<p>Driving from Bengaluru to Leh had been a dream for me. Everyone around tried to change my mind, the concern being that we were planning to go in 2 low ground clearance Honda sedans. However, determined to go, I started preparing months in advance.<br /><br /></p>.<p>We started from Bengaluru on September 5, 2015 with 3 of us in 2 cars. Particular about not driving after sunset, we would hit the road around 6 am. The roads were excellent, making the drive till Delhi very pleasant. The changing landscape is worth mentioning, especially while passing Gujarat and Rajasthan!<br /><br />We halted for a day in Delhi where 3 more friends joined us. After a halt in Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple and the Attari (Wagah) border, we started the next day towards Srinagar. <br /><br />It was a painful 13-hour journey. The trademark mustard fields followed by the sight of the lesser Himalayas made it all worth it! We halted for a day in Srinagar and soaked up its beauty. The lake, the floating market and the gardens as well as the dry fruits and nuts all made it perfect!<br /><br />The next day’s drive was to Kargil. The lush green mountains and the thundering blue green river of Sonamarg gave way to tall, looming bare mountains. We could see the road stretching ahead of us for kilometres — sometimes needle straight, sometimes curved. A halt at the Kargil War Memorial was very overwhelming. The feeling of seeing the mountains the soldiers climbed to conquer the enemy is something that can only be felt, not described! We reached Kargil in the evening. With the Indus thundering by its side, this town that made international headlines in 1999 looked like any other.<br /><br />We started our drive to Leh the next day. Breakfast halts became an outdoor but enjoyable affair with the mountains in the backdrop, cattle grazing lazily, Buddhist prayer flags flapping continuously to the wind and locals going about their life.<br /><br />The scene got more dramatic. The mountains got taller and more intimidating. However, reaching Leh was like an anti-climax! All the charm and calm of the mountains gave way to noisy, narrow streets. It felt like any other tourist spot but one could see mountains all around which is what makes Leh a much sought-after destination!<br /><br />The next day’s drive to Nubra Valley was a breathtaking affair! One isn’t staring at the Himalayas anymore but the notorious Karakoram Range. We decided to go till the end of the valley to a village called Turtuk. Post that, we headed back to Leh. The next destination was Pangong Tso Lake. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day so the lake wasn’t at its shimmering best!<br /><br />In Leh, we indulged in some shopping interrupted by eating. I must say our daredevilry paled in comparison to people who had bicycled from Manali or ridden from Kerala!<br /><br />The drive back to Delhi was via Manali. The famous Gata Loops were tiresome as the road condition was terrible. As we headed home, it was hard to believe that we had driven all the way up to the tip of the country and back in 21 days! The whole thing seemed like a blur!<br /><br />What was definitely not blurry was the memory of the notorious mountain passes (Zozi la, Khardung la, Rohtang la, Baralacha la, Tanglang la). Though some parts were treacherous, it wasn’t impossible to navigate. I have to mention that the Border Roads Organisation has done a fantastic job connecting places with excellent roads. Truly, it was a journey of a lifetime! Undertaking this when we were all at our energetic and patient best made a big difference!<br /><br /><em>(The author can be contacted on nikhilb2008@gmail.com)</em></p>
<p>Driving from Bengaluru to Leh had been a dream for me. Everyone around tried to change my mind, the concern being that we were planning to go in 2 low ground clearance Honda sedans. However, determined to go, I started preparing months in advance.<br /><br /></p>.<p>We started from Bengaluru on September 5, 2015 with 3 of us in 2 cars. Particular about not driving after sunset, we would hit the road around 6 am. The roads were excellent, making the drive till Delhi very pleasant. The changing landscape is worth mentioning, especially while passing Gujarat and Rajasthan!<br /><br />We halted for a day in Delhi where 3 more friends joined us. After a halt in Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple and the Attari (Wagah) border, we started the next day towards Srinagar. <br /><br />It was a painful 13-hour journey. The trademark mustard fields followed by the sight of the lesser Himalayas made it all worth it! We halted for a day in Srinagar and soaked up its beauty. The lake, the floating market and the gardens as well as the dry fruits and nuts all made it perfect!<br /><br />The next day’s drive was to Kargil. The lush green mountains and the thundering blue green river of Sonamarg gave way to tall, looming bare mountains. We could see the road stretching ahead of us for kilometres — sometimes needle straight, sometimes curved. A halt at the Kargil War Memorial was very overwhelming. The feeling of seeing the mountains the soldiers climbed to conquer the enemy is something that can only be felt, not described! We reached Kargil in the evening. With the Indus thundering by its side, this town that made international headlines in 1999 looked like any other.<br /><br />We started our drive to Leh the next day. Breakfast halts became an outdoor but enjoyable affair with the mountains in the backdrop, cattle grazing lazily, Buddhist prayer flags flapping continuously to the wind and locals going about their life.<br /><br />The scene got more dramatic. The mountains got taller and more intimidating. However, reaching Leh was like an anti-climax! All the charm and calm of the mountains gave way to noisy, narrow streets. It felt like any other tourist spot but one could see mountains all around which is what makes Leh a much sought-after destination!<br /><br />The next day’s drive to Nubra Valley was a breathtaking affair! One isn’t staring at the Himalayas anymore but the notorious Karakoram Range. We decided to go till the end of the valley to a village called Turtuk. Post that, we headed back to Leh. The next destination was Pangong Tso Lake. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day so the lake wasn’t at its shimmering best!<br /><br />In Leh, we indulged in some shopping interrupted by eating. I must say our daredevilry paled in comparison to people who had bicycled from Manali or ridden from Kerala!<br /><br />The drive back to Delhi was via Manali. The famous Gata Loops were tiresome as the road condition was terrible. As we headed home, it was hard to believe that we had driven all the way up to the tip of the country and back in 21 days! The whole thing seemed like a blur!<br /><br />What was definitely not blurry was the memory of the notorious mountain passes (Zozi la, Khardung la, Rohtang la, Baralacha la, Tanglang la). Though some parts were treacherous, it wasn’t impossible to navigate. I have to mention that the Border Roads Organisation has done a fantastic job connecting places with excellent roads. Truly, it was a journey of a lifetime! Undertaking this when we were all at our energetic and patient best made a big difference!<br /><br /><em>(The author can be contacted on nikhilb2008@gmail.com)</em></p>
