After a quick peek, we continued on to the main structure where we spent time admiring the gorgeous and intricate relief work as well as the phenomenal views of the surrounding hills and the city of Leh. 

Thiksey Monastery

Thiksey Monastery is the largest gompa in central Ladakh and a must-see place near Leh. One of the main attractions of this monastery is the Maitreya Temple which was installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama in 1970. The temple has a 15m tall statue of Maitreya Buddha, which is the largest statue in Ladakh covering two floors of the building.

Once we arrived, we parked at the lot at the bottom of the hill and made our way up on foot. We climbed many many steps, passing by prayer bells etc until we got to the main courtyard. The monastery is absolutely beautiful, colorful and with intricate artwork. Besides the aforementioned Maitreya temple, we also explored Tara temple, Bhairav temple, Sridevi temple and the Silver stupa.

We then visited the main prayer hall and listening to the monks chanting in unison was nothing short of magical. 

After taking in the sights of the monastery itself as well as the surroundings, we made our way down and over to the next point of interest.

Hemis Monastery

Dubbed the richest monastery of Ladakh, Hemis is a 17th century Buddhist shrine of Drukpa lineage, located on Stok mountains on the west of the Indus river. It is famous for the annual two day religious festival named Hemis Festival dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). Like the other monasteries of Ladakh, its architecture follows the Tibetan style. Besides the iconic copper gilded statue of Lord Buddha, the monastery houses a wide collection of historical and religious paintings called Thangkas, and various stupas and statues made of gold, silver, and other precious metals.

The site is also home to a museum where numerous carriers, weapons, and other Buddhist relics and artifacts are displayed.

Unfortunately photography isn't allowed inside the museum or the monastery itself, so we only have our memories to rely on.

After exploring the huge monastery and museum, we were famished and headed out to get lunch. We stumbled upon Cafe Cloud which served great continental food with a nice ambience to go with it. It was definitely a much needed break from maggi and Indian food that we had been consuming for most of the trip.

Shey Palace

Built in mid 17th century, the Shey Monastery and palace were constructed just below the original palace that is now in ruins. Shey was once the summer capital of the kingdom.

The palace itself was rather underwhelming.. because there was nothing to explore really. We climbed several flights of steps as we continued to look for a way in. The view of the valley was definitely quite nice. Eventually we focused on the monastery which had a gigantic statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, the second largest in Ladakh. 

Sindhu Ghaat

Our final stop of the day was the beautiful riverbank along the Indus river, as it flowed through the village of Shey. It is a serene place and great for relaxing after our exhausting day climbing step after step at all the monuments we visited. The water being snowmelt was super cold. We spent some time there, soaking in the view and breathing the cool air, before heading back to the hotel. 

Day 9 

After breakfast our driver dropped us at the airport and we headed back with so many memories of the gorgeous place and a big smile on my face, having crossed off an item from my bucket list.

Places we skipped

Tso Moriri

Similar to Pangong, this is a beautiful brackish mountain lake with incredible colors. This would require another 6 hour drive from Pangong Tso.

Chaadar Trek (Winter ONLY)

This is an extremely popular hike on the frozen Zanskar river along the Zanskar gorge. Hikers cover a distance of about 62 km over 8 days in -30 - -35 C. The pictures from this sure look incredible and I hope I get a chance to undertake this trek in the future

Hemis National Park

Globally famous for its snow leopards, Hemis is the only national park in India north of the Himalayas and is noted for its rich wildlife, including animals that are endangered and found exclusively at high altitude areas. This park is however not very accessible.. i.e. needs serious multi-day treks to really see the place and doesn't have like a road traversing the park. Hence we were unable to explore it.

More monasteries...

As you can imagine there's no dearth of monasteries and stupas in Ladakh. A couple more that we had on our list were Alchi, the oldest monastery in Ladakh and Lamayuru, famous for its "moonland" landscape.