Pangong Tso, Ladakh |
It is said that sometimes the journey is equally important, if not more, than the final destination. The same can be said for most of the journeys & destinations in Ladakh, an erstwhile province of Jammu & Kashmir and now a Union Territory.
On way to Pangong Tso, Ladakh |
My journey from Nubra region to Pangong Tso (or Pangong Lake), though long, was mesmerizing what with the clear green waters of the Shyok river and rivulets on the way as well as the moonscape mountains having different hues at every turn.
Changthangi, Ladakh |
On the way I
saw the Pashmina goats, also known as Changthangi (for the region they come
from) grazing at high altitudes.
Then there
were the Yaks feeling at home and grazing in the frozen pond and grass
landscape. Yaks are at home in extremely low temperatures at these high altitudes.
Yaks are sturdy beasts of the region providing not only milk and cheese but
also as beasts of burden to the locals especially in winters when all motorised
transport may cease in remote areas.
The lake at
14270 feet is 134 km long though only 1/3 is in Ladakh & the remaining is
in Tibet. The lake has an endorheic basin, which means that it retains water
and has no outflow. The lake completely freezes over in winters. Due to being endorheic,
the water is salty and the Pangong is considered the world’s highest salt-water
lake.
At the Pangong Tso, Ladakh |
The hills, some bare and others snow clad add to the aura of the place. In summers, there is accommodation available here but after end-October most of them close it for winters though few eateries are still open in November.
You can reach Leh, capital of Ladakh by air or by road (long journey). From Leh you can book cabs/bikes. Travel in Ladakh is expensive because of long distances between destinations. Best time to visit Pangong Tso is summers but then be prepared to see lots of tourists trying to be ‘three idiots’. From Nubra to Pangong Tso the drive is about 270 kms and takes about seven hours. If one goes from Leh via the Chang La (at 17688 feet) then the distance is about 225 kms and take about five and a half hours.
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