The many moods of Ladakh (part 2)
Continuing from Part 1
We rested in Leh for a couple of days, to acclimatize ourselves at this altitude, explore the city a bit and get the inner line permits needed for the routes we intended to travel.
With Leh as our base, we planned to drive westward towards Lamayuru, northward to Nubra valley, eastward to Pangong Tso, and on our way back south, stop at Tso Moriri. We would find that each route presents a very different vista!
Leh to Lamayuru
We had missed the first view of the Indus as we entered Leh, because night had fallen by then. So the first time we saw this river that gives our country its name was along the Leh-Kargil highway. We followed it downstream to Sangam, where it meets the Zanskar coming from the south, and the combined flow continues on to Kashmir. We spent some time at the confluence, admiring the way the grey of the Zanskar merges into the green of the Indus, and the colours on the mountains all around us.
We were headed for Lamayuru, specifically to see the area called “Moon land” because of its rock formations. The Leh-Kargil-Srinagar highway is beautifully maintained, to allow for easy travel of military transport. We passed through little villages where women sat at the market stalls selling apples and apricots, radishes and carrots, and rosy-cheeked children walked back from school swinging their satchels.
The colours on the mountains changed with bewildering frequency — from olive green to dark chocolate, magenta to honey yellow.
With many “ooh’s” and “aah’s” and photo stops, we finally arrived at the spot that held us silent. Moon land.
We stopped at Tharpaling restaurant for coffee. This was a quaint place run by a middle-aged Ladakhi couple, and we spent some time chatting with them. The gentleman told us that agriculture does not generate sufficient income, so they need tourism to augment it. With climate change, the amount of snowfall they get in winter has been varying, and this impacts agriculture. He was pleased with our compliments about the restaurant and explained that they had recently invested in upgrading the premises.
Leh to Nubra valley
Nubra valley lies to the north of Leh, between the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. Being in the rain shadow region, it is a cold desert. However, the glacier-fed rivers Shyok and Nubra ensure the presence of oases. The old trade route from Kashmir to Central Asia used to pass this way, crossing the lofty Karakoram pass on the way to the cities of Yarkand and Kashgar. The double-humped Bactrian camels of this region were used to carry loads in these caravans.
We left Leh in the morning, and drove north towards Khardung La. Much is made of this spot, until recently the highest motor-able pass in the world. Being easily accessible from Leh (where a lot of tourists fly in), it was crowded with selfie-takers and party-makers. Not really a place to linger.
I think the real experience began after we crossed it, and began our descent on the northern side. The first view of the slate-grey Shyok river flowing between sand dunes into an oasis of green was a sight to behold. Even though you’ve read about it before, a cold Himalayan desert seems incongruous!
We stopped for coffee at Khardung La restaurant in Khardung village before driving down to Khalsar, where we had lunch. It was a beautiful drive, with cosmos and lavender growing wild on the mountainside. At every stop, the detail on the valley floor became clearer and clearer, until we were at the level of the sand dunes, headed for Hunder. Sand blowing across the windshield punctuated the fact that we were indeed driving through a desert.
We spent that night in a little camp outside Hunder village, in rustic surroundings. The caretakers had a cattle pen that housed cows and a dzo (cross between a yak and a cow), a vegetable patch from which they pulled out fresh carrots to cook for our dinner. It was one of those places where time slows down, and our evening was spent in conversation and laughter.
During the night the wind picked up, and at one point I woke up to hear the sound of rain pattering on the tent canvas!
The next morning, a local driver told us that there was fresh snow on Khardung La. He advised us to make an early start in case the weather worsened. So after a couple of hurried stops at Hunder sand dunes (where we were lucky enough to see a pair of Bactrian camels drinking water) and Diskit monastery, we headed back.
At Khardung village, the girl at the restaurant told us to be careful because cars were slipping on the icy roads. We were apprehensive, but at the same time spellbound by the views of ice and snow all around us.
With our recent experience of AMS, we did not want to be stranded up on the pass for too long! But we had no option but to join the long queue of cars and trucks that were hesitantly crawling up the road. At one point, they stopped and the other drivers told us not to go ahead. We waited and watched as one car after another tried to cross an icy patch, their rear tyres skidding and turning on the spot. Those that had snow chains were luckier and were able to cut through the ice and move on.
After twenty minutes, my husband decided to give it a try. He engaged the four-wheel drive, put it into first gear and cautiously approached the troublesome stretch. To our relief, the Toyota steadily moved forward and upward until we were clear of that zone! It was still an uphill task (pun intended) to get to the top, and make our way amidst the crowd of exuberant tourists who were partying in the snow, and our relief was palpable when we got to the other side and started our descent back to Leh!
Continued in Part 3
Credit for photos, and all that driving: Somendu Dutta
