Pangong Tso - A Paradise in Leh Ladakh

 "A traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see." Gillbert K. Chesterton

Paradise on Earth - Pangong Lake

It is disheartening to see the on going territorial disputes in Sino-Indian border, the brewing tensions at LAC (Line of Actual Control) and inch by inch incursion by the Chinese troops. Only time will tell if tourism will resume in full swing in this region like before.

Leaving our Trail...until we come again

 Getting There:

By Air: Most of the flights are connecting flights with a layover at Delhi. We had a 11:00 pm flight from Mumbai to Delhi and 6:30 am flight from Delhi to Leh. Approximately 1.5 hours flight from Delhi will reach you to Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh. This airport is unlike the mainstream commercial airport as it's owned by the Indian Air Force and is operated by the Airports Authority of India. It has a tight airport security with Indian Army Patrols.

Alternatively, you can also reach Delhi by Train and/or go by road from Delhi to Leh by a bus, personal or rental car or a bike.

Out of eight days and seven nights tour, one day and night was spent at the famous Pangong Tso (also known as Pangong Lake). And it was indeed a mesmerizing experience!

Experiencing the Tranquility

We had rented Royal Enfield and ride to Panong Tso took about 6 to 7 hrs from our hotel in Ladkah with one small break in between. We started in the morning around 9 ish. The journey was rough with a mix of terrains, paved roads, unpaved roads and a combination of mud and slush. But the breathtaking beauty along the way, made the ride worthwhile!

BIRD Members

Stop 2 at Chang La Pass – The Chang La is a high mountain pass in Ladakh at an elevation of 5,360 m or 17,590 ft.

At Chang La Pass

Further, you may find inclined plane and uneven rough road. One must be careful while riding and driving and respect the rules of the road.

Within 4 hrs of your ride, you will find many local food joints on your way. You can halt here for some quick refreshments and can relish some hot Maggie with chai before you continue.

Lunch at a Local Food Joint

Approaching the Paradise - Pangong Tso:

You keep riding for a while until your eyes meet a blue water body from a distance and oh boy! I cant express the feeling in words on seeing this Paradise on earth - The Pangong Tso. It was magnificent!  As you approach, you will ride along the lake and I consider this as one of my best riding experience till date.

BIRD Riders at Pangong Tso

Here, most of the tourist do not stay overnight and they return back to Leh the same day. But we had an overnight stay and tried to make the most of every moment in this beautiful land.

Reminiscing the 3 Idiot Moment

Accommodation:

At Pangong Tso, you won't find hotels but Makeshift Tents, offering most of the facilities of a modern bedroom. Hot water is a luxury, here. We had a bonfire night, good local food at the tent café and indulged in some chit-chat pertaining to our ride and planed for the next day's ride.

Makeshift Tents - Our Accommodation for the Night

Morning, we had a buffet breakfast at the tent's café and enjoyed sipping tea while watching the clam and soothing blue waters. 

Ride back to Leh and Khardung La:  

We started in the morning at around 9:00 as we wanted to visit Kardung La in the evening. We reached Leh in just 5 hours, had lunch, rested for an hour and padded up again to ride to Khardung La - the Highest Mortorable Road open to citizens.

Khardung La is like a hill station of Leh – A hill station on a hill station. That’s because Leh is on the foothills of Khardung La and you directly climb up from Leh city to reach Khardung La until you reach 5359 m (approx 18,000 ft) above the sea level. It will take you approx. 1.30 hrs depending on the landslides. 

Our super excited BIRD group member at Khardung La

Going to Khardung La is like getting a certificate of riding on the Highest Motorable Road. It is just the ride to Khardung La more than the destination. Up there, you just have a photo point where everyone gets clicked with a background of Khardung La mentioning the altitude of the Highest Motorable Road. 

Best Time To Visit:

The best time to visit Leh Ladhak is from May to September. The roads are mostly closed post September with the advent of snowing season and they open back in April-May. You may also find snow if you travel in May - June. We visited in August, and  missed seeing snow, but the weather was chilling and it was drizzling. 

Important Things to Remember:

• Helmet: If traveling by plane and if you plan to ride in Leh, do not carry your personal Helmet in Cabin. Airlines do not allow it and you will have to put it in luggage. Best option is to get a helmet from the bike rental in Leh. They rent good quality helmets.
• Mobile Network: Only BSNL and Airtel network services are available in Leh – So you may want to take a new SIM card accordingly to stay connected.
• Physical Fitness: It is of utmost important if planning a tour to Leh ladhak. As you move to an altitude of 3256 m above the sea level the oxygen level decreases. Most people suffer from altitude sickness, road & motion sickness. 
• Resting: After reaching your destination, it is advisable to avoid exertion and rest for a day to get acquainted with the altitude changes.
• Packing: Don't forget to pack all the essential biking accessories right from jackets to riding gloves and everything in between. Though it's available on rental basis or on purchase, its always better to have your own. 
• Medical Assistance: If you feel sick, you can visit the government hospital in Leh. It has a general ward for tourist suffering from high altitude sickness and the rates are subsidized.

This was just a glimpse of our ride to Pangong Tso and Khardung La and I can go on and on about the other places that we visited like the Nubra Valley, the Hall of Fame-Army Museum, Zanskar river, Kargil, Drass and finally ending at Dal Lake in Srinagar. But maybe some other time. Till then stay tuned!

At Dal Lake, Srinagar

Contributed by: The man of the house - Nihal Fernandes 😉