When in doubt, Leh out

It was a spectacular flight through the mountains and valleys of Leh. The small Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is one of the highest airports named after a monk. There is tight security here and hand baggage is not allowed.

Upon arrival, the instructions were to not be too adventurous; just relax and get acclimatised; avoid consumption of liquor and abstain from smoking. Those on medication were asked to continue with the same. The main reason for this is the low levels of oxygen in the place. Throughout the trip, we were advised to eat light, lest our tummies rumble in the rough terrains.

We first saw the Sangam of Zanskar and Sindhu rivers. This is one of the most spectacular sights of Leh. For river-rafting, you need to make a prior booking. Then came the Magnetic Hill, a point wherein the vehicle, though turned off, moves uphill, due to the underground magnetic force. It is indeed a marvel of nature.

Following that, we visited the Pathar Sahib Gurudwara. The militia have set up this gurudwara, one of the highest in the country. A beautiful place, with a history of its own, it is spick and span.

The Museum of Indian Army was yet another attraction with its Hall of Fame. We got to see the equipment used by the soldiers, the artillery and ammunition. There is a huge memorial parade ground, and some fun-filled adventure activities here to engage in.

At the Shanti Stupa, the setting sun amidst the mountains in its changing hues is a breathtaking scene at dusk. From here, we got a panoramic view of the entire city and were absolutely thrilled!

Monasteries are aplenty in Leh. The climb to the sanctum sanctorum is steep, but it is worth it. A guided tour helps understand the artistic paintings depicting the various forms of living beings and the co-existence of the meek and the mighty.

There is also the famous Pangong Lake. The arduous journey to the lake includes a photo op stopover at Chang La Pass. A word of caution would be to not spend much time in the open here, because of the low levels of oxygen. The sight of the lake is amazing!

The journey to the Nubra Valley is wonderful, amidst scary terrains, long stretches of River Shyok (one of the tributaries of Indus River), running parallel to the vehicles moving on narrow roads sandwiched between mountains and the river. Here again, we had a brief photo op stop at the world’s highest motorable pass — Khardung La. We happened to meet a few Indian Army soldiers on their way to Siachen.

The Turtuk village is the northernmost gram panchayat of India. The people are shy and the children curiously asked our names, about our cars and our hometown. We stayed in tents here. We passed through many Army camps enroute and got to see a lot of donkeys. There were also a few yaks grazing in the fields and a local rodent called ‘marmot’.

The desert safari was an exciting experience. The camp houses double-humped camels good for fun-filled short rides. We also rode on the all-terrain vehicles across the sandy terrains, and even engaged in white water river-rafting.

The people in Leh love it when you address them with ‘Jhuley’, a form of greeting commonly used there. Upon returning to Bengaluru after 10 days, we were unanimous in our opinion that Leh is a must on everyone’s bucketlist.

Prakash Madhwani
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