July 2015

Before I share my experience, I will share some reasons why you should definitely visit Leh:

• • To realize how harsh the conditions get at some of the places where the Indian Army operates
  • The feeling to have been on some of the world’s highest motorable passes (Khardung La, Zoji La, Taglang La, to name a few)
  • To ‘live’ the beautiful sceneries that we have seen only on our desktop wallpapers
  • To get a picture with a sign-board which says “Staying here for more than 20-25 minutes can be harmful for your health” (This one is a bonus, for adrenaline junkies like me)

Kargil war memorial with names of the bravehearts who laid down their lives in Kargil war. Just visiting the memorial and looking at the surrounding mountains instills a sense of tremendous respect. Talking to some localites made me realize how adverse the circumstances were in which our soldiers fought. Hat’s off!!

At the Kargil War Memorial

It was time to put on my travel boots again. In order to satisfy my wanderlust, I headed off to Leh with 2 friends. This was however a little different from my previous solo backpacking trip, as in, it was not solo and it was not backpacking either ;).

Travel Trail

Leh needs no introduction. Any traveler (Indian or foreign) worth his salt has either already been there or is exploring it right now or has it on his list of must-visits. I too had been to Leh back in 1999 with my family. With the few but powerful memories I had from my previous trip, I decided that it was time to pay another visit to what is called (and rightly so) – Heaven on Earth.

If you are visiting Leh, chances are that you will spend some time in Srinagar and surrounding areas as well. We decided to make it a total road trip: flying to Srinagar and then onwards via road to Leh, Manali and back to Delhi. For 10 days, it was just the mountains, the water, the sky and us.

On way to Leh…

I am not the one to have traveled on all the continents yet (although that’s my eternal dream), but reminiscing about the few places I have been to, I can say, with conviction, that the scenery that Leh has to offer is unparalleled and will blow your mind away. You will want to stop the car after every few minutes because the present angle has something extra, something that you could not capture in your DSLR on the previous bend: the shadow of the clouds, the sand is different, the sun’s spectrum, and the list might never end. If there is/ever was a hidden photographer in you, this place will bring him out for sure.

Along the way (Srinagar to Leh and then Leh to Manali), you will see rivers playing hide and seek. There will be times when you will be driving along the river accompanied by the soothing sound of running water, and then before you realize, the stream will start getting further and further away as you start gaining altitude. The roads are a perfect mix of good, bad and ugly, but hey, this is considered to be one of the most difficult natural terrain in the world.

As if the river is traveling with you…
Alongside Srinagar-Kargil Highway

Going to Leh means going to a land of extremes: the highest passes like Khardung La (I am talking about altitude upwards of 17,500ft from the sea level; the cruising altitude of a commercial airliner is around 35,000ft), the majestic mountains, the mesmerizing blue-green Pangong Lake, the cold desert (Nubra valley) and many other surprises that need to be experienced to be believed. The huge variety and extreme terrain forces you to bow down in front of nature and appreciate the grandeur of its creations.

There are people who conquer this challenging terrain on manual geared bikes as well. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a young cyclist climbing the steep highway where on the other hand, our car was literally sobbing for being forced to keep going.

There are so many hidden wonders in this part of the world. If you are visiting Leh, you should not (cannot) miss the below.

Pangong Tso Lake

Imagine this: You cross a pass and descend on the other side of the mountain to see a lake so tranquil that you don’t believe your eyes. Pangong Tso lake is one such awe-inspiring marvel of nature. If you have a thing for water (or mountains, or serenity, or altitude, or romance – did I miss any category ;)), make sure you stay along the lake in one of the many camps.

Nubra Valley

Have you been to a cold desert? Leh has just the right one for you. Miles and miles of undulating sand dunes interspersed with double humped camels and occasional green patches. It has the correct mix of all elements for you to go crazy. At least we did 😉 !!

Rafting @ Zanskar

Rafting at such heights has a charm of its own. And knowing that the same river freezes in winters and one can trek across the river to enter the inaccessible villages in the interiors of Leh made me wonder in amazement (another day, another plan :)).

There are many other things that you can do in Leh like spending time at the Tso Moriri lake. J&K is also considered to be a trekker’s paradise. Or you could just choose to visit the Siachen base camp and try to imagine the conditions that prevail at the top where the soldiers stand guard.

Leh has something for everyone. For me, it was re-living the memories of my childhood, stretching my limits, going crazy with friends and introspecting. I am sure to visit this paradise again in future, hopefully with someone who I love :).

Unforgettable memory of the trip

The eye-popping view of the sky with its millions of stars, big & small, shining & dull, when I happened to look skyward in Nubra Valley at night (of course with a peg of scotch in hand). That moment made me forget where I was, who I was. My mouth was open, but I was speechless. I was in a trance and I never wanted to be woken up.

Find what Leh has in store for you. As they say, Come to Leh… get Leh’d.